The Christmas story is about a Baby. Perhaps, that is why we can relate to it so easily. Nearly everyone wants a baby at some point in their lives, because God has built the desire to reproduce into everything He created. It’s His way of preserving His creation, and yet, there’s more… Psalms 127:3 (NLT) tells us, “Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him.” God loves babies – and we do, too. What joy they give us!
So, let’s rewind the generations to First Century Israel, where we find a girl named Mary who was betrothed to a man named Joseph. Did she want children – of course. Did he? No doubt. Did they want their children to be good and godly? Of course. They were poor but devout Jews, and godly children were the future of Israel.
In fact, at that time, it was the dream of every Jewish girl to marry and bear a son who would change their world. What an honor it would be to bear the Messiah, the Hope of Israel! He would be a great man, a mighty man of valor who would deliver them from the Romans. Likely, Mary (and Joseph) wanted a fine son like this. These were good dreams – and God was about to answer their prayers. However, what actually happened was anything BUT the circumstances either of them envisioned!
Most people know the story. We have heard how the angel Gabriel came to Mary and told her she would have a Child who would save His people – but here’s the twist: GOD would be the Child’s Father!
Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Grace to you, young woman, for the Lord is with you and so you are anointed with great favor.” Mary was deeply troubled over the words of the angel and bewildered over what this may mean for her. But the angel reassured her, saying, “Do not yield to your fear, Mary, for the Lord has found delight in you and has chosen to surprise you with a wonderful gift. You will become pregnant with a baby boy, and you are to name him Jesus. He will be supreme and will be known as the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God will enthrone him as King on his ancestor David’s throne. He will reign as King of Israel forever, and his reign will have no limit.” Mary said, “But how could this happen? I am still a virgin!” Gabriel answered, “The Spirit of Holiness will fall upon you and almighty God will spread his shadow of power over you in a cloud of glory! This is why the child born to you will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:28-35 TPT)
Even though the Gabriel plainly said that the Child “will be called the Son of God,” the Hebrews were looking for a political, military leader – NOT GOD coming to earth in human form! To the Jewish mind, that was an impossibility, totally inconceivable, and outright blasphemy! Nevertheless, for Mary, this was her destiny, to bear God’s Son…
Even so, Mary believed the angel, submitted to God, and trusted Him. Though it didn’t make sense and could put her in a dangerous situation, she knew that God had spoken. In their day, being found pregnant and unmarried was a scandal of the highest proportions. Joseph would most likely reject her, thinking that she had been unfaithful. At best, she could stay in her father’s house as a single, unwed mother – and at worst, according to the Law, she could be stoned to death, along with her unborn child! Thankfully, none of this happened.
When Joseph found out about Mary’s Baby, he was put into an impossible position. He was a righteous man, but didn’t know what to do. He knew what the Law required but loved Mary and decided to put her away quietly – until he, too, had an encounter with an angel! God spoke to him, as well, and he, too, trusted God and embraced his destiny.
When we really understand what was happening in terms of Mary and Joseph’s culture and situation, we can see that BOTH of them displayed incredible courage beyond courage to submit to God. As far as I’m concerned, they were both spiritual rockstars! This was the rich, faith-filled environment that welcomed Jesus to earth…
And so, the Christmas story begins with an edict from Rome for everyone to return to their ancestral home for a census. This meant that the young couple headed to Nazareth just as the Baby is about to be born. They were poor people in a city with too many travelers and not enough rooms. So they stayed in a “stable,” really a cave, where the animals were kept. And it was there, alone with Joseph and far from home, that Mary bore Jesus, the Messiah.
What a blessing! No doubt the happy couple felt like every new parent everywhere – in awe of the miracle of birth and overwhelmed with their new responsibilities. What an important time this is in our lives, and how vulnerable we are in these moments. And yet, it was right here in their story that there was another twist! Listen very carefully to this passage…
Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:8-11 NKJV)
Did you hear that last verse? Re-read it carefully… “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” This Child that Mary bore was not just hers or hers and Joseph’s to raise. They weren’t just a young couple starting their family. No! This Child Mary brought into the world was also born to the shepherds – and TO US! This Child was born to “all people.” Let’s read verses 10 and 11 again…
“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
God uses angels again, just like He did with Mary and Joseph, to tell the shepherds that Mary’s Baby was really their Baby – and OURS! Actually, about seven hundred years earlier, God spoke the same message through Isaiah, the prophet:
For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6-7 NKJV)
And so, Mary and Joseph were walking in God’s will. Their story had become His, but it didn’t look anything like anyone had expected. How could GOD, the One who created the earth and stars and untold galaxies, fit Himself into a man? And yet, as Gabriel told Mary, “… with God nothing will be impossible.” (Luke 1:34 NKJV) Truly, though it is inconceivable, Isaiah said that Jesus would be called “Mighty God” – because He is!
So yes, Jesus would grow up to redeem His people – but not in the way they thought, because Rome was not the only tyrant on the planet. John tells us that “the whole world lies under the misery and influence of the Evil One.” (1 John 5:19) Indeed, this has been the case since Satan tempted Eve and Adam disobeyed in the Garden. That was when sin entered the world, and we have reaped its deadly consequence ever since. And God, Himself, had to come to earth to fix it.
More than that, to rescue us from eternal separation from God, He had BE one of us. God is Spirit and cannot die. He has no blood to shed for the remission of our sins! (Hebrews 9:22) So, Jesus (God Himself) worked out the plan. He would come to earth in a human body to die in our place. That was the only way to bring us back into a right relationship with Him. He had to do it, Himself. As Isaiah said, “The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this,” and it did! (Isaiah 9:7)
If anything had gone wrong; if Jesus had sinned – even once – He would not be qualified to be our Substitute. He would be subject to death because of His own sins. As Ezekiel said, “The soul who sins shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:20a NKJV) And the apostle Paul tells us that “The payment for sin is death, but the gift that God freely gives is everlasting life found in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 GW)
And so, in the fullness of time, Mary’s Baby came to earth to “destroy the works of the devil,” calling us “out of darkness to experience His marvelous light!” (1 John 3:8; 1 Peter 2:9) He had a body, supplied by His Father through Mary and shed His blood on the cross for us, calling us to repent from sin and follow Him. Jesus fully expressed God’s undying love for us. He did all the heavy lifting, when He paid the price for our salvation!
And that is why Christmas is so important: Without Christmas, there could be no Easter!
