Dec. 25 is just a blip on the screen for some people. But for me it takes at least a month to celebrate the birth of Jesus. This is why Christmas is referred to as a “season.” The miracle of the incarnation is simply too wondrous to be limited to one day.
When we study the details of the coming of Christ in Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2, we discover that Christmas is a series of miracles. This year I’m pondering each of the supernatural moments that occurred in the lives of the ordinary people who played starring roles in God’s plan of redemption.
Zacharias’ miracle. God sent John the Baptist to prepare the way for Jesus. The Lord chose a Jewish priest named Zacharias to be the father of John, but Zacharias was doubtful of God’s plan—even though an angel delivered the news. Zacharias was struck mute, and he didn’t speak again until his infant son was ready to be circumcised. After Zacharias got his voice back, he delivered one of the most powerful prophecies in the Bible (Luke 1:67-79). Zacharias learned that God must discipline us if we want Him to use us.
Elizabeth’s miracle. When we first meet Elizabeth, we learn that she was barren and “advanced in years” (Luke 1:7b, NASB). But like Abraham’s wife, Sarah, Elizabeth’s morning was turned into joy. After the angel visited Zacharias, Elizabeth got pregnant. And when she met Mary, who was pregnant with Jesus, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit—along with the leaping baby John the Baptist in her womb. Elizabeth, a true forerunner of faith, had her own Pentecost moment years before the day of Pentecost!
The Virgin Mary’s miracle. An angel visited this his young Jewish woman from Nazareth, and he told her that she would be supernaturally impregnated by the Holy Spirit and give birth to the Son of God. Mary had no wealth or social status, yet God chose her to bring the Messiah into the world. The angel said: “You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). She pondered those words in her heart for years, until the day she watched Jesus die on a cruel cross. Mary understood that God rewards those who humbly surrender to His plan.
Joseph’s miracle. When his fiancee got pregnant, this respectable Jewish man decided to end his planned marriage—but an angel appeared to him in a dream and explained that Mary was carrying the Messiah in her womb. Immediately, “Joseph did as the angel of the Lord commanded” (Matt. 1:24), and he married Mary. Later, God warned Joseph in a dream a second time when Herod plotted to kill the infant Jesus. Joseph learned not to rely on his own wisdom, but instead to listen to the Holy Spirit’s voice.
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The shepherds’ miracle. When God unveiled His beloved Son, He made the first announcement to some lowly shepherds who were working the night shift near Bethlehem. In God’s kingdom, the last shall be first. Some theologians suggest that these Bethlehem shepherds cared for the lambs reserved for Passover sacrifices—and that such lambs were often wrapped in cloth and laid in mangers for inspection. The shepherds learned that this baby was destined to be the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world.
The wise men’s miracle. There have been endless debates about the astronomical details of Bethlehem’s star. Was it a meteor? A comet? One theory suggests that the bright light that led the magi to Jesus was the result of an alignment of a planet and a star. Regardless, the wise men understood that God’s cosmic clock was ticking, and that Jesus had arrived in the world at the exact moment God planned. This is why they brought gifts fitting for a king. The wise men understood that Jesus was the King of all kings, and He is the focal point of all history.
Simeon and Anna’s miracle. These two elderly saints clung to a prophetic promise. The Holy Spirit had shown Simeon “that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ” (Luke 2:26b). And then, one day in the temple, when Simeon saw Mary and Joseph carrying the infant Jesus, he took the baby in his arms and prophesied, “My eyes have seen Your salvation” (v. 30). God had also shown Anna what was coming. At age 84, she was willing to take a back seat to the coming generation of New Testament heroes. Simeon and Anna understood that when God makes a promise, it’s a guarantee—no matter how long the answer is delayed.
Don’t rush through Christmas this year. Make it a season. Listen to the songs carefully and savor every word of the story. Think about the angels, the shepherds, the star, the manger, the frankincense, the dreams and the prophecies. Ponder all the miracles of Christmas. {eoa}
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