December 08, 2017
This post is part of a series of Christmas Devotionals by Dr. John Neihof, president of Wesley Biblical Seminary. You can find all of the devotionals by clicking here.
Scripture passage: John 1:1-5, Luke 1:26-55
The miracle of a baby is one of the most thrilling miracles of all. Witnessing the miracle of birth is a premier soul-stirring experiences of life. In the birth of my children, I witnessed the smallness of myself, the greatness of God, and one of the most significant contributions I can make to Your Creation! I have held my own newborn infants. I have cuddled them, changed them, and kissed their indescribably soft skin. Miraculous! And God created all of this!
The miracle of a virgin-born baby, Fathered by the Holy Spirit, is the scandal of Christian religion! God’s plan to introduce Himself into humanity was one of the riskiest plans of all time. God risked being a baby in a world where infant mortality was high. God risked being birthed by a virgin girl in a world that might stone her as an adulterer. God risked His Son suffering cruel rumors of illegitimacy throughout His childhood. God risked Joseph’s reputation.
When God performs a miracle, He performs it in a big way! Creating a bit of a scandal is not beneath Him! God will even use scandal to advertise His miraculous act!
The miracle of a baby who would become the Savior of the world! God made flesh! He was born without the taint of sin. He lived a sinless life that no other person has able to achieve. He was perfectly holy. His accusers said that He had to die for it! Holy Father said that He must die for it… for us… for the sins of the whole world. Jesus, the Son of God made flesh, must become the blameless sacrifice, and the only way there could be any redemptive merit to His sacrifice was if He were the sinless Son of God, God made flesh. He had to be born of a virgin—a sexless scandal.
I cannot wrap my mind around God’s miracle of the Virgin Birth. I cannot comprehend Your perfect plan envisioned in eternity past. I cannot comprehend the Holy Spirit’s brooding over Mary and conceiving the Christ in her womb apart from physical copulation. I cannot comprehend that my Lord Jesus Christ would participate in such a humiliating plan as to be born as a baby. I cannot comprehend all He gave up to identify with me and my kind… to save us. I cannot comprehend an entirely holy life, without ever a sin. I cannot comprehend God’s voluntary sinless sacrifice of Himself.
Although I do not understand it all, I believe. I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin girl. I accept by faith all of the provision You make for me through that scandalous act.