The Two Miracle of Christmass

Christmass Morning

December 25, 2017

St. John 1:12–13

The Two Miracle of Christmass

In the name of the Father

and of the + Son

and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Even though the world reshapes the miracle of Christmas for its own purposes, they are still aware that a special baby was born in Bethlehem a long time ago. The world does not know or recognize Jesus, but news of this special baby has gone out to the four corners of the earth.

But this conception in Galilee and birth in Judea is more than special. It is singular. For the first time no sinful man was involved, only the holy God and a sinful woman, as we confess:

conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary.

The first miracle of Christmas is that is a unique and singular birth: a virgin gives birth to a Child. And this Child is not just singular because of His way of coming into the world, but that He is perfect, holy, and righteous in every way before His Father in heaven.

He is God in the flesh. He is the living Word of God.

To put St. John directly:

¹In the beginning was [Jesus], and [Jesus] was with God, and [Jesus] was God. ²[Jesus] was with God in the beginning. ³Through [Jesus] all things were made; without [Jesus] nothing was made that has been made.

ST. JOHN 1:1–3 NIV 1984

The Creator of the World and the One who keeps galaxies spinning throughout the universe was born with ten fingers and ten toes and has a belly button. Singular.

But there is a second miracle that is just as stunning and just as significant to sinners like us. This second miracle is that we actually believe the first miracle!

The world and its scientists can describe how a baby is born down to microscopic levels, they cannot say why life comes alive. So every baby is a miracle.

But the baby Jesus is singular. No one else was ever born in this way; no one will ever be born in this way again. The impossible truth is that God has come down from heaven. Miracle number one.

And the second miracle is that we believe what is impossible. Miracle number two is that we know God and we receive Him as He is.

¹²Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—¹³children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

JOHN 1:12–13 NIV 1984

God gives us this right to become His children. It is a gift, the miracle of faith. Our trust in Christ for us prevents us from reshaping Jesus or Christmas into what He is not. The full manger is not an abstract idea of hope for the future or good cheer for the present.

The full manger is the singular historic event that changed the world. The baby will grow in stature, the boy will become a man, and the man will die. Just as Jesus doesn't deserve to be a feed box made of wood, neither does He deserve to be nailed to a wooden cross. But He was. And He was born and He died for you. This is unbelievable, but you, born of God, believe it.

In Jesus' Name. Amen.

God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Thanks be to God!