While many are consumed in their minds today with opening wrapped gifts and watching sports events on television, Christmas is so much more than that. It is celebration the birth of our precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Christ’s birth was a virgin birth. He was fully man and fully God. He as not half a man and half God. As Isaiah 7:14 says, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Jesus was born of a virgin woman and of the Spirit of God. Luke 1:34-35 says, “Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” He was the Son of Man and also the Son of God.

His purpose being born was to be the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, to declare a truth that will set people free, for He is the way, the truth and the life. John 18:37 says, “Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” Christ’s purpose of coming into the world was to bear witness of the truth, not be a liar or blasphemer. All we have to do is simply believe in the words He spoke, for He is truly the Son of God. 1 John 5:1 says, “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.” For many, it may take a great deal of faith to believe in Jesus Christ’s virgin birth, but it was through His blood that we would truly be saved. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” That Greek word for substance is “hupostatis”, which has formed a theological phrase called “hypostatic union”. This theological phrase is the very substance of foundation of our Christian belief system. Hypostatic union is the belief that Jesus Christ is 100% man and 100% God, that He is fully man and fully God, that He was born of the virgin Mary and died without spot or blemish for the sins of this world and is now our resurrected Savior. Christ is truly the cornerstone of our theology. Now faith is the hypostatic union, the assurance that Christ is fully man and fully God. The full foundation of our faith is to believe in Christ’s virgin birth, ministry, death, burial and resurrection. Without Christ, there would be no reason for faith! It probably would have been possible for God to create Jesus as a complete human being in heaven and send him to descend from heaven to earth without the benefit of any human parent. But then it would have been very hard for us to see how Jesus could be fully human as we are and experience the various temptations and pain we face today. He was touched by the same infirmities as we experience, and faced temptation as we commonly do, yet without sin. (Heb 4:15) On the other hand, it probably would have been possible for God to have Jesus come into the world with two human parents, both a father and a mother, and with his full divine nature miraculously united to his human nature at some point early in his life. But then it would have been hard to understand how Jesus was fully God, since his origin was like ours in every way.

Genesis 49:10 says, “The scepter shall not depart form Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh [the Messiah] come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.” Judea was under the rule of Rome with Caesar August reigning as emperor. Cyrenius was governor of Syria, and Judea was included in the province of Syria. Herod was now King of Judea. A usurper, a foreign, alien power, a descendant of Esau, now ruled over Judea. The promised land was no longer in the hands of Israel, but a heathen power. The prince was no longer appointed by God, but empowered by Rome. The temple was now misused by the usurper. The priests of God no longer were ministers of God, but servants of the secular world. This paved the way for Shiloh to come, would be Jesus Christ. Several unusual events occurred for Biblical prophecy to be fulfilled and/or for His birth to occur:

1. The taxation was used by God to fulfill His plan for the birth of the Messiah. Joseph and Mary lived in Galilee, and Mary was now great with child. The taxation forced Joseph to go to Bethlehem because it was his city of birth. They planned for the child to be delivered in Nazareth, but Micah 5:2 had to be fulfilled, which says, “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. “
2. Christ was born in a manger or feeding trough. He was not born in a hospital or comfortable home, but in a smelly stable, the lowest imaginable place for a birth. From the very beginning, he was turned away by men, as there was no room for him in the inn. He was born in poverty, obscurity and loneliness. If Joseph had the money or if someone cared, he would have been in the inn. But often people don’t make for the King of Kings because they are caught up in their own affairs!
3. The appearance of an angel to shepherds was a confirmation of His identity as a Savior. The shepherds were looked upon as anything but worshippers of God because they were unable to attend services and keep the ceremonial laws of washing and cleansing. Their flocks just kept them too busy. Their reputation was low, and religious people snubbed and ignored them. But they recognized Christ’s coming, as His mission from His birth was to save the lost! The angel proclaimed His splendor and glory, and his as message one of the good news of the Messiah’s birth.
4. There was an appearance of the heavenly host of angels, crying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” God either gave the shepherd a special sight into the spirit realm or caused the spirit realm to appear to physical sight.
5. The shepherds bore the testimony and message of what the angels spoke to them. They wanted to visit and hurried to see this miraculous birth for themselves. They shared the message and caused a stir among the people.
6. Mary was awestricken and pondered on what has happened in her life. She had been through pregnancy yet unmarried, victimized by rumors, discussions with Joseph and her parents, long trip from Nazareth, the exhaustion of giving birth without help in a smelly stable, and experiencing the visit of the shepherds with their testimony. Yet, after all the trauma, she pondered in amazement at what God had done!
7. The shepherds, and they alone, returned glorifying and praising God!
8. They named the baby Jesus, which means, “Jehovah Saves” because that was His name given by God before His birth. (Luke 1:31) In Biblical times, names derived from prophetic fulfillment or a future destiny that awaited that person. In this case, Christ came to save the world!
9. Christ observed the legal ceremonies, for He came not to destroy the law, or the prophets, but to fulfill (Matthew 5:17). The ceremonies He observed were that of circumcision, purification and dedication.
10. A poor family would raise Jesus Christ, and this was a deliberate choice by God. He did not come as a king, but He will return as one! Mary offered two pigeons, which as an offering of the poor. The rich offered a lamb and a pigeon.