Could there be a more extraordinary, a more amazing miracle, than this remarkable event that happened inside the womb of a virgin, named Mary? God became man inside her.
But by God’s Grace, this was a miracle that wasn’t for her only, but for all people.
This was a miracle that happened not only to Mary. Because isn’t it also your miracle, and mine? For isn’t the Son of God, also born into your heart, and into your soul, to be your Savior, to be everything you need for salvation? To visit you, to come to you, not with condemnation, but with words of comfort, grace, mercy, and forgiveness.
There was only one virgin God chose for the conception and birth of His Son, in the flesh. But He is also born, by a miracle, into your heart, through the miracle of faith, through the miracle of God’s Spirit, who works in you through His Word.
How can a virgin give birth? It seems like such a contradiction of terms. Mary may have been young, and she may have lacked certain earthly advantages, like financial and social success. She may have lacked popularity and money. But the one thing she didn’t lack, was common sense. She had a brain. She understood where babies came from. And so her question was understandable according to human reason. She asks, “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” How can it be possible, since she hasn’t been with a man yet? In those days, that meant that she hadn’t been married yet.
“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.”
We are more like Mary, than we probably realize. We ask the exact same question, How can it be? I don’t see no miracle happening in the waters of Baptism, or to the bread and wine in the Lord’s Supper. I don’t see or even feel forgiveness happening. But what the angel said to Mary, he says to us, “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee.” He gives us the understanding, and the faith to believe.
Furthermore, how can God visit us with such grace and favor? We’re sinners. Look at who we are, and look at what we’ve done. We’ve in no wise deserved God’s blessings. We are so selfish that not a minute passes by, without us thinking of me, myself, and I.
And so our human reason kicks in. How can this be? Surely, there must be something I must do to make up for my sins, and to make peace with our holy God.
But what the angel said to Mary, he says to you: “Fear not. For thou hast found favor with God.” And even, “thou shalt...bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS..”
And many will say, that’s foolishness. That only happened to Mary, and still others don’t even believe that.
But we have the promise of God on this, which cannot be broken. The same Jesus, born of a virgin, is the same Jesus who is born inside you, inside your heart, in your soul. For Jesus Himself says, “The Kingdom of God is within you.”“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”
By the power of God’s Spirit resting on you, Jesus is born in you, through the Word, through the Sacraments.
And doesn’t He continue to bring forth in you new life, new hope, new faith, new strength, new and godly desires? Jesus says, “Behold, I make all things new.” “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ.”
It wasn’t without price. The cost was high. It cost nothing less than the life of God’s Son. Nothing less than His body and blood, given and shed for you, for the remission of all your sins.
This miracle baby, was born to die, so that He could rise, and give us everlasting life.
His name shall be called Jesus – the name that is above every name, to which all knees shall bow, the only name given among men, whereby we must be saved. Jesus means, Savior. God is our Savior. He met all the requirements for our salvation.
Could there be a greater miracle? God becomes man. The Creator joins Himself to His creation. The most powerful of all seems to become powerless in the hands of cruel sinners. The Everlasting Word seems to become silent, as a sheep before her shearers is dumb. The only-begotten of the Father becomes forsaken of the Father. The only one who is sinless, is made to be sin for us, who knew no sin.
And He continues to come to us, like He came to Mary. “Fear not. You have found favor with God.”
How shall it be? How is it possible? With God, nothing is impossible.
Who are we that we should be so highly favored of God? What have we done to deserve it? The same thing that Mary did to deserve it. Absolutely nothing. “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”
By a miracle, Christ is born in you, creating in you a new heart, a new life, by His Word, by His Sacraments, by His Spirit.
So be it unto us according to His Word. In Jesus name. Amen.