MIRACLES OF THE BIRTH OF JESUS

Today we are looking at the miracles surrounding the birth of Jesus.

There are at least SIX miracles surrounding the birth of Jesus.  And if a person does not believe in MIRACLES, then he does not really believe in the Bible account!

1. WHAT IS A MIRACLE?

Basically, a MIRACLE is when God over-rides the natural law to bring about what man would not expect to naturally follow.  It is defined as: an event, apparently transcending human powers and the laws of nature, that is attributed to a special divine intervention or to supernatural forces.

We are living today in a materialistic, scientific and humanistic society where divine intervention--that is miracles--are largely discredited.  In a Holman's Bible Dictionary article on miracles, this statement is made:
"Contemporary philosophical and theological arguments over the possibility and definition of miracles reflect the altered worldview of the last several centuries--from a theistic to a nontheistic concept of the universe. The perceived tension between the natural and the miraculous is a by-product of a naturalism that is intent on sqeezing out the supernatural realm of reality."

The people of Bible times did not have this problem. They understood that the universe was created, sustained, and providentially governed by God.  God is said to be "upholding all things by the word of his power." (Heb 1:3).  Whether He chose at any given moment to work through ordinaty means, or extraordinary, seemed to be of little concern.

Today, we tend to seek a scientific explanation for everything, and what we cannot understand, we discredit.  We would expect such an attitude from the secular crowd, but unfortunately it has entered into the religious realm, and in reality it is not all that new. (Acts 23:8)  "For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both."

If you discredit angels, spirits and miracles, then you cannot believe the Bible account of the birth of Jesus.  In fact, you may have trouble even believing in God, for "God is a Spirit," John 4:24.

Some in the church today are so afraid of a miracle that they hesitate to even pray for God to heal the sick. They pray for the "means being used" to be successful in restoring to them their health, as if God healing them apart from medication would be a miracle, but if He let the midicine heal them, it would not.

Many today are minimizing or discrediting the Miracles of the Bible.  How did the children of Israel cross the Red Sea?  It was probably made possible by a freak storm.  How did it rain fire and brimstone on Sodom & Gomorrah?  Maybe it was a volcanic eruption or an earthquake.  What about the story of Jonah and the whale?  Probably just a myth or legend, they say.

AND WHAT ABOUT THE VIRGIN BIRTH OF JESUS?  Probably just a myth... He probably had a human father.  What about the dream Joseph had?  Probably just a natural dream brought on by stress. What about the star that led the wise men to Jesus?  Probably just the natural phenomenon of a shooting star or super-nova.

DO WE REALLY BELIEVE IN THE BIBLE ACCOUNT OF THE BIRTH OF JESUS?  If we do not believe in miracles, then I suggest that we don't, for it is truly miraculous fron start to finish.

LET US LOOK AT SOME OF THE MIRACLES SURROUNDING THE BIRTH OF JESUS:

I. THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE BIRTH OF JESUS BY ANGELS WAS MIRACULOUS.

Luke 1:26--31: "And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS." 

An angel appears to a woman.  Not just any angel, but the angel, Gabriel. He speaks to her, and delivers a message.  If you had been there, and Mary had told you of this encounter, how would you have reacted?  Would you have told her that she was crazy, that angels don't speak to humans?  But if you are going to believe the Bible account, you must accept that he did!

II. THE MIRACULOUS CONCEPTION:  Lk 1:31--35

"And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 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." Luke 1:31-35

This is the crowning Miracle of the birth of Jesus.  Even Mary realized the impossibility of conceiving without a human father,  "Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?"  The Answer:  "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."

Only some very low forms of life can procreate from a single parent. For a woman to conceive without a human father would be a monumental miracle.  Yet this is what we are asked to believe concerning the conception of Jesus.  This is what makes Jesus extraordinary, the Son of God.  

Yet many this day in time are denying that this really happened.  the RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE WEBSITE states.
 
     "Most modern liberal theologians have generally rejected the virgin birth, and classify it as a 
     religious myth that was added to Christian belief in the late first century CE."

J.S. Spong, Episcopal Bishop of Newark, NJ, wrote: 
"In time, the virgin birth account will join Adam and Eve and the story of the cosmic ascension as clearly recognized mythological elements in our faith tradition." 
 
Friends and brethren: These people do not believe in the Jesus of the Bible, for He is born of a virgin!

This website goes on to tell us:
Fundamentalist and other Evangelical Christians believe that Biblical passages should normally be interpreted literally, and that the Bible, in its original form, was inspired by God and thus is inerrant (free of any error). Thus, when the gospels attributed to Matthew and Luke both describe Jesus' mother as being a virgin when Jesus was conceived, there is essentially no room for further debate. Jesus' conception must have happened in precisely that manner. Jesus was a product of Mary and the Holy Spirit.

Jesus was supernaturally conceived, being born of a virgin (Luke 1:26-35). To be sure, the Bible records other miraculous births such as those of Isaac (Gen. 21:1-2) and John the Baptist (Luke 1:57), but none attained to the miraculous heights of a human being supernaturally conceived and born of a virgin. 

III. JOSEPH'S DREAM:  - Matthew 1:18-25 
Gabriel had appeared to Mary to tell her what was going to happen and it did happen just as he had said. But what of Joseph, her betrothed? What would he do? And how would he ever believe her when she told him about her angelic encounter. As it turned out, she did not need to say anything. The Angel of the Lord makes a visit to him. Let's read the Scriptural account:
"Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. 20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS." Matthew 1:18-25

Was Joseph's dream just a natrual occurrence brought on by stress?  Hardly!  The angel that had announced to Mary, explained the same thing to him.

Not only did the angel appear to Joseph this time, but twice again!  (Mat 2:13)  (later) "...behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him."  Sure enough, King Herod had all the male children from two and under put to death. 

(Mat 2:19-20)  "But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, {20} Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life."  ...And so he did.

It is not commonplace for angels to appear to people in dreams, but we believe it happened here, for this was no common event.

IV. THIS IS WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE "INCARNATION."
You see, the BIRTH of Jesus was not the FIRST of Jesus!  On one occasion, Jesus said, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. {57} Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? {58} Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am."  (John 8:56-58) 

The word "Incarnation" is not a word that we commonly use in conversation today. The word literally means, the act of clothing with flesh. This is the act of assuming flesh, or of taking a human body and the nature of man; as the incarnation of the Son of God.  Thje Hebrew writer says of Jesus: (Heb 10:5)  "Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:"

The second person of the Trinity always existed. We know this by what we read in John 1:1-4 & 14 - "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men." Then V.14 "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

This incarnation of the "Logos", the Word of God, God becoming man, was foretold in Micah 5:2 along with where it would happen: "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."

The Eternal God becoming man indeed is a miracle of the highest degree.

There is an important passage of Scripture that is not usually mentioned in association with the birth of Jesus. It records a conversation between God and his Son. This conversation reveals the reason for the incarnation. Let's read Hebrews 10:5-10:

"Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. 7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. 8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

What a miracle! God became man so that He could offer Himself as a sin offering for our sins that we might be saved.

V. ANOTHER MIRACLE ASSOCIATED WITH THE BIRTH OF JESUS IS THAT OF THE ANGELS APPEARING TO THE SHEPHERDS: 

No one would have noticed or even cared about a baby being born in a barn as it were, if it would not have been for the miraculous declaration of his birth to the shepherds by the angels. After the angelic announcement, the shepherds went to see the Savior and then spread the news far and wide. Let's read the Biblical account found in Luke 2:8-17.
"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child."
 
VI. THE FINAL MIRACLE THAT WE WILL BE LOOKING AT TODAY IS THAT OF THE STAR GUIDING THE WISE MEN TO WHERE JESUS LAY:

This miracle revolves around the visit of the wise men. They were directed to the Christ child by a star. This star was the wise men's own personal guide that led them to the home where the young child resided with his parents. When the wise men arrived in Bethlehem, they worshipped Christ and presented him with costly presents. Let's read the account in Matthew 2:1-12

"Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. 7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way."

Wise men (and women) still seek Christ... and when they have found him, they worship Him!

Scholars have wondered for centuries about the marvelous "Star of Bethlehem" that led the wise men to Jesus.  Was it an ordinary star?  How could an ordinary star lead people to a little baby many miles away? Some even doubt that the star is for real. But I suggest to you that it was an extraordinary star, for the whole event is extraordinary from start to finish.

QUESTION: If someone came to you today, and you had never heard of it before, and began to tell you about this baby that was born of a virgin, announced by angels and pointed out by a star, WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT?