My friend Dr. Elmer Towns says, “A miracle is the interruption of the laws of nature for a divine purpose.” The virgin birth of Jesus is one of the foundations of Christianity and a miracle that continues to astound us today.
There are several notable miracles in the narrative of the Messiah’s birth, all dealing with visits from angels. In a sermon years ago, my father stated, “When angels appear, we know God is working.” That was certainly true at the time of Jesus’ birth.
Let’s look at four of these wondrous occurrences.
1) One day, the angel Gabriel appears, telling Zacharias, who was a righteous priest, that despite their advanced ages, his wife Elisabeth will conceive a son who’ll be filled with the Holy Spirit in the womb. This son (John the Baptist) will go on to proclaim the coming of the Lord. Zacharias is then stricken dumb (until John’s birth). The people understand that he has seen a great vision and that God is preparing to do something. Can you imagine how excited they were!
2) The angel Gabriel also imparts God’s prophecy to Mary, telling her that she has found favor with God. The angel proclaims that, through the work of the Holy Spirit, she will conceive a son who will be called the Son of the Highest and be given the throne of David. In Luke 1:37, we see one of the greatest statements ever made, as Gabriel proclaims, “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” No matter what challenge you are facing today, that proclamation remains true.
3) In Matthew 1:20, it is Joseph who has an angelic experience. The verse reads, “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.” Like the others in this great drama, Joseph’s willingness to believe the seemingly unbelievable shows us that we too must be willing to believe what God proclaims.
4) In Luke 2, we see the shepherds in the field when an angel appears, telling them (Luke 2:11), “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” The sky fills with the heavenly host as they praise God. If you are like me, you have tried to imagine this amazing sight as the heavens miraculously proclaim the newborn King.
We hear a lot about miracles today, but no true miracle exists apart from God. In the chronicles of Jesus’ birth, these miraculous events inspire us to serve Him with a greater zeal. The phrase “wise men still seek Him” is certainly true, but I prefer the phrase, “Wise men still seek to serve Him.” That’s what we are doing here at Thomas Road Worldwide and I thank you all for partnering with me as we take the Good News across the globe.
Your Friend in Christ,
Jonathan