We think of Christmas as a time of miracles when miracle above all other times can happen. In 1931, Ed and Julia Stewart were driving home on Christmas Eve when they suddenly got a flat in the middle of the Arizona desert. While her husband changed the tire, Mrs. Stewart wandered off for a bit, what happened next was amazing. Mrs. Stewart came across an old hatbox, with an abandoned (but totally healthy) newborn baby girl inside. Now, this all took place a few miles outside of Superior, Arizona, a tiny town in 1931. Today it is the home of the Bob Jones Museum but there is not very much else surrounding the town of 2407 people. So just think what kind of astronomical odds it took for the couple to get a flat tire in close proximity to the discarded baby, allowing them to save her life. What’s even more incredible is that the Stewarts then decided to give this little Christmas miracle over to the authorities and they in turn gave a miracle child to a couple who had waited years for a newborn on Christmas.

Christmas is a time of miracles when miracle above all other times can happen. Why? Because Christmas celebrates the miracle of the virgin birth, and the even greater miracle of God stepping onto the domain of humankind in order to relate to us, as John 1:14 so profoundly states, 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.

Many people believe in miracles even in the 21st century. A recent survey done in the UK showed that 77% of people agree with the statement that “there are things in life that we simply cannot explain through science or any other means”. Furthermore, 16% say that either they or someone they know have experienced what they would call a miracle. This wonderful miracle spawned many others wonderful miracles. C.S. Lewis gives this definition, “A miracle is an interference with nature by supernatural power.” So we learn that an actual miracle requires the suspension of the laws of physics or chance. Such was the…

I The Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ vv. 26-34

1. Christmas is a time to celebrate one of the most remarkable miracles found in the Bible: the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. God sent the angel Gabriel to Mary, a virgin who was engaged to Joseph. 2,000 years ago, God usurped HIS natural way of bringing children into this world through a virgin who gave birth to a child. Top of Form
Mary’s response to the angel’s announcement was predictable. She was “troubled vv. 29.” The Greek word means that she was thoroughly confused and perplexed. Why shouldn’t she be? This had never happened before in all human history. Mary asked the only question that made sense at the time: How shall this be,’ Mary asked the angel, ‘seeing I know not a man” or in other words, I am a virgin?’ (Luke 1:34).

2. The angel’s response showed that this would have to be the result of the Holy Spirit’s activity. “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow thee. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35).
Miracles do not happen without the activity of the Holy Spirit. It was true then for this amazing event and it’s true now. So here is a lesson for all of us from the Christmas story, and it applies to us not just at Christmas, but other day of our lives.

3. The work of the Holy Spirit was God’s part of the miracle, but what about Mary’s responsibility? Tucked away in the original language of her conversation with the angel was a word that isn’t noticed from a quick reading of the exchange with Gabriel. The angel said to Mary, “For with God nothing is impossible” (Luke 1:37). Mary responded to the angel: be it unto me according to thy word. (Luke 1:38). “May it be to me as you have said”.

Literally, the angel said to Mary, “God is not powerless.” “Since your Word is not powerless, let it be to me according to your Word.” We learn from Mary to never give up on the rhema of God, that which is or has been uttered by the living voice. There may seem to be obstacles to God’s promises, but those obstacles can’t stop us if we hold fast to what God has said. His word is powerful. The power of the Holy Spirit and the power of God’s Word are still available. This is why we have miracles even today because God’s Word is all powerful. It worked for Mary and it will work for us. The virgin birth of Christ is not the only miracle in the Christmas story. Again, an actual miracle requires the suspension of the laws of chance or physics. Such was the…

II. The Elderly Birth.

1. John the Baptist’s birth was also miraculous. His father, Zechariah, was a priest of the line of Abijah (a priest during David’s time descended from Aaron) who served at the temple in Jerusalem twice a year. John’s mother, Elizabeth, was a cousin of Mary and also a descendant of Aaron (the first high priest). Zechariah and Elizabeth faithfully followed God’s laws, yet they were “very old” and were childless because Elizabeth could not conceive (Luke 1:5–7). God miraculously blessed this elderly couple with a child—and no ordinary child. Their son would be “great in the sight of the Lord” (v. 15) and “make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (v. 17).

2. Yet, the miracles don’t end here the miracles of Christmas follow with…

III Your Rebirth

1. That is the miracle I want all of you to recall…the miracle of being born again. In the passage of: 1 John 4:9-10 – In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. [10] Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

2. The word “manifested” – means to be made visible, the ultimate act of self- sacrifice. It was the ultimate act of love: to die in another’s place in His death on the Cross. Jesus paid the price of His enemies because God loves all men. They are all precious to Him! He places value on all human life! Therefore we understand that… verse 14 states that, “And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

3. Christmas reminds us that each one of us who are “born again” is a continuing miracle of God. God too has a plan a time and a way of making everything come together in our lives for our good. God loves you and can grant you the miracle of rebirth, delivery from addiction, freedom form sins effect. It your chose to make the connection to the first miracle that is faith in the Christ…

Conclusion:

At the age of five, Helen Cardenas’ mom told her they were going to have a meager Christmas, things were really bad that year. So Helen wrote out a letter asking Santa for a doll and some shoes, and sent the letter to the North Pole via helium balloon. The letter inevitably ended up landing in California – about as far from North Pole as you can get. A woman named Julie Sanders found the letter and realized it came from a very poor girl in need of a Christmas miracle. So, armed only with a scrap of paper that had flown across the whole United States, she tracked down little Helen and made sure she had a nice big bundle of presents to open come Christmas Day. In short: Julie Sanders became little Helen’s Christmas miracle. What about you?
Do you need a miracle right now? God cares deeply about you and your situation and He wants you to trust Him. God desires good things for you. He wants the very best for you and is actively seeking to bring about his plans to prosper you. You may have tried many times before to believe God in your situation but He hasn’t given up on you yet, don’t give up on Him. You can trust Him. He is your Heavenly Father who loves you dearly.

Every Christmas season we remind that we too can be someone miracle if we have the love of God for others.

On the first Christmas, the angels were the bearers of this joyous news. Today, God desires to work through us to take the story to others.