Grace Baptist Church, Nokomis, IL.

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It’s amazing to me how many people have no idea what Christmas is all about. They may celebrate it every year, but never know why. Perhaps they give no thought to its origins. Perhaps they’re confused about its origins. Perhaps they’re troubled by its origins.

For us who know Christ, Christmas is deeply meaningful and spiritual. But for those outside the church, if Christmas is spiritual at all, it’s some vague spirituality that has nothing to do with Christianity. In the opening chapters of Luke, we read about a person who was initially troubled by the thought of Christmas, but who came to treasure every moment of it.

“In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” How will this be, Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.” I am the Lord’s servant, Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.” (Luk 1:26-38)

When the angel appeared before Mary, she was troubled (v. 28-29). When angels appeared before people in the Bible, their first reaction is usually one of fear. Though she didn’t know all the details, she humbled herself and embraced God’s will (v. 38). She trusted in God’s plan for her.

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests. When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” (Luk 2:1-19)

Mary went from troubled (1:29), to trusting (1:38), to treasuring (2:19). Even after Christ was born, she still didn’t have all the details. She had to ponder them in her heart. But since she trusted God, she wasn’t troubled by her lack of knowledge. She treasured all these things. The idea is that she gathered up all this amazing information and…just kept it. She wouldn’t forget it. She wouldn’t be swayed to reinterpret it.

In your day-to-day life, are you troubled by Christ, or do you treasure Him? Do you attempt to make sense out of the virgin birth, or simply accept it? Do you explain away the miracles that Jesus would perform, or be amazed by them? The determining factor is faith.

Mary had the kind of faith that said to God, “I don’t have all the details, but I trust You.” Contrast her actions with that of Abraham, who was also told that he would have a child. Mary didn’t take things into her own hands; she trusted that God can do anything. Contrast this also with any person who attempts to explain away miracles. For those who don’t believe in God, miracles are impossible. But we shouldn’t be so surprised by the virgin birth, because God can do anything.

When we accept that God can do anything, miracles make sense. In fact, we should expect them. Augustine once wrote, “Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that thou mayest believe, but believe that thou mayest understand.”