Dear Friends,

I have just been reading the account of the birth of Jesus in the record which comes in Matthew's Gospel, chapter 1 and verses 18 to 25. I would like to share with you some of the thoughts which came to me as I read and thought upon this history.

We read in verse 18 that while Mary was engaged to Joseph and before they had had any sexual intercourse, Mary was found to be pregnant. The words as Matthew tells them are that "she was found to be with child through the Holy Ghost".

Notice how clearly the account speaks of her virginity. Mary and Joseph "had not come together". This is the way the Bible record reveals that she was a virgin. Just at the right time, when Mary was engaged, so that Mary's life and reputation may be protected by her future husband, God brought about this miraculous pregnancy.

We cannot make too much of this miracle of conception. We read how Mary was told about it in Luke 1:35, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God." We need to let the miracle sink deeply into our minds. Not only did God overrule his normal creative process in the birth of a new human being, also he was giving the world a very special child, whose parentage was both truly divine and truly human. He was to be called the "Son of God" because he possessed the very eternal essence and life of God, for God was his true Father. He was also truly called the Son of man, because from Mary he received true humanity. Nor was he two people, but one incarnate Son of God.

The very miracle of his birth and nature must cause to stop and worship and wonder and believe and trust this Lord and Saviour.

We are left in no doubt about the truth of Jesus miraculous birth and his true nature and person. Joseph, finding Mary pregnant, comes to the only conclusion that he could in the circumstances and from a human point of view. Mary must have been unfaithful to him. There must have been another man. He considered the problem in the only way he could as an upright man, and in a culture that looked on such action as very great sin. Because he loved Mary, he wanted to protect her from public disgrace, but he felt he could not overlook her apparent sin which seemed to be undeniable because she was pregnant.

Something powerful had to happen for Joseph to accept the truth, which humanly speaking was so hard to believe. God again miraculously intervened by sending and angel to speak to him in a dream, and assure him that Mary had not sinned, but had conceived by direct action of God.

We must not suppose that Joseph was a credulous man, who would have been easily deceived, and that he dreamt what he wanted to dream. If he had been such a man, he certainly would not have dreamt up such a reason for Mary's pregnancy. From a human point of view it is totally unbelievable. No sane man would think up such a story, and because of this is gives us assurance that the story is true.

The more we meditate on the account, the more wonderful and certain it becomes.

Then Matthew writes of the implications of this astounding miracle of God's graciousness. His name will be called Immanuel, which means "God with us". Immanuel is the Hebrew for "God with us". This is the implication that God had come to live amongst mankind, and not in any sense of judgement or to snoop, but to come alongside to save and to bless.

Joseph is told it all in the name he is told to give the child. "You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins". And who are his people. It is not the Jewish nation, but anyone who would come to him and put their trust in him as their 'Jesus' - their Saviour - whether they are Jew or Gentile.

The miracle and uniqueness of the birth of Jesus is secured from all argument of unbelief in the closing words of the chapter. We are told in verse 25 that although Mary became the wife of Joseph, they had no sexual union until after Jesus was born.

We must never lose the impact of the wonderful birth of Jesus and what it means. It should strengthen our faith and commitment to Christ, and our confidence in his love and the love of God for us. It is truth that must warm our hearts and comfort us whatever life may bring.

There is no doubt that this birth, and all that follows from it in the life and death of Jesus is the most important and marvelous thing in all the world. The fact that most people in our country feel and know nothing of its blessing is tragic. How much more should we be moved to extol Jesus in every way we can.

Your servant for Christ's sake,