No Ordinary Birth, No Ordinary King!

If you have been a believer or follower of Jesus for a number of years, the story of Jesus' birth can become very familiar to us ... perhaps too familiar! You may even have the attitude that I don't really need to read it again. I know the story and I have heard it several time.

I have read the story of Jesus' birth several times. Like you we get a number of Christmas cards which remind of His birth. We sing carols every year. We know all the characters - Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and angels, the wise men and King Herod, etc, etc. We have even played these characters. So what's new?

Over the past several weeks we have been reviewing Old Testament stories. Stories about Noah, Moses, Joshua, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, David, Ruth, Gideon, Daniel, Esther, Nehemiah and others. We were amazed at how God did "miraculous" things and was always "monkeying in the machinery" of these lives to accomplish His purposes.

I would encourage you to read  The Birth of The King, as if you were reading it for the first time with fresh eyes. You will again be amazed at what God did in order to come down onto earth to be with us and fellowship with His children over 2000 years ago.  And let us not forget that He is with us always and loves us and wants many more to enter into His kingdom

God sends an angel to Mary to announce that she, a virgin, is going to have a baby boy who will be named Jesus.  She will be impregnated by the Holy Spirit. WOW!  Mary is OK with this (she is submissive) even though she could be rejected by her family, and her village and perhaps even be stoned to death because others would assume she had committed adultery. Joseph, her fiance, could have called the wedding off and rejected her but he didn't. God speaks to him via an angel in a dream giving him the same message. He supports Mary and goes along with what God is doing. I am sure he completely understood what was going on! Not!

It just so happens a census is called and Joseph and Mary have to go to Bethlehem to register and Jesus is born there, fulfilling one of many OT prophecies. Angels appear to shepherds announcing the birth of a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. How many of you have seen angels lately?  Not an ordinary occurrence! The three kings who were looking for Jesus do not return to King Herod to let him know that they found King Jesus and worshiped him.  Another angel speaks to Joseph in a dream again and warns him to flee to Egypt to protect Jesus' life from the massacre of baby boys that King Herod was doing. At the appropriate time they return but are lead to live in Nazareth which again fulfills another OT prophecy. These are not coincidences!

Over and over again you see how God chooses, speaks, leads, warns, protects, provides, encourages, and ultimately accomplishes His plan through "ordinary people" like you and me. We are told Mary, the mother of Jesus, treasured all these things in her heart.  She remembered and reflected on all the circumstances and things that were said and were happening to fulfill the promise of a Saviour ...Jesus ... who is now our King and Lord and will someday soon be recognized by everyone as King of kings and Lord of lords.

I found myself taking time to remember and reflect on how God has been working things out in my life to bring me to the point where I recognized my sin and needed a Saviour. I can see how he brought me to Himself and remember that night when I was "born again" by the Holy Spirit. I will never forget that night when I accepted the invitation from Jesus to "Follow Me"  ... the joy, the peace, the new heart, the new desires, the new appetite for the Word, the excitement to tell everyone I knew just like the Shepherds did.  I was forgiven of my sin!.  I was cleansed from the inside out and made new. But I also remember the spiritual struggles and the victories and the mini revivals that have taken place over the past 4 decades of being a follower of Jesus. Indeed I know for sure that Jesus is my Saviour, Sanctifier, Healer and coming King and that I will one day live with Him eternally!  I am thankful for His Word and the leading and indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  

I would encourage you to reflect on your own salvation, your own "spiritual birth" in Christ, your own ongoing sanctification of becoming like Christ and being made Holy and cherish those memories and thoughts. He has done so much for you and continues to do so!  Don't be afraid to tell others your story and the good news of His Story like the shepherds did.  This Story is never old.