Multiple Miracles of Christmas

Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. John 6:14

Jesus fed over 5,000 people with five barley loaves and two small fishes (John 6:9). When the people saw it, they concluded that Jesus was the prophet that should come into the world. Of course, they had in mind all the Old Testament prophecies that a prophet was coming, but they were waiting for an earthly king who could deliver them from the Roman Empire. They were not even willing to admit that Jesus was the Son of God or recognize Him as their Lord and Savior.

The feeding of the 5,000 should have been expected of God in the flesh. There were so many miracles in Christ becoming a man and making possible man’s salvation. Our Christmas celebration focuses on that incomparable miraculous event we call “The Incarnation.” Note just a few of the miracles recorded in the Gospel accounts that were all part of the purpose and plan of God in Christ coming into our world.

1. The mingling of the lives of Joseph and Mary, both in the line of King David.
2. The angelic announcement to Zacharias of the birth of John (the Baptist).
3. Zacharias’ subsequent nine-month long muteness.
4. The natural, yet miraculous conception of John by the elderly Elizabeth.
5. The angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary of Jesus’ miraculous conception in her womb.
6. The conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit.
7. The heaven-sent angelic dream to Joseph informing him that Mary had not been unfaithful to him, but that she had miraculously conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit.
8. Joseph’s decision not to cancel his engagement to the pregnant Mary.
9. Elizabeth’s immediate recognition of Mary as the mother of the Messiah.
10. The movement in the womb of Elizabeth of the pre-natal John when Mary spoke.
11. Giving the name “John” (God is gracious) to Zacharias’ and Elizabeth’s son.
12. Zacharias’ immediate ability to speak again when John had been named.
13. Zacharias’ prophecy of the ministry and role of John as the Messiah’s forerunner.
14. The details of the census-decree of Caesar Augustus.
    A. The timing of the decree and its accomplishment.
    B. Joseph’s and Mary’s timely compliance to the demands of the decree.
15. The actual birth of Jesus in Bethlehem of Judea.
16. The hypostatic union in Jesus of the divine nature and a human (yet sinless) human nature in one unique person.
    A. The human nature of Jesus was not deified by His divine nature.
    B. The divine nature of Jesus was not humanized by His human nature.
    C. Jesus was both the Son of God and God the Son, the infinite God-man from His very conception.
    D. This is perhaps the ultimate miracle of Christmas.
17. The angelic announcement to the shepherds of the birth of the Lord Jesus.
18. The shepherds’ immediate compliance to the command of the angel and their subsequent immediate recognition of the baby Jesus as the Messiah.
19. The actual naming of the baby Jesus according to angelic instructions.
20. Simeon’s immediate recognition of the baby Jesus as the Messiah at the time of His circumcision.
21. Simeon’s prophecy of Jesus’ future difficulties and Mary’s future grief.
22. The prophetess Anna’s recognition of the baby Jesus as the future Redeemer of Israel.
23. The Magi seeing “His star” in the east.
24. The way the star led the Magi to Israel.
25. Herod’s consultation of the chief priests and scribes to attest to the fact that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem of Judaea.
26. The way the star led the wise men to the actual house where Jesus and his parents were at that time.
27. The instantaneous recognition by the magi of the baby Jesus as the Messiah.
28. The dream-warning to the magi to return to their own country by a different route to avoid Herod.
29. The angelic-dream warning to Joseph to flee to Egypt with Mary and Jesus.
30. The stay of the “holy family” in Egypt in fulfillment of Hosea 11:1.
31. Herod’s horrible slaying of the innocents and yet his failure to slay Jesus and the fulfillment of Jeremiah 31:15.
32. The angelic-dream announcement of the “all-clear” to Joseph when Herod died and Joseph’s and his family’s return to Nazareth.
33. The divine dream warning Joseph to avoid going to Judea where Archelaus was reigning in the place of his father Herod.

All of these are part of God’s plan to bring saving faith to those who are willing to trust Jesus Christ as Lord, Messiah and Savior. Jesus Christ Himself was to us a miraculous gift. All these lead to the plan and purpose of God the Father, Son and Spirit in Christ coming into our world, to die for our sins (1 Timothy 1:15). Jesus came to be the Savior of the world (1 John 4:14). Jesus Christ Himself said, I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (John 10:10).

Today, praise God for the multiple miracles of Christmas. Praise Him for the miraculous gift of saving faith. But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons (Galatians 4:4,5).

We cannot look at all that God did in sending Christ into our world without recognizing the value of our salvation. The 33 statements above remind us that there are many more in relationship to His Second Coming. How great ought to be our anticipation. How great is the urgency to get this message to as many people as possible — friends, neighbors and relatives, before Christ returns again.

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The late George Stiekes served in several churches through his ministry. In his later years, he published a daily newsletter he called Reverent Reflections. We draw from his stock of devotions for occasional articles here on Proclaim & Defend.