by Jerry Senn
“Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit … Joseph, being … unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to put her away quietly. But … an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph … do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he wills ave his people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’ which means, God with us” (Matthew 1:18-23).
God chose what is beyond human possibility to bring into the world the promised Messiah, the world’s redeemer. This infant, baby Jesus, was God in flesh — “Immanuel.” God would grow into manhood with one clear mission and purpose, to “save” those laboring under the burden of sin (Matthew 11:28-30).
“When the mayor of Chicago spent a day dressed as a tramp and living with vagrants, the Chicago Tribune described the event as ‘the world’s greatest stoop!’ The editors were wrong! Long ago, the Holy God condescended to live in this world as a man. God had every right and reason to wash his hands of the sinful world. Instead, he loved it, especially the people who live there. He left the wonders of heaven to come to and feel the woes of the world. What a stoop! God was big enough to become small, and strong enough to become weak as a tiny baby.
“The infinitesimally small fetus miraculously implanted in the womb of Mary nine months earlier was Almighty God coming to the world in the person of Jesus Christ … God became man” … absolutely sinless, having all power, and knowing all things” (Roger Carswell).
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. — Isaiah 9:6