Christmas: The Majesty Of God

 In Blog, Charles Cavanaugh

“That which is conceived in her was from the Holy Spirit”

 

We are often drawn to and awed by the lowly nature of Christ as illustrated in His ignominious birth. It is striking that God the Son arrived in a stable surrounded by the smells and filth of animals and was worshipped by dirty shepherds.

 

But there is also something of God majesty in Christ’s earthly beginnings. The conception of the Christ child was no ordinary conception.  The awesome nature of the person and work of the third person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit, is displayed in the Christmas story.

 

Joseph was overwhelmed to find that his betrothed wife Mary was with child, since he had acted with moral integrity and not had sexual relations with her. The only thing to do was to divorce her as the Law allowed in cases of betrothal unfaithfulness. His love for her and his godly forbearance moved him to do so in private to spare her shame and the stoning which might come.

 

But Joseph went from being disturbed by human circumstances to being overwhelmed by the nature of what God is doing; “That which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” Conception itself is an amazing thing. Sexual union and procreation are intricately designed for the natural gestation and birth of a child. But think of the majesty of almighty God put on display by the supernatural conception of Christ in the womb of a virgin. This is an “awful” thing in the oldest and best since of the word. It leaves us full of awe. That Mary, a sinful young woman in need of the Savior she carried, should carry and bring to birth the second person of the Godhead is beyond comprehension.

 

The angel described this in even more majestic terms to Mary some time before the event with Joseph. “The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall over shadow you: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God” [Luke 1:35].  The second person of the Godhead, the Creator of all things was conceived in the womb of a Jewish virgin girl.

 

Here is the Biblical, historical narrative we see the three persons of the Godhead displayed: God the Father sending His Son; God the Spirit conceiving the Son; and God the Son conceived and growing in the womb of Mary to be born the Savior of sinners. This is the beauty of Christmas. This is the wonder of the incarnation. This is the majesty of God.

 

Charles Cavanaugh

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