By Jeff Cranston

Many miracles surround Christmas—the angels, the star, the dreams, the prophecies, and most of all, the virgin birth. But those miracles are just signs pointing to the greatest miracle of all: We who live in this world have been visited by Someone from the “other world.”

Someone from the world of light came to the world of darkness. Someone from the eternal came to the temporary. Someone from heaven came to live with us on earth! And that Someone came to save us!

The Bible explains this in many ways …

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son … (John 3:16 KJV).

The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people. (Titus 2:11 ESV).

"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son … ” (Galatians 4:4 ESV).

Christ himself was like God in everything. But he did not think that being equal with God was something to be used for his own benefit. But he gave up his place with God and made himself nothing. He was born as a man and became like a servant. (Philippians 2:6-7, NCV).

He who was revealed in the flesh … (I Timothy 3:16, NASB).

The Word became a human being and lived here with us. (John 1:14 CEV).

Theologians use a particular word to talk about this. They call the birth of Christ the Incarnation. That word means that God came to earth and shared our humanity.

The infinite became finite.
The immortal became mortal.
The Creator became the created.
The omnipotent lived inside a young girl’s womb.
The Almighty became a helpless baby.
The Deity was wrapped in rags.
The King of the Universe was born in a stable and laid in a feeding trough.

That’s the Incarnation—it’s the central miracle of the Christian faith.

Sometimes the world around us may seem empty, and we may feel entirely alone, without hope and about to die but now and then—when we least expect it, when we’ve almost given up hope, when we’re tired or bored or fearful or disgruntled—God breaks through and the angels start to sing. They sang for some startled shepherds one night in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago. They still sing today for those who care to hear them.

Can you hear the angels singing? They bring good news from the other side, good news of great joy, the best news the world has ever heard: Joy to the World, the Lord is Come, Let Earth receive her King!

If you listen with all your heart, you can still hear them singing: “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:14, NASB)

Jeff Cranston is the lead pastor at LowCountry Community Church in Bluffton, S.C.

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