Week 50 - From Virgin Womb To Empty Tomb
“‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ — which means, ‘God with us.’” (Matthew 1:23)
What is so special about Christmas?
It is that time of the year again when everyone’s thought is focusing on that big day, 25 December. Christians and non-Christians alike are busy planning Christmas holidays, buying presents and decorating their homes. There is a festive mood in the air. Everywhere you go, Christmas carols are within your hearing zone.
Yes, Christmas deserves our attention and more. In my theology class, the lecturer Max Liddle reminded us that Jesus’ life was bracketed by two great miracles, the virgin birth and the resurrection.
James Allen Francis once gave an interesting account of Jesus entitled, “One Solitary Life”:
“A child is born in an obscure village. He is brought up in another obscure village. He works in a carpenter’s shop until he is 30, and then for three brief years is an itinerant preacher, proclaiming a message and living a life. He never writes a book. He never holds an office. He never raises an army. He never has a family of his own. He never goes to college. He never travels 200 miles from the place where he was born. He gathers a little group of friends about him and teaches them his way of life. While still a young man the tide of popular feeling turns against him; another (sic) betrays him. He is turned over to his enemies. He goes through the mockery of a trail; he is nailed on a cross between two thieves, and when dead is laid in a borrowed grave by the kindness of a friend.
“Those are the facts of his human life. He rises from the dead. Today, we look back across 1,900 years and ask, ‘What kind of a trail has he left across the centuries?’ When we try to sum up his influence, all the armies that ever marched, all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned are absolutely picayune (a five cent Spanish coin) in their influence on mankind compared with that of this one solitary life.”
Only a solitary life, but one that brings hope to mankind and that makes Christmas so special.
The Timing of His Birth
Section titled “The Timing of His Birth”The moment Adam and Eve committed the first sin, God promised to send His Son. God had given advanced notice! Many prophecies in the Old Testament also foretold the birth of Christ. But it was only when “the time has fully come” that Jesus was born. God’s timing is perfect. Hence, we read in Acts that during the Pentecost, the gospel of Jesus started to spread like wildfire — to Judea, to Samaria and to the uttermost part of the world.
God has given us the best gift, His Son Jesus Christ, and this gift is for everyone who would believe.
The Mode of His Birth
Section titled “The Mode of His Birth”Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. This is a profound mystery. It resulted in Jesus being a God-man. He is truly God and truly man. Because he is truly God, we can worship Him. And because He is truly man, He could represent mankind when He died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. In addition, as truly man, He sympathises with us and makes intercessions on our behalf before God the Father.
The Purpose of His Birth
Section titled “The Purpose of His Birth”He came for you and for me. Just imagine that God has orchestrated the birth of His Son to save sinners like us. A hymn writer once wrote: “Oh, what love that He should care for me!” Jesus said, “I came that [you] might have life and… have it more abundantly” (
So as we look forward to 25 December, we do so with a grateful heart. We are reminded that Jesus came 2000 years ago, born of the Virgin Mary and died on the cross of Calvary as atonement for our sins.
God has given us the best gift, His Son Jesus Christ, and this gift is for everyone who would believe. Are your loved ones and friends missing out?
From the virgin’s womb to the empty tomb, making us change from being a sinner to becoming the child of God… These are the miracles of God.
Immanuel, God with us!
The original text of a tribute to Jesus appearing in the coronation sermon preached on Sunday evening, 11 July 1926, at the National Baptist Young Peoples’ Union Convention, by James Allen Francis. Subsequently, many versions have appeared, often attributed to an anonymous writer.