The birth of Christ, though prophesied by many in great detail, was still mysterious. We simply cannot understand it. Here one who had no earthly father was born of woman in Bethlehem, the city of David.

   Bethlehem means "house of bread." Strangely enough, he who was the Bread of life was born in the house of bread-but almost on the outside. For Bethlehem did not have room for him who was the Bread of life sent from God.

   Luke, the writer of the Third Gospel, was a physician. Surely no one would have more difficulty than a medical man like Luke believing Mary's story. Yet Luke gave the genealogy of Jesus' mother. He traced by inspiration, in greatest detail, the birth of Jesus, using the words that came to him, using the knowledge that was given to him.

   When I consider the mysterious birth of Jesus, our Saviour, the greatest trouble I have is not how, buy why! It is easier to understand how God could do it than to understand why God would do it. We are awed before the Incarnation. "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us," John declared. Jesus came down from heaven's glory. Why should he? The only time we find the word Emmanuel in the New Testament is in Matthew's narrative (1:23; cf. Isa. 8:10). It is an old Hebrew word meaning "God with us." In his incredible announcement, the angel declared that God is no longer far away, he is with us!

   "God's in his heaven: All's right with the world," wrote Robert Browning. I appreciate his poetry and I like these lines; but if God had remained only in heaven, nothing could be right with the world. For God that day did not limit himself to his own abode. Emmanuel, "God with us," came down to walk on earth in the body of a man. He hungered, he thirsted, he suffered-God in us, before us, beside us. Life is bearable, because it is sharable with God. We need to realize that the same Emmanuel, the same God who came to us on that first Christmas day, is with us still.

   The only word that truly describes the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is magnificence. He limited himself to time and space. One of the Trinity, a member of the Godhead, he was omnipotent, omnipresent, and eternal. Triumphant and glorious Deity, he identified himself with his people on earth. His advent was foretold by prophets. His birth was announced by angels. His life was described by the Gospels. His purity was undeniable; he met temptation and conquered Satan. He endured death but arose again in the form of a man and now he lives forever.

   In the crises of life, one person often comforts another with, "God knows." It is not an idle phrase-God does know! My loved one may be dead-God knows! His beloved Son was nailed to a cross. My loved one has been condemned by others. God knows! Fever? God knows! Sweat in a carpenter's shop? God knows! Hunger and thirst? God knows!

   "Immanuel!" is a name we should use more often to remind ourselves that God is still with us. He is with us now in the magnificence of the presence of Jesus in our midst-the lily of the valley, the bright and morning star, the fairest of ten thousand. He, the very essence of God in human flesh, is with us now.

   We ought to be just as interested in that birth two thousand years ago as were the shepherds who were amazed that night on the hillside because of the good news told them by the angels: "Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour." For if Jesus was not the virgin-born Son of God, then he was not the Son of God at all. And if he wasn't the Son of God, he could not be our sinless Saviour and we would have no Saviour!

   By faith we come and say with Matthew, "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise." He became "God with us." God's voice spoke from heaven declaring, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

   Down the centuries Jesus Christ has walked with his people, and he is near and dear to us this very hour in a way he could not be to those who stood around the manger and worshiped the newborn child.