A new birth in a royal family usually comes with great pomp and fanfare. There is massive media saturation and a lot of celebration. But not in this case. He came as a King and His birth could have been in a castle. Yet the babe born in the barn to parents who were both unknown and poor arrived with little worldly notice. Nobody sent flowers. No nursemaid helped with his diapers. The few gifts He received would come much later. Why should we even give attention to this birth? Because heaven’s own heart had beat in the womb of a young woman for the previous nine months. Most likely just a young teenager herself, she was full of a faith far greater than the years she had known. Out of her body came God’s omnipotence cloaked in man’s limitation. Her child was flesh, bones, sinew, and blood. Yet He was also the perfection of Deity. He felt hunger because He was fully human, yet He would later feed five thousand because He was fully God (Luke 9:10-17). He grew thirsty because He was fully human, yet He would one day walk on water because He was fully God (John 6:16-21). Tutored by a peasant girl and a carpenter, we read that He grew in knowledge (Luke 2:52), yet He also knew what others thought. The mother was Mary. The child was Jesus. And His was a birth like no other, for in Him God took on human flesh. Mary did not doubt the announcement from Gabriel, but she did ask the question: How? She didn’t question God’s power or ability, but she wondered how He would accomplish the miraculous. Gabriel’s response is rich with meaning: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” Ponder that statement in light of other Scriptures: • Isaiah 9:6. “For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us ….” Notice that one word: given. The son was given by God. As the Son of God, Jesus already existed, but He came to earth through human birth. In other words, he was born as a human. • Galatians 4:4. “When the time came to completion, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law ….” Paul highlighted the reality of Deity merging with humanity. God sent His Son—the son was given—yet Jesus was “born of a woman.” God became a man. This verse clearly summarizes the incarnation of Jesus Christ. The two natures of Jesus Christ form what theologians call the "hypostatic union." That’s a big term but it simply means that Jesus is made up of undiminished Deity and perfect humanity. He became no less God when He became human. Mary did not give birth to both God AND man. Jesus was not 50% human and 50% God. Rather, Mary gave birth to the God-man who was both fully God and fully man at the same time. Jesus was born of God so that He might be God with us, Immanuel. We read in Colossians 1:19 that, “God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him.” The Bible often equates Jesus with God, reinforcing this relationship. Genesis 1:1 tells us that God created the world, and Colossians 1:16 tells us that all things were created by Christ Jesus. So either we have two creators, or the God of Genesis 1:1 IS also the God of Colossians 1:16. Jesus Christ is distinct from God the Father in His Person, yet equal with God in His Deity. He took on human flesh being born as a baby in a world of darkness. He came for the purpose of making the invisible God visible to us in history. Jesus’ birth was a birth like no other because He is Deity like no other. Jesus came to earth as the Son of God so that we may know God and experience Him more fully. Reflect on our Savior, our Lord and our God in flesh - Jesus Christ this Christmas and let these thoughts flood your heart with gratitude at all He is and came to be for you and for me. If you would like to download two encouraging, FREE full-length MP3s of Tony's popular sermons: "The Sovereignty of God" and "How to Handle a Crisis," you can do so by clicking on this link: https://share.hsforms.com/1atT9MJvXQNiZO4iKaVd4tg38r4 If you would like to sign up for our daily devotional bringing you hope and inspiration, please go to this link: https://share.hsforms.com/1CkOLA910SmGm0p5Nl2xbIg38r4 ▶ Do you know Jesus as your Savior? https://tonyevans.org/know-jesus-christ/ ▶ Stream Sermons: https://tonyevans.org/podcast/ ▶▶ Free Sermon App: https://subsplash.com/tonyevans/app/ ▶▶ DONATE: https://give.tonyevans.org/the-alternative/donation ▶ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drtonyevans/ ▶ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtonyevans/ ▶ Are you a preacher? Free sermon outlines: https://go.tonyevans.org/dr-tony-evans-free-christian-sermon-notes