I had to go to the Gospels to see Jesus and then to know Him. I

used to spend a lot of time, as I was growing up, thinking about

His conception and His birth, His life as a baby, as a child, as a

boy, a teenager, and then a man.

 

Although Jesus’ life and ministry fulfilled all the Old Testament

prophecies for the first coming of the Messiah, the details are

always astounding and unpredictable. The prophecy said the

Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (see Micah 5:2), but no one

could have guessed exactly the King of kings would arrive on the

scene.

 

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise:

When as his mother Mary was espoused to

Joseph, before they came together, she was found

with child of the Holy Ghost

 

Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and

not willing to make her a public example, was

minded to put her away privily.

 

But while he thought on these things, behold, the

angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream,

saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take

unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived

in her is of the Holy Ghost.

MATTHEW 1:18-20

 

Something really hit me when I first read this. How would you

like to be Joseph or Mary?

 

“Joseph, I’m pregnant, okay? Now listen, I know this is going to

sound crazy; and I love you with all my heart, but I have not

allowed another man to touch me. I’m a virgin, but I’m pregnant.

Oh, and the angel of the Lord told me that God was the father.”

Joseph’s not married and his lady, Mary, is pregnant. Talk about

embarrassing! How in the world do you explain to your family

 

The Man Behind the Myth

 

and friends how your girlfriend got pregnant if you say you

haven’t done anything? “Mary’s pregnant, and I know we’re

not married yet, but this is different. This is not what you think

it is.”

 

“You’re not even married, you haven’t had marital relations,

and she’s pregnant? Yeah, right. Don’t lie to us, Joseph.”

 

Do you understand what we’re dealing with here? These are

not saints; they are normal, everyday people. So Joseph came

to the only conclusion he could. He was going to have to break

off his engagement to Mary. I mean, who’s going to believe he

didn’t touch her — and just forget that crazy story about the

angel of the Lord? But then the angel of the Lord spoke to

Joseph in a dream and said, “Don’t break off your engagement

with Mary?

 

This whole thing is of God.” Now Joseph can say

for sure, “No, I am not lying! I’m telling you the truth? I never

touched Mary and neither has anyone else. An angel came to

me and said that the baby was conceived by the power of the

Holy Spirit.” But can you imagine the frustration? This has

never happened before. This is a unique, one-of-a-kind event.

Who will believe him? What will family and friends say about

this?

 

Thank God for the Word of the Lord that came to Joseph

through the angel. Knowing that this was done by the hand of

God was the only reason he and Mary could endure the shame

and reproach. I guarantee you, there were family members,

close friends, and neighbors who said, “Yeah, we know what

Joseph and Mary have been doing!”

 

“But we didn’t do it! The Holy Ghost did it? The angel of the

Lord spoke the Word and that’s it. We promise you, before

God, we did not do anything.

 

For me, this is where it all begins: Jesus’ supernatural conception.

He was born of a virgin. Jesus entered humanity in controversy,

as the rock of offense, the stumbling block —

because the whole thing was supernatural.