The angel replied to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. And consider your relative Elizabeth—even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless. For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Luke 1:35-37
Christmas can become pretty competitive eh? Giving a present can so easily become an opportunity to compare. Who’s spent the most? Who’s the most thoughtful? Who’s wrapping is more beautiful? We can be tempted to show off our efforts, stick a photo on Facebook to impress your friends.
The first Christmas had no comparison though. Never in the course of history has there been a moment like it.
Angels bringing personal messages. Wise Men making massive journeys. A baby being born in an animal shed. More angels singing to smelly shepherds. A virgin becoming pregnant. Her old relative Elizabeth got pregnant too. A national census. A raging monarch. Prophecies fulfilled. A star in the sky. Strange gifts for a baby. A family on the run.
All these things ('all these things and more, darling...') combined to make the first Christmas one like no other.
All because this baby was completely like no other.
An angel told this young lass Mary she was going to have a baby. She was a virgin, so that had to take something special.
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you…” said the Angel, “…the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.”
This first Christmas had no comparison because this baby truly had no comparison.
He was the holy one.
He was perfect. Pure. Sinless. He had no imperfections.
Full of goodness. Full of grace. Full of contentment. Full of power. Full of majesty. Full of love.
He had unique origins. Every other baby to ever be born has had a human father. This baby came from heaven.
Like no other baby ever to be born.
And He would be called the Son of God, because this baby WAS God.
No other baby could decide when He was going to be born.
No other baby could cause another unborn child to leap for joy.
No other baby could put a star in place to guide visitors to Him.
No other baby could grow up and claim to be one with God the Father.
No other baby could grow up and claim that He had come from heaven.
No other baby could live eternally, but step into history.
This baby was the holy, matchless, incomparable Son of God.
There’s no competition there. This was the gift to trump all gifts.
O Come Let us Adore Him!
A thought to remember: Jesus was and is the holy one, the Son of God. No-one can compare to Him.
A question to ask: In what other ways is Jesus incomparable?
A bit more to read: Luke 1:26-45
A song to sing: Only a Holy God