Few Christmas messages stand out as genuinely fresh and unique. Most sermons are built upon what has already been said, but at Christmas, this is especially true. Yet, every so often, I hear a sermon that brings new meaning to some aspect of the story about how God came to earth as a human baby.

On December 1, 2024, Darrell Johnson preached just such a message. It is titled God of the Impossible. What stood out to me was the comparison between the impregnating of Mary by the Holy Spirit and how people are impregnated with the presence of God upon proclaiming faith in Jesus Christ.

Here is an excerpt from his message (I made a few minor changes for the purpose of this post):

Growing and developing and forming in the womb of Mary, is the body of the incarnate God, the body of Emmanuel, God with us.

That is a never-to-be-repeated event. But the life that is in that body, the unique, ungenerated, eternal life dwelling in Mary’s womb, now dwells in anyone who belongs to Mary’s son.

The gospel declares that the living God wants to put within our broken bodies the very life of His Son, the eternal life of His Son, the everlasting life of His Son’s everlasting kingdom in us.

The life miraculously placed into Mary’s womb is now miraculously placed into us.

The Apostle Paul was captured by this wonder. In his letter to the disciples in Ephesus, he prays that Christ may dwell in you. In his letter to the Colossians, he puts it this way: the mystery is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

He is saying that to be a Christian is to be impregnated by the Holy Spirit with the very life of the Son of God. And when that happens, that becomes the pivot moment of your life. No turning back.

There will be no turning back. We’ll start to become like the Son of God. We’ll start to look and act like the most wonderful person who ever lived.

[From The Way Church Podcast: “God of the Impossible (Luke 1:5-45)” – Darrell Johnson, December 1, 2024]

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-way-church-podcast/id1533713819?i=1000678947676&r=2134

This is a powerful image to ponder as we enter the Christmas season (remember: until December 25, we are in the Advent season. The twelve days of the Christmas season only begin on Christmas Day and end on January 5.)

I encourage you to take time during the next week or so to listen to Darrell’s message. You can click on the link above or watch the YouTube video below.