The traditional Christmas messages tend to focus on the wonders of God made flesh in Jesus, about the salvation that was gifted to the world, today I want to look at the people involved and the amazing faith they showed.

Firstly there was Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist. Zechariah was struck mute by his questioning of the angel, but you can be reasonably certain that he was able to convey to her what he was told. What was her reaction when she found she was pregnant?

“The Lord has done this for me. At this time he remembered me so that I need not be ashamed among people anymore.” (Luke 1:25)

She simply accepted what was the will of God. It was an act of great faith to simply accept that God had a plan and she had a part to play in it.

Similarly Mary’s reaction when Gabriel told her of God’s plan for her was simply to say

“I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be as you have said” (Luke 1:38)

A very simple statement for an amazing act of faith. Consider what an unmarried pregnancy meant for her. It put her marriage in jeopardy and her whole future was at risk. If Joseph rejected her because of the Child that would be the end of her chances of marriage and she would be an outcast. “Let it be as you have said”. What unfailing faith and belief from a young girl.

Now Joseph knew the Child was not his and had planned to quietly divorce her but an angel of the Lord came to him in a dream and said

“Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matt 1:21-22)

In another act of faith, Joseph accepted the words of the angel and took Mary as his wife. And what an act of faith it was. How would you react if you found your betrothed was pregnant. Would you accept the words of a dream that she conceived through the Holy Spirit?

Consider also the faith shown by the shepherds that deserted their flocks to go to the baby Jesus and the wise men that travelled from afar to worship.

The Christmas story is more than the story of the birth of Jesus. It is the story of boundless faith from ordinary people that were caught up in extraordinary events. Faith to accept the will of God in its totality, despite what the worldly consequences may be.

So this Christmas as we celebrate Christ’s birth, ask yourself if your faith is as strong as those in the story. Remember, they were ordinary people living ordinary lives when God tapped them on the shoulder and asked for them to step out in faith.

How strong is your faith?