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It is well to note this because people sometimes speak as though the Incarnation took place on Christmas Day. In fact. it began on Lady Day. nine months before. What happened on Christmas Day was the Nativity or Birth oflesus Christ. He began to share our human nature at the moment oins conception.

The Collect for the Day says. "...As we have known the Incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ by the message ofan angel..." and the Creed of St. Athanasius says. "...Furthennore. it is necessary to eternal salvation that we believe faithfully the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ..."

Nor did the Incarnation end on Christmas Day. for the Collect continues, "so by his cross and passion we may be brought unto the glory ofhis resurrection." The Incarnation continued throughout our Lord's earthly life. including His death and resurrection. and at His Ascension our manhood to a still higher dimension of being. a dimension in which we are promised a share in our baptism.

The event referred to in the words. "Conceived by the Holy Ghost" is commemorated in the Feast of the Annunciation on March 25. Lady Day. "Born ofthe Virgin Mary" is commemorated on the Feast of the Nativity, Christmas Day. December 25.

But the Incarnation continues with "suffered under Pontius Pilate. was crucified. dead and buried - rose again - ascended into heaven." In this sense the Incarnation did not end with the Ascension. Our manhood. now glorified. is in heaven.

The Virgin Birth

St. Paul tells us in Galatians 4:4. "When the fullness oftime was come God sent forth his Son into the world. born ol‘a woman." God. the eternal. the everlasting. sent His only begotten Son. begotten before the worlds wcre made. to be born of a pure virgin. as the Prayer Book tells us. ”ofthe substance of Mary His Mother."

Thus was fulfilled the good news foretold in Genesis in the very beginning of God's revelation - "The seed ofthe woman shall bruise the serpent's head." Father Stanton. ofSt. Alban's. Holborn. fame notes that "No sooner had the Fall come than the first Gospel sermon of Redemption is preached." And it is preached in those very words. the fact which we commemorate today. the seed ofthe woman shall bruise the serpent's head.

lfyou believe that the Blood ofthe everlasting covenant can save you. you must believe that Christ is very God as well as very Man. Only God can save us.