Matthew 2:7-12.       

Bret Harte, in his book The Luck of Roaring Camp, tells the story of the transforming power of a baby. Roaring Camp was a California gold rush settlement. A woman named Cherokee Sal died giving birth to a baby boy, who became known as “The Luck.” The hardened men of the camp decided to raise the child themselves. The baby’s presence inspired them to stop fighting and gambling and to clean both themselves and the camp.

Yet, no baby has done more to transform the world than Jesus. As the Apostle’s Creed conveys, Jesus was born to “the Virgin Mary.” Magi, who may have been kings, found this baby to be worthy of their worship.

Great leaders of history have acknowledged Him as the greatest. Even leaders like Napoleon (not known as a man of faith) wrote:

I know men; and I tell you that Jesus Christ is not a man. Superficial minds see a resemblance between Christ and the founders of empires, and the gods of other religions. That resemblance does not exist . . . I search in vain in history to find the similar to Jesus Christ, or anything which can approach the gospel.*

* As quoted in Calvin Miller, The Book of Jesus, 63-64.

Author: Clark Armstrong