CHRIST'S BIRTH, AS I UNDERSTAND IT

A virgin named Mary, who was engaged to a man named Joseph, was pregnant with the Son of God, which was the result of the miraculous working of the Holy Spirit.  When Joseph, to whom she was engaged, found out, he, being a just man and not wanting her to be stoned to death for having committed adultery, was trying to think of how he could quietly break off their engagement. 

But while he was thinking about it, he fell asleep, and the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, of the family of David, do not be afraid to take Mary to be your wife.  The Child she is carrying is a miracle, conceived of the Holy Spirit.  And she shall bring forth a Son, and you are to call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins." 

Now all this was done that Isaiah 7:14 might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Behold, a virgin shall be with Child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His title, "Emmanuel," which means "God with us."  [Note:  Mary's pregnancy, like all pregnancies, involved a child, not a fetus, not an embryo, not even a fertilized egg; she was with Child!]

When Joseph woke up, he did as the Angel of the Lord had told him, and he married Mary.  And Mary remained a virgin until she gave birth to her firstborn Son: and Joseph called His name JESUS" (Mt. 1:18-25).

And there were, in the same country, shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And suddenly, the Angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord surrounded them: and they were so afraid.  And the Angel said unto them, "Fear not: for, behold, I bring great news, which shall be a blessing to all people.  Just as the Word of God promised, your Messiah, Christ the Lord, has been born today in Bethlehem, the City of David."  

And this is how you will recognize Him; you will find the Baby wrapped in a receiving blanket, lying in an animal's feed trough.  And suddenly, there was with the Angel, a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in heaven, and on earth, peace and good will to all men."  And it came to pass, after the angels were gone, the shepherds said one to another, "Let us go and see this thing which has happened, this thing which the Lord hath made known unto us."

And when they arrived in Bethlehem, they found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby was lying in an animal's food trough, just as they had been told. And when they had seen Him, they told everyone what they had been told concerning the Child, Israel's Messiah (Lk. 2:8-17).