Real Christmas Miracles: 12 Signs Of God’s Love

Are Christmas miracles really a thing? Let’s explore twelve biblical Christmas miracles and see what they reveal about God’s power today.

I love the classic film “Miracle on 34th Street,” directed by George Seaton and starring Maureen O’Hara and John Payne. In the film, Kris Kringle is horrified to find the Macy’s Santa Claus drunk on the job, just before the big parade in New York. After he replaces the parade Santa, the department store offers him a job working with children. There, Mr. Kringle inspires many by his honesty and surprising knowledge. But his boss is convinced that he is insane because he thinks he is the real Saint Nick.

I won’t give away the rest of the movie if you haven’t seen it, but the miracle involves restoring faith in Santa to many people, and a surprise ending to a court trial that determines whether or not Santa Claus does, in fact, exist. It’s a charming Christmas movie that I could stand to see year after year. But, even if it were a true story, should we call it an example of a miracle?

Christmas Miracles

Hollywood likes to throw around the term “Christmas miracle,” but often confuses what a miracle really is. Often, Christmas films portray Santa’s fulfillment of holiday wishes as Christmas miracles. But miracles have nothing to do with St. Nick. Miracles are a display of divine power—sometimes breaking natural law and other times simply displaying natural “wonders” that inspire awe and draw our attention back to God.

Gospel texts reveal twelve Christmas miracles that indicate divine intervention. The first eight denote a divine breaking of natural law. The last four are examples of events that are perhaps less supernatural but are “signs and wonders” nonetheless.

Appearance of the archangel Gabriel to Zechariah (Lk 1.11). Nobody could doubt that the actual appearance of an angel is an out-of-the-ordinary event that transforms a person. Zechariah’s life would never be the same after his angelic experience.
Stopping of Zechariah’s speech (Lk 1.22). When the old priest didn’t believe the angel’s message, Gabriel took away his ability to speak. His missing speech ability would prove to his neighbors that he really had seen an angel.
Conception of John (Lk 1.24). Zechariah and Elizabeth’s conception of their son John was a miracle because they were well past childbearing years.
Appearance of an angel to Mary (Lk 1.26). The same archangel appeared to Mary and predicted the birth of her son, Jesus.
Conception of Jesus (Lk 1.31-35; Mt 1.23). Though Gabriel’s description of the conception process is puzzling, it is clear that God’s only begotten Son would be conceived like no one else. Neither Joseph nor any other man was the father of Jesus. God’s son was born of an actual virgin (Greek, parthenos), meaning that she had never been with a man, and not that she was simply a young woman.
Releasing of Zechariah’s speech (Lk 1.64). When Zechariah wrote that his newborn son’s name was John, in obedience to Gabriel’s command, his tongue was loosed and his speech was restored.
Appearance of angels to the shepherds (Lk 2.9-14). Not just one angel, but a multitude of the heavenly host announced the Savior’s birth. They filled the air with their voices, declaring peace on earth and God’s goodwill.
The Christmas star (Mt 2.9). Much debate has raged over the nature of this star. Some suggest that it was a conjunction of planets. Others say, “If the Bible says it was a star, then it’s a star.” Still others suggest that it was an angel since the Bible often refers to angels as “stars.” Any way you slice it, a moving light in the sky that led visitors to Jesus’ home was miraculous and literally pointed to God.
Prenatal John leaping inside his mother’s womb in the presence of prenatal Jesus (Lk 1.44). Jumping John may not be miraculous in the supernatural sense, but it certainly provided an “aha!” moment for his mother. Elizabeth saw significance in the fact that the baby leapt at the exact moment that pregnant Mary drew near. This is miraculous in the sense of God speaking to a person supernaturally through their experience of a natural event (like a sunset, the ocean, etc.).
Zechariah’s words of prophecy (Lk 1.67-79). Anybody can guess the future, but the old priest’s words seemed inspired and certainly came true.
An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream (Mt 1.20). Everybody dreams, but a dream that comes from God has momentous importance. Because of the angel’s appearance to Joseph, the man agreed to take Mary as his wife, despite her unexpected pregnancy.
Both Matthew and the magi receive warnings in dreams about Herod’s plot to kill Jesus (Mt 2.12-13). Again, dreams are natural things, but they gain supernatural significance when they come from God and give directions like these.

Real-Life Miracles

The Christmas story gives twelve examples of miracles that inaugurated the Savior into the world. But miracles don’t just happen in the Bible. They are real-life occurrences of God demonstrating power in people’s lives. Some miracles break natural laws, and other times God simply uses natural events to supernaturally speak to people. Both of these types of events are often called miracles.

Years ago, when I was a hospital chaplain, we were all stunned when an eight-year-old was revived after being clinically dead for an hour and a half. One of the medical personnel who didn’t believe in God declared the event to be a miracle. Because it happened at this time of year, many called it a “Christmas miracle.” But these sorts of phenomena don’t happen just in December.

Not Restricted to Christmas

Around the world, believers from every religion witness wonders that science cannot explain. It gives comfort to know that these occurrences are not limited to one faith. Because faithful people worldwide receive these occasional glimpses into the Eternal Mystery, we are assured that God loves all people the same.

Therefore, miracles are not restricted to Christmas—but to every moment and every place where Love is needed. So, it’s good to know that God is “able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think.” And we can trust that, as the angel told Mary, “Nothing will be impossible with God.”