The religious leaders were certain. They were unanimous. They agreed on the birthplace—Bethlehem. Acting swiftly, Herod instructed the Magi to go to Bethlehem, find the young child and bring word back to him again.
Do you see the Jesus pictured on Christmas cards, in great works of art, TV shows and movies? Or are you looking at the awesome One prophesied in the Bible?
Focused on the manger, we often overlook the truth that the Babe lying there was none other than Israel’s promised Messiah and the Redeemer of mankind who will ultimately rule the world in righteousness and peace.
“And you, O tower of the flock, the stronghold of the daughter of Zion, to you shall it come, even the former dominion shall come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.”
While the angel spoke to the shepherds as representative of the Jewish people, the implications went beyond the scope of national Israel.
Just as the sunrise signals a new day, the birth of the Redeemer some 2000 plus years ago was the dawning of hope for forgiveness of sin and new life for all who put their faith in Him.
When it comes to reclaiming Christmas, biblically authentic Christians grasp that truth is not the tinsel and the tinsel is not the truth.
When we grasp the facts surrounding Jesus’ birth, God’s power to do the impossible jumps-off the pages of Scripture.
The crèche commemorates a miraculous historical event. The crèche represents a set time when the God of creation chose to live within the confines of humanity.
The enduring historical record of the first Christmas as documented in the Bible is profound. The narrative begins at the dawn of time when God promised the virgin-born Redeemer to Adam and Eve, the progenitors of the human race.
