The Christmas Story
The Christmas story, or birth narrative, is found in only two places in the Bible, Matthew and Luke. Matthew tells us about the wise men and the escape to Egypt; Luke tells us about the shepherds and Mary’s song, the Magnificat. Both tell us he was born in Bethlehem in Judea and that his name would be Jesus, which means, “the Lord saves.”By contrast, Mark and John begin with Christ as an adult and tell us nothing about his birth (all four gospels tell us of Jesus’ death). Mark is completely silent about the birth of Christ, and John makes only two oblique references:
• In 8:58 Christ says, “Before Abraham was born, I am,” which we understand to mean Jesus has always existed with the Father.
• And in 18:37, during his trial, Christ tells Pilate, “For this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.” The truth being that Christ is the Son of God, that we can have life in his name, that he is the embodiment of truth – truth personified, and that his kingdom is not of this world. He came, He told, He left.
Matthew and Luke tell us how he came; all four evangelists tell us what he told(taught); but only Luke tells us how he left (Lk 24:51; Acts 1.9).
Altogether this event, sometimes called the Jesus event, is the greatest event in the history of the world. All of time is dated before and after this event. The second coming will be the second greatest event.
But the birth, the coming into the world of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Holy and Blessed One, the Bread of Life, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, is celebrated this time of year every year and it is the greatest celebration of the year every year. It is what Christmas is all about. Apart from Christ, there is no Christmas. He is the Good News; He is the Reason for the Season; He is the Savior of the World; He is the Son of the Most High; He is Immanuel; He is God with us!
Merry Christmas!
Rev. Parker Benson
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