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Tag: nativity

He is one of us – from Christmas Eve 2013 CE
He IS born in a manger

The baby Jesus, born of the virgin Mary, remains a fond and distant memory in our annual celebrations of the Christ-Mass Holy-days.

Not surprisingly (as I recall that this year is the two-thousand twenty-fifth year of our Lord , as Christians used to call it in the days of Advent Calendars) I discovered my first CHRISTMAS EVE post from AD 2013,

It’s overall place in our current SERIES on The Apostles’ Creed is most fitting.

His timeline of three years of teaching during a mere 30 years in the world as the Son of Man places relevance on the brevity of both His and our mortal lives.

Roger Harned – author, administrator and founder of TalkofJesus.com
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Just a few introductory Scriptures here, followed by my original Christmas Eve post of AD 2013. - RH 
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He is both Shepherd & a sheep for the Sacrifice

Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen.

Psalm 44:11 KJV
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Is that not the lot of 2025 CE Christians as well?

Many Christians know this next one from the Gospel:
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All we like sheep have gone astray;

we have turned every one to his own way;

and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,

yet he opened not his mouth:

he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter..

Isaiah 53:6-7a KJV

The Lamb of God in a manger

December 24, 2013

Psalm 10:17-18 KJV

LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.

Gospel of the Birth of Christ Jesus

Mark 1

English Standard Version (ESV)

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,

“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way,
3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’”

Before John the messenger of the Messiah, prior to Isaiah and the Prophets calling us to repentance and announcing the coming of the Lord;
Before David and the Kingdom of Israel, before Moses and the exodus of God’s chosen from captivity;
Before Moses and the Law and Commandments;
Before Jacob and Isaac and Abraham (for Jesus said: Before Abraham was, I AM.
Before Adam, before man and before woman, before earth and before the heavens:
GOD IS.

Thus, God IS and did send unto mankind Himself His only Son, a babe in a humble manger, born of a humble woman betrothed of a humble man, for the work of our redemption, a sheep of sacrifice on the Cross for our salvation. He IS the resurrection and the life.

Are we not prisoners of our many sins? Do our hearts not suffer in the dungeons of our darkness. Is God not distant from our difficulties and silent in our sufferings?

It was no different 2013 years ago. Yet the beginning of the story of the babe in the manger begins before the beginning.

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives – Luke 4:18

In the beginning, the Holy Spirit was with God. The Holy Spirit descended on Christ Jesus, Son of God and He, a man with us, taught us once more the surpassing love and grace of God our Father in heaven.

Before Jesus’ ministry and teaching in the Holy Spirit, before the Son of Man was born in a manger in Bethlehem, He IS God in creation. Now a savior is come. He IS God with man: like every man, a babe, a child, a youth, a young man, and finally a mature man teaching the very word of God. He IS the very word of God! Jesus’ teaching IS the only truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Yet by His own love and the great grace of God our Father, He IS the Lamb of sacrifice for our sins.

Think of Jesus descended into the womb of Mary and born to be worshiped in a lowly manger in this way:

John 1

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Word Became Flesh

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.

Jesus, Son of Man, born of Mary, the Incarnate spoken Word of God the Father. He was with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit in the beginning.

3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Genesis 1:
And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
The Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Jesus speaks to creation as the Word taught us.

4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

Genesis 1: 26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.
In the image and likeness of Jesus we were made. In the beginning, adam (man) was without sin, as Jesus, as God: Holy and separated from sin, like the darkness is divided from the light.

5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Here is revealed the identity of the babe in the manger: Jesus, heralded by angels and worshiped by shepherds and wise kings; Jesus, the babe smuggled into Egypt by Joseph to escape the sword of Herod; Jesus who would return to Nazareth of Galilee announced by John the Baptist, greatest of all Prophets.

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.

11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

By His Light and the cloud of His glory He led His own people from the slavery of Egypt to His land of promise. By His own Word He proclaimed His Law of holiness and light for the people of His promise.
God’s own rejected God as a people of God; therefore God came unto His own and also to those who were not His own as a light to the gentiles, to all nations and all peoples.
All who will believe in the only Son of God and truly follow the will of God have become sons and daughters of God, adopted into the household and heart of His eternal life and overflowing love.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Unto us a child is born, a son of man, the Son of God. His glory was again witnessed by His Apostles and His righteousness seen by all.

15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”)

16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

Luke 2

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Birth of Jesus Christ

6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths andlaid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

Thirty-three years later near Golgotha, then departed from Jerusalem:

Luke 24:

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. 5 And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but has risen.

12 But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them.

Acts 1: 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Christ Jesus, from the beginning to the manger, to the cross, to the tomb, to the resurrection, to walking and witness with men fifty more days, to His ascension, to the heavens above, to return on the clouds.
Do you have a relationship with the greatest love of all, that of God our Father in Heaven, Christ Jesus the Lamb of sacrifice for our sins, and the Holy Spirit counselor of the Most High?

The Revelation of Jesus Christ to John 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Bow down and worship the Lord our God, Who IS and was and will be: God With Us; Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.
May the peace of God’s love dwell in your hearts through the grace of our Lord Christ Jesus, who came to a lowly manger that we might bow even lower to worship His Holy Name in this Holy time: Christ Mass, 2013
Amen.

More of how He saves sinners

From our Current SERIES on THE APOSTLES’ CREED

Apostles Creed 12 quick answers for christians

Merry Christ-mas

Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
December 24, 2025
Advent for a too familiar Nativity
GOOD NEWS!

Aren’t you glad you’re NOT a preacher this ‘Christmas’ season? After all, how much more can we say about the nativity of the Lord Jesus in Bethlehem.

WE have preached the Gospel every year — the openings of the Gospels applicable to our pageants, programs, concerts, carolings, Christmas Eve services, Midnight Masses, Christmas Day dinner feasts — CHRIST-MASS — how much more can we possibly have to say about worship of a baby born in Bethlehem?

εὐαγγέλιον – Good Tidings

Lexicon :: Strong’s G2098 – euangelion
- the glad tidings of the kingdom of God soon to be set up, and subsequently also of Jesus the Messiah, the founder of this kingdom. After the death of Christ, the term comprises also the preaching of (concerning) Jesus Christ as having suffered death on the cross to procure eternal salvation for the men in the kingdom of God, but as restored to life and exalted to the right hand of God in heaven, thence to return in majesty to consummate the kingdom of God
- the glad tidings of salvation through Christ
- the proclamation of the grace of God manifest and pledged in Christ
- the gospel
- as the messianic rank of Jesus was proved by his words, his deeds, and his death, the narrative of the sayings, deeds, and death of Jesus Christ came to be called the gospel or glad tidings
Let’s get the GOOD NEWS right

So because I’m NOT a pastor today’s ‘Advent’ message in the year of our Lord 2022 will simply point out an overlooked FACT or two concerning what the Gospels actually say about the birth of Jesus.

The Gospel of Mark

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet..

Mark does not address the manner and place of Jesus’ birth, but proceeds directly to the Lord’s ministry and teaching.

The Gospel of John

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The Apostle introduces Christ in genesis before creation and mortals. John adds his authenticated witness of Jesus the Messiah without reference to the nativity so oft’ told each ‘Christ–mass‘.
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(Christmas reminder for Protestants - the mass is a worship service)
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And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Good News of the Apostle John 1:14 English Standard Version

Gospel of Matthew

1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham..

The Apostle Matthew begins his Gospel with a Jewish genealogy of Israel’s Messiah as introduction to Jesus’s birth. The Apostle then proceeds into some detail of the nativity in Bethlehem.

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way..

Matthew continues to set the scene with some marriage background involving Joseph and Mary.

..an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
Gospel of Matthew 1:21 ESV

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea

Matthew jumps suddenly to a time AFTER the Lord was born. Once again he provides some historical context.

.. in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem..

2:1 Τοῦ δὲ Ἰησοῦ γεννηθέντος ἐν Βηθλέεμ τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἐν ἡμέραις Ἡρῴδου τοῦ βασιλέως ἰδού, μάγοι ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν παρεγένοντο εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα

From Matthew 2:1 in the King James Version note the facts presented by the Apostle:

behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem
- wise men – magos – wise men, teachers, priests, physicians, astrologers, seers, interpreters of dreams, augers, soothsayers, sorcerers etc.
- from the east – anatolē – the east (the direction of the sun’s rising)
Wise men, plural without saying how many AND from the east, therefore NOT from the Roman Empire or African continent, likely Babylonians (Chaldeans), Medes, or Persians.

“Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
Gospel of Matthew 2:2 – Question of the wise men to King Herod

Are there three wise men.. perhaps four, five or more?

Why would these men from the east come to worship a Jewish king?

(Could they be Jews of the diaspora to Babylon never returned to Jerusalem under the yoke of Rome?)
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Of course all of these questions don't fit into the choreography of our usual nativity pageantry too well but sticking close to the Scripture of Matthew let's observe a couple of other details.
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And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
- the star went before them to ‘the place where the child was
- they went ‘into the house’
- the wise men ‘fell down and worshiped him,’ *the wise men did not worship Mary, though she was with the child Jesus
Matthew continues with a brief account of how Jesus got to Nazareth from Bethlehem via Egypt.

Gospel of Luke

Luke’s narrative like that of the Apostle Matthew sets the scene for us ‘in the days of Herod, king of Judea.’ He connects two signs of miraculous births: that of John the Baptist and of Jesus Christ.

26 In the sixth month [of Elizabeth’s pregnancy] the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary..

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.

32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

How?

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.

36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.”

38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”

And the angel departed from her.

Luke 2:
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Even unbelievers know this Nativity narrative from Luke as frequently read in many places from Scripture.
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Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?

The Birth of Jesus Christ

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.

7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

In this most familiar Nativity scene:

Mary gives birth to Jesus, wraps the Christ-child in swaddling cloths (whatever those are) and lays Him away in a manger φάτνη (no crib for a bed, etc. etc..) BECAUSE Luke records, the small little town of Bethlehem had ‘NO ROOM’ in the inn. (No innkeeper of record here.)

BUT (recalling Matthew’s gospel) when the wise men come to worship the Christ-child later:

the star went before them to ‘the place where the child was’ AND they went ‘into the house.’
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NOT a discrepancy, but it doesn't fit neatly into a single scene (or manger set).
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YET NEAR-BY:

there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear..

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.

The Childhood of the Christ-child

Luke’s gospel provides some additional detail of the powerful signs and significance of events to follow. Without providing exact dates or itineraries of Joseph, Mary and the Christ-child he gives us some brief insight.

21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. 22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.

And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.
Gospel of Luke 2:22-24, King James Version

Mary’s purification by Mosaic Law would not have taken place until after forty days [ritually, 7 plus 33 more] after JESUS was born.

THEREFORE, these two important signs involving Simeon and the prophetess Anna although extremely connected to Old Testament prophesy do not add detail to the nativity story of Jesus except as a connection between the birth of the Savior.

Advent 4 – preparation of the nativity forgotten

I close with a post-script to the Scripture of our all-too-familiar nativity story.

When we were children we would open twenty-five windows on a December calendar focused on anticipation of Christmas. Churches typically redecorated for an Advent season leading up to Christmas Day. Many Christians worshipped Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day.

Gifts? Yes. But clearly the gift was JESUS born as a CHILD just like we were. (What an irony!)

Shopping? Parents shopped (mostly Mom). Children just asked for gifts (NOT shopped for whatever our little hearts desired) and we really didn’t know what gift we might get EVEN IF we could just be ‘good.’ I think they shopped for others too, just like baking for neighbors or sending Christmas cards to good friends. GIFTS — for others, NOT shopping and shipping for our SELVES.

JESUS was a gift of GOD the Father to the world.

(Every good little Christian boy or girl knew at least that.)

Santa, reindeer, elves and all the rest? Stories — fables like Aesop’s or the Nutcracker Ballet, not real.. but FUN enough for a bored kid in need of some imagination. BUT St. Nicholas, as nice as the story always shows, was never Jesus — the JESUS of the Gospels also read to us.

– the Christ of Christmas was no Santa Claus, not a gift-giver but the Gift Himself. The songs and celebrations from the beginning of Advent to the joy of Christmas morning reflected a hope for more than just a merry Christmas, but a life of peace in our brief mortal years of growing up — growing through — growing into a more complete faith in Jesus Christ.

AND

WE children raised in a Christian household and local church didn’t have to take anyone’s word for it. WE believed because we believed God, whose very word was right in our hand in a BIBLE presented to us by our local church.

NO preacher would ever feel the need to CHANGE any of the Gospel — not one jot or tittle of Scripture we could read for ourselves. Nor would a pastor dare reintroduce JESUS with some more personal persona than CHRIST or LORD.

Do you wonder how Advent has nearly become archaic?

I know that this previous ‘advent’ post from Matthew 25 in not related to the Nativity or birth of Jesus Christ..

Matthew 25 – Parable of the Ten Virgins

BUT has our PREACHING forgotten to fill the lamps for the more imminent coming of CHRIST for His Bride?

Even so, come Lord Jesus.
December 17, 2022
A COVID Christmas – Shall we take Jesus out of the box?
Happy Holidays

NO, I’m not taking a trip to relatives or friends and setting Scripture aside for a time. (And it has nothing to do with #socialdistancing.)

In my previous holiday post, COVID – The Sĭn’ch WHO Stole Thanksgiving, I suggested that we make too much of certain holidays.

Although the American tradition of Thanksgiving begins with a storyline of faith,

WE THE PEOPLE have strayed far from the faith of our fathers.

Pilgrims & Puritans

It’s worth mentioning again at Christmas, with its varied denominational, traditional and secular celebrations:

All of us are pilgrims journeying from place to place on the troubled seas of this world.

The religious founding of various Colonies created challenges from the very first, but pilgrims found freedoms of worship in America agreed upon by men of differing faiths.
- 13 Colonies Religions
- The Mayflower Compact
Men of faith will continue to disagree with each other, but faithless men will never agree with any who worship Christ Jesus.
Roger Harned

Jesus (He was the baby in the story about to be frequently retold) rebuked His fellow Jews who constantly disagreed with each other on many interpretations of the Law of Moses.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.
The Good News of Matthew 23:23

Christian pilgrims will worship the Lord in ways which differ, regardless of the holiday.

I wonder what Jesus might have to say about our Christmas ‘traditions’ in America, in this ‘one nation, under God?’

Puritans and Christmas

Puritans and many more orthodox believers become ostracized by a culture which resists rule by law and rebuke for sin.

Yet as warning against our own severity with cultures we do not understand, remember the rebuke of the Lord Jesus against those who judge outsiders.

A Puritan Christmas

A 21st century pilgrimage back into the turbulence of 17th century America will challenge our own lethargic drifting away from Scripture as witnessed by Puritans and others.

Briefly, I would like to share a couple of points from an excellent look back (linked above), BY ANDREAS KÖSTENBERGER.
- In 1642, the article notes, “the Puritan-led English parliament asked citizens not to celebrate Christmas in any way, other than private respectful prayer.”
- The anti-Christmas laws remained in effect until 1660 when the monarchy was restored, yet it took almost another 300 years before Christmas became a full national holiday in Scotland in 1958.
No Miracle on 34th St
in 2020..

OR at Macy’s or at Shillato’s.

(due to COVID)

Think of the disappointment of all the little boys and all the little girls

who believe that Christmas is all about Santa Claus.

Pictured: 1956 Rochelle Baverman (a Jewish girl, like the virgin Mary) photo with Santa in Cincinnati, Ohio - The Nativity Crèche (pictured for this post) became one of her traditions later as a Messianic Jew.
Christmas of the Gospels

Many a preacher either struggles or delights to return in December to the all-too-familiar passages of Scripture (now recited by Linus & other children for the joy of all parents).

Maybe some us heard the true meaning of Christmas from A Charlie Brown Christmas. -talkofJesus.com – https://talkofjesus.com/?s=christmas

The church continues to tell the story of a Virgin birth of a baby Jesus in a manger, with a secular ‘Once upon a time’ message targeting children, as the Puritans once feared.

When we present Christmas as a gift to children, do we perhaps upstage God’s purpose of sending His Only Son Jesus to the Cross?

The Puritans thought more of the Cross than of the Manger. (And there are other issues of Roman idolatry here.)

Are you still a child in your understanding of Christ?

Is Christmas the way we traditionally celebrate with our families, truly the Good News of the gift of the Lord Jesus Christ to sinners like us?

Christ is Born (Good News edition)

I will just briefly address the Christmas nativity narrative here, for our purpose is to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ by each writer of the four Gospels — the Good News of Christmas, the Good News of Jesus’ Crucifixion and especially the Good News of Jesus’ Resurrection.

Matthew

1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.
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You may read the rest of the Nativity story in the link above.
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Luke

Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.
Luke 2:1-2 NASB

Recall that we have just discussed Caesar Augustus from later in the Gospel of John.

1st century Rome – an awkward embrace of RELIGION & politics

Our children’s Christmas pageants may not convey that Rome is in charge of Judea, a subject kingdom of Syria’s Roman Governor, Quirinius.

We may not even have sensed how the Herod’s had lost power with Rome or noted that Quirinius’ successor was not appointed by Caesar, leaving Pontius Pilate as governor of Judea (with no governor of all Syria).

Other detail of Luke’s Gospel will resound familiar detail of the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem of Judea.
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Once again, what you do not hear from Linus you may read in the link from the Gospel of Luke above.
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Mark

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Mark 1:1

Note that I have not taken the Gospels in order. This is due to the Nativity detail given by Matthew and Luke not being mentioned by Mark or John.

As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
“BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU,
WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY;
THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS,
‘MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD,
MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.’”
The Gospel of Mark 1:1-3 NASB

Note that Mark points to the Prophet Isaiah as well as a prophesied messenger, John the Baptist. Mark’s Gospel begins with the baptism of Jesus by John (as it is written) and receiving the Holy Spirit of the LORD God His Father!

Luke records this as well after reporting from witnesses of Jesus’ birth.

John:

I began this year of our Lord, 2020, with John’s Gospel.

Jesus Said:

John 3:19 “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

We have followed Jesus through Scripture, primarily from the Gospel of John, little knowing in January what darkness of this past year would bring to a world far-distanced from Christ.

How did John approach the birth of Jesus?

The Apostle reflected that which was before every event of the Nativity!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
John 1:1-3 NASB

The Apostle John records what he has already witnessed of Jesus, the Christ of the Jews and Savior of the world:

Jesus IS the Creator, the LORD GOD!

HE WAS, before HIS own birth as Emmanuel, God With Us.

John has witnessed through Jesus Christ the fullness of the LORD’s glory, including Jesus’ resurrection and when the Apostle records this witness:

Yeshua said to them,
“Most assuredly, I tell you, before Avraham came into existence, I AM.”
John 8:58 HNV

John testifies that Jesus tells us this unscaleable truth to creatures of His making, which all men and women are:

“I and the Father are one.”
John 10:30

His place of birth, His mother, His lineage, His story told at Christmas — ALL pale by comparison to His Existence before the beginning — the Genesis of Adam and Creation to which Moses testifies.

When will we emerge from the darkness?

The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. – Genesis 1:2 NASB

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the LORD,

“My refuge and my fortress,
My God, in whom I trust!”

You will not be afraid of the terror by night,
Or of the arrow that flies by day;

Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.

“Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him;

I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.

Excerpts from Psalm 91 NASB

Shall we take Jesus out of the box of Christmas?
- continuous media updates by media
- 19 March AD2020 Churches ordered closed
- Christmas – HUMBUG!
- 2020? I stole that too, BOO HOO, BOO HOO.
- I just want to have a perfect gift this Christmas.
- a Covid Christmas
What does CHRISTMAS mean to YOU?

We can not have Jesus born in a manger without the shadow of the CROSS.

Will we leave Jesus in the grave?

As we have painstakingly walked with John in this year of our Lord, 2020, we have tarried during the long week of the Passover of the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.

It is finished.. + Death’s witnesses

A Day of the silence of the Passover Lamb

The Light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness did not comprehend it.
John 1:5

“I have come as Light into the world,
so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness…
I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.
“He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him;
the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.
The promise of Jesus – John 12:46-48 excerpt NASB

“Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
John 2:19

But He was speaking of the temple of His body.

John 19:

40 They took Jesus’s body and wrapped it in linen cloths with the fragrant spices, according to the burial custom of the Jews.

41 There was a garden in the place where he was crucified. A new tomb was in the garden; no one had yet been placed in it. They placed Jesus there because of the Jewish day of preparation and since the tomb was nearby.
To be continued...
December 1, 2020