One child changed history

The Christmas Story…

One Child Changed History

Adapted from John 1, Matthew 1 and 2, and Luke 1 and 2

Compiled by Roger and Tamara Slack

At the beginning of time, Jesus Christ already existed. He was with God and He was God. (John 1:1) Jesus existed in the beginning with God. In fact, Jesus created everything. Not a single thing came into existence that He did not create. (John 1:14)

Mary was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before they were married, an angel appeared to her saying, “Greetings! You are highly favored by God, and God is with you. God is going to bless you among all women!”

Mary was scared. She was just an ordinary girl and she had no idea what the angel was talking about. The angel saw how frightened she was, “Don’t be afraid, Mary. I’m going to explain. God is going to give you an incredible privilege. You are going to become pregnant, and have a son, and you will name Him Jesus. He will be very great, because He is the Son of God.”

Mary asked the angel, “How can this happen? I’m a virgin.” The angel told her, “God is going to create the baby in your womb by the power of the Holy Spirit. The baby will be Holy. He is the Son of God.” Mary responded, “I want to be God’s servant. May everything happen just as you’ve explained.”

All this occurred to fulfill one of God’s prophecies about the Messiah from 700 years prior to the birth of Jesus Christ which says: “the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14) Immanuel literally means “God is with us.”

God did not choose Mary because she earned favor as if she were a good person. In His sight no one is good:

“None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.” (Romans 3:11)

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

“And Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.’” (Mark 10:18)

Jesus is Born. Back in that time, Mary and Joseph lived under the rule of the Roman empire. The Roman emperor, Augustus, decided that he wanted to take a census of all the citizens under his control. Now the instructions for the census was that, in order to be counted, every man had to go to the town his ancestors were from. Since Joseph’s ancestor was King David, he had to go to a town called Bethlehem. He took his fiancée, Mary, with him. And by this time, she was obviously pregnant.

While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for the baby to be born. Mary gave birth to a son, and they named him Jesus, just as the angel had instructed. Mary wrapped the baby up snugly in swaddling clothes and laid him in an animal feeding trough, because the city was so crowded, there was no room for them in the inn.

Shepherds were watching over their flocks of sheep. Suddenly an angel appeared to them. God’s glory in the form of bright, shinging, light suddenly shone all around them. They were terrified! But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid! I have good news of a great joy that is for all people. Today in Bethlehem the Savior was born; he is the Messiah, the Lord God. This is how you will know you’ve found the right baby: You will find him wrapped up snugly in swaddling clothes and lying in an animal feeding trough.” Suddenly the angel wasn’t alone. God’s vast army of angels appeared around them. They were praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and peace to people on whom God’s favor rests.”

This is why people sing Christmas songs such as “Silent Night,” “Away in a Manger,” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”:

"Hark! The Herald Angels sing, "Glory to the new-born King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!"

Jesus is the Savior, the promised Messiah. As Jesus grew up, most people did not realize or accept who he was. Even the chosen people of God rejected him. But to all who repent and put their trust in him, he gives the right to be born again spiritually, as God’s children. Over 700 years before Jesus’ birth, Isaiah wrote about the Christ who was to come (compare it to what we know happened to Him on the cross over 700 years later):

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. Yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53)

Christmas is a message of sovereign grace (undeserved favor) from God to forgive the sins of those who will inherit eternal life by confessing and turning from their sins to the God who created them and trust that Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross alone is the only restitution God will accept. Neither works nor some inherent goodness in them is sufficient to receive eternal life in Heaven with Him (Ephesians 2:8,9, and Titus 3:3-7). The message of Christmas is one of grace, love and hope. To read more about Christmas, read John, chapters 1 through 3 in your Bible or go online to our friend’s website: http://www.mylifeafterdeath.org/.

A couple interesting facts we found in dictionaries and encyclopedias when researching Jesus’ birth:

· The word Christmas originated as a contraction of “Christ’s mass.”

· Jesus’ birth, which is the basis for the Anno Domini system of dating (i.e. 2008 A.D.) literally means, “In the year of our Lord” so when we say, “2008 A.D.” we are saying 2008 in the year of our Lord.

· B.C. is the abbreviation for “Before Christ.” B.C.E. which stands for “Before the Common Era” is a recent change for some in order to avoid the Christian reference (Wikipedia)

· Christmas was declared a U.S. Federal holiday in 1870, signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant.

We hope you have a very Merry Christmas!

Roger and Tamara Slack

You may see the original version of this compilation at http://www.splendidchristmas.com/. Permission was given by Anna (Banana) Jackson to use on my blog. Thanks Anna!