Luke 2:1-20
New International Version (NIV)
Luke 2
The Birth of Jesus
1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
It is possible to be an intelligent, critically thinking person and still believe that the story told above is accurate and true.
Have your opinions ever been swayed by someone’s eyewitness account of an event? Then the story told through scripture above should sway your opinion about Jesus. This event really did happen. Eyewitness testimony accounts for it.
When you hold a Bible in your hands, essentially you are holding copies of ancient historical records.
Hundreds of archeological findings have been unearthed, and they actually support the testimonies of eye witness accounts of Jesus.
Over 60 different prophesies were fulfilled when Jesus was born. Jesus Christ himself said, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me” (John 5:46, NKJV) Moses himself spoke of the coming Messiah: 'I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him'.” (Deuteronomy 18:15-19, NKJV). It was prophesied that He would be a descendant of Noah’s son, Shem, and Shem’s son, Abraham, and of Abraham’s line through Isaac, of the seed of Jacob, in the family line of Jesse, of the house of David, that He would be born in a small town of Bethlehem, and born of a virgin Mary (Genesis, Numbers, Jeremiah, 2 Samuel, Micah, Psalms).
It was also prophesied in the Old Testament that the Savior, Jesus, would come while the Temple of Jerusalem was still standing, that He would perform many miracles (Isaiah 29 and 35), the Gentiles would believe in Him and the Jews (His own people) would not (Isaiah 8, 28, 49), that a messenger from the wilderness would prepare a way for Him (Malachi 3), that He would enter Jerusalem riding on a donkey (Zechariah 9), He would be betrayed (Psalm 41) for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11), and that money would be used to buy a potter’s field (Zechariah 11), Jesus would be beaten and spat upon (Isaiah 50), His hands and feet would be pierced (Psalm 22), that His bones would not be broken (Psalm 34), his clothing would be divided and they would cast lots for them (Psalm 22), He would be given vinegar and gall to drink (Psalm 69), He would cry out, “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?”, (Psalm 22), He would be buried with the rich (Isaiah 22), His body would not decay (Psalm 16), He would be resurrected from the dead (Psalm 16), He will ascend into Heaven (Psalm 68), He will be seated at the right hand of God (Psalm 110), and He would be the Son of God (Psalm 2).
The probability of all of those exact prophecies being fulfilled is 1 in 1,000,000,000,000,000.
Need I say more?
The Messiah: Prophecy Fulfilled
a compelling Gospel drama A compelling Gospel presentation centered on a Jewish Seder dinner (Passover)
Platinum Award Winner 2002, Houston Film Festival
Questions and Answers to share with your KOTH partner:
1. Would you bet on a horse in the Kentucky Derby who had a 1 in 1,000,000,000,000,000 chance of winning? Why not?
2. Were you aware of all of the above-mentioned prophesies being foretold hundreds and hundreds of years before Christ’s birth?
3. Look up just 5 of the prophesies, and find their corresponding fulfillment of scripture in the New Testament, and share them with your KOTH partner. (Here’s some help: http://www.christiananswers.net/dictionary/messianicprophecies.html )
4. When you see a baby Jesus lying in a manger this Christmas season, will you be reminded of all of the prophecies His birth, life, and resurrection fulfilled?
5. How can you use this information to help you witness to a non-believer?
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