The%20Truth%20About%20The%20Birth%20of%20Christ

1
The Truth About The Birth of Christ
2
What do you think of when you read about the
birth of Christ?

• Without question the arrival of the Son of God in
  a human form was a great event.
• There is no surprise that men would want to
  celebrate this event.
• But where does God Himself give emphasis? What
  should we celebrate?
• We should be very familiar with these great
  events for our good!

3
What do you think of when you read about the
birth of Christ?

• Every aspect of the life of Christ was foretold
  by the prophets. (Lk 2444)

4
What do you think of when you read about the
birth of Christ?

• (Luke 2444 NKJV) - Then He said to them, These
  are the words which I spoke to you while I was
  still with you, that all things must be fulfilled
  which were written in the Law of Moses and the
  Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.

5
What do you think of when you read about the
birth of Christ?

• We who wear the name of Christ need to know the
  one whom we serve.
• If we know Him then we will do only those things
  He directs. (Col 317)

6
What do you think of when you read about the
birth of Christ?

• (Colossians 317 NKJV) And whatever you do in
  word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord
  Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through
  Him.

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The Birth of Christ was not the Beginning of Jesus

• Jesus did not have a beginning.
• Some have tried to argue from this verse that He
  did. (Col 115)

8
The Birth of Christ was not the Beginning of Jesus

• Colossians 115 - He is the image of the
  invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

9
The Birth of Christ was not the Beginning of Jesus

• If they would read the next verses they would
  understand that all created things
  were made by God! Jesus is the creator! (Col
  116-18)

10
The Birth of Christ was not the Beginning of Jesus

• Colossians 116-18 - For by Him all things were
  created that are in heaven and that are on earth,
  visible and invisible, whether thrones or
  dominions or principalities or powers. All things
  were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He
  is before all things, and in Him all things
  consist.

11
The Birth of Christ was not the Beginning of Jesus

• 18 And He is the head of the body, the church,
  who is the beginning, the firstborn from the
  dead, that in all things He may have the
  preeminence.

12
The Birth of Christ was not the Beginning of Jesus

• Jesus did have a beginning as a man. His body had
  a beginning!
• In this sense He is also called the firstborn.
  (Heb 16 105)

13
The Birth of Christ was not the Beginning of Jesus

• Hebrews 16 - But when He again brings the
  firstborn into the world, He says "Let all the
  angels of God worship Him."

14
The Birth of Christ was not the Beginning of Jesus

• Hebrews 105 - Therefore, when He came into the
  world, He said "Sacrifice and offering You did
  not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me.

15
The Birth of Christ was not the Beginning of Jesus

• God became man! Jesus as God had no beginning.
  There is a time however where God became man.
• This is a staggering thought. What would it be
  like for God to become man?
• Men have struggled with this and many do not know
  Him. (Jn 110-12)

16
The Birth of Christ was not the Beginning of Jesus

• John 110-12 - He was in the world, and the
  world was made through Him, and the world did not
  know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did
  not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him,
  to them He gave the right to become children of
  God, to those who believe in His name

17
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• The birth of Christ involved some of the greatest
  promises of the Old Testament.
• There was the future destruction of Satan through
  the seed of Eve. (Gen 315)

18
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• (Genesis 315 NKJV) And I will put enmity
  Between you and the woman, And between your seed
  and her Seed He shall bruise your head, And you
  shall bruise His heel.

19
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• The great promises to Abraham set the course for
  the rest of the Bible which includes the
  birth of Christ. (Gen 121-3)

20
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• (Genesis 123 NKJV) - I will bless those who
  bless you, And I will curse him who curses you
  And in you all the families of the earth shall be
  blessed.

21
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• The promise of the future messiah to David
  depended upon the birth of Christ. (Psa 13211)

22
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• (Psalms 13211 NKJV) The LORD has sworn in
  truth to David He will not turn from it I will
  set upon your throne the fruit of your body.

23
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• There were detailed prophecies of this birth.
• There was the specific place of His birth. (Mic
  52)

24
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• (Micah 52 NKJV) But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
  Though you are little among the thousands of
  Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The
  One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are
  from of old, From everlasting.

25
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• The virgin birth was in prophecy. (Isa 714)

26
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• (Isaiah 714 NKJV) Therefore the Lord Himself
  will give you a sign Behold, the virgin shall
  conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name
  Immanuel.

27
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• Even the time of His birth was shown to be in the
  times of the Roman kingdom. (Dan 77, 16-17, 23,
  27 244)

28
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• (Daniel 244-45 NKJV) And in the days of these
  kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom
  which shall never be destroyed and the kingdom
  shall not be left to other people it shall break
  in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it
  shall stand forever.

29
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• Mary and Joseph were first made aware of His
  coming birth.
• She had to tell Joseph about her child and then
  wait for the Lord to inform him.
• This was a test for Joseph too. (Mt 118-25)

30
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• Matthew 118-25 - Now the birth of Jesus Christ
  was as follows After His mother Mary was
  betrothed to Joseph, before they came together,
  she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19
  Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and
  not wanting to make her a public example, was
  minded to put her away secretly.

31
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• 20 But while he thought about these things,
  behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a
  dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be
  afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that
  which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
  21 "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall
  call His name JESUS, for He will save His people
  from their sins."

32
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• 22 So all this was done that it might be
  fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through
  the prophet, saying 23 "Behold, the virgin
  shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they
  shall call His name Immanuel," which is
  translated, "God with us." 24 Then Joseph, being
  aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord
  commanded him and took to him his wife,

33
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• 25 and did not know her till she had brought
  forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name
  JESUS.

34
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• Do you have a faith than will wait on the Lord?
  (Psa 377-9)
• She later had to watch Him die.
• God through Simeon had warned her of this
  occasion. (Lk 234-35)

35
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• Luke 234-35 - Then Simeon blessed them, and said
  to Mary His mother, "Behold, this Child is
  destined for the fall and rising of many in
  Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken
  against 35 "(yes, a sword will pierce through
  your own soul also), that the thoughts of many
  hearts may be revealed."

36
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• Could you have done this? (Jn 1925-27)

37
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• John 1925-27 - Now there stood by the cross of
  Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary
  the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When
  Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple
  whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother,
  "Woman, behold your son!" 27 Then He said to the
  disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that
  hour that disciple took her to his own home.

38
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• There was the heavenly announcement of it to the
  shepherds. (Lk 28-15)

39
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• (Luke 28-15 NKJV) Now there were in the same
  country shepherds living out in the fields,
  keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And
  behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them,
  and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and
  they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel
  said to them, Do not be afraid, for behold, I
  bring you good tidings of great joy which will be
  to all people.

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The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• 11 For there is born to you this day in the
  city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
  12 And this will be the sign to you You will
  find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, 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, goodwill toward men!

41
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• 15 So it was, when the angels had gone away
  from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to
  one another, Let us now go to Bethlehem and see
  this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord
  has made known to us.

42
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• Why announce it here? Why not to the religious
  rulers?
• Remember that God revealed the time and place at
  His choosing. When Herod thought he knew of a
  coming king, see what he did. (Mt 21-12)

43
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• Matthew 21-12 - Now after Jesus was born in
  Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king,
  behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,
  2 saying, "Where is He who has been born King of
  the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East
  and have come to worship Him." 3 When Herod the
  king heard this, he was troubled, and all
  Jerusalem with him.

44
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests
  and scribes of the people together, he inquired
  of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 So
  they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for
  thus it is written by the prophet 6 'But you,
  Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the
  least among the rulers of Judah For out of you
  shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people
  Israel.' "

45
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• 7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the
  wise men, determined from them what time the star
  appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and
  said, "Go and search carefully for the young
  Child, and when you have found Him, bring back
  word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."

46
The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• 9 When they heard the king, they departed and
  behold, the star which they had seen in the East
  went before them, till it came and stood over
  where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the
  star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.

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The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• 11 And when they had come into the house, they
  saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and
  fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had
  opened their treasures, they presented gifts to
  Him gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 Then,
  being divinely warned in a dream that they should
  not return to Herod, they departed for their own
  country another way.

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The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• We need Gods help to know for certain when a
  prophecy has been fulfilled.
• There was the incredible fact that God Himself
  became man. (Jn 114 1-3)

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The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• (John 114 NKJV) And the Word became flesh and
  dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the
  glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full
  of grace and truth.

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The Uniqueness of the Birth of Christ

• Our God came to this world in a barnyard.
• All of these things contain great lessons for us.

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Three Questions for us to consider

• Why did God become man? (Heb 29-15)

52
Three Questions for us to consider

• (Hebrews 29-15 NKJV) But we see Jesus, who was
  made a little lower than the angels, for the
  suffering of death crowned with glory and honor,
  that He, by the grace of God, might taste death
  for everyone. 10 For it was fitting for Him,
  for whom are all things and by whom are all
  things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make
  the captain of their salvation perfect through
  sufferings.

53
Three Questions for us to consider

• 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are
  being sanctified are all of one, for which reason
  He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12
  saying I will declare Your name to My brethren
  In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise
  to You. 13 And again I will put My trust in
  Him. And again Here am I and the children whom
  God has given Me.

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Three Questions for us to consider

• 14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken
  of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in
  the same, that through death He might destroy him
  who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
  15 and release those who through fear of death
  were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

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Three Questions for us to consider

• Jesus provided an escape from Satan than man
  could not provide himself.
• Jesus became a man to share with us in temptation
  and to lead the way.
• He became our high priest that we can boldly go
  to. (Heb 216-17 414-16)
• Without a doubt we know the answer to the
  question Does Jesus Care?

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Three Questions for us to consider

• When was Jesus born?
• We do not know the year or the day! Some suggest
  3-4 BC.
• We know it was not in December. Bethlehem is the
  same latitude of Montgomery, AL or Jackson,
  MS. They would not be out at night with the sheep
  at this time of year.

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Three Questions for us to consider

• The Catholic Church took the heathen day of
  observance of the winter solstice and declared
  December 25 as the day. (The solstice indicated
  the Sun was reviving after the shortest day, Dec.
  21. There was much drunkenness and revelry during
  this time.)
• How are we to celebrate the birth of Christ?

58
Three Questions for us to consider

• When a birthday is held to honor someone you see
  what their wishes are.
• Jesus gave no instructions whatsoever about
  celebrating His birth.
• There is not one word from the apostles or the
  early church about this matter.

59
There is a celebration we are to keep.

• Christians were commanded to meet on every first
  day of the week. (1 Cor 161-2 Acts 207)

60
There is a celebration we are to keep.

• (Acts 207 NKJV) Now on the first day of the
  week, when the disciples came together to break
  bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke
  to them and continued his message until midnight.

61
There is a celebration we are to keep.

• (1 Corinthians 161-2 NKJV) Now concerning the
  collection for the saints, as I have given orders
  to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also
  2 On the first day of the week let each one of
  you lay something aside, storing up as he may
  prosper, that there be no collections when I
  come.

62
There is a celebration we are to keep.

• (1 Corinthians 162 NASB) - On the first day of
  every week let each one of you put aside and
  save, as he may prosper, that no collections be
  made when I come.

63
There is a celebration we are to keep.

• In the writings of the early Christians they met
  on the first day of the week.
• What Paul commanded Corinth, he commanded all
  other churches. (1 Cor 417)

64
There is a celebration we are to keep.

• (1 Corinthians 417 NKJV) For this reason I
  have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and
  faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of
  my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every
  church.

65
There is a celebration we are to keep.

• Why did they meet on this day?
• They were remembering the birth of Christ!
• This was not the first birth but the second.
  (Acts 1330-34 Col 118)

66
There is a celebration we are to keep.

• (Acts 1330-34 NKJV) But God raised Him from
  the dead. 31 He was seen for many days by
  those who came up with Him from Galilee to
  Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people.
  32 And we declare to you glad tidings that
  promise which was made to the fathers.

67
There is a celebration we are to keep.

• 33 God has fulfilled this for us their
  children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it
  is also written in the second Psalm You are My
  Son, Today I have begotten You. 34 And that
  He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to
  corruption, He has spoken thus I will give you
  the sure mercies of David.

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There is a celebration we are to keep.

• Can you not see that the second birth is of far
  greater importance than the first?
• God gave us details about the second birth. We
  know the day!
• The apostles began immediately to observe the
  first day of the week. The events on the day of
  Pentecost occurred on the first day of the week.
  (Acts 242)

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There is a celebration we are to keep.

• (Acts 242 NKJV) And they continued steadfastly
  in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, in the
  breaking of bread, and in prayers.

70
There is a celebration we are to keep.

• This should be observed weekly, not yearly,
  monthly or quarterly.
• Is it not sad that men will observe things He
  does not ask but will not observe the things He
  does command us to!

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There is a celebration we are to keep.

• What is your birthday?