Sure, He was born to die on Calvary's cross for you and for me. So RED, it's the color of Christmas! It's not because of Santa’s clothes, bulbs, or Rudolph’s shiny nose, but because of the shed-blood of Jesus for us.. so that we could enjoy a white Christmas not just keep dreaming about one ..yeah. Come as you are to God even now. Be washed -- become white as snow.
It's what I read, said and explained to my grandson Heath at the table this year, God's words..
“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18
This is why there’s zero reason for believers to fear (instead of reason together) at Christmas time (or at anytime) like those of the world often do! We can turn, trust, approach by God by faith to apply the bloodshed of the Cross and then live fear-free ever holiday season! I say we live with the holy fear (respect) of God instead of with any other kind.
Are you afraid, all alone and lonely at Christmas? You don't have to be for another minute! Say NO to fear at Christmas! To loneliness too (click).
Did ya know that in 2020 there were over 600 million web-searches worldwide in the YouVersion Bible app. And what was the number one underlined verse in this whole e-Bible globally? This verse, Isaiah 41:10. Yeah, globally there’s been an 80% increase in searches in the Bible during 2020, and the answers people are looking to address shows us that there's a whole lot of people that are experiencing fear ..even during this Christmas season. Did you know there are 200 people in Bible who are said to have been afraid. True. But perfect love casts all angst und furcht aus / out. God tells us this...
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love. We love because He first loved us..” 1 John 4:18-19
In such rude surroundings in a stable and placed in a borrowed manger cuz who'd go out and buy one for a baby? (borrowed manger at the beginning borrowed tomb at the end.. that didn't turn out to be the end).. He's the only one among all those who've been born who chose where he'd be born.
Think about it, without Christ’s…
- virgin birth none of it happened, but it did happen with some eye-witnesses.. His
- virtuous life (so selfless, no sin),
- vicarious death,
- victorious resurrection and soon
- visible coming again... soon!
The first Christmas was very unusual to say the least.
With Jesus (divesting himself), God became one of His own creatures. An event unparalleled, unheard of with no precedent!
“Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words.” Give thanks “for his indescribable gift.” For his “inexpressible gift.” For his “unspeakable gift.” See 2 Corinthians 9:15
I mean with the birth of Jesus there in Bethlehem. Bible promises were fulfilled.
Q: What’s the distinctive Christianity has no other world religion has? A: The Trinity. And do you see the Trinity at the first Christmas? The Bible says, “’How can this be,’ Mary asked the angel, ‘since I am a virgin?’ The angel replied, ‘The Holy Spirit (that’s the third Person of our Triune Godhead) will come upon you, and the power of the Most High (that’s our Father God) will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God (that’s Jesus the second Person of the Godhead). Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month..”
Luke 1:34-36
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
“And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.” John 1:16
“Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit." Matthew 1:18 esv
An early Church Father named, Anselm,* once said there's four different ways that God makes a man. He’s done it before.
1 - By the law of natural generation meaning from the union of a man and a woman which produces a child.
2 - By His own creativity without the agency of either a man or a woman.. like when God made Adam, and then from Adam God took a rib and created Eve.
"So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep, and while he slept, He took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the area with flesh. And from the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man, He made a woman and brought her to him. And the man said: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for out of man she was taken.” Genesis 2:21-23
3 - By a miracle like with Isaac when his parents who were way beyond the age to have a child.
4 - By God the Holy Spirit impregnating a virgin without any help from any man.. that he created. Yes, a child born of a woman without a man even involved. Jesus was begotten of the Holy Spirit, not from Joseph.
If we can accept this as authentic believers do accept this, then of course we can accept the teaching of the virgin birth as God wants us to. Sure like everything in the Bible cuz it's all true!
Man, how can we ever explain all there this virgin birth first Advent mystery, I sure can’t do that. But we can be sure of this.. the incarnation was necessary for our salvation.
“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on [him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things [pertaining] to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” Hebrews 2:14-17
Yes, if we accept this as sound believers always have, then we can also accept the doctrine of the Virgin birth.
Now some people call that birth “miraculous” but it's way more than merely miraculous. What happened with Isaac was merely miraculous, but this was deity coming down to the human level.
Jesus had to become a man in order to free mankind from the power of sin and death. The sinless Son had to make atonement for our wrong-doin's.
“For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:3-4
“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21
Jesus said, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head” (Matthew 8:19–20; Luke 9:57–58).
He, Christ, started out being placed in a borrowed manger (first birthday, cuz nobody in their right mind goes out to buy a manger for their baby), and he ended up his life be placed in a borrowed tomb.
“Ye shall find the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger.” For.. “There was no room for him in the inn.” T he caravansary in Bethlehem was crowded with merchants and travelers and the very best that the world could offer God’s Son was in a stall in a stable. There was no room for Him when He came from the bosom of the Father; no room for Him during the years of His earthly ministry of healing the sick, feeding the poor, lifting the fallen, saving the sinful, always loving and always giving; He was crowded out.
It would appear as we read the gospels that He spent most of His nights in the open air. “Foxes have holes ..but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.”
Yet it was His world by right of creation. “All things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made.” For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” He came to His own—His own world—and His own received Him not. And after all these centuries of Gospel light, of Bible preaching and of sound education, He is still “despised and rejected of men.” Will you apply the blood by faith and be cleansed? He is still seeking to enter homes and hearts. How few there are who welcome Him! Will you invite Jesus in?
1. Why is the Virgin Birth so important?
Why could Jesus not be born of a human father?
2. Is “virgin” or “young woman” the correct translation of Isaiah 7:14?
Is Isaiah 7:14 even intended to be a Messianic prophecy?
3. What does the Bible say about the virgin Mary?
Is the Roman Catholic understanding of the virgin Mary biblical?
4. Do the narratives of Jesus’ birth contradict each other?
Are there contradictions between the accounts of the birth of Jesus in Matthew and Luke?
Does the Bible say why God chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus?
6. Why wasn’t Jesus given another name?
If Immanuel (Emmanuel) was to be the name of the promised Messiah, why was His Name Jesus instead of Immanuel?
7. Did Mary have other children? How many children did Mary have?
Did Mary have other children after Jesus?
8. Was Joseph married before Mary?
Was Mary Joseph’s second wife? Did Joseph have a wife a children before he married Mary?
Why is the angel Gabriel’s message to Mary known as the Annunciation?
10. What is the Immaculate Conception?
Was Mary sinless? Why do Roman Catholics believe in the Immaculate Conception of Mary?
11. What does it mean that Jesus is God with us?
What does it mean that Jesus is God with us? What are the practical implications of Jesus being God with us?
12. Is there any validity to the Zeitgeist movie?
Did Christianity copy its beliefs from other world religions? Is Jesus a copy of other gods or mythological beings?
What is the meaning of the name Immanuel? In the Bible, is Immanuel a name or a title?
14. Why was Jesus born in a manger?
Why was Jesus born in a manger? What should we learn from the humble circumstances of Jesus’ birth?
Are Christians to “venerate” her or any other mere human? Nope. Should we pray the rosary or talk to dead saints? Nope. And we don’t really need any idols. So, is the Roman Catholic understanding of Mary even biblical? Is Mariology something a Christian should study? Venerate means to worship and Mary said she needed a Savior which would be she is a sinner. We are to revere to Lord – why even call a pastor a Reverend? Don’t do that. Our society sure lacks holy fear, respect and reverence for God, venerate, worship, adore mean to honor and admire profoundly and respectfully.
She was indeed godly and blessed but by her own admission Mary also needed forgiveness. “And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.’” See Luke 1:46-55
16. When were Joseph and Mary considered married?
When were Joseph and Mary considered married? Were Joseph and Mary married before Jesus was born, and if so, when?
17. Is Mary the mother of God (Theotokos)?
Since Jesus was God, and Mary gave birth to Jesus, doesn’t that make Mary the mother of God? Nope. Who lived first? God always was when Mary was just an idea in His mind.
18. Where do the Hebrew Scriptures prophesy the death and resurrection of the Messiah?
Where do the Hebrew Scriptures prophesy the death and resurrection of the Messiah? What are some of the Messianic prophecies in the Old Testament?
19. Is Jesus a myth? Is Jesus just a copy of the pagan gods of other ancient religions?
Is Jesus the same as Horus or Heru, or Mithras, and Osiris?
20. Is Jesus God in the flesh? Why is it important that Jesus is God in the flesh?
How can deity and humanity be merged in one person?
21. Who was Joseph, the father of Jesus?
What can we learn from what the Bible says about Joseph, the adoptive father of Jesus?
22. What happened to Mary biblically?
Where is the last mention of Mary in the Bible?
23. What does the Bible say about the angel Gabriel?
Quite an angel was he!
1. Is praying the rosary scriptural?
Is praying the rosary scriptural? Was it really helpful? Naww, my whole family used to do this. Made my mom happy. I say go straight to God the Father through Jesus the Son with whatever you need. He delights to answer every prayer with Yes, No, or Wait. Are there any aspects of the Rosary prayer that do not agree with the Bible? Yep, like the form prayers directed to saints like Mary.
2. Are apparitions of Mary, such as Lady Fatima, true messages from God?
Why does Mary have such an important role in the Catholic faith?
3. What are prayer beads? Is it okay to use beads while praying?
What are prayer beads? Is it okay to use beads while praying? What is the origin of prayer beads?
What is a novena? Is the Roman Catholic practice of praying novenas biblical?
5. Got some questions about prayer and simply praying?
God, I love you and want to know, follow and love you better. Please help me.
6. Here are some questions from Catholics and about Catholicism
Got some Catholic Questions? An honest look at Catholic theology from a Biblical perspective.
*Who was Anselm of Canterbury (1033—1109)? Anselm was born around 1033 into the family of a Lombard landowner of Aosta, in the Piedmont regions of Northern Italy. He is called a church father who liked to study truth. Some call Anselm one of the most important Christian thinkers of the eleventh century. Perhaps, not sure if he was.
