The Bible’s power rests upon the fact that it is the reliable, errorless, and infallible Word of God.
—Chuck Colson—
Key point: God cannot lie about anything, especially His own Son. You’ll do well to hear and heed what the Lord says about Jesus!
Last time we considered the angel’s announcement to the shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem informing them Jesus had been born. Excited about the wonderful news they’d heard, these men took off to Bethlehem to check out what the angel had said. Sure enough, their investigations validated everything the angel had told them. God doesn’t just say “believe Me.” He also provides evidence making belief a reasonable response. No, He doesn’t answer all our questions; otherwise we wouldn’t have to exercise faith. But He does tell us everything we need to know to respond as we should, in the way that will benefit us the most, and in a way that also will glorify Him.
God doesn’t just say “believe Me.” He also provides evidence making belief a reasonable response. No, He doesn’t answer all our questions; otherwise we wouldn’t have to exercise faith. But He does tell us everything we need to know to respond as we should, in the way that will benefit us the most, and in a way that also will glorify Him.
“As it was told them”
Why did the good news of Christmas take hold in the shepherds’ lives? Part of the reason was that everything they witnessed was just “as it was told them.” It is this last phrase from Luke 2:20 I’d like for us to consider. The true message of Christmas is authentic, reliable, and trustworthy.
A similar phrase appears in at least one other place in the New Testament. In Acts 27:1–28:16, Luke reports on Paul’s journey to Rome. Between the islands of Crete and Malta, Paul’s ship made its way through a violent storm that lasted for many days. Before the ship departed from Fair Havens in Crete, Paul warned those in charge of the ship, “Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives” (Acts 27:10). They ignored Paul’s advice and attempted to sail to Phoenix, a location in Crete with a more favorable port than Fair Havens (see Acts 27:11-12). In the map below, Crete is the large island in the Mediterranean Sea, located directly south of Philippi. Go here for a more detailed map.
The ship never made it to Phoenix. Instead, A fierce storm that formed soon after the ship left port blew it out to sea. Luke wrote, “On the third day we threw the ship’s tackle overboard with our own hands. Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up” (Acts 27:19-20). Luke continued,
21 But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss. 22 And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, 24 saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ 25 Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me. 26 However, we must run aground on a certain island (Acts 27:21-25, emphasis added).”
The events that unfolded occurred just as Paul had been told. The shipwreck took place off the island of Malta, and in it no one lost his life (see Acts 27:27–28:1). Moreover, Paul did indeed arrive in Rome (see Acts 28:16). The book of Acts closes with these words:
Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him (Acts 28:30-31).
Although we have no historical record of Paul’s appearing before Caesar, neither does the historical record provide evidence against it. We assume Paul did appear before Caesar, given the angel’s informing him, “[Y]ou must be brought before Caesar” and the fact that everything else took place just as he had been told.
Bank on it
Here’s what we’re saying. When God declares something, an individual can take it to the bank. In Genesis 1, with only a few possible exceptions, God spoke the various elements of His creation into existence. The phrase “Thus says the Lord” or something similar appears over 400 times in the Old Testament. We also have these verses, among many others, confirming the truthfulness of God’s revelation in in both the Old and New Testaments.
Not only does the Bible claim to be God’s absolutely true and trustworthy revelation, but it also identified who the Messiah would be, centuries before Jesus was born. You see,
God did not just spring His plan to save humankind on the world without giving prior notice. All through the Old Testament, the prophets told about the coming of the Messiah, the sent One from God who would take away the sins of the world. These prophecies [called Messianic] were given hundreds of years before Jesus was born.1
Some scholars contend that the Old Testament prophecies identifying Jesus as the Messiah number in the hundreds. Keep in mind that these prophecies relate, not just to the Messiah’s birth, but to a wide range of subjects, including His life, work, ministry, death, and resurrection.
A number of decades ago, Peter W. Stoner (1888-1980), a college professor and a brilliant mathematician and astronomer, selected just eight Messianic prophecies and estimated the probability that just those eight would be fulfilled randomly in one man. He released his findings in Science Speaks, a book published in 1958 by Moody Press (also go here; several other editions were released as well). Using the science of probability and estimating conservatively, Stoner determined that the likelihood of this occurring would be 1 in 10 to the 17th power, or 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000. In other words, Jesus—His birth, life, ministry, miracles, death, burial, and resurrection—didn’t just happen. God orchestrated all of these events. Accordingly, Stoner asserts, “Any man who rejects Christ as the Son of God is rejecting a fact proved perhaps more absolutely than any other fact in the world.”
Any man who rejects Christ as the Son of God is rejecting a fact proved perhaps more absolutely than any other fact in the world.
—Peter W. Stoner—
Christmas Is all About Who Jesus Is
It is no wonder the shepherds found the baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger, just as they had been told. God’s Word, His revelation of Himself, which includes the message of Christmas, is certain. Jesus is the Savior, the Christ, and the Lord. All those who rely on Him for salvation, He will not disappoint.
In conclusion, I’d like to to reflect on just one more passage, even though we could consider many. Because Ken Taylor’s paraphrase of 1 John 5:9-13 is especially clear, I’m presenting it here in The Living Bible. Go here to read it not only in The Living Bible, but also in four other versions as well. Also read these verses in a broader context.
9 We believe men who witness in our courts, and so surely we can believe whatever God declares. And God declares that Jesus is his Son. 10 All who believe this know in their hearts that it is true. If anyone doesn’t believe this, he is actually calling God a liar because he doesn’t believe what God has said about his Son.
11 And what is it that God has said? That he has given us eternal life and that this life is in his Son. 12 So whoever has God’s Son has life; whoever does not have his Son, does not have life.
13 I have written this to you who believe in the Son of God so that you may know you have eternal life.
This is the message of Christmas! Christmas is all about Jesus, and we can be absolutely certain about everything God says about His Son.
What does God say? Jesus indeed is His Son and is the source of eternal life.
Jesus also is the only source of eternal life. As God in the flesh, He cannot lie. He Himself declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6; also see 1 Tim. 2:5). But to all who receive “Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”
This Christmas, come to Jesus! Bask in His love, and thank Him for coming to earth as a baby, living a holy life, and dying for you.
Then give yourself to Him—either for the first time or afresh, with renewed gratitude.
The best Christmas gift you ever can receive is Jesus. Likewise, the best one you ever can give Him is yourself.
Copyright © 2019 by B. Nathaniel Sullivan. All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture has been taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
One passage comes from The Living Bible, copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. The Living Bible, TLB, and the The Living Bible logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers.
Note:
1Bill Bright, Discover the Real Jesus, (Wheaton, IL:: Tyndale, 2004), 34-35.
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