Beyond the MangerSample

Have you grown up reading the Christmas story in the Gospel of Luke? Most of us are very familiar with this story, but there may be some amazing things you've never noticed before. Let's take a moment this Christmas season to look beyond the manager and discover some interesting facts about the Christmas story.

The Christmas Story Is More Than Luke

The book of Luke may be the most familiar place to read about the story of Jesus’ birth, but it is not the only place in Scripture that mentions this amazing story.

The Old Testament

The prophecy of Jesus's birth was first mentioned in Genesis 3:15. When talking to the serpent about Eve, we are given the first reference to the plan that would ultimately result in Jesus coming to earth to fulfill God’s plan.

Further on in the Old Testament, God told Isaiah that the savior of the world would be born of a virgin and would be God in the flesh. This revelation occurred more than 680 years before it happened! He even tells us that he will be called Emmanuel, which means God with us—an illustration of the nature of Jesus, who is both fully human and fully divine.

The Gospels

Only the Book of Luke describes the story of Jesus' birth, but the other Gospels tell different parts of the story. Matthew shares the events immediately following where Luke left off. Mark begins with John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus and baptizing him. John introduces us to the incredible revelation of who Jesus is. It is awesome; if you've never read John 1:1, go read it.

Don’t you love the way the Old and New Testaments give us background and new insights into God’s perfect plan? Spend some time today thinking about how these details add to the Christmas story we're so familiar with.