Last week we looked at the factual basis for the virgin birth; this week let’s go a little further into the Christmas story and explore another facet of the evidence supporting the historicity of these events.

Luke 2:1-21 (NIV): In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.

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. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 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.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

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.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

This part of the Christmas story starts with a census being taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. Publius Sulpicius Quirinius is known to have governed Syria during 6-9 A.D. Josephus records that a census taken in 6 A.D. sparked a violent Jewish revolt, this is also mentioned by Luke in Act 5:37. Quirinius oversaw this census and played a major role in putting down the rebellion. But this cannot be the census Luke is referring to here in the Christmas story because it occurred much too late to fit Luke’s chronology. Luke was far too meticulous in his recounting of events to be accused of such a chronological error.

And, indeed, archaeology has upheld Luke’s accuracy. A fragment of a stone tablet discovered near Rome in 1764 contains an inscription in honor of a Roman official who was twice governor of Syria during the reign of Augustus. The name of this official is not found, but details listed among his accomplishments could fit no one other than Quirinius. Thus, we conclude that Quirinius served as governor twice. And other ancient records mention a “first” census being ordered by Augustus in 8 B.C. Evidently, this earlier census was not carried out in the Palestinian region until 2-4 years later, perhaps due to political difficulties between Rome and Herod. But Luke does state in verse 2 that the events he recounts occurred at the time of the “first” census taken while Quirinius was governor (obviously indicating there were more than one). So Luke’s accurate rendering of these historic events is validated by the evidence and can be considered completely trustworthy.

So Luke’s telling of the Christmas story is reliable and I hope presenting this evidence helps you see that Christmas really is a celebration of true historical events. And, as such, should inspire us to pursue relationship with our Creator who loved us so much He sent His one and only Son to live among us, to die for us, and to be raised again that we might be reconciled to Him. Yes, Jesus truly is the reason for the season!

If you would like more information, we are happy to help. Please drop us an email at ReignDropsBlog@gmail.com. Have a Merry Christmas!

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In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:26-45 NIV)

I am not in any way ashamed to say that I unequivocally believe every word of the above story to be true and historical in nature. It is not myth or fairytale. But how can this be? How can a virgin become pregnant?

The exact biomechanics behind how Mary became pregnant via the Holy Spirit is beyond my ability to explain in any scientific manner, but then that, in itself, is a characteristic of what we call a supernatural event. We can be certain that the conception of Jesus was a creative act of the Holy Spirit and not any sort of divine-human consummation as might be observed in pagan mythology. The Bible is clear about the virgin birth and the nature of Jesus’ birth testifies of both His deity and His sinlessness.

In another blog I spoke of eyewitnesses (to read it, click here). The story of Jesus’ birth is full of eyewitness testimony. We have Mary, who relates her encounter with the angel, Gabriel. Gabriel relates to Mary that Elizabeth is in the six month of her pregnancy, which prompts Mary to visit her relative, Elizabeth, who is, in fact, pregnant. We have John (the Baptist) who, still in Elizabeth’s womb, leaps for joy at the sound of Mary’s voice (because he knows she’s pregnant with the Savior). Elizabeth is then filled with the Holy Spirit and verbalizes a great expression of praise over God’s good works. And let us not forget that both Matthew, who personally spent a lot of time with Jesus and Mary; and Luke, a physician and historian (a very well-educated man) both recorded the virgin birth, creating corroborating accounts. And the Bible accounts we read today were written and circulated when many of those involved were still alive to substantiate the story.

So all of this is a relatively long way of saying that, as Christmas approaches, we have very valid reasons for believing the Bible account. These were real people involved in real events and we really are celebrating Jesus’ birthday. And that means we can have every confidence in the saving grace afforded to us by Jesus Christ. Have you availed yourself of God’s forgiveness?

We’re happy to help you to understand more about Jesus. Please drop us a note at: ReignDropsBlog@gmail.com. And may you have a very Merry Christmas!

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With Christmas approaching, most people are aware that the holiday exists to celebrate the day our Savior, Jesus Christ, came into the world in human form. But even with such awareness, here in the United States, it seems that many people would rather ignore the religious facet of Christmas in favor of a more generic celebration centered on the commercial aspect. They will happily take the gifts, the paid days off from work, and the meals shared with family, but they would rather not discuss the real reason we celebrate.

This is most unfortunate. When people push away the real reason for the celebration, they experience all the stress of the holiday season without understanding and benefitting from the object of the celebration which, of course, is Jesus Christ. Jesus is God, the third person of the trinity who, for a time, humbled himself by coming to earth in human form and living among us. He experienced growing up, obeying his parents, and working for his father. He resisted temptation, confronted the wrongs of the religious leaders of the day, performed miracles, taught the people, and when the time came, suffered a horrifying death that all of us, no matter where we live, would find appalling in this day and age. It’s not a myth or fairy tale; it is actual history.

So if I could tell these people just one thing as Christmas approaches, it’s this: there were eyewitnesses. Lots of them. There were people who saw, heard, and testified to the truth of the Gospel narratives. The apostle Peter writes this: “For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the power of our Lord Jesus Christ and his coming again. We have seen his majestic splendor with our own eyes. And he received honor and glory from God the Father when God’s glorious voice called down from heaven, ‘This is my beloved Son, I am fully pleased with him.’ We ourselves heard the voice when we were there with him on the holy mountain.” (2Peter 1:16-18)

Notice closely what Peter is saying. First, he says “We have seen…”. He is remembering what is commonly referred to as the transfiguration (read Matthew 17:1-13) and he was there with James and John. So three eyewitnesses. And what did they see? The Bible says Jesus’ appearance changed, his face shone like the sun, and his clothing became dazzling white. And then Moses and Elijah, who had long been departed from the earth, were standing next to Jesus talking with him. This is an incredible, otherwordly experience and Peter, James, and John saw this happen with their own eyes. And then God spoke from heaven and they heard his voice. The Bible recounts that Peter, James, and John were terrified by this experience as one might expect they would be.

When Jesus was crucified on the cross, there were eyewitnesses. People who stood there and watched him suffer and die. And people who watched as the Roman guards thrust a sword into his side to be sure he was really dead. And eyewitnesses who saw him buried in the cave that was later sealed and guarded by highly trained military men. And when Jesus rose from that grave and walked the earth again, there were eyewitnesses. People such as Mary Magdalene (John 20:14-17) and Thomas (John 20:24-29), and the seven disciples at the Sea of Galilee, with whom he went fishing (John 21:1-14). And the Apostle Paul tells us the risen Jesus was seen by more than 500 people (1 Corinthians 15:5-8), many of whom were still alive at the time he wrote his letter.

That is a lot of eyewitnesses. And it’s only a partial list of the people who saw Jesus, walked with him, listened to him, were healed by him, or otherwise interacted with him right here on earth. In any court of law, this would be overwhelming evidence that could not be denied. And we are all eyewitnesses, too. Not of Jesus Christ in the flesh, but of the existence of God. For the Bible tells us clearly: “…since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” (Romans 1:19-20)

And so I would tell anyone who would ignore the real reason we celebrate Christmas that they are willfully ignoring the facts. Jesus is real, he walked this earth, he died in our place for our sins, and he rose again. Jesus is God. The evidence is simply overwhelming.

How about you? Are you preparing to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, or are you ignoring the evidence and choosing unbelief? The choice is yours. If you would like to know more about the evidence for Jesus Christ, please contact us at ReignDropsBlog@gmail.com. We will be happy to help you and/or recommend resources for further information.

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It’s Thanksgiving time in America. That annual time when we gather as families and friends, feast on turkey and potatoes and pies of various kinds, and celebrate all that we are thankful for. In our country, most of us have more to be thankful for than we can even begin to list. The Bible tells us to “give thanks in all circumstances” (1Thessalonians 5:18) so in honor of this splendid holiday I wanted to share with you some of the things I am grateful for. Since an exhaustive list is beyond the allowable space, I’m going with my top five (in no particular order!).

My wife. I have discovered that Donna isn’t just an extraordinary wife, she’s an extraordinary human being. Her kindness, elegance, grace, and consideration know no limits and she’s well-read, intelligent, thoughtful, engaging, and fun. We have so much in common that we easily find things to do together and spend as much time with one another as we can. On many occasions she has demonstrated her outstanding character and her loving demeanor, not just with me but with everyone she encounters. She is accepting of others, finds the best in people, and is always there when I need her. She isn’t just my wife, she’s my best friend.

My parents. My mother and father are both still alive and have been married for more than 65 years. I learned so much from my parents. I actually have good manners and can hold my own in virtually any social situation – thanks, Mom! She taught me all kinds of social graces and the kind of respect for others that most of us want our children to have. My dad loves my mom and loves our family and is the finest example of a man I will ever know. As a teen I freely admit I was a difficult child, and I really didn’t get much better until about age 30, but my mom and dad never gave up on me and were always there for me. My mom and dad are amazing people!

My job. Two and a half years ago I was feeling dejected and wondering if I had outlived my time. Then I got this job. It is the perfect job for me as I have the privilege of being a mentor to several younger coworkers and I have influence at all levels of the company. Rather than being at the end of my usefulness, I find myself working on what I think may be the signature accomplishments of my career. I work with very talented people that help me learn and grow and make each workday as enjoyable as a work day can be. Many of them are more than coworkers, they are friends.

Our church. Cornerstone has become everything Donna and I hoped for in a church. We wanted a smaller church where we could be involved and connect with others. We are now part of a thriving small group with some very friendly people. We have a Wednesday evening Bible study we attend weekly and I am attending the men’s early morning Bible study as well where I am being challenged to read and pray through the Psalms in a way I never experienced before. Cornerstone has become the perfect place to worship our Lord and Savior and to grow in Christ-likeness.

This blog. When Donna and I started Reign Drops, it was certainly a simple beginning. I’m not sure more than 10 or 15 people, mostly friends, ever read those first few posts. As much as we tried to promote our writing, growth in our audience seemed to come slowly. My how things change. According to the statistics on our host site, we have now been read in the following countries: Brazil, Italy, India, Canada, Spain, Australia, Portugal, Malaysia, France, Germany, Jamaica, Hong Kong, Peru, Ireland, England, Algeria, Russia, Greece, Argentina, Philippines, Serbia, South Africa, and Pakistan. We prayed God would use our writing to help advance His kingdom, and it seems we are now an international ministry! Donna and I love to write and we’re able to use that love to serve God so I am very thankful to have this blog.

It is written in 1Chronicles 16:34, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Without a doubt, my list could go on and on. I am blessed beyond anything I could ever have a right to hope for and I praise God for all my blessings. How about you? Have you been working on a gratitude list this year? Is now the right time to tell God how thankful you are?

Donna and I would like to wish you and your family a blessed and happy Thanksgiving from the bottom of our hearts. And we thank you for reading Reign Drops Blog. We’re grateful for each and every one of you! God bless.

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