The Humble Birth of Christ: The Christmas Story in Chronological Order

The Birth of Christ

Matthew 1–2; Luke 1–2

One would expect the arrival of the Messiah to have been a major, national event for the Jewish people, right?

It was anything but. Of the four gospels, only Luke and Matthew say anything about the birth of Jesus. Both gospel writers describe angelic visits to Joseph and Mary—a kind of heavenly heads-up to a humble, unsuspecting couple. The angelic message was straightforward, yet astounding: Mary, a betrothed virgin, would give birth to the Messiah (Christ in Greek). He would be called Jesus—a variant of the name Joshua, which means “salvation”—because he would “save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). He would also be called Son of the Most High and Immanuel, meaning “God with us” (Matt. 1:23). He would establish a kingdom that would never end (Luke 1:32–33).

On the night of Jesus’ birth in the town of Bethlehem, the city of David, only a small band of stunned shepherds came to see the newborn baby—and this was only because they’d just heard about the event from an enthusiastic multitude of angels. Some days (possibly weeks) later, magi or “wise men” from the east showed up at the house where Jesus was. They worshiped him, showered him with gifts, and left. Had it not been for these two groups, it’s doubtful that anyone but a handful of people would have been aware that the Messiah had just been born. In fact, it was only when the magi stopped first in Jerusalem asking questions about a “newborn king” that King Herod the Great became paranoid and concocted a murderous plot to eliminate all young boys in and around Bethlehem. Warned in a dream about Herod’s intentions, Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt with Jesus. After Herod died, they settled in Nazareth of Galilee.

The gospels tell us very little about Jesus’ childhood. What we do know from some statements made in the gospels is that Jesus had siblings and that he probably learned the business of carpentry from Joseph (Mark 6:3). There is, however, one intriguing story about a Passover visit to Jerusalem when Jesus was twelve years old. When his parents realized that they had started home without Jesus (after wrongly assuming he was traveling back home with other relatives), they backtracked and searched frantically for him. They located Jesus three days later at the temple in Jerusalem where he had astonished the teachers of the law with his spiritual insights. Luke explains that Jesus “grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him” (Luke 2:40).

This excerpt was from the Rose Chronological Guide to the Bible. See below to learn more!

Rose Chronological Guide to the Bible

The Bible has 66 books and more than 1,100 chapters, but they’re not arranged in the order they happened in. Deepen your understanding of the Bible as you see key events in the order they actually happened with the one-of-a-kind Rose Chronological Guide to the Bible. Featuring 170 pages of full-color Bible charts, maps, and time lines, this reproducible guide doesn’t just cover when specific events occurred, but why they matter. Spiral bound for ease of use, this is a must-have for every pastor and teacher.

Just because the Bible starts with Genesis and ends with Revelation doesn’t mean that it’s in chronological order! Look at the Bible in a fresh new way by viewing Bible events in the order they happened with Rose Publishing’s classic highly-visual format. See all sixty-six books of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, arranged chronologically at a glance! You’ll learn how the stories of key Bible characters—like Abraham, David, Ruth, and Paul—fit into the larger story of God’s unfolding plan of salvation through his Son Jesus Christ.

Packed with Over 40 Full-Color Charts, Maps, and Illustrations

This one-of-a-kind resource is packed with dozens of full-color charts, maps, and illustrations to help you explore biblical history. It includes:

Why Study the Bible Chronologically?

Imagine discovering a familiar story in Scripture and gaining fresh revelation and insight as if you’re reading it for the first time. That’s how we want you to see God’s Word with The Rose Chronological Guide to the Bible!

How can you easily get a handle on all the people, places, and stories of the Bible? The Rose Chronological Guide to the Bible is designed to help you see how all the pieces of the Bible fit together—and see God’s big story from creation to the end times at a glance! Gain a fresh perspective on God’s Word today!

Over 170 reproducible pages! An excellent way to enhance your Sunday school, homeschool, and small group or individual Bible Studies.

Perfect for group and individual Bible study, church libraries, gifts, youth and young adult groups, teachers and pastors, and much more. 170 pages, 12 1/4 x 9 1/2 inches. Concealed spiral-bound hardcover. ISBN 978-1-62862-807-4.

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