Tag: Christmas

Why Was Jesus Born in Bethlehem?

2000 years ago, Jesus was born in the city of David, the town of Bethlehem, but why? Why did the Messiah have to be born in Bethlehem? What’s so special about Bethlehem? Does it have to do with the Messiah being the descendant of David? Or maybe it was just a perfect shot to Egypt? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture to find the answer in her video, Why Was Jesus Born in Bethlehem?

1 Kings 11:9-13
2 Chronicles 11:5-12
Jeremiah 23:5-6
Ezekiel 34:11-16
John 6:35
Matthew 2:18
Jeremiah 31:15
Genesis 21:12-13
1 Kings 11:11-13
John 1:29-30
Hebrews 9:11-28

Why Was Jesus Born in Bethlehem?

The Physical Reason Jesus Had to be Born in Bethlehem

Luke 2:1-7

Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in the city of David.

Bethlehem Fun Fact

Bethlehem is Spiritually or Symbolically Called ‘Rachel’

¹⁶Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. ¹⁷Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:
¹⁸“A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”

Matthew 2:16-18

To avoid the massacre that Herod ordered in Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph fled with Jesus to Egypt. This fulfilled the promise that the Messiah (the Descendant of David) would be called out of Egypt.

¹³Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy Him.” ¹⁴And he rose and took the child and His mother by night and departed to Egypt ¹⁵and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

Matthew 2:13-15

‘Tis The Season: Twas The Day After Christmas

After Christmas Day, we tend to move on and forget the Birth of Christ because of the rush of cleaning up the mess of the presents/gifts and preparing for the coming new year. As the year moves on, we slowly forget more and more, until December 1^st comes around again, then suddenly we are all about the Birth of Christ. But is this the way it should be? Is the day after Christmas as important as Christmas Day? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the importance of the story of the Wise Men in his message, ‘Tis The Season: Twas The Day After Christmas.

Matthew 2:1–6
Matthew 2:11 (KJV)
Matthew 2:16 (KJV)
Daniel 5:10–12
Matthew 2:7
2 Timothy 3:5
2 Timothy 3:10–12
John 4:35–38

Twas The Day After Christmas

The Day After Christmas: The Story of the Wise Men

Many believe that the Wise Men came to find the baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger, but this isn’t actually the case. They arrived, if you will, the day after Christmas.

Their Encounter with King Herod

¹ Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, ²saying, “Where is He who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him.” ³When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; ⁴and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
⁵They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: ⁶‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
Matthew 2:1-6

Their Encounter with The Messiah

This is how we know for sure that the Wise Men encountered Jesus after He was grown a little. This had to be, if you will, the day after Christmas because Jesus was a child living in a house with His two parents.

⁷Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. ⁸And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found Him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship Him.” ⁹After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.
¹⁰When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. ¹¹And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. ¹²And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
Matthew 2:7-12

Today is the day after Christmas, are you still seeking Him?

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Celebrate His Birth

¹⁰ And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” ~ Luke 2:10–14

I just want to remind you of the good news of great joy, for today, we celebrate the birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ, who was born 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem, the city of David.

Let’s not get bogged down on the day or the month but let us celebrate and be glad that our LORD got off of His throne to come to this earth to die a vicious and horrible death, to save His people, whosoever will, from their sins.

This tiny little baby, wrapped in swaddling cloths, and lying in a manger, because there was no room for Him in the inn, was the sacrificial Lamb of God, destined to be sacrificed, to take away the sins of the world.

So, celebrate this Christmas, the remembrance of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World. Accept His free gift, and rejoice that you have eternal life. Merry Christmas.

Dear Heavenly Father, I come to You this Christmas morning, giving thanks that little baby Jesus did not stay a baby but grew up to become the Savior of the world. Bless all of Your dear Children this Christmas day and help us to remember the real and true meaning of Christmas. In the name of Jesus, I pray, amen.

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‘Tis The Season: O Little Town of Bethlehem

Happy Christmas Sunday! Christmas is about the promise of the Messiah being fulfilled. The prophets prophesied that the Messiah (Jesus) would receive an everlasting kingdom with eternal dominion. Every prophecy was tied into one, Immanuel. Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he explains biblical mysteries in his Christmas Message, ‘Tis The Season: O Little Town of Bethlehem.

Micah 5:2
Matthew 2:6
John 7:14
John 6:35
Joshua 19:14–16
John 1:5
John 8:12
Isaiah 9:6–7
Micah 4:8
Matthew 28:18b
Genesis 49:10KJV
Psalm 110:4
Hebrews 7:15–17
Exodus 28:31–32NIV
Matthew 26:65
Isaiah 7:14

O Little Town of Bethlehem

Prophecy of Jesus’ in Bethlehem

² But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
Micah 5:2

This prophecy stirred the writing of the Christmas Carol, O Little Town of Bethlehem:

O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see Thee lie
Above Thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by

Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in Thee tonight

Jesus’ Authority

Jesus, through His earthly ancestry, has the right to sit on David’s throne, and through His heavenly ancestry, that is His deity, He has the right to sit on the Father’s throne with Him. So, Jesus has inherited the former and the ever-present dominion.

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Immanuel: God With Us

We’ve all read the prophecy of the coming Christ. We’ve read how He, Jesus, will be called Immanuel (which means God with us). We know the verses by memory, but do we fully understand them? Do we truly understand what the prophecy of Jesus being called Immanuel means? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scriptures for answers in her video, Immanuel: God With Us.

Matthew 1:20-23
Romans 5:9-11
John 14:16-17
1 Corinthians 6:19
1 Timothy 2:5
Hebrews 10:19-22
Hebrews 4:14-16
Ephesians 2:4-7
Revelation 21:3
Acts 4:12

Immanuel: God With Us

The Prophecy of Immanuel

¹⁴Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14

²⁰But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” ²²All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ²³“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

Matthew 1:20-23

The Fulfillment of Immanuel

Immanuel means God with us. God has finally come to dwell with man forever and He will one day physically dwell on earth with His people.

¹⁶And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, ¹⁷even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

John 14:16-17

³And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God.”

Revelation 21:3

The Mystery of The Shepherds

The shepherds are a large part of the Nativity Story, but the real question is, why were they chosen? Why did the angel specifically go to the shepherds? Was it because the coming Messiah is the Good Shepherd, or is there more to the story? How did the Shepherds know where to find Jesus? Join Rev. Kenny Yates as he searches through Scripture to find the reason the shepherds were chosen in his video, The Mystery of The Shepherds.

Luke 2:1-20
Genesis 49:10
Micah 5:2
Mark 14:14
Luke 22:11
Genesis 12:1–3
Ezekiel 16:4
Micah 4:8
Genesis 35:21
Luke 2:34–35

The Mystery of The Shepherds

How did the Shepherds know where to find Jesus?

The biggest mystery of the shepherds is the sign they were given. The only sign the shepherds were given was that a baby would be wrapped in swaddling cloths. How did the shepherds know which baby was which?

⁸And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. ¹⁰And the angel said to them,
“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹²And this will be a sign for you (The main mystery of the shepherds): you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!”

Luke 2:8-14

Was this sign a code for the shepherds? How did they know where the Christ Child was if that’s their only clue? This mystery seems to be deep-rooted in the prophecy of Christ’s birth and who the shepherds were.

‘Tis The Season: Our Christmas Mandate

Christmas is the season of hope and good news. The joy of the birth of the Son of God, but do we take the time to share the good news of Christ? Is it even important for us to share the good news of Christ? Isn’t it the pastor’s job to preach and teach the Gospel? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he shares the importance of the Great Commission in his message, ‘Tis The Season: Our Christmas Mandate.

Luke 2:8–20
Luke 2:10b-12
Luke 2:15–16
Luke 2:17–18
John 1:35–42
Mark 16:15
Romans 10:14–15
Luke 2:12

Our Christmas Mandate

The Great Commission

¹⁶Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. ¹⁸And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:16-20

¹⁴How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? ¹⁵And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
Romans 10:14-15

This is our Christmas mandate. For as the Shepherds were told of the good news of the birth of Jesus Christ and shared all they have seen and heard, so are we to go and share all we have seen and heard.

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Was Jesus Born Without Sin?

The birth of Jesus Christ is an undeniable historical event. Though Christ’s birth, in itself, is undeniable, His sinlessness is often brought into question. So, was Jesus born sinless? And if He was born sinless, how is that possible? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture for the answer in our video, Was Jesus Born Without Sin?

Hebrews 4:15
1 John 3:5
Genesis 3:6-7
Romans 5:12
Genesis 5:3
1 Corinthians 15:45
Luke 1:34-35
Genesis 3:15
Romans 3:21-25
1 Timothy 2:14
Luke 4:1
Hebrews 4:14-16
1 Timothy 2:5-6

How Was Jesus Born Without Sin?

The Birth of Jesus Christ

How was Jesus born sinless? Jesus was able to be born without sin because Jesus was born to a virgin and He was conceived from the Holy Spirit.

³⁴And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” ³⁵And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.”
Luke 1:34-35

¹⁸Now 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. ¹⁹And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. ²⁰But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” ²²All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ²³“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
Matthew 1:18-23