2.18-What is so important about the story of Christmas? Jesus. The baby in the manger.

2.18-

Shaquem Griffin, a Seattle Seahawk, shares something in common with little Joseph. Lester Holt shared this story on his, NBC, Nightly News, 2.12.19.

The gospel is that God became flesh. Jesus birth was of a virgin who had conceived by the Holy Spirit. God’s own Son would allow the purity of heaven to come into this broken world. When we approach our Father in heaven through Jesus, He sympathizes with our weaknesses. Jesus was made like us in all things. He is merciful to pay for our sins, the cross showing how serious they are to a Holy God. We can approach our Holy God with confidence because He learned through the things that He suffered about our need for mercy and grace.

John 1.

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ^2 [a]He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

¹⁴ And the Word became flesh, and ^[k]dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of ^[l]the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Matthew 1.

¹⁸ Now the birth of Jesus ^[r]Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been ^[s]betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.

²² Now all this ^[x]took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ²³ “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name ^[y]Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”

Luke 2.

2 Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all ^[a]the inhabited earth. ^2 [b]This was the first census taken while ^[c]Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³ And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. ⁴ Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, ⁵ in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. ⁶ While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. ⁷ And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a ^[d]manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

2 Corinthians 8.

⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.

Hebrews 2.

¹⁴ Therefore, since the children share in ^[m]flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. ¹⁶ For assuredly He does not ^[n]give help to angels, but He gives help to the ^[o]descendant of Abraham. ¹⁷ Therefore, He ^[p]had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.

Hebrews 4.

¹⁴ Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.