In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
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The gospel writer, Luke, writing to his friend gives a clear and truthful account of the actual events, which concerned the birth of a child to Mary, and who would be delivered in the city of David, his great ancestor. We find, reading history that the early historians in the 1st and 2nd centuries were convinced of both Jesus’ birth and his lineage – the Son of David, the Son of God. Even the likes of Tacitus, and enemy of God was convinced. Furthermore, the great historian Josephus in his writings called the Antiquities of the Jews, writes about the birth, life and death of Jesus, as proclaimed by his disciples.
Our faith is based on first hand evidence, as the Apostle John writes: ‘which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands’. Yes, this was a supernatural event, but the event was as real as the day we live in; and we are encouraged to enter into the light of the truth – words Jesus himself used; I am the light of the world (John 8:12). God supernaturally took on the form of a human – a man – and lived, and died among those living in Galilee and Jerusalem. We are absolutely certain the Christ the Messiah came; you need to discover the hope, peace and joy he brought, and believe with your heart he was indeed the Son of God (Consider these words of Jesus: John 3:18, 8:46, 20:31).