Why the Nativity? Reflections on the First Christmas, Part 1

Welcome to Why the Nativity?

Reflections on the First Christmas: the town of Bethlehem, the Virgin Mary, and the Christ-child

One thing is for certain about Christmas: It is not unexpected! We celebrate this glorious event every 365 days. Our calendar is based on this event. We know it's come, we plan for it, and we love it--year after year without fail. Every child in the world loves Christmas.

That said, there are unexpected dimensions to Christmas. In this course we will explore the ancient prophecies and significance of:

• The town of Bethlehem

• The Virgin Mary

• The Christ-child

The focus of this course is to answer, as best as we biblically can  questions about the unexpected way the first Christmas happened.  But before we begin, let me offer one clue right here: the deeper we go in understanding the unexpected nature of the first Christmas, the more we will discover about the unexpected nature of God's love for us.

In this course we will reflect on the ancient prophecies and significance of the town of Bethlehem, the Virgin Mary, and the Christ-Child at the Nativity.

Jesus came so that we could be reconciled to God. He came to save "whosoever will." He came for the world. The most unexpected thing about Christmas--yet totally understandable in the end--is that we can be saved by grace, through faith, not as a result of our own efforts. Grace, faith, salvation--they are all the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). How is that for an unexpected first-Christmas gift!