There is so much to look at on the Jesus Bus. I don't know where to begin most days. This morning the wife is going shopping and the boys are at gramma's, so we can take a look at christmas and the baby Jesus. Really, it's about more than presents under the tree.
Through the fog of the past, I remember, and even have some old movies and pictures of family christmas gatherings from the past. For me, they are happy and sad memories. When I was a youngster, it was the only time of year, other than birthdays that I got gifts. That made it one of two special days out of the year. I guess, holloween was special for all the candy too. These days, things are different. Kids get toys every time they go to the dollar store. So, christmas isn't special in that way.
Some of my earliest memories of christmas were going with mom and gramma to State street and looking at all the window decorations, for hours on end. To a small boy, it was quite an event. Although it was not a big deal then, there were christmas manger scenes of baby Jesus everywhere. In, or in front of stores, churches, homes everywhere. You don't see that very much anymore. Is that because we don't care that much about baby Jesus anymore?
Who doesn't like babies? I mean, even if you think that baby Jesus is no different than any other baby, why should it offend anyone to celebrate a baby's birthday? Especially a baby as remarkable as Jesus. Even if you don't care to believe the gospel accounts of the birth and life of Jesus, just the fact alone that there is such an incredibly unique episode in world history make it a reason to celebrate.
In my mind, the most unusual aspect of the birth of Jesus has to do with the prophetic foretelling of his birth. In all of history there is no other person who has a record like his.
For today, I will go to my copy of 'Every Prophecy of the Bible' by John F. Walvoord. Of course, the place to begin is the prophecies of Isaiah. Archeologically, the text of Isaiah has proven to be totally reliable in the accuracy of its transmission. The Dead Sea Scrolls proved that.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Sea_Scrolls
It's no longer a question of faith, but of fact that the book of Isaiah was indeed written and passed down thru history in it's original form. In other words, when someone tries to tell you that the prophetic texts were edited along the way to describe events of the present in prophetic language, rather than original prophecy, they are just wrong. The fact is that the scroll of Isaiah has not been altered at least since 200 BC, give or take. That means that the scroll of Isaiah was not rewritten after the birth of baby Jesus, in order to accomodate the facts surrounding his birth. There is no room to question that archeological evidence.
Luke 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had
been as a child, and he went, as his way was,
into the Synagogue on the Sabbath, and got up to
give a reading.
17 And the book of the prophet Isaiah was given
to him and, opening the book, he came on the
place where it is said,
18 The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because I am
marked out by him to give good news to the poor;
he has sent me to make well those who are
broken-hearted; to say that the prisoners will
be let go, and the blind will see, and to make
the wounded free from their chains,
19 To give knowledge that the year of the Lord's
good pleasure is come.
20 And shutting the book he gave it back to the
servant and took his seat: and the eyes of all
in the Synagogue were fixed on him.
21 Then he said to them, Today this word has
come true in your hearing.
----------------------------------------------
Matt 12:17 So that what was said by Isaiah the
prophet might come true,
18 See my servant, the man of my selection, my
loved one in whom my soul is well pleased: I
will put my Spirit on him, and he will make my
decision clear to the Gentiles.
19 His coming will not be with fighting or loud
cries; and his voice will not be lifted up in
the streets.
20 The crushed stem will not be broken by him;
and the feebly burning light will he not put
out, till he has made righteousness overcome
all.
21 And in his name will the Gentiles put their
hope.
-----------------------------------------------
There isn't a single historically valid reason to question these accounts. Any unbelief flies in the face of reason. The only reason is that you want to believe something other than the truth.
Now we're gettin' somewhere with wanting to put the baby Jesus out of sight. Some people just want to believe something else, and the truth is inconvenient.
Nevertheless, the facts are there. Believe what you will. The Jesus Bus just smashed right into the truth. Have a look at it. It's layin' right there in front of you like roadkill.
I love the baby Jesus. Later on, the Jesus Bus
will take some more time to look again at his birth.
Try this link for more graphics of Dead Sea Scrolls:
http://www.viewimages.com/Search.aspx?
mid=3280733&epmid=3&partner=Google
Through the fog of the past, I remember, and even have some old movies and pictures of family christmas gatherings from the past. For me, they are happy and sad memories. When I was a youngster, it was the only time of year, other than birthdays that I got gifts. That made it one of two special days out of the year. I guess, holloween was special for all the candy too. These days, things are different. Kids get toys every time they go to the dollar store. So, christmas isn't special in that way.
Some of my earliest memories of christmas were going with mom and gramma to State street and looking at all the window decorations, for hours on end. To a small boy, it was quite an event. Although it was not a big deal then, there were christmas manger scenes of baby Jesus everywhere. In, or in front of stores, churches, homes everywhere. You don't see that very much anymore. Is that because we don't care that much about baby Jesus anymore?
Who doesn't like babies? I mean, even if you think that baby Jesus is no different than any other baby, why should it offend anyone to celebrate a baby's birthday? Especially a baby as remarkable as Jesus. Even if you don't care to believe the gospel accounts of the birth and life of Jesus, just the fact alone that there is such an incredibly unique episode in world history make it a reason to celebrate.
In my mind, the most unusual aspect of the birth of Jesus has to do with the prophetic foretelling of his birth. In all of history there is no other person who has a record like his.
For today, I will go to my copy of 'Every Prophecy of the Bible' by John F. Walvoord. Of course, the place to begin is the prophecies of Isaiah. Archeologically, the text of Isaiah has proven to be totally reliable in the accuracy of its transmission. The Dead Sea Scrolls proved that.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Sea_Scrolls
It's no longer a question of faith, but of fact that the book of Isaiah was indeed written and passed down thru history in it's original form. In other words, when someone tries to tell you that the prophetic texts were edited along the way to describe events of the present in prophetic language, rather than original prophecy, they are just wrong. The fact is that the scroll of Isaiah has not been altered at least since 200 BC, give or take. That means that the scroll of Isaiah was not rewritten after the birth of baby Jesus, in order to accomodate the facts surrounding his birth. There is no room to question that archeological evidence.
Luke 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had
been as a child, and he went, as his way was,
into the Synagogue on the Sabbath, and got up to
give a reading.
17 And the book of the prophet Isaiah was given
to him and, opening the book, he came on the
place where it is said,
18 The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because I am
marked out by him to give good news to the poor;
he has sent me to make well those who are
broken-hearted; to say that the prisoners will
be let go, and the blind will see, and to make
the wounded free from their chains,
19 To give knowledge that the year of the Lord's
good pleasure is come.
20 And shutting the book he gave it back to the
servant and took his seat: and the eyes of all
in the Synagogue were fixed on him.
21 Then he said to them, Today this word has
come true in your hearing.
----------------------------------------------
Matt 12:17 So that what was said by Isaiah the
prophet might come true,
18 See my servant, the man of my selection, my
loved one in whom my soul is well pleased: I
will put my Spirit on him, and he will make my
decision clear to the Gentiles.
19 His coming will not be with fighting or loud
cries; and his voice will not be lifted up in
the streets.
20 The crushed stem will not be broken by him;
and the feebly burning light will he not put
out, till he has made righteousness overcome
all.
21 And in his name will the Gentiles put their
hope.
-----------------------------------------------
There isn't a single historically valid reason to question these accounts. Any unbelief flies in the face of reason. The only reason is that you want to believe something other than the truth.
Now we're gettin' somewhere with wanting to put the baby Jesus out of sight. Some people just want to believe something else, and the truth is inconvenient.
Nevertheless, the facts are there. Believe what you will. The Jesus Bus just smashed right into the truth. Have a look at it. It's layin' right there in front of you like roadkill.
I love the baby Jesus. Later on, the Jesus Bus
will take some more time to look again at his birth.
Try this link for more graphics of Dead Sea Scrolls:
http://www.viewimages.com/Search.aspx?
mid=3280733&epmid=3&partner=Google
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