Witnessing about Jesus Christ

At Christmas time it is a great time to go and share the Gospel. Here are some ideas to share with people about the true meaning of Christmas and the birth of Jesus.

Verses on the Birth of Jesus:

For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11)

But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS¹, for He will save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:20-21)

¹ Of Hebrew origin or a transliteration of the Hebrew “Joshua” meaning “Jehovah is salvation” or Jehovah-saves (Jehoshua). [Sources: Vine’s Expository Dictionary and Strong’s Concordance]

A Selection of Eight Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus’ Birth:

1. Jesus would be born of the seed of a woman. Written by Moses (Genesis 3:15) as early as 1400 BC. See reference in Galatians 4:4.
2. Jesus would be a descendant of Abraham. Written by Moses (Genesis 12:3) as early as 1400 BC. The New Testament books of Matthew and Luke trace back Jesus’ genealogy to Abraham.
3. Jesus would come from the tribe of Judah. Written by Moses (Genesis 49:10) as early as 1400 BC. Jesus’ ancestry is traced back to Jacob’s son, Judah, in Luke 3:23-34 and in Matthew 1:1-16.
4. Jesus would also come from Egypt. Written by Hosea (Hosea 11:1) between 755-710 BC. See Matthew 2:13-15.
5. Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. Written by the prophet Micah (Micah 5:1-2) between 750-686 BC. See Luke 2:11.
6. Jesus would be born of a virgin. Written by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 7:14) between 701-681 BC.
7. Jesus would be a descendent of King David. Written by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 23:5) between 626-586 BC and Isaiah (Isaiah 9:7). The New Testament books of Matthew and Luke trace back Jesus’ genealogy to King David.
8. Jesus birth would trigger a slaughter of children. Written by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:15) between 626-586 BC. See reference in Matthew 2:16-18.

Compound Probability

Jesus fulfilled over 300 prophecies in his life. The reason all these prophecies are important is something called compound probability. When we consider having a great many requirements fulfilled by the same person, the likelihood of finding such a person decreases with every requirement. And the more unusual the requirement, the less likely we are to find such a person. The prophesies concerning Jesus Christ are so specific, with such a number of distinct features given, that, apart from Divine foreknowledge, the probability of fulfillment as a matter of accidental coincidence is reduced to a fraction too small to comprehend. The probability of only 8 prophecies being fulfilled are one in 10^17 (a figure with 17 zeros). [Sources: One Heartbeat Away written by Mark Cahill, and Peter Stoner, Professor Emeritus of Science at Westmont College]

About the Bible

The Bible is comprised of 66 Books written over a period of about 1,500 years by over 40 authors from all walks of life. It was written in three languages on three continents. Yet, it fits together into one cohesive story with an appropriate beginning, a logical ending, a central character, and a consistent theme. [Source: generally accepted knowledge]