Christmas and the Birth of Jesus: 45+ Resources
Every December the same questions come back: when was Jesus actually born, why December 25th, what was the star, did the Gospels get the story straight. They are good questions, and the Bible has better answers than most people expect.
This page gathers RENEW.org's teaching on Christmas in one place: the birth of Jesus as Matthew and Luke tell it, the people who were there, how the holiday came to be, what the incarnation means, and how to keep Christmas as a follower of Jesus rather than a spectator of the season.
The Christmas Story in the Gospels
Why this matters: The nativity is a historical claim about a real birth in a real town under a real emperor. These articles take the text seriously, including the hard questions about the census, the genealogies, and the two very different accounts.
- Bobby Harrington"Where Was Jesus Born? Exploring 10 Historical Truths"
- John Whittaker"When Was Jesus Born?"
- Daniel McCoy"Do Matthew and Luke Contradict Each Other in the Christmas Story?"
- John Whittaker"Was Luke Wrong about Quirinius and the Census?"
- Daniel McCoy"What Was the Star of Bethlehem?"
- Jared Johnson"The Virgin Birth: Q&A with Jared Johnson"
- Rob Long"Jesus' Genealogy and You"
The People of the Nativity
Why this matters: Mary, the shepherds, the wise men, Simeon, and Herod each had to decide what to do about a baby in Bethlehem. Their responses are still the options on the table.
- Carol Stine"Who Was Mary in the Bible?"
- Carol Stine"What Was Mary's Song?"
- Daniel McCoy"The Christmas Shepherds: Why God Picked Them and What They Teach Us"
- Daniel McCoy"5 Insights from the Wise Men in the Bible"
- Steve Hinton"Fear and the Men without Names"
- Virgil Hurley"The Prophecy of Simeon: How Jesus Causes the Falling & Rising of Many"
- Daniel McCoy"Who is King Herod in the Bible?"
- Daniel McCoy"Op-Ed by Herod the Great"
- Jeff Faull"King Herod and King Jesus"
- Paul Huyghebaert"The Herod in Me"
Why December 25, and Where Christmas Came From
Why this matters: The date, the customs, and the holiday itself all have histories. Knowing them makes the celebration more honest, not less.
What Christmas Means
Why this matters: The Word became flesh. Everything else about Christmas is downstream of that sentence, and these articles sit with it.
- Daniel McCoy"The Spiritual Meaning of Christmas: It's Bigger Than “God Loves You”"
- Kenny Boles"Immanuel"
- Rob Long"Christmas: The Invisible Made Visible"
- Rob Long"Glory in a Feed Trough"
- Ron Bay, Jr."The Christmas Gift the World Didn't Want"
- Daniel McCoy"Why Was Jesus Born? A Christmas Poem"
- Jon Kehrer"Jesus Was the Messiah. So, What’s a “Messiah”? Q&A with Jon Kehrer"
- Debbra Stephens"The Christmas Bride & Bridegroom"
- Bonnie Blaylock"Something to Behold"
- Brian Brophy"Stolen Jesus"
- Rob Long"Christmas & the Enemy"
Keeping Christmas Well
Why this matters: The season can be joyful, stressful, lonely, and loud, sometimes all in the same afternoon. These are for living it as a disciple.
- Joel Singleton"4 Ways to Live the Christmas God Intended"
- Debbra Stephens"5 Reasons for Joy at Christmas"
- Bobby Harrington"How to Experience Joy"
- Daniel McCoy"10 Ways the Holy Family Experienced the Stress of Christmas"
- Jeff Faull"Christmas: Does the Wrapping Really Matter?"
- Daniel McCoy"Try to Avoid a Star Wars Christmas"
- Joanne Kraft"Does Christmas Feel Different This Year?"
- Debbra Stephens"Celebrating Christmas in an Assisted Living Facility"
- Rob Long"Peace on Earth: Being Peacemakers in Volatile Times"
- Daniel McCoy"A Merry Christmas in a Divided World"
- Bobby Harrington"The Birth of Our King and Our Country's Political Focus"
Christmas in the Church
Why this matters: Christmas services draw people who come once a year. These resources help a church receive them well, especially at the table.
After Bethlehem: Jesus as a Boy
Why this matters: The Gospels give one glimpse of Jesus between the manger and his ministry. This three-part series slows down to look at it.