I would guess that most of us here today are quite familiar with the story of Jesus’ birth recorded in Matthew and in Luke.

Matthew begins his account with these words: “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise” (KJV). That is, here is an account of Jesus’ birth; this is how it happened; here is how it took place.

Today I want to take a close look at the birth of Jesus. What does the Bible reveal about that great event? The Gospels of Matthew and Luke record specific information about Jesus’ birth, and other parts of the Bible give us information about it as well.

As we celebrate Christmas, we should understand and appreciate the following facts about the birth of Jesus. As Matthew tells us, “the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise.”