Are there any skeptics in your life? Share the true story of Christmas – the Gospel – with them this year.
Who was in the manger that first Christmas morning?
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and some say that the child who was born would become a great moral leader. Others, a social critic. Still others view Jesus as a profound philosopher, a rabbi, a feminist, a prophet, and more. And there are others, like me, who are convinced that Jesus was the divine Son of God. But for all those skeptics, those critics and cynics who have their doubts, what can we do, what can we say to convince them? Well, we all know such people. Perhaps you work with a few at your office; or maybe those critics who have their doubts are on your college campus; perhaps they live in your neighborhood or on your street.
My neighbor qualifies as one of those cynics. He’s a very nice cynic, and he’s a good neighbor, but still, this man would say that Jesus was a wonderful man who was a good moral teacher, but nothing more than that. He and I have talked about the Lord many times, and my neighbor always gives me a warm smile, but he also politely shakes his head no. He respects my beliefs, but he’s not about to make them his beliefs. And so I am planning to give my neighbor a copy of a book by Lee Strobel called “The Case for Christmas.” And let me tell you why. Lee Strobel is an award-winning legal journalist and in this book, he takes a practical approach. He consults experts on the Holy Scriptures, he consults Middle East archaeology, messianic prophecy, all to search out the true identity of the child in the manger. Because, you see, he was once an avowed atheist, and as an investigative journalist, Lee believed that if Jesus really is God in the flesh, okay, come on, there ought to be credible evidence. There ought to be eyewitness evidence; like, can the biographies of Jesus be trusted? Then, what about the science? What does archaeology reveal? How accurately did this child in the manger fulfill all those prophecies that were written centuries before his birth?
My neighbor is an honest man; I mean, he himself is a media star for his viewers in the Middle East. He knows the importance of getting the facts right, and so I think that “The Case for Christmas” just might help this man consider why billions of people around the world actually celebrate Christmas – it’s ’cause of Jesus! Somewhere beyond the traditions of the holiday – and every skeptic, every doubter realizes that there’s something unique about this holiday – beyond the traditions and the myths lies: the truth. And this little book is perfect as a gift for reaching out to our co-workers, college roommates, or neighbors with the truth. And so, I challenge you to think about your own neighbors. Is there some creative way you would be willing to share the Gospel with them this Christmas? ’Cause I believe you truly want to tell people the real story of Christmas – especially in these dark days when so many skeptics and cynics and doubters are railing against Christ. So, are you with me on this challenge?
Well, I hope so because I’d love to send you a copy of Lee Strobel’s book “The Case for Christmas” to share with a friend who needs to know the truth about the baby in the manger. As I said, Strobel lays out compelling evidence that convinced him that Jesus is the Savior of the world. Just go to joniradio.org and request your gift. Supplies are limited, so go to joniradio.org today. Again, the book is free from all of us at Joni and Friends. Because we want to get the word out to those who don’t know Christ – we want to get the word out that the baby in the manger is, indeed, worth knowing and knowing the truth about him. So I’ll see you later at joniradio.org.
© Joni and Friends