Since Christmas is such a captivating time of year, it's the perfect setting for telling children about the miracle of the Lord Jesus Christ's birth. Using selected passages from the first chapters of the gospels of Matthew and Luke, Christmas Time - It's All About Jesus tells the story of Jesus' birth in a delightfully poetic and child-like way. The sensational illustrations create an unforgettable image, so a child can always remember the true meaning of Christmas. As an added bonus, Pastor Russ and Sue have developed devotionals to be used by families to enrich their Christmas celebrations. These are complete with attributes and names of Jesus, questions for discussion, and activities to do as a family to share Christ with those around them. Coupled together, this story and devotionals will enhance your celebration of Christmas during the season and all year long! About the Author Sue Murray Barksdale has been a pastor's wife, mom, and educator for over 30 years. She and her husband Russ live in Arlington, Texas, where Russ pastors the multi-site The Church on Rush Creek, a multi-site church. Sue has a BS in Elementary Education from The University of Houston and enjoys teaching at a public charter school in their neighborhood. Russ and Sue consider their relationship with their grown children and spouses and their six beautiful grandchildren as one of the greatest blessings in life! Their desire to leave a legacy of Christ-centered lives motivated them to write this book for their own family and all the children in their sphere of influence. This is Sue's second book, her first being G.I.F.T.S.: A Prayer Book for Kids and Those Who Love Them.

Who was in the manger that first Christmas morning? Some say he 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. Many are convinced he was the divine Son of God. Who was he—really? And how can you know for sure? Consulting experts on the Bible, archaeology, and messianic prophecy, Lee Strobel searches out the true identity of the child in the manger. Join him as he asks the tough, pointed questions you’d expect from an award-winning legal journalist. If Jesus really was God in the flesh, then there ought to be credible evidence, including Eyewitness Evidence—Can the biographies of Jesus be trusted? Scientific Evidence—What does archaeology reveal? Profile Evidence—Did Jesus fulfill the attributes of God? Fingerprint Evidence—Did Jesus uniquely match the identity of the Messiah? The Case for Christmas invites you to consider why Christmas matters in the first place. Somewhere beyond the traditions of the holiday lies the truth. It may be more compelling than you’ve realized. Weigh the facts . . . and decide for yourself.

This eleventh edition was developed during the encyclopaedia's transition from a British to an American publication. Some of its articles were written by the best-known scholars of the time and it is considered to be a landmark encyclopaedia for scholarship and literary style.

What does the Bible really say about the birth of Jesus? How did the celebration of Christmas become associated with things like Santa Claus and decorated trees? In The True Meaning of Christmas: The Birth of Jesus and the Origins of the Season, biblical scholar Michael Patrick Barber offers an inspiring look at the Bible''s accounts of Jesus'' birth and the development of the Christmas season. Along the way, he answers numerous questions, including: • How is the Christmas story related to ancient Jewish expectations? • Why is Jesus said to be laid in a "manger"? • Who are the Magi? • What is the mysterious Christmas star? • How did December 25th become the date of Christmas? • How did Saint Nicholas become "Santa Claus"? As Barber explains, though some of the answers to these questions may be surprising, only by understanding the message at the heart of Christmas can we fully enter into the joy it promises.

The Christmas story evokes many touching images. Halos, fresh hay, shepherds carrying newborn lambs, and young motherhood in blue homespun. It's enough to bring tears to the eyes of Christmastime churchgoers. But the Christmas story is more than sentimental--it is powerful. It deals with real people, it involves pain, and it is one of the most strikingly unusual stories in all history. Above all, its main emphasis is not on the infancy of Jesus but on the deity of Jesus--and why that deity took the form of an infant. It's a story that still has deep meaning today.

Martin Luther's conception of the Nativity found expression in sermon, song, and art. This beautiful gift edition of a classic collection combines all three.

From pastor and New York Times bestselling author Timothy Keller comes the perfect gift for the Christmas holiday—a profoundly moving and intellectually provocative examination of the nativity story Even people who are not practicing Christians think they are familiar with the story of the nativity. Every Christmas displays of Baby Jesus resting in a manger decorate lawns and churchyards, and songs about shepherds and angels fill the air. Yet despite the abundance of these Christian references in popular culture, how many of us have examined the hard edges of this biblical story? In his new book Timothy Keller takes readers on an illuminating journey into the surprising background of the nativity. By understanding the message of hope and salvation within the Bible’s account of Jesus’ birth, readers will experience the redeeming power of God’s grace in a deeper and more meaningful way.