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b'What a fairy tale! Angels, a virgin birth, a manger, shepherds, magi\\u2026it\\u2018s a great story to make us all fuzzy and warm at Christmas. But can we seriously believe the story of Jesus\\u2019 birth is true?\\nGod knew the Christmas story was going to be wildly unique. In fact, He made it that way on purpose. Why? So we could know that it really is truth.\\nHow? He told us about it beforehand. The Old Testament prophecies aren\\u2019t just Christmas poetry; they\\u2019re solid, compelling evidence that the baby in the manger was God. Take a look!\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; one will come from you to be ruler over Israel for me. His origin is from antiquity, from ancient times.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d That\\u2019s Micah 5:2. The Messiah would be from lowly Bethlehem\\u2026written about seven hundred years before Christ came!\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d This one is Isaiah 7:14, also about seven hundred years before Christmas. Immanuel, we know, means \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153God with us\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d; Isaiah is saying God will come to be with us, born of a virgin.\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him\\u2014a Spirit of wisdom and understanding\\u2026.His delight will be in the fear of the Lord\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d (Isaiah 11:1-3). Jesse was King David\\u2019s father: Jesus\\u2019 direct ancestor. And Jesus\\u2014discussing theology with the religious leaders at age twelve and blessed by the Holy Spirit at his baptism\\u2014fits the prophecy entirely (Matthew 3:13-16; Luke 2:41-52).\\nThose three verses are just a tiny taste of the prophecies that the miracle called Christmas fulfilled. Truth stranger than fiction? Sometimes it\\u2019s meant to be, so that we know it\\u2019s no coincidence. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Jesus is Truth\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d is the only explanation (John 14:6). \\n\\u2022 How does Jesus fulfill the promises of Scripture (Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39; Acts 10:43; 2 Corinthians 1:20; 2 Timothy 3:15)? \\nHe [Jesus] began by saying to them, \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d Luke 4:21 (CSB)\\n\\xa0\\nRead Verses:\\nMatthew 1:18-2:6'