Recent well-publicised research has shown that many people do not know the details of the Christmas story. Does this matter? Just what are they missing by not knowing some of the key facts?

It seems that lots of people don't know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, though his parents came from Nazareth. So what? Surely more important is that they should grasp the political turmoil of the time as Jews lived under the rule of a Roman occupying force. Some of the harsh historical and modern realities of life are right at the heart of the Christmas story.

Many don't know that an angel appeared to Mary and told her that the impossible was about to happen, that she, a virgin, would conceive and give birth to a Son. So what? Not knowing this probably means that they don't necessarily know that God can work miracles. That he is willing to deal with ordinary human beings in quite extraordinary ways. Eternity was about to invade time and God was to become human.

Now that is an important bit of knowledge!

Some don't know that certain details of the Christmas story fulfil prophecies and predictions about the birth of a Saviour made centuries before. Does that then mean that maybe they will miss out on understanding that God keeps his promises? The Bible reveals a plan of rescue and reconciliation by God that climaxes in the arrival of Jesus.

If people don't know that the baby was visited and worshipped by both shepherds and wise philosophers that's one thing. But then they may miss the point that God calls humans of every sort to worship and relate to him. He is not a distant deity but has reached down into time and space in the person of his Son, Jesus Christ, born as one of us.

These are big issues to miss out on!

I trust you know these great truths yourself and have taken them in deeply. Pray for an opportunity this Christmas to talk about the story to someone who doesn't know it yet.

Wishing you a very happy Christmas and God's rich blessing in the New Year,

Elaine Duncan
Chief Executive,
The Scottish Bible Society