BEGAT

I don't know if you've noticed it or not, but when the story of Jesus begins in the first book of the New Testament - MATTHEW - people typically start reading in verse 18. Verse 18 is kind of one of those 'Once upon a time' beginnings. But there are 17 important verses PRIOR to that 'Once upon a time' beginning that are so critical to the real story of Jesus.

Those first 17 verses - you know ... the part you skip over when you come to them in your Bible reading - let us know this isn't just a STORY ... it's not a FABLE ... it's not a FAIRY tale ... it's REALITY.

And so Matthew uses the first 17 verses called "THE BEGATS" to tell us that Jesus was really real. He really happened. God broke in. Jesus was literally born. He literally died on a cross. He was literally raised from the dead. It’s an historical fact. It isn’t just my opinion. It happened. It’s not just a personal thing for me … when I say it’s historical, I’m saying it’s authoritative in history.

When I was in public high school, I will confess that one of my favorite classes was Greek & Roman Mythology. I'm afraid I found it all extraordinarily fascinating. But when you read the stories about Hercules and Atlas and Venus and Achilles … and even fairy tale stories like Beauty and the Beast and Snow White and the like – they aren’t factually true. And we all know that ... but they’re still about reality. They’re about life and the universe – they’re about good and evil – they’re about moral absolutes.

What is Beauty and the Beast about? That no matter how ugly we’ve made ourselves – whatever prisons we’re in – there is a love that can cut thru the ugliness – it is an undeserved love, but it can transform us.

Look at Peter Pan. The story is that we really aren’t meant to become unimaginative and grow old and eventually decay … we’re meant to FLY.

Sleeping Beauty teaches us that death isn’t really death … it’s sleep. And there is a great prince or Savior to wake us from it.

Are these old myths true? Of course not. But even though they’re not historically true, they still get at some reality. There is sin ... there is an evil sorcerer who tries to exert influence on us … we’re under a spell and we need a Deliverer to rescue us. We're supposed to fly – there IS an eternity.

And here is what Matthew is trying to get at with "THE BEGATS" … that when you come to the Christmas story, you don’t have just one more myth. Jesus Christ is the One whose love can turn you from a beast into something wonderful – beauty from ashes … He is the knight in shining armor who has been sent to rescue us … He is the Prince who comes to wake us from eternal death.

And if we BELONG to Him, we ARE going to fly … we ARE going to break the bands of evil and live happily ever after … we ARE going to rule and reign with the Great Lion … the stories are true! Jesus Christ happened. At a particular time at a particular place on a particular date, Christ the Savior was born to bring us hope.

And be blessed.