Devotionals by Raul Ries

FRIDAY December 5, 2025

The Christmas Narrative

Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.
Luke 1:1-4

The Gospel of Luke was not written by an Apostle. Luke was not Jewish––he was Greek. It is believed he became a personal physician to Theophilus, a Roman governor. Luke had the wonderful opportunity to write to him and share an orderly account of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He began with the certainty of Christ’s birth––the Christmas message.

Luke wanted Theophilus to know, without a shadow-of-a-doubt, that the things he wrote were true. In fact, the word certainty means “undoubted truth.” We know the Bible is God’s inspired Word. We can trust God’s Word because God does not lie: “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19).

Remember, God had not spoken to His people for 400 years. There was a great silence from the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, to the first book of the New Testament, Matthew. The Word of God had ceased. There had not been any visions, dreams, or angels sent with a message to His people. At this time in history, the nation of Israel was suffering under Roman oppression, as their land was occupied by the Romans.

During this dark time, Christ’s birth would happen. Luke started retelling the story right from the beginning, and, because of this, Theophilus understood that the angel Gabriel had first visited Zacharias, a faithful priest. When reading your Bible this Christmas, start the narrative right from the beginning.

Christmas is not a myth, not a tradition, not a dream. It is a glorious reality.
~Billy Graham~

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