No story can match the Christmas story.

Mary was just an ordinary girl but she was special in the eyes of God. She was someone God knew he could choose to enter the world as the baby Jesus. Mary and husband-to-be Joseph followed the leadership of God and were willing vessels to be used of God.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem and placed in a cow’s trough. This young couple had to sleep in a barn because the town was crowded and there was no room for them in the inn.

They were poor people and they had a new baby. The conditions were less than ideal for the care of a mom and a newly delivered baby.

God took care of them. Even when an evil king was paranoid by the birth of Jesus, God directed them to relocate to Egypt for a period of time.

Jesus grew up and, at the young age of 12, was confounding the religious leaders with his knowledge and wisdom.

This young man would grow up to be the greatest man who has ever lived. He was different. He was a man but He was God in the flesh. Yes, he hurt just like we hurt, bled like we bleed, and was tempted as we are tempted, but He was God.

John the Baptist recognized Him as the lamb of God. The disciples recognized they were living in the presence of deity.

No one else has ever lived the way Jesus lived. He healed the sick. He gave the blind sight. He enabled the lame to walk. He raised the dead. He fed masses of people with a few loaves of bread and fish. He was the greatest teacher who ever lived.

More books have been written about Jesus than any other person. The Bible is the bestselling book of all time. Every week billions of people worship him publicly and privately.

Jesus loved like no other person but he had great opposition. Sadly, most of the opposition was from the religious crowd of his day. They weren’t satisfied until they convinced the political leadership of that day to execute Jesus publicly on a cross. His execution was brutal, humiliating, shameful and repulsive. The way Jesus was treated fully exposed the wickedness of mankind and the literal cruelty of religion.

The story of Jesus does not end at the cross or his burial. The story of Jesus doesn’t end at all. Three days later the stone was rolled away from his burial tomb and he emerged alive as the victorious Son of God who conquered death, hell and the grave. He spent time with his followers teaching and equipping them before his departure into heaven right before their very eyes.

As he ascended into heaven the angels told the disciples, “Why do you stand here gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus shall come again in like manner.” From that day forward the disciples became the greatest group of missionaries of all time. Everywhere they went they told the story of Jesus. Everyone who heard the story and believed the story was forever changed.

Do you believe the story? Have you heard this story? Maybe you’ve heard it many, many times. Possibly, you never grow tired of hearing the story. It’s an old, old story but it’s the story that gives us hope. This story of Jesus keeps us going, looking forward to better things and better times.

The story of Jesus is the story of life, peace, hope, and forgiveness of all of our sins. It’s the story about heaven and seeing our loved ones again. It’s the story that often turns houses into homes, lifts drug addicts out of ditches, gives people a sense of direction and purpose in life.

Do you love the Christmas story? Do you love who this story is about? The story is about Jesus. If you don’t know him, ask him right now to come into your heart and life and he will.

A heavenly host of angels proclaimed to shepherds watching their flocks, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11

May the greatest story ever told become the greatest story you know personally.

Dr. Glenn Mollette is a graduate of numerous schools, including Georgetown College, Southern and Lexington Seminaries in Kentucky. He is the author of 13 books and his column is published in all 50 states. Visit Dr. Glenn Mollette online at glennmollette.com. Find his books on amazon.com and stream his music on all streaming platforms.