Have you ever been a witness to a crime or an accident? Many times, a witness will be interviewed by the police to get their information and find out what they saw. And if they are doing a good job, whenever a crime is committed, the police will interview all the witnesses they can find. However, while each witness saw the same crime, each tells a slightly different story!
I’m a big fan of old DRAGNET TV series…. “THE STORY YOU ARE ABOUT TO HEAR IS TRUE. THE NAMES HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO PROTECT THE INNOCENT.”
Sgt Joe Friday and Officer Bill Gannon would interview everyone to get their PERSPECTIVE. Everyone’s story will be slightly different. They will also overlap some. But each person will bring a slightly different PERSPECTIVE to the conversation. From these different authors a complete picture will appear.
A perspective is a particular way of viewing something, either literally (how things look from a certain viewpoint in art/drawing), or figuratively (your personal viewpoint shaped by beliefs, experiences, and context). It’s the mental lens through which you understand a situation.
While the Old Testament had its view on the coming Messiah, the New Testament PERSPECTIVE on the MESSIAH is somewhat different. That’s because the New Testament, and especially the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John begin with the birth, life or ministry of Jesus. In fact, the four gospels together give us a complete Christology (study of Christ). Charles Spurgeon (the great English preacher) once wrote, “The birth of Jesus is the sunrise in the Bible.”
So in the gospels, we have four windows looking in on ONE SAVIOR. Jesus as Prophet, Priest, and King; fully God and fully man. Each Gospel tells the same true story from a different Spirit-inspired PERSPECTIVE, and together they give us a richer, fuller vision of the glory of Christ.
Imagine four artists painting the same mountain range. One paints in the fall, another from an airplane, one in the winter, yet another at spring. It’s the same mountain, from different vantage points, with different colors—together forming one breathtaking collage.
That is what Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John do with Christ. And the Christmas story—a story of how God became man, with salvation breaking into the world. This shines uniquely in each Gospel.
Some people ask, “Pastor, why do we need four gospels? Wouldn’t one detailed account be enough? Friends, God doesn’t do anything by accident. He orchestrated four distinct accounts because no single perspective could capture the fullness of who Jesus is and what His coming means for humanity.
Three of these writings are called synoptic. (like a synonym = same) Synoptic Gospels refer to Matthew, Mark, and Luke – but John’s is different! In the first three books of the New Testament we see remarkable similarities in content, structure, and wording. They tell many of the same stories and parables in similar sequences.
The Gospel of John, however, offers a more distinct perspective on Jesus’s life.
The Gospel of Matthew was written by Matthew the Apostle, a Jewish tax collector (also called Levi) who became one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, and identified himself in the text (Matthew 9:9) as an eyewitness. It was written about 80 AD. Matthew message is about Jesus the Promised King (Matthew 1–2). Matthew opens with a genealogy showing Jesus as the stepson of Joseph – and thru his genealogy…. Jesus is the Son of David — a rightful King! He is also a son of Abraham through whom God promised blessing to the nations.
But Matthew doesn’t stop with genealogy. He shows us God’s sovereignty in orchestrating every detail of Jesus’ birth. When the wise men arrive in Jerusalem asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him” (Matthew 2:2, NLT), they’re not just following astronomical curiosity – they’re fulfilling God’s plan to announce Jesus to both Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews).
His birth narrative emphasizes the fulfillment of prophecy: a virgin birth (Matt. 1:22–23), His Birth in Bethlehem (Matt. 2:5–6), their Flight to Egypt (Matt. 2:15), and the weeping at Ramah over the killing of innocent children (Matt. 2:17–18).
Matthew’s Christmas message is that Jesus is the long-awaited King whose arrival fulfills the Old Testament. Christmas is the arrival of God’s covenant promises in a real manger, in real history. Matthew’s message is clear: Jesus’ coming fulfills every Old Testament promise. God’s plan, revealed through the prophets, is unfolding exactly as He promised. For Matthew’s Jewish readers, this wasn’t just good news – it was the news they’d been waiting for since Abraham received the promise that through his offspring, all nations would be blessed! But here’s what’s beautiful about Matthew’s approach – he shows us that God’s plan included not just the Jews, but the Gentiles too. Those wise men from the east represented the nations coming to worship the Jewish Messiah. God’s plan was always bigger than one ethnic group; it was worldwide in scope.
It is like receiving a long-awaited package tracking number that finally shows “Delivered.” Christmas in Matthew is God stamping Delivered on every promise.
Mark’s Message
The Gospel of Mark was written by John Mark, about 65-70 AD, and while he was not one of the twelve apostles, he was a companion of the Apostle Peter, and an associate of both Paul and Barnabas. Mark’s gospel is the record of Peter’s teaching and memories, as Mark recorded them. It was the earliest gospel written down, and was primarily for a Gentile audience.
Mark’s Approach is that Jesus is the Suffering Servant (Mark 1:1–3). Interestingly, Mark gives no birth narrative at all. Instead, he begins: “This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1, NLT).
Then he immediately jumps to John the Baptist preparing the way, Jesus’ baptism, and the beginning of His ministry. Why no Christmas story? Mark shares mostly about Jesus as the Suffering Servant. Servants aren’t known for their birth certificates – they’re known for their work. (“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve…” Mark 10:45)
Mark’s emphasis is about ACTION! Mark’s gospel is the shortest, the most action-packed, and the most urgent. He uses the word “immediately” over forty times. This isn’t accidental – Mark is writing primarily for Roman readers who valued efficiency, action, and results. Romans didn’t care about genealogies or lengthy speeches; they wanted to know what Jesus did and how effectively He did it.
What is Mark’s Christmas message? Why do we need Mark’s perspective on God’s unfolding plan? Because it reminds us that the incarnation wasn’t just about God becoming human –it was about God becoming a servant. The eternal Son of God, who deserved to be served by all creation, chose instead to serve His creation, by living to show us the way to God, then dying to make it possible for our sins to be forgiven and allow us one day to enter heaven. It’s a gift from God that we all need to personally receive – otherwise the gift remains unopened.
This is the heart of the Christmas message: God’s love was expressed through humble service to all mankind.
Next week – Part 2
Craig Valley Baptist Church, at 171 Salem Ave in New Castle, welcomes you to visit and share in the love of God we have experienced. We meet Sundays at 11AM, with an upbeat service of music, sharing and preaching. You don’t need to dress us, and you won’t be asked to speak, so just come and hang out and meet new and old friends! Questions? Call 540-864-5667 or email pastor@cv-bc.com.
– Pastor Scott Gabrielson
