Over 2000 years ago, the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus, issued a law that the entire world should be taxed. So everyone was required to go to their home town - the city of their family - to register for the tax. Among these was a man named Joseph, who went up from Galilee, a city of Nazareth, into Judaea, to the city of King David, which was called Bethlehem; (because he was of the family and lineage of David:) to be taxed with Mary his fiancé. Mary was now in the last days of her pregnancy. She was carrying a precious child miraculously conceived in her womb by the Holy Spirit.
Upon arriving at Bethlehem - after a difficult trip - Mary went into labor. Because of the many travelers, they couldn’t find a place to stay. So Joseph found the only place anyone would open to them - a stable. There Mary gave birth to her little boy and wrapped him in strips of cloth, as was the custom, and laid him in a feeding trough there.
That same night there were shepherds watching over their flocks in the hills outside of Bethlehem, . Then, all of a sudden, the angel of the Lord appeared out of nowhere before them. The almost blinding, yet warm and radiant glory of the Lord turned the night into day all around them. They were scared to death. Even as they expected to draw their last breath, the angel calmly and with great purpose said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Look, I am here to bring you good news of great Joy - for you, and everyone - everywhere for all time. You see, this very day in the city of David, a Savior has been born for you all. This baby, He is the Messiah, the Lord God. You will know that what I am saying is true. You see – you will find this baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.
Then, the night sky burst open and there was with the angel a vast army of angels beyond numbering. They were praising God, and saying, “Glory be to the one Great, High and Holy God of Heaven, and on earth peace, good will toward men. “
After the angels had disappeared back into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "let’s go to Bethlehem". "We've got to see what all this is about that the Lord has told us". So they hurried and found Mary, and Joseph, and the little baby lying in a manger – just as the angel had said. When they saw the baby, they knew it was true. They told everyone they met about what they had been told, and about the little baby that was born our Savior, Lord and King. Everyone who heard it was amazed. The shepherds went back to watching their flocks of sheep, speaking with great confidence of God’s wonderful works and perfect plan, praising God for all the things they had heard and seen – just as they had been told.
But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. We should all do the same. The little baby isn’t a baby any more - and His birth is of greatest consequence to us all! Have a Blessed Christ filled Christmas!
For more on the story of Christmas from the Bible – click on the link below -
More on the Christmas Story
The Nativity Movie
