A pastor asked the class, “Why was Jesus born in Bethlehem?”
A young child raised his hand and replied, “Because his mother was there.”
~~
Seriously, now . . . remember the story?
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, the angel Gabriel was sent from
God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man
whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was
Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is
with you!”
But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort
of greeting this might be.
And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor
with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you
shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of
the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father
David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom
there will be no end.”
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the
power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born
will be called holy— the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in
her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her
who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.”
And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me
according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world
should be registered. And all went to be registered, each to his own town.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea,
to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house
and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was
with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.
And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths
and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
And in that area there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over
their flock at night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the
glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the
angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great
joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the
city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for
you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a
manger.”
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host
praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace
among those with whom he is pleased!”
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one
another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened,
which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found
Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they
made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all
who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up
all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been
told them.
~~
Dr Bob Griffin
bob@grif.net www.grif.net
“Jesus Knows Me, This I Love!”
