A pastor asked at the Sunday School’s children’s=
program, "Why was Jesus born in Bethlehem?"
One precocious 2nd grader raised her hand and replied, "Probably because his m=
other was there."
Duh. 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 n=
ame was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary=
=2E And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord i=
s 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, &q=
uot;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 th=
e Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will rei=
gn over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end=
=2E"
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 u=
pon 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, you=
r relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is t=
he sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossib=
le with God."
And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lo=
rd; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed fr=
om 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 J=
udea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of th=
e house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, wh=
o 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 th=
e inn.
And in that area there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watc=
h 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. A=
nd the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good new=
s of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this d=
ay 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 ange=
ls went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, &quo=
t;Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which t=
he 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 mad=
e known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all w=
ho heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
But Mary treasured u=
p 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 be=
en told them.
~~
Dr Bob Griffin
[email protected] www.grif.net
"Jesus Knows Me, T=
his I Love!"
=
com