Christmas is here!

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Luke 2:1-20 ICB

At that time, Augustus Caesar sent an order to all people in the countries that were under Roman rule. The order said that they must list their names in a register. ² This was the first registration taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³ And everyone went to their own towns to be registered.

⁴ So Joseph left Nazareth, a town in Galilee. He went to the town of Bethlehem in Judea. This town was known as the town of David. Joseph went there because he was from the family of David. ⁵ Joseph registered with Mary because she was engaged to marry him. (Mary was now pregnant.) ⁶ While Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have the baby. ⁷ She gave birth to her first son. There were no rooms left in the inn. So she wrapped the baby with cloths and laid him in a box where animals are fed.

  That night, some shepherds were in the fields nearby watching their sheep. ⁹An angel of the Lord stood before them. The glory of the Lord was shining around them, and suddenly they became very frightened. ¹⁰ The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, because I am bringing you some good news. It will be a joy to all the people. ¹¹ Today your Savior was born in David’s town. He is Christ, the Lord. ¹² This is how you will know him: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a feeding box.”

 That night, some shepherds were in the fields nearby watching their sheep. 

Then a very large group of angels from heaven joined the first angel. All the angels were praising God, saying:

¹⁴ “Give glory to God in heaven,
    and on earth let there be peace to the people who please God.”

¹⁵ Then the angels left the shepherds and went back to heaven. The shepherds said to each other, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened. We will see this thing the Lord told us about.”

¹⁶ So the shepherds went quickly and found Mary and Joseph. ¹⁷ And the shepherds saw the baby lying in a feeding box. Then they told what the angels had said about this child. ¹⁸ Everyone was amazed when they heard what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ Mary hid these things in her heart; she continued to think about them. ²⁰ Then the shepherds went back to their sheep, praising God and thanking him for everything that they had seen and heard. It was just as the angel had told them.

John 1:14 AMPC And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth.

I hope my heart never stops leaping up in my chest upon hearing those words of the very best story ever. The wonder, the glory, the incomprehensible come to us in the form of a very real Baby.

And even better yet, the story doesn’t stop there – Jesus grew into the man Who gave His life so that my life might continue for all days with Him.

And thus, Christmas is here today and for all days for all who believe – thank You, Jesus, for life itself and life eternal!

2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

God’s richest blessings upon each and every one of you!

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written by and copyrighted to Beth Madison, Ph.D., 2022