For reading of Sunday, Dec.25, 2011
Caesar Augustus ordered a census in order to count the population of the world. As part of this order, every man would have to bring his family to his home town to be counted.
A man named Joseph was living in Galilee, in the town of Nazareth, but he had to travel to Bethlehem, also called the city of David, in Judea, for the census. He also had to bring Mary, his betrothed, with him. Mary was expecting her first child, so Joseph knew the journey would be difficult for her.
While in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to the baby, a son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, which was normally used as a feeding tray for livestock. Because so many people were in Bethlehem for the census, the inns were full, so there was not a suitable room for Joseph and Mary to sleep in.
In the region of Judea, shepherds who lived in the fields were keeping a night watch over their sheep. Their quiet evening was transformed into one of glory when an angel of the Lord appeared to them, surrounded by the glory of the Lord.
The shepherds were terrified, but the angel reassured them with a message from God. “Do not be afraid,” he said to them, “for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born to you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”
As soon as the angel finished his message, he was joined by a multitude of heavenly beings who praised God by saying, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
After the angels had gone, the shepherds said to each other, “Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” They immediately went into the town and found Joseph and Mary, and the baby, just as the angels had told them. They shared what had happened to them, then they returned to the their fields, praising God that they had witnessed the birth of the Messiah.
READ MORE ABOUT IT:
Luke 2
Q&A
1. Why did Joseph go to Bethlehem?
2. How did the shepherds know about the birth of Jesus?
