Humility. The angels have just announced the birth of the God of the universe as a human child and how did they describe him? He’s wearing rags and lying in an animal feeding trough. Read Luke 2:12. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:12 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/luk.2.12.NASB That sure would be a sign. No one would ever have assumed that after such an amazing announcement of birth, that baby was lying in a feeding trough wearing rags. The thought would have been that they would find the child in a king’s palace wearing riches and gold.…

What is the meaning of Christmas? As we go through the season, we often ask ourselves this amidst the hustle and bustle of all the stuff that goes on this time of year. Read Luke 2:11. for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/luk.2.11.NASB Why do we celebrate Christmas? Because God came to Earth in the form of a baby to live the perfect life that we could not live as the sacrifice for our behalf. God, the holy perfect God, became flesh to live among us. Such an amazing and incredible truth! This…

Joy, not fear. This whole new experience that the shepherds were going through was meant to end in their joy, not their fear. Read Luke 2:10. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; Luke 2:10 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/luk.2.10.NASB The angel knew they were afraid. The angel understood this announcement in a way that the shepherds did not yet. The angels were rejoicing about the plan that God had to create a way for men to be made right with God. The shepherds didn’t know or understand that yet. The angels knew…

A normal day. There was absolutely nothing that stood out that would make them think they were going to have anything different about that day. Read Luke 2:8. In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. Luke 2:8 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/luk.2.8.NASB Shepherds were tending sheep. Nothing unusual about that. They had probably been doing that exact thing every night for their entire lives. Yet this night was not going to be like any other night. We can be going through our normal day to day when God decides to step in and disrupt everything that we know. Are…

The birth announcement. In today’s day and time, birth announcement are huge affairs, often complete with gender reveal parties or baby name reveal parties. No such thing existed for the birth of Jesus. Read Luke 2:7. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/luk.2.7.NASB Jesus came. The savior of the universe, the God who created everything, and there was no fanfare. Mary gave birth to him. She couldn’t even find a hotel room or home to stay in, but instead was in a barn.…

It’s time. When it comes to having babies, we often do not get to be the ones who pick the time. Babies decide when they are ready to come join the world. Read Luke 2:6. While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. Luke 2:6 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/luk.2.6.NASB In the midst of all this chaos and traveling and counting, God decided it was exactly the right time for a baby to be born. His precious son Jesus Christ was born to Mary just as they were traveling to Bethlehem. We don’t know how long they had been there before she gave birth, but we know that…

Go home. Joseph had to reevaluate where home was this census. As a result, he had to take a trip back to the area his family was from, Bethlehem. Read Luke 2:4-5. Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. Luke 2:4‭-‬5 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/luk.2.4-5.NASB Joseph had to travel. Because of who he was related to, he had to go back to where the family was from. How often have we…

Total upheaval. This census that the Romans were doing had resulted in complete upheaval everyone’s life. Read Luke 2:3. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. Luke 2:3 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/luk.2.3.NASB Everyone was on the move. The streets would have been unusually busy. Hotels and those in the hospitality business would have had no lack of customers during this time. Everywhere you turn there would be someone new, different, out of place. And the answer behind all of this? The Roman census. Sometimes God takes everything in our lives and turns it upside down and makes it chaotic and crazy, right before…

The Christmas story. Over the next 15 days leading up to Christmas, we’re going to look through one of the most important and amazing stories the Bible records. As we study the birth of Jesus, allow this to be a time of preparation for your hearts as we all seek to understand and remember the reason for the season. Read Luke 2:1-2. Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. Luke 2:1‭-‬2 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/luk.2.1-2.NASB A census. This story here and now begins with a census…