The Real Christmas Story

About 2000 years ago, when Herod ruled Judea, God sent the angel Gabriel to a young lady who lived in a northern town called Nazareth. The girl's name was Mary, and she was engaged to marry Joseph, the Carpenter.

Gabriel said to Mary, “Peace be with you! God has blessed you and is pleased with you.” Mary was very surprised by this and wondered what the angel meant. He said to her “Don't be afraid. This thing is of the Lord. You will become pregnant and give birth to a baby boy, and you will call him Jesus. He will be God's own Son and his kingdom will never end.” Mary was very afraid, but she trusted God. “Let it happen as God chooses,” she replied to the angel. Gabriel also told Mary that her cousin Elizabeth, who everyone thought was too old to have children, would have a baby boy whom God had chosen to prepare the way for Jesus.

Mary said goodbye to her family and friends and went to visit her cousin Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah. Elizabeth was very happy to see Mary. She knew that Mary had been chosen by God to be the mother of His Son. An angel had already told Zechariah that Elizabeth's baby would prepare people to welcome Jesus. He was to be called John. Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then returned home to Nazareth.

Joseph was worried when he found out that Mary was expecting a baby before their marriage had taken place. He wondered if he should put off the wedding altogether. Then an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Do not be afraid to have Mary as your wife.” The angel explained that Mary had been chosen by God to be the mother of His Son and told Joseph that the baby would be named Jesus which means 'Savior' because He would save people. When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel told him to do and took Mary as his wife.

At this time, the land where Mary and Joseph lived was part of the Roman Empire. The Roman Emperor, Augustus, wanted to have a list of all the people in the empire to make sure they paid their taxes. He ordered everyone to return to the town where their families originally came from, and enter their names in a register (or census) there. Mary and Joseph travelled a long way (about 80 miles) from Nazareth to Bethlehem, because that is where Joseph's family came from. Most people walked, but some lucky people had a donkey to help carry the goods needed for the journey. Joseph and Mary travelled very slowly because Mary's baby was due to be born soon.

When they reached Bethlehem they had problems finding somewhere to stay. So many people had come to register their names in the census that every house was full and every bed was taken in all of the inns. The only shelter that they could find was a stable or cave with the animals. In this poor place Mary gave birth to Jesus, the Son of God. In those days it was the custom to wrap newborn babies tightly in a long cloth called 'swaddling clothes'. Jesus' bed was the manger that the animals ate their hay from.

In the hills and fields outside Bethlehem, shepherds looked after their sheep through the long night. Suddenly an angel appeared before them and the glory of God shone around them. The shepherds were terrified, but the angel said, “Don't be afraid. I have good news for you! Today in Bethlehem a Savior has been born for you. You will find the baby lying in a manger.”

Then many more angels appeared, lighting up the sky. The shepherds heard them praising God singing, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” When the angels had gone the shepherds said to one another, “Let's go to Bethlehem to see what has happened.” So the shepherds went to Bethlehem and found Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus lying in a manger as they had been told.

When Jesus was born, a brand new bright star appeared in sky. Some Wise Men in faraway countries saw the star and guessed what it meant: a great king was born. They set out to find the new king and bring him gifts.

The Wise Men followed the star toward the country of Judea. When they got to Jerusalem, the capital, they began to ask people, “Where is the child who is born to be king of the Jews?” Herod, the king of Judea, heard this. It made him very angry to think that someone might be going to take his place as king. Herod sent for the Wise Men to come to him. He told them to go on following the star until they had found the baby king. He said: “When you have found him, let me know where he is, so that I can go and worship him.” But Herod did not tell them that he really had an evil plan in mind to kill the new king.

The Wise Men followed the star towards Bethlehem (where it said that the king would be born in the old writings). It seemed to stop and shine directly down upon the place where Jesus was. The Wise Men entered the house where they now lived and found Jesus with Mary; they bowed down and worshipped him. The Wise Men spread the gifts they had brought before Jesus. The gifts were gold, frankincense and myrrh. The Wise Men were warned in a dream, by God, not to go back to Herod. So they returned home to their countries in the East by a different way.

When the Wise Men had gone, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream. 'Get up,' the angel said, 'take Jesus and Mary and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for Jesus to kill him.' So Joseph got up, took Jesus and Mary during the night they left for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod died.

When Herod realized that he had been tricked by the Wise Men, he was furious and he gave orders to kill all the boys aged two or younger in Bethlehem and the surrounding area. This was to try and kill the new King, as his plan to find the location of the new king from the Wise Men had failed.

After Herod died, Joseph had another dream in which an angel appeared to him. The angel said, “Get up, take Jesus and Mary and go back to Israel, for those who were trying kill Jesus are dead.” So Joseph got up, took Jesus and Mary and went back to Galilee, where they lived in their old town of Nazareth.

Jesus came to earth as a baby on that first Christmas night.  He would go on to die on a horrible cross, and rise from the grave 3 days later. His death and resurrection healed the breach between God and humanity once and for all so that we can all personally know God. We believe this, and as we celebrate the birth of Christ and remember His sacrifice for us we hope that you too have a blessed Christmas and find joy and peace in the New Year.

Love,

Marie