Christmas Bible stories

[Kit Sober]

Any stories or enlightenments from Scriptures related to the times surrounding the birth of Jesus?

Another thread reminded me that on 9/11/01 I was working away from home and any Bible friends and was going to have a singular cupcake birthday party for Jesus in my hotel room. I have a dear friend who was married on 9/11. And I personally always keep that day a precious day in honor of Jesus.

I thought that there were two events that could have occurred around December 25, the wise men bringing gifts and seeing the "young child" and the conception (nine months before September).

And there have been so many wonderful emails I have received from people who focus on the birth of Jesus in their Bible studies around this time of the year. Here is one that came as a devotional that I thought was precious:

"And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their

country by another route." - Matthew 2:12 (NIV)You've probably heard the story of the three wise men. You know how they brought baby Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But one part of the story you might have passed over can be found in Matthew 2:12. The wise men told King Herod they would tell him when they found the newborn Jewish King. But then they had a dream, and they were warned not to tell Herod anything about the Christ child. They didn't even return home the way they had come; they found another route. The detour for the three wise men after they found Jesus illustrates what happens in our lives when we encounter the Savior ourselves. Gregory the Great, also known as Pope Gregory I, said, "Having come to know Jesus, we are forbidden to return by the way we came." After encountering Christ, our old way of doing life no longer holds any charm. The love of Christ awakens our hearts to new choices. We no longer dull or satisfy our desires with ungodly living. Instead, we are satisfied with the Living Water. Choosing a new path is not without sacrifice. The three wise men had to take unfamiliar roads to return home. They forfeited the safety of a planned route in order to save the newborn King. Like the wise men, circumstances may force us to choose between what's easy and what's right. While the right choice may inconvenience us, it will always glorify God...and may even save a life.

[Twinky]

That's an interesting new perspective, Kit. That's rather thought-provoking.

My church did a "roving nativity play" this week round the houses where its primary catchment area is. We sang carols that got local residents a bit interested. Then there was a new view of a familiar topic.

Joseph and Mary...my fiance...pregnant...a bit of a scrap breaks out between J&M as they try to talk the innkeeper into having them..."what are you going to call this baby?" "Well, I thought Robert was a nice name, but Mary says it's got to be something else."

Later the wise men come. The innkeeper says he didn't know anything about kings, but he'd seen this couple, the girl was pregnant. "But they looked a bit...y'know, common..." And the wise men think, "Oh can't be them then, not if it's a king to be born..."

It was funny. But made you think.

(It was a real pregnant Mary too... baby is due early Feb. Pity "Mary's" son no.1 was fretty and crying a lot. LOL)

[brideofjc]

Following the Lord Jesus Christ often takes us down roads that we never planned to go, much less actually finding ourselves on them. Could be why the Lord Jesus is our Shepherd, who is leading us through the wilderness to the Promised Land.

[Kit Sober]

I think every mom and dad have the same heartbeat for their baby / child as Joseph and Mary did. -- at least that is what the Holy Spirit works in us to the degree possible, with no limit according to our faith. Max Lucado had his devotional on this same subject which I thought was too precious for words:

MOTHERHOOD IS A SPECIAL TASK

by Max Lucado

More than anything in the world I want to be a good mom to my kids.

How can I be the mom God wants me to be?

The virgin birth is more, much more, than a Christmas story. It is a picture of how close Christ will come to you, a mom, as you also bring a child into the world.

Imagine yourself in that story found in Luke 1.God comes to you and says, "I have a special task for you. A child. A special child that I want to entrust to you. Are you willing to raise this one?"You stammer, take a breath. "This sounds scary.""Don't worry. I'll be there with you. This child is special to me. He will be a great child."

You shake your head. "Such an awesome responsibility. I don't know if I can do it.""Nothing is impossible with me."You smile. "I am your servant. I'll do it."Do we think only one child received God's special attention? Sure, only one was his Son, and an angel sent out those special birth announcements, accompanied by an angelic choir singing "Happy Birthday." Of course God pulled out all the stops for Jesus' birth.

But children aren't randomly born to parents. God orchestrates the right children to be born to the right parents.

Being the mom God wants you to be starts with the understanding of how important your job is in God's eyes. He entrusts you with one of his own children. He chose you out of all the moms in the world for this one child.

Remember, you, too, are highly favored by God himself to receive such a special gift.

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om Max on Life: Answers and Insights to Your Most Important Questions

Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 2011)

Max Lucadohttp://luca.do/max-on-life