The Story of Christmas

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. 
Luke 2:1-20

Merry Christmas everyone!

Rights of Sons

But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.  Galatians 4:4-5

We Are Loved

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16

Gifts

Then the Magi opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.  Matthew 2:11b

Worship Him

On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.  Matthew 2:11a

The Star

The star the Magi had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.  Matthew 2:9b-10

King of the Jews

The Magi asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."  Matthew 2:2

Magi

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem...  Matthew 2:1

Glorifying and Praising

The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.  Luke 2:20

Treasured and Pondered

When the shepherds had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.  Luke 2:17-19

The Gift

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  Luke 2:16

Shepherds

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."  Luke 2:15

Peace on Earth

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."  Luke 2:13-14

Savior

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.  Luke 2:11-12

Good News

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people."  Luke 2:8-10

Manger

While Mary and Joseph were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in clothes and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.  Luke 2:6-7

House and Line of David

Everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.  Luke 2:3-5

Census

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.  Luke 2:1

Immanuel

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.  Isaiah 7:14

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel which means, "God with us."  Matthew 1:22-23

Joseph's Dream

Joseph also had a message from an angel of the Lord. The angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.  Matthew 1:20-21, 24

Lord's Servant

Even though Mary was completely surprised by the news the angel had given her, she responded by saying, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.  Luke 1:38

Kingdom Will Never End

The angel also told Mary "The Lord God will give Jesus the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."  Luke 1:32b-33

Jesus

The angel told Mary, "You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. Jesus will grow up to be great and will be called the Son of the Most High."  Luke 1:31-32a

Greetings

"The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greetings this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God."  Luke 1: 28-30

Gabriel

"In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary."  Luke 1:26-27