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- The Christmas Story -
( The Birth Of Jesus )
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version by Carl Vasta
use the MP3 player below
[ Podcast published 12-22-2020 on Spreaker.com ]
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THE BEGINNING OF
THE NEW TESTAMENT
The new testament begins with two writers: MATTHEW, the tax-collector who was chosen by Jesus to become his apostle and LUKE, who was not one of the twelve apostles but through close association wrote the events related to him by those who were there.
GABRIEL ANNOUNCES
JOHN THE BAPTIST'S BIRTH
THE BOOK OF LUKE starts with the story of a priest of the Temple in Jerusalem named Zachariah, who is told by the angel Gabriel that his wife Elizabeth, is going to bear a child even though they are both very old. Gabriel tells Zachariah the child's name shall be called John and he shall call many people to return to God and announce the coming of the Messiah! Zachariah finds these things hard to believe and for his disbelief, the angel makes him unable to speak until the baby is born!
GABRIEL ANNOUNCES
THE BIRTH OF JESUS
The angel Gabriel appears to a young virgin girl named Mary, who lives in
the city of Nazareth and is engaged to a man named Joseph, of the family of David. Gabriel
tells Mary that she will conceive and bear a son and give him the name Jesus. "He
will be worthy of great honor and will be called, 'Son of God'. The Lord God will make him a king
like his ancestor David was, and he will be the king of the descendants of Jacob forever; and his kingdom will never
end."
Mary is troubled and surprised by Gabriel's words and she says to the angel, "How can this
be, for I am a virgin and have not slept with any man?" The angel tells her, "The
Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will put the child in you.
For this reason the holy child will be called the Son of God.'
Then Gabriel tells Mary about her relative Elizabeth who is now six months pregnant
even though she is very old. For there is nothing that God cannot do."
Mary says to Gabriel, "I am the Lord's servant, may it happen to me as you have said."
Mary goes to see Elizabeth and remains with her for about three months, then returns home.
ELIZABETH GIVES BIRTH TO A SON
Elizabeth gives birth to a son and when the neighbors and relatives assemble for the circumcision of the child, they intend to name him after his father, Zachariah. Elizabeth says, "No! His name is to be John." They point out to her that none of the relatives have that name, then using signs they ask Zachariah what he wishes the child to be called. On a writing tablet he writes, "His name is to be John." All are astonished and at that moment Zechariah's mouth is opened and he begins to speak in praise of God.
( Found in the Book of Luke: Chapter 1 )
THE BOOK OF MATTHEW
The book of MATTHEW starts with the genealogy from Abraham to King David and through to Joseph, husband of Mary, who is the Virgin Mother of Jesus Christ. This is where Matthew joins Luke in telling the story of Jesus birth.
JOSEPH DECIDES TO BREAK
THE ENGAGEMENT TO MARY
Joseph decides to break the engagement to Mary quietly and not expose her to
public ridicule because she is pregnant. The angel of the Lord comes to Joseph in a dream
and tells him: "Joseph, son of David, have no fear about taking Mary as your
wife. It is by the Holy Spirit that she has conceived this child. She is to have a
son and you are to name him Jesus because he will save his people from their sins."
All this happened to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet Isaiah concerning the
birth of the Messiah:
"A virgin shall be with child and give birth to a son,
and they shall call him Immanuel"
( Isaiah:7:14 )
A name which means "God is with us". Joseph does as the angel of the Lord tells him and accepts Mary as his wife.
( Found in the Book of Matthew: Chapter 1 )
EMPEROR AUGUSTUS
ORDERS A CENSUS
Emperor Augustus orders a census to be taken throughout the Roman Empire, so everyone has to return to his ancestral home for registration. Joseph, who is a descendant of David, returns to his native city of Bethlehem in Judea to register. Traveling with him is Mary, who is soon to have a child.
The city is crowded with others who have come to register and no rooms are available so they take shelter with the animals.
MARY GIVES BIRTH TO A SON
Mary gives birth to a son and she wraps him in bands of cloth and lays him in a
manger.
Angels appear to shepherds tending flocks in the fields near there and say to them:
"Don't be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all
the people.
This very day in David's town your Savior is born--Christ the Lord! And this is what will
prove it to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
( A manger is a feeding trough or box to hold hay for horses or cattle to eat )
Suddenly a great army of heaven's angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God:
"Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those
with whom he is pleased"
The shepherds hurry off to Bethlehem and find the baby lying a manger. They tell Mary and Joseph about what the angels told them and all who hear what the shepherds say are amazed.
After the eighth day, the baby is circumcised and given the name Jesus as the angel had told Mary and Joseph. The time came for them to take Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, because every first born is to be dedicated to the Lord according to the law of Moses.
( Found in the Book of Luke: Chapter 2 )
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
ABOUT THE DATE OF JESUS BIRTH
In the ancient times near the beginning of creation, mankind's calendar was measured by
length of the days and nights, the position of the stars and the cycle of the moon.
The Chaldean and Egyptian astrologers became quite learned on the movement of the astronomical
bodies. The Jewish calendar was measured in terms of harvest times, the ripening of
the fruit on the trees, the rainy winter months and religious festivals.
In 46 B.C., Julius Caesar's calendar made a great advance over contemporary calendars and
had 365 and 1/4 days a year. This was to be the start of the Christian Era Calendar, meaning
everything that happened before the birth of Christ was noted B.C., and everything that
happened after the birth of Christ was noted A.D. (Anno Domini) Latin for "in the year of our
Lord".
This Christian Era calendar was introduced to the world in the sixth century or 600 A.D.
There was a start error in this calendar and it is now agreed that the beginning of the era should
have been fixed at least four years earlier. So instead of Jesus being born at 1 A.D.,
it is thought he was born in 5 B.C.
( Found in the Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary )
Check out this link:
"Why We Should Celebrate Christmas"
( Paraphrased Quotes From Jesus )
ASTROLOGERS COME
FROM THE EAST
Astrologers come from the east to King Herod asking, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We observed his star at it's rising and have come to pay him honor."
"his star" is foretold in the book of
( Numbers: Chapter 24:verse 17 )
King Herod is greatly disturbed along with the rest of Jerusalem and asks the priest and scribes
where the Messiah was to be born?
They reply, "In Bethlehem of Judea, and here is what the prophet Micah has written:
'And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the princes of Judah, since from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.'"
( Micah - Chapter 5:verse 1 )
Herod sends the astrologers to Bethlehem and instructs them to return with information about the child so that he can pay homage to the Messiah too.
THE ASTROLOGERS
FIND THE BABY JESUS
The Astrologers find the baby Jesus with Joseph and Mary, and present their precious
gifts. They are warned in a dream not to return to Herod and they return to their country
by another route.
Joseph receives a message from an angel of the Lord in a dream:
"Get up and take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you
otherwise. Herod is searching for the child to destroy him." Joseph takes Mary and
the baby Jesus to Egypt.
Herod realizes he has been deceived by the astrologers and becomes furious. He orders the killing of all the male babies younger than two years old in Bethlehem and the regions surrounding the city.
Then what was said by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:
"A cry was heard at Ramah, sobbing and loud lamentation: Rachel bewailing her children; no comfort for her, since they are no more."
( Jeremiah: Chapter 31:verse 15 )
HEROD DIES
Herod dies and is succeeded by his son, Archelaus, as king of Judea. Joseph is told by an angel of the Lord in a dream to take Mary and the child and return to Israel, fulfilling what was said by the Lord through the prophet Hosea:
"Out of Egypt I have called my son."
( Hosea: Chapter 11:verse 1 )
Joseph hears that Herod's son is now king and he is afraid to go back to Judea, but he is guided by God to settle in the city of Nazareth, in Galilee.
( Found in Matthew: Chapter 2:verses 22-23 )
MARY AND JOSEPH LOSE JESUS
in Jerusalem at the feast of Passover when he is twelve
years old. On the third day searching, they find him in the temple, sitting
with the teachers, listening and asking questions. All who hear him are amazed at his
understanding and his answers.
When his parents saw him they were astonished, and his mother said to him: "Son why have
you done this to us? You see that your father and I have been searching for you in sorrow."
His parents did not understand when Jesus asks them 'why they did not know that he would be in his
Father's house?' Jesus returns with his parents and is obedient to them.
( Found in the Book of Luke: Chapter 2:verse 41 )
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the first quote by Jesus in the New Testament.
I would have you to notice that even though Mary and Joseph did not understand what Jesus had asked them, the scripture says,
'Jesus returned with his parents and was obedient to them.'
As Jesus, the Son Of God, was obedient to his earthly parents, let us strive to be obedient to the commands of
our crucified and raised savior Jesus Christ, and wait faithfully until he returns to take us home with him.
MAY GOD BLESS YOU
AND YOUR LOVED ONES
THIS CHRISTMAS AND ALWAYS
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Paraphrased Quotes From Jesus
2006
-------
January---------Lazarus And The Rich Man
February-------The Greatest Commandment ("about love")
March-----------The Lost Sheep / The Lost Son
April-------------Meaning Of Easter / 3 Examples From Jesus
May--------------The Worry Of Daily Life
June-------------The Ten Lepers
July--------------The Good Samaritan
August----------How To Give and How To Pray
September-----The Un-believing Towns
October---------Signs Revealing Christ's Return To Earth
November------The Last Supper
December------Why We Should Celebrate Christmas
2007
-------
January--------The Things That Make A Person Unclean
February-------Marriage, Adultery, and Divorce
March-----------Jesus Chooses The Apostles
April-------------The Coming Persecutions For The Believers
May--------------Jesus Feeds 5000 Men ( part 1 )
June-------------Jesus Walks On The Water ( part 2 )
July--------------The Bread Of Life ( part 3 )
August----------The Meaning Of The Cross
September-----Jonah And The Whale
October---------Jesus And The Devil ( Satan )
November------Jesus And The Sabbath ( The Day Of Rest )
December------The Christmas Story ( The Birth Of Jesus )
A New Feature..... For Free!
The Storyline Of The Bible
There are at least 66 books that make up the bible. Sometimes, trying to follow a storyline is difficult because there are books that
are good for support and prayer like Wisdom, Job, Psalms,
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I have put the Storyline of the Bible into 19 easy to read pages that you can print out!
And now you can listen... FREE! to the Storyline read by Kathy Bird.
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If you ever wanted to know what the Bible
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If you don't have a bible, just use Bible Gateway
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just enter in the top box:
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the chapter number, ( Chapter 3 )
and the verse number ( Verse 16 )
like this example ( John 3:16 )
click on the Search BibleGateway.com
and you can read or hear it read to you
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