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Thursday, Day 19: The Announcement

For Kids:

Jesus was born in a stable where the animals lived because there was no room for Mary and Joseph in the Inn.

When he was born there were no doctors or nurses…no hospital or bed. 

Instead Joseph and Mary placed their little new-born baby in a manger…the wooden thing that held the animal’s food.  They put some straw in it and wrapped the baby Jesus up in cloths to keep him warm and place him in the manger so he could sleep.

Here’s how God’s word described it:  Luke 2:6-7
6  While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,
7  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.

Five years ago I was asleep in my bed when the telephone rang in the middle of the night.
It was my son on the phone saying, “You have a new grandson that was born tonight, and his name is Leo”.
We were very happy…but that was not the end.

A few hours later - that same morning – we got another telephone call and it was my son-in-law on the phone saying, “You have 2 new grandchildren that were just born and their name is Raewyn and Theo.”
We were very happy all over again.

Three grandchildren were all born on this date.  Their parents made the announcement to us and we were very happy.

When Jesus was born God also wanted to make an announcement…but it was night, and there was no telephone.

God sent his angels to make the announcement…and he sent them to some shepherds who were watching over their sheep on the hillside outside of Bethlehem.

This is a longer section of God’s word, but it is worth reading as it describes what happened:

Luke 2:8-17
8  That night, some shepherds were in the fields nearby watching their sheep.
9  Then an angel of the Lord stood before them. The glory of the Lord was shining around them, and they became very frightened.
10  The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I am bringing you good news that will be a great joy to all the people.
11  Today your Savior was born in the town of David. He is Christ, the Lord.
12  This is how you will know him: You will find a baby wrapped in pieces of cloth and lying in a feeding box.“
13  Then a very large group of angels from heaven joined the first angel, praising God and saying:
14  “Give glory to God in heaven, and on earth let there be peace among the people who please God.“
15  When the angels left them and went back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem. Let’s see this thing that has happened which the Lord has told us about.“
16  So the shepherds went quickly and found Mary and Joseph and the baby, who was lying in a feeding box.
17  When they had seen him, they told what the angels had said about this child.

Did you imagine what was happening, and what it might have looked like.

Here’s a wonderful video to look at that helps us imagine it:

Five years ago, we got an announcement of our three new grandchildren, and it made us very happy!

When the angels came to the shepherds to tell them that Jesus was born, it was an announcement that made us all happy.


Here’s a page you can color to remember that God sent his angels to announce Jesus’ birth.



For Parents and Other Not Kids:

The story of Jesus’ birth is filled with intrigue.

Look at it again:
Luke 2:4-20
4  So Joseph left Nazareth, a town in Galilee, and went to the town of Bethlehem in Judea, known as the town of David. Joseph went there because he was from the family of David.
5  Joseph registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was now pregnant.
6  While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to have the baby,
7  and she gave birth to her first son. Because there were no rooms left in the inn, she wrapped the baby with pieces of cloth and laid him in a box where animals are fed.
8  That night, some shepherds were in the fields nearby watching their sheep.
9  Then an angel of the Lord stood before them. The glory of the Lord was shining around them, and they became very frightened.
10  The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I am bringing you good news that will be a great joy to all the people.
11  Today your Savior was born in the town of David. He is Christ, the Lord.
12  This is how you will know him: You will find a baby wrapped in pieces of cloth and lying in a feeding box.“
13  Then a very large group of angels from heaven joined the first angel, praising God and saying:
14  “Give glory to God in heaven, and on earth let there be peace among the people who please God.“
15  When the angels left them and went back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem. Let’s see this thing that has happened which the Lord has told us about.“
16  So the shepherds went quickly and found Mary and Joseph and the baby, who was lying in a feeding box.
17  When they had seen him, they told what the angels had said about this child.
18  Everyone was amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
19  But Mary treasured these things and continued to think about them.
20  Then the shepherds went back to their sheep, praising God and thanking him for everything they had seen and heard. It had been just as the angel had told them.

We live in a world of whatever is trending…sports, politics, the rich and famous, Hollywood and the glamorous

We hear the words spoken, and sometimes even inside of our own minds: “Wouldn’t it be great if….”

Mary and Joseph…two nobodies who travel 70+ miles to fulfill a duty put upon them by Government. 

They knew, but the governing authorities and all those they met along the way had no idea.

It was one of those “mustard seed” moments.

A baby, small, unknown, without rank or majesty, privilege or power…no sense of “look what is going on here”… No trending, no postings, no mass email announcements.

This is the Kingdom…it meets us in the inconsequential…in the mundane of everyday living.

When God came  to live among "us", he chose ordinary hardworking farmers...the kind of people I worship with week in and week out...to show his presence to.

Herod…he had no idea.

Caesar…Israel is the scum of his empire.

Shepherds…they went… “Go, see…”

As God did back then, he continues to show himself to people who are humble of heart, and willing to take a risk and "GO" to see what is happening...to "GO" to hear his word... to "GO" and then return...back home, back to life, back to the farm...but changed, glorifying, worshiping, telling others.

Peace

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