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Nineveh Presbyterian Church |
| PO Box 115 Nineveh New York 13813 |
A New Testament Bible Story - The Birth of Jesus
In the time of the Emperor Augustus, a decree was made that a census would be taken of all people throughout the Roman Empire. At the appointed date, each family was to returned to the ancestral town of the husband and register for the census. Joseph was a descendant of King David, so they traveled to Bethlehem in Judea. He and Mary, his bride, made this trip. Mary, pregnant, would soon give birth to Jesus. It was a long, hard, journey and their donkey made it much more bearable for Mary.
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The roads were full of people traveling back to the home town of their family.When Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem there was no lodging. The entire town was full of travelers like themselves. They found a small stable for their donkey and the owners of the stable invited them to stay there. It was the only place available. They thanked the owner and settled into the sheltered building for the night. That night, the baby was born. Jesus was Mary's first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in warm, soft, cloth and laid him in the clean hay of the stable's manger. The baby was clean, warm and they were very happy.
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That same night shepherds were staying with their sheep in a pasture near Bethlehem.
" This is going to be a cold night."
" What's that light ? It's coming this way ! "
" The sheep don't seem to mind it. Look how bright ! ! ! "
Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them.
“ Don’t be afraid ! ”
“ I bring good news that is great joy to all people.The Savior, the Messiah, the Lord is born today in Bethlehem. You will find a baby wrapped snugly in warm cloth, lying in a manger.”
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The angels had returned to heaven.
" Well, I'm not cold any more. "
" What did they say ? The Messiah is born. Wow ! "
" I'd just say wow to those folks. Who were they ? "
" They must be angels. Wait till I tell Mother and the kids. "
" No, the sheep will be fine, let’s go to Bethlehem ! "
" To see the Messiah ? "
" Yes, there must be a reason that angels came to us. "
" How will we find him ? "
" Messiah or not, do you think you can keep a birth secret in Bethlehem. "
" Yes, Let’s see this thing that has happened, the Lord is born in Bethlehem."
So, they hurried to the village and found Mary, Jesus and Joseph. There was Jesus, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. Everyone in Bethlehem who heard the shepherds’ story was astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and over the years thought about them often.
The shepherds returned to their families and sheep.They remembered this day all of their lives. Each would retell the story glorifying and praising God for His wonderful gift.
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" Angels
spoke to you too ? " " Yes, they have. " " Then you know. " " Yes. " " Son of God ? " " Yes. " " What does it mean ? " " We're not sure, yet. " |
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When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Herod was the Roman king of Israel. About that time three wise men, from a land to the east, arrived in Jerusalem, asking: “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star and have come to worship him.”
Herod did not want anyone to be "king" of the Jews except him. So he called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when they first saw this special star. Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too ! ”
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And the star they had followed from the east guided them to Bethlehem.
It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.
When they saw the star had stopped, they were filled with joy!
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" This must be
the town, Bethlehem." "Those priests back in Jerusalem, they had an ancient prophesy, how did it go: And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.” |
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When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.
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After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother, and stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” |
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