Tell me the story of Jesus
In the birth of Jesus Heaven met earth and Deity became clothed with humanity. We do not know when Jesus was born, but the world pauses to reflect on it at this time of the year. I feel it is very important and we should reflect on it all through the year, because the combined births of all the Kings, Queens, Presidents, Scientists and others deemed important do not compare with the importance of the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.
Tell me the story of Jesus!
Luke 1:26-33-NKJV
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”
29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
In these verses in Gabriel’s announcement of the birth of Jesus to Mary many details were given to her. The Gender of the child, Son, His name, Jesus. He will be the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.
Mary then in Luke 1 verses 46-55 gives a beautiful magnification of God and in such she acknowledges her low estate and magnifies God for His Grace, power, holiness, justice and benevolence.
Luke 1:46-55-NKJV
46 And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
48 For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. 49 For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. 50 And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He has put down the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly. 53 He as filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty. 54 He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy, 55 As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever.”
What a great example of how we today should give all praise to God being thankful He is ever-present in our lives today!
Tell me the Story of Jesus! Let us continue as we look at the announcement to Joseph:
Matthew 1:18-25-NKJV
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” 24 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, 25 and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.
The Bible says that Mary was betrothed to Joseph or engaged as we would say today. Among the Jews this was as binding as being married, so when Joseph discovered her condition, he naturally assumed she had been unfaithful. Imagine how the people talked! The Angel of the Lord explained to Joseph in a dream the miraculous conception. We can easily follow the birth of our Savior through scripture. Jesus was born in Bethlehem fulfilling the prophecy of Micah in
Micah 5:2-NKJV-2 “But you, Bethlehem (Eff rat ha) Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”
Turning to the New Testament Luke records in:
Luke 2:1-7-NKJV
2 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
As I see it there were many wrongs that led to the rights! Mary became Pregnant, unwed and engagement almost over. Think how people talked! Think how Joseph must have felt! Mary did nothing wrong. You might say these were all divine detours and we see that through all these incidents God was in control. Mary was with child and traveled approximately 68-90 miles most likely on a Donkey. When they arrived surprise, surprise there was no room in the Inn. Guess what Mary you’re sleeping in a manger! Mary was under the providential care of an almighty God. God allows things for a reason, and both He and His plans are good.
Romans 8:28-NKJV
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Have these things happened to you? Has anything in your life been hard, maybe all seemed lost? Maybe people talked? Plans get changed suddenly not to our liking. We go through life and many times want to blame the Devil for anything that doesn’t go our way. Have we ever stopped to think that God’s providential hand is at play?
Tell me the story of Jesus for my life.
Is there room for Jesus in the Inn, of your heart? Does Jesus live in your home, your office or at work? Too often there is no room for Jesus in the grind of our business world, in the regular day to day job or in the home. In a strong Christian family and individual God is a choice that we make, and we make it every day! I love the way Joshua put it.
Joshua 24:15-NKJV
15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua brings to attention how there must be a choice. Do we follow after God’s heart or are we selfishly striking out on our own thinking we are in control until we find the need that we have for God.
Tell me The Story of Jesus
It’s one of surprise and hardship for Mary and Joseph. Finding out the news, traveling and finding no room in the Inn.
It’s one of Glory, as the Messiah, Jesus is born, lived perfectly and died upon the cross for the sins of the world.
It’s one of Hope because in Jesus’s death, burial and Resurrection, we find forgiveness of our sins as we obey the gospel.
Romans 6:3-6-NKJV
3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
WHAT IS POSSIBLE WHEN THERE IS HOPE
Joyce Hollyday tells the story of a schoolteacher who was assigned to visit children in a large city hospital who received a routine call requesting that she visit a particular child. The teacher took the boy’s name and room number and was told by the teacher on the other end of the line, "We’re studying nouns and adverbs in this class now. I’d be grateful if you could help him with his homework, so he doesn’t fall behind the others." It wasn’t until the visiting teacher got outside the boy’s room that she realized that it was located in the hospital’s burn unit. No one had prepared her to find a young boy horribly burned and in great pain. The teacher felt that she couldn’t just turn around and walk out. And so she stammered awkwardly, "I’m the hospital teacher, and your teacher sent me to help you with nouns and adverbs." This boy was in so much pain that he barely responded. The young teacher stumbled through his English lesson, ashamed at putting him through such a senseless exercise. The next morning a nurse on the burn unit asked her, "What did you do to that boy?" Before the teacher could finish her outburst of apologies, the nurse interrupted her: "You don’t understand. We’ve been very worried about him. But ever since you were here yesterday, his whole attitude has changed. He’s fighting back; he’s responding to treatment. It’s as if he has decided to live. "The boy later explained that he had completely given up hope until he saw the teacher. It all changed when he came to a simple realization. With joyful tears, the boy said: "They wouldn’t send a teacher to work on nouns and adverbs with a boy who was dying, would they?"
This wonderful story invites us to celebrate the gift of life even when all we seem to see around us is pain and disappointment and brokenness. It shows us that on the other side of pain, there is resurrection. It reminds us of what is possible whenever there is hope.
Tell me the story of Jesus- Hope of life eternal when we obey His words! Have you Let Jesus come into your heart today? Is there room in the Inn, your heart for the Savior.
