12-23-18
Luke
2:1-40 ESV
Tonight,
as we honor the Christ-babe, it would be poor of us if we would not read the
Word of His Birth.
And
in that, we will be reading:
Luke
2:1-40 English Standard Version (ESV)
And
if you would join me in Respect to God’s Word,
If
you are able, Let us stand as we read His Holy Word.
The Birth of Jesus Christ
2 In those days a
decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should
be registered.
2 This was the
first registration when Quirinius (Corin-U-us) was
governor of Syria. (Cer-E-a)
3 And all went to be
registered, each to his own town.
4 And Joseph also went
up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to 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, who was with child.
6 And while they were
there, the time came for her to give birth.
7 And she gave birth to her
firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a
manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
8 And in the same region
there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by
night.
9 And an angel of the
Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were filled with great fear.
10 And the angel said to
them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be
for all the people.
11 For unto you is born
this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the
Lord.
12 And this will be a
sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying
in a manger.”
13 And suddenly there was
with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth,
and on earth,
peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
15 When the angels went away
from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to
Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known
to us.”
16 And they went with haste
and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.
17 And when they saw it, they
made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.
18 And all who heard it
wondered at what the shepherds told them.
19 But Mary treasured up
all these things, pondering them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds
returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as
it had been told them.
21 And at the end of
eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given
by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
22 And when the time
came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up
to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord
23 (as it is written
in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be
called holy to the Lord”)
24 and to offer a sacrifice
according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of
turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”
25 Now there was a man in
Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon (Sim-E-on), and this man was righteous
and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy
Spirit was upon him.
26 And it had been revealed
to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had
seen the Lord's Christ.
27 And he came in the Spirit
into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do
for him according to the custom of the Law,
28 he took him up in his arms
and blessed God and said,
29 “Lord, now you are letting
your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen
your salvation
31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
33 And his father and
his mother marveled at what was said about him.
34 And Simeon (Sim-E-on)
blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is
appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a
sign that is opposed
35 (and a sword will pierce
through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be
revealed.”
36 And there was a
prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, (Fanual) of the tribe of Asher. She
was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she
was a virgin,
37 and then as a widow until
she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping
with fasting and prayer night and day.
38 And coming up at that very
hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who
were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
39 And when they had
performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into
Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.
40 And the child grew and
became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.
Amen.
Please – be
seated.
Now that is
the basics of it. But is that where you stop? At the basics of it?
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth,
and on earth,
peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Two
Babes In The Manger
Luke
2:1-14
Cast
Storyteller
1
Storyteller
2
Teacher
Misha
(Storytellers
1 and 2 stand at left and right. The Teacher stands in the center. Misha
remains seated until he "enters." An adult can play the part of
Misha, but the piece is more effective if a child takes the role)
Storyteller
1: Soon after the fall of the Soviet Union, the Russian Department of Education
invited two American Christian teachers to give a series of courses on biblical
principles in Russian public institutions.
Storyteller
2: The two Americans taught in prisons, to police and fire departments, and at
military installations. One of their stops was a large orphanage for children
who had been abused or abandoned.
Storyteller
1: Since it was nearing the Christmas season, one of the teachers decided to
tell the children, through the Russian translator, the story of the birth of
Jesus.
Teacher:
Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem but, because of all the travelers, they
could not find a room in any of the inns. The couple went to the stable, with
all the animals, and there Jesus was born. Since they had no cradle for him,
they laid Jesus in a manger. In the fields nearby, there were shepherds ...
Storyteller
2: Throughout the story the children listened in amazement. They had never
heard this story before.
Storyteller
1: When she had finished the story, the teacher opened up a box she had brought
with her.
Teacher:
Boys and girls, I have brought with me, from America, a box of colored paper
and cardboard and strips of felt. I'm going to give each of you a few pieces
and I will teach you how to make a Nativity scene of your own - with Mary,
Joseph, the manger, and the baby Jesus.
Storyteller
1: The children, who had never had much in the way of play things or art
supplies, were delighted. They busily set about cutting, tearing, and folding
the materials.
Storyteller
2: The teacher walked around the room examining what the children were doing.
She was very pleased.
Teacher:
My, they certainly have come up with an amazing variety of Nativity scenes.
(Misha
stands)
Storyteller
1: Finally, she came to little Misha, a boy of about six, and was startled to
find that he had ... two babies in his manger.
Teacher:
Oh, dear! No, no, Misha!
Storyteller
2: So she said to the translator,
Teacher:
Tell him there is only one baby in the manger.
Storyteller:
But, through the translator, little Misha insisted,
Misha:
No, no. Two babies!
Teacher:
He must have misunderstood me. Ask him why he has two babies in his manger.
Storyteller
1: The little boy responded, through the translator, by retelling the story
that he had just heard.
Misha:
An angel appeared to a young woman named Mary and told her that she would be
the mother of the Savior of the world ...
Storyteller
2: Misha recounted the story with great accuracy ... until he came to the part
where Mary put Jesus in the manger. Then it became his story.
Misha:
And when Mary laid the baby in the manger, little Jesus looked at me and asked
me if I had a place to stay. I told him that I had no mama and no papa, so I
didn't have a place to stay. Then, Jesus told me that I could stay with him. I
told him that I didn't have a gift for him, like everybody else. Jesus said
that I could keep him warm and that would be the best gift anybody ever gave
him. I got into the manger with him and Jesus looked at me and told me that I
could stay with him - for always.
Storyteller
1: The teachers, the translator, and the orphanage staff all had tears in their
eyes. Little Misha had understood the story of the birth of Jesus better than
any of them.
Storyteller
2: For the birth of Jesus means that, no matter who or what we are, there is
always a place for us in the manger and that we can stay with Jesus - for
always.
The
End
