Merry Christmas

It's Christmas Day, the day Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, the son of God who would live a perfect life in our place, because we are sinners, a trait we inherited from Adam. Because God loves us, every one of us, He made a plan for our salvation that only His son could earn.

Jesus lived the life we can't and paid the ultimate price for sin with his death on the cross, then defeated the devil by defeating the power of death itself with His resurrection. 

This is the culmination of promises and prophecy. Read the story of His humble beginnings below in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 2.

A nativity set outside Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Sun Prairie, WI. 12/ 2020 dwm photo

The Birth of Jesus 

Luke 2: 1 - 21

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born. and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. 

 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying:

"Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."  

 

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 

 

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. 

 

On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.