The Christmas we celebrate today is mostly about the Christmas tree, Santa Clause & gifts. It’s very different from the 1st Christmas, about 2000 years ago - but there are a few things we have preserved as tradition. Let’s take a walk back into history, and try to imagine how it was! :)
The Birth of Jesus
You might be familiar with this story.
Mary was engaged to Joseph, and they never had sex. Suddenly, she found that she was pregnant, through the Holy Spirit. Joseph was a good man. He didn’t want to disgrace Mary publicly, but he planned to divorce her quietly.
But when he was sleeping, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream & said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
So, when Joseph woke up, he decided to take Mary as his wife. But he did not have sex with her, until she gave birth. (Matthew 1:19-25)
During that time, Ceaser Augustus made it compulsory that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. So, everyone had to go back to their own hometown to register. Joseph belonged to the line of David, so he had to go to Bethlehem (the town of David). Joseph took Mary (who was expecting) to Bethlehem, to register themselves.
When they reached Bethelehem, the place was full. There were no rooms available in any of the motels or inns. But it was time for Mary to give birth!
She gave birth to a son, wrapped him in cloths & placed him in a manger ( a container to keep food & water for cows & horses to eat). Joseph named the baby, "Jesus," just as the Lord told him in his dream.
The First Carol
During Christmas, Christians like to sing carols (songs about Jesus’ birth).You might have seen a team of choir, singing from house to house, in the malls or in public places. (Carolling is one of my favourite things about Christmas! I love going from house to house, singing carols like “Silent Night,” “Gloria,” “O Holy Night” etc.)
Do you know where this idea of singing from house to house came from? Let’s have a look. (Luke 2:1-14)
When Mary gave birth to Jesus, there were shepherds living in the fields nearby. They were awake – watching their sheep at night.
Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared to them, & the glory of the Lord shone brightly around them. They were so afraid, but the angel said to them, “"Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ 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, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
This is the first Christmas carol / choir team that happened! Carols are to announce the birth of Christ, with great singing & joy!
The First Visit
The Birth of Jesus
You might be familiar with this story.
Mary was engaged to Joseph, and they never had sex. Suddenly, she found that she was pregnant, through the Holy Spirit. Joseph was a good man. He didn’t want to disgrace Mary publicly, but he planned to divorce her quietly.
But when he was sleeping, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream & said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
So, when Joseph woke up, he decided to take Mary as his wife. But he did not have sex with her, until she gave birth. (Matthew 1:19-25)
During that time, Ceaser Augustus made it compulsory that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. So, everyone had to go back to their own hometown to register. Joseph belonged to the line of David, so he had to go to Bethlehem (the town of David). Joseph took Mary (who was expecting) to Bethlehem, to register themselves.
When they reached Bethelehem, the place was full. There were no rooms available in any of the motels or inns. But it was time for Mary to give birth!
She gave birth to a son, wrapped him in cloths & placed him in a manger ( a container to keep food & water for cows & horses to eat). Joseph named the baby, "Jesus," just as the Lord told him in his dream.
The First Carol
During Christmas, Christians like to sing carols (songs about Jesus’ birth).You might have seen a team of choir, singing from house to house, in the malls or in public places. (Carolling is one of my favourite things about Christmas! I love going from house to house, singing carols like “Silent Night,” “Gloria,” “O Holy Night” etc.)
Do you know where this idea of singing from house to house came from? Let’s have a look. (Luke 2:1-14)
When Mary gave birth to Jesus, there were shepherds living in the fields nearby. They were awake – watching their sheep at night.
Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared to them, & the glory of the Lord shone brightly around them. They were so afraid, but the angel said to them, “"Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ 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, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
This is the first Christmas carol / choir team that happened! Carols are to announce the birth of Christ, with great singing & joy!
The First Visit
When the angels left & went back to heaven, the shepherds decided to go to Bethlehem & check out what the Lord told them.
Just as the angels said, they found Mary, Joseph & the baby, 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. (Luke 2: 15-20)
The First Gifts
During Christmas, we have gift exchanges & everyone loves presents! The first presents given during Christmas, were not to each other, but to baby Jesus! It was gold, myrrh & frankincense.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”
King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”
“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:
‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,
are not least among the ruling cities[c] of Judah,
for a ruler will come from you
who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.”
Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. 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!”
After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in 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, they were filled with joy!
They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense (a type of incense), and myrrh (sweet smelling perfume).
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.(Matthew 2:1-12 )
So there you have it - the story of our very FIRST CHRISTMAS…when the Child was born :)
Isaiah 9:6
6 For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor,[a] Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.div>
No comments:
Post a Comment