Storytrail -
To Bethlehem
Caesar Augustus caused a big problem to Joseph when he called a census and required people to return to their home city which, for Joseph, was Bethlehem. This was about 80 miles from Nazareth. He would need to get a heavily pregnant Mary safely to Bethlehem and then find some accommodation once they got there.
The Bible only has one verse about the accommodation. That is in Luke’s gospel and says, “And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” (Luk 2:7) So the manger suggests that the accommodation was a place for the animals, a stable or a cave.
The Shepherds
Shepherds were the first to be told of the birth of Jesus. An angel told them that they would find the Messiah wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger. The angel was then joined by “a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!" (Luk 2:8-
Having found Mary and Joseph, and Jesus lying in the manger, the shepherds rushed to tell others – glorifying and praising God.
Challenge 5
Are we as enthusiastic about Jesus as the Shepherds were?
As obedient Jewish parents, Joseph and Mary had Jesus circumcised on the eighth day.
Then, after 40 days, they went to the temple to perform sacrifices associated with Mary’s purification after birth. Although it wasn’t necessary, they took Jesus with them. At the Temple a righteous and devout man called Simeon and a prophetess called Anna both prophesied with joy and praised God for his gift to humankind. (Luke 2:22-
The Magi
Matthew records that magi also came to look for Jesus. There were probably more than 3 but the fact that they brought 3 gifts has led to the tradition of “We three kings”. They weren’t kings. They weren’t really wise men. They were magi, diviners and astrologers, probably from the royal court of the king of Persia, following a star. The bible forbids divination and astrology so it speaks volumes about the grace of God that these pagans, following pagan ways, were nevertheless led to Jesus -
The Magi had gone to Jerusalem to start with because this was where the royal palace was, currently the palace of King Herod. Those in Jerusalem who knew their bible and understood the prophecy (from Micah 5:2) pointed them in the direction of Bethlehem.
Challenge 6
Are we able to see the continuity between the Old Testament and the New Testament as a continuous gospel message?
Herod was an evil man who saw Jesus as a threat and wanted him eradicated so he asked the magi to come back and tell him where they had found Jesus.
Well they did find Jesus. We can’t be sure of the time scale here but the nativity play scenes which show the magi squeezing in to a stable with the shepherds are really poetic license. By the time the magi arrived Matthew tells us that Joseph, Mary and Jesus were living in a house, not a stable.
Although the shepherds and the magi will have visited at different times, I still think that it is significant that, among the first people to have Christ revealed to them, were the lowly shepherds and the pagan magi. Jesus came to rescue the lost.
In dreams God warned the wise men not to return to Herod and warned Joseph to flee with his family to Egypt.
When he realised that the magi had tricked him,Herod was furious and ordered the killing of all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under. This carnage reminds us how God’s plans will always be opposed by evil and ruthless men. But they will never be thwarted.
Challenge 7
The challenge to us today when we see evil and ruthless men replicating the violence of Herod is to know that Gods’s plans will not be thwarted. The light shining in the darkness will never be extinguished.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
John 1:5 .