Christmas Story

Luke 2 & Matthew 2

Shema – Hebrew

Shema Israel, Adonai elohenu – Adonai echad

Ve’ahavta et Adonai eloeikahB’khol levavkahUve’khol naphshekahUve’khol m’odekahVe’ahavta le’reacha Kamocha, Amen

Shema

Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God. The Lord alone. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.

And Love your neighbor as yourself. Amen.

Luke 2:1-4

• 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 his 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.

Census

• Issued about 8 BC• Takes a few years to get to outlying districts• Window of time to register• Joseph’s family – may have issues with

registering

No Donkey

• A donkey would be like having their own private limo

• They were poor, Luke 2:24, offering of poor• Mary walked like everyone else

Possible Route

• Jesus probably born about 6 BC• We don’t know how far along Mary was when

they got to Bethlehem

Luke 2:5-7

• 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 room for them in the inn.

Manger

Manger and Cistern

Stable

Movie of Stable

Stables near Bethlehem

Town like Bethlehem

Inn – spare room

Luke 2:8

• And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.

Sheep in “Fields”

Shepherds with Sheep

Area around Bethlehem

Farm Fields

Desert pasture

Matthew 2:1-3

• After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

Spice Route – Wise men

Ancient road to Bethlehem

Matthew 2:7-8

• Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

Herodium – Herod’s palace

Matthew 2:9-11

• After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.

Luke 2:39

• When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.

• They were possibly in Nazareth when the magi came and Herod ordered the babies killed.

• Came to the “house” – not stable• Could be up to 2 years after birth of Jesus

Jewish Festivals

• Rosh Hashanah – Feast of Trumpets (Sept. 9)– Announce coming of the king– 10 day time of reflection and repentance

• Yom Kippur (Sept. 18)– Day of Atonement– Sins are taken away – scapegoat

• Sukkot – Feast of Tabernacles (Sept. 23-29)– God “tabernacles” with us, lives with us– Ends with ceremony and prayers for rain – living

water

Next Week

• John the Baptizer and Jesus Baptism• Matthew 3• Mark 1• Luke 3