We must suffer persecution as Jesus Christ had suffered persecution. -Romans 8:17
Also. Rd. Ecclesiastes 3 & I Corinthians 13
Love come down at Christmas
For God so loved the world that he gave his one & only son that whosoever believeth on him shall have life
everlasting. -John 3:16
Love come down at Christmas
love all lovely, love divine;
love was born at Christmas-
star & angels gave the sign.
worship we the Godhead,
love incarnate, love divine;
worship we our Jesus-
what shall be our sacred sign?
Love shall be our token,
love be yours & love be mine;
love to God & neighbor,
love for prayer & gift & sign.
Christina Rossetti, 1883
The Christmas Story
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered... All
went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazereth in Galilee to Judea,
to the city of David called Bethlehelm, because he was descended from the house & family of David. He
went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged & who was expecting a child.
While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. & she gave birth to her firstborn son
& wrapped him in bands of cloth, & laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then
an angel of the Lord stood before them, & the glory of the Lord shone around them, & they were terrified.
But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see- I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the
people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a
sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth & lying in a manger."
& suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God & saying, "Glory to be God in
the highest heaven, & on earth peace among those whom he favors!"
When the angels had left them & gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to
Bethlehelm & see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste
& found Mary & Joseph, & the child lying in the manger.
When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child, & all who heard it were
amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words & pondered them in her heart. The
shepherds returned, glorifying & praising God all they had heard & seen, as it had been told them. -Luke 2:1, 3-20
Christ Reveals His Glory
A wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, &
Jesus & his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When
the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."
Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial
washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the
servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.
Then he told them, "Now draw some out & take it to the master of the banquet."
They did so, & the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been
turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from,
though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called
the bridegroom aside & said, "Everyone brings out the choice
wine first & then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too
much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."
This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana in Galilee.
He thus revealed his glory, & his disciples put their
faith in him -John 2:1-3, 6-11
Magi Come Seeking
After Jesus was born in Bethlehelm in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to
Jerusalem & asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east & have
come to worship him."
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, & all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the
people's chief priests & teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. "In Bethlehelm in
Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written:
'But you, Bethlehelm, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of
you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'"
Then Herod called the Magai secretly & found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent
them to Bethlehelm & said, "Go & make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that
I too may go to & worship him."
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, & 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, & they bowed down & worshipped him. Then they opened
their treasures & presented him with gifts of gold & of incense & of myrrh. & having been warned in a dream not to
go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. -Matthew 2:1-12
The Child of Promise
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: his mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but
before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband
was a righteous man & did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream & said, "Joseph son of David,
don't be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, cause what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give
birth to a son, & you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child & will give
birth to a son, & they will call him Immanuel" -which means, "God with us." -Matthew 1:18-23
All of this is coming from the Hope Publishing Company, Carol Stream, Il. 60138
Amen. Jesus 24-7ths. Jesus everyday & not just Christmas time. Well. Praise the Lord. Rd. Psalm 1
Hallelujah
