website/blog/unto-us-a-child-is-born.rst

.. title: Unto us a child is born!
.. slug: 2010/12/25/unto-us-a-child-is-born
.. date: 2010-12-25 18:12:20 UTC
.. tags: 
.. description: 

From all of us OpenLP folks, we would like to wish everyone a blessed
Christmas. We pray that your day is (or has been) filled with joy,
happiness, and reflection on His birth and His message. Let's not get
carried away by the presents and the food and the celebrations, but take
time to think about the "reason for the season".

    About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken
    throughout the Empire. This was the first census when Quirinius was
    governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral
    hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town
    of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David's town, for the census.
    As a descendant of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his
    fiancée, who was pregnant.

    While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave
    birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid
    him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel.

    There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set
    night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God's angel stood among
    them and God's glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The
    angel said, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and
    joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has
    just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master.
    This is what you're to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and
    lying in a manger."

    At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God's
    praises:

    *Glory to God in the heavenly heights,
    Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.*

    As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it
    over. "Let's get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for
    ourselves what God has revealed to us." They left, running, and
    found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was
    believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said
    about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed.

    Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep
    within herself. The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying
    and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned
    out exactly the way they'd been told!

    Luke 1:1-20 (The Message)