Part One
The Early Years · Luke 1–2 · Matthew 1–2
The Promise
In the sixth month of Elizabeth's with-child, God sent forth the angel Gabriel unto a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
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“"Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS."”
— Luke 1:30-31 · King James BibleThere came upon her a stillness she had not known before. The lamp burned low, and then the room was filled with a light that was not of any candle — and Gabriel stood before her, glorious and terrible, the messenger of the Most High God. Fear not, said he, for thou hast found favour with God. And Mary, trembling, bowed her head. Behold the handmaid of the Lord, she answered. Be it unto me according to thy word.
And the angel departed from her. But the word he had spoken did not depart. It took root within her, as a seed in good ground — holy, hidden, and sure. The Son of the Highest was coming into the world, and He would come through her. The covenant of God was not in temples made with hands. It was in the willing heart of a young woman in Nazareth who said: Yes.
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Mary's Song
And Mary arose in those days and went with haste into the hill country of Judaea, unto the house of Zacharias, where she greeted Elisabeth.
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“"My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour."”
— Luke 1:46-47 · King James BibleWhen Mary's voice came to Elisabeth's ears, the babe leaped within her womb, and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost. She cried out with a loud voice: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb! And why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
Then Mary opened her mouth and sang — and it was not merely a song, but a proclamation. He that is mighty hath done to me great things, and holy is His name. His mercy is on them that fear Him from generation to generation. He hath put down the mighty from their seats and exalted them of low degree. The song of Mary is the anthem of the Kingdom: God reverses the order of the world. The last become first. The humble inherit the earth.
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John the Baptist Is Born
Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.
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“"And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways."”
— Luke 1:76 · King James BibleOn the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child and would have named him Zacharias after his father. But his mother spoke and said: Not so; he shall be called John. And they said unto her: There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. And they made signs to his father, asking how he would have him called.
Zacharias called for a writing tablet. He wrote, His name is John. And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spake and praised God. Fear came on all that dwelt round about them, and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea. For they said: What manner of child shall this be? And the hand of the Lord was with him.
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The Journey to Bethlehem
In those days there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
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“"And Joseph also went up from Galilee... to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child."”
— Luke 2:4-5 · King James BibleJoseph took Mary from Nazareth in Galilee to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, for he was of the house and lineage of David. The road was long and the hour was late. The census had set a whole nation in motion — travelers on every road, crowding every inn. But Joseph did not travel as a man without a destination. He traveled as a man fulfilling a prophecy five hundred years old.
The prophet Micah had written: But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Caesar made his decree. But God had made His first.
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The Savior Is Born
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
Original Illustration · Grace Notes Ministries · GNM Digital Ministry
“"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."”
— Luke 2:11 · King James BibleNo room in the inn. These are among the most solemn words in all of Scripture. The inns of Bethlehem were full of the proud and the comfortable. But the Son of God came in through the back — through the stable, through the straw, through the cold night air of a cattle pen. He came not with a herald's trumpet but with a baby's first cry.
He was wrapped in cloths and laid in a feed trough. He who upholds all creation by the word of His power had no cradle. He who is the Bread of Life lay in the place where the animals ate. And yet the stars knew Him, and the angels could not be silent, and the night lit up as no night before it ever had. The Son of God had entered His own world — and He came as a servant.
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The Shepherds and the Angels
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
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“"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."”
— Luke 2:13-14 · King James BibleThe first ones to hear the news were not kings. They were not priests. They were not senators of Rome. They were shepherds — men who slept under the open sky, whose hands smelled of sheep, whose names nobody wrote down. And the angel said to them: Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
And then the sky cracked open, and the whole heavenly host — ten thousand upon ten thousand angels — poured out their praise upon a Judean hillside. Glory to God in the highest! Peace on earth! The shepherds did not debate. They did not wait for confirmation. They said one to another: Let us now go even unto Bethlehem. And they went with haste. When they had seen Him, they made known abroad the saying told them concerning the child. All they that heard it wondered. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.
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The Wise Men and the Star
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem.
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“"Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him."”
— Matthew 2:2 · King James BibleThey had read the stars. They had studied the ancient prophecies of Israel — perhaps from the days of Daniel, who had walked among their forebears in Babylon. And now the sign had appeared: a star of surpassing brightness, a herald in the heavens. These men of learning loaded their camels with gold and frankincense and myrrh and set out across the desert. They did not know the exact address. They followed the light.
King Herod called them secretly and was troubled — for any king born in Israel was a threat to the throne of Herod. But the wise men had not come to serve the throne of Herod. They had come to bow before the King of Kings. When they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother, they fell down and worshipped him. They opened their treasures. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
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Flight to Egypt
And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt.
Original Illustration · Grace Notes Ministries · GNM Digital Ministry
“"Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him."”
— Matthew 2:13 · King James BibleThere is no time to lose. Herod's soldiers were coming. Joseph woke from the dream in the night and did not wait for morning. He rose up and took the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt. He went the way Abraham had gone before him. He walked the road of the patriarchs. And all the while, the child in his mother's arms slept, unknowing — the Son of God, safe in the arms of a righteous carpenter who obeyed without question.
The prophet Hosea had written it: Out of Egypt have I called my son. When Herod died, the angel of the Lord appeared again to Joseph in Egypt. Arise, said he, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. And Joseph arose and returned. Every step had been written before the foundations of the world.
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The Boy Jesus
Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.
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“"Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?"”
— Luke 2:49 · King James BibleWhen the feast was ended and the family began the journey home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. Joseph and Mary, supposing him to be among the company, went a day's journey before they sought him. When they found him not, they turned back to Jerusalem in great anxiety, searching for him. After three days they found him — in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them and asking them questions.
And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. His mother said: Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? Behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them: How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? They understood not the saying which he spake unto them. But Jesus went down with them to Nazareth and was subject unto them. And he increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. The time of preparation was not yet finished. But the question had been spoken aloud: Whose business are we about?
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