Today is very special!! This year, Christmas falls on a sunday! Therefore, my post will be in two parts. Firstly, I will recount the birth of Jesus i.e. how Christmas comes about. From the 2 gospel books of the Bible: Matthew and Luke. I think its very important for everyone including the non-christians of course, to understand the true meaning of Christmas. Not just a season of giving or a season of shopping or a season with lots of colourful decorations or a season with lots of sales.
Secondly, I shall narrate the events of today... *chuckle..

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Characters: Joseph and Mary, the three wise men, the shepherds, Gabriel the angel of the Lord, another angel of the Lord and Herod the king.
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Mary was betrothed to Joseph. Before they were get together, she was conceived with child of Holy Spirit. Gabriel was sent by God to break the news to her.
" Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour in God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end"
( Luke 1:30- 33)

Then Joseph her husband, being just a man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly (Matthew 1:19). But an angel of the Lord appeared in his dream telling him to take Mary as his wife because she was conceived is of the Holy Spirit; and he named the child Jesus.

Joseph did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and married Mary (Matthew 1:24b) . Later they went to Bethlehem to be registered, obeying a decree went out from Caesar Augustus.

At Bethelehem, Mary's delivery date was dued. However, there was no room for them in the inn.

Jesus was born in a manger, wrapped in swaddling cloths.

After Jesus was born, the wise men came from the East came to Jerusalem saying " Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him." ( Matthew 2:1).

Herold the king heard this and he was troubled. ~ His throne was threatened as you see. So he called upon all the chief priests and scribes of the people to enquire about his matter. They of course, told him the prophecy: " But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler who will be shepherd My people Israel" ( Matthew 2:6).

Herod then called the wise men to search for the baby and report to him so that he can worship Him too. So, the three wise men departed. The star which they saw in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was ( Matthew 2:9). They followed the star and came to the manger.

The three wise men saw the Child, and fell down and worshipped him. They presented the gifts to Him: gold, frankincense and myrrh ( Matthew 2:11b)

Now in the same country, the shepherds were out in the fields, watching over their flock at night. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared before them, telling them " Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." ( Luke 2:10-12)

The shepherds went to Bethlehem immediately. And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe in the manger ( Matthew 2:16)

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********* All happy and glory.

Being warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, the three wise men departed for their own country another way. After their departure, the angle of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying " Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him." ( Matthew 2:13). Joseph did according to the command: took the Babe and His mother by night and left for Egypt.

True enough, when Herod realised that he was deceived by the wise men, he was incensed. He ordered that ALL the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men, to be put to death. ( Matthew 2:16)

Innocent lives were lost.

Weeping and great mourning throughout the city.

Christmas is not entirely a joyous occassion. We are celebrating this day because a Savior was born. Without him, we would not be saved. It is the ugly human nature, jealousy and anger, that brought so much crying.