*Affiliate links included. In the church Christmas pageant I wrote, “The Nativity Alive,” the children carol at the home of a reclusive man who has a Nativity set displayed in his front yard. A few of the rowdy kids actually steal the baby Jesus from …
Some families enjoy reading the whole Christmas story on Christmas Day or in parts throughout Advent. Others appreciate acting it out in a family play. Here is the Christmas story from the four Gospels, in chronological order, minus the genealogies, divided into five days and followed …
Bethlehem was a small village with a population of 300. When Mary and Joseph arrived, it was packed with visitors paying their taxes. And so, how is it that the only guests at Jesus’ birth are a bedraggled group of shepherds? How many people missed …
On Christmas Day, place the baby Jesus in your Nativity to complete the group of Nativity figurines and celebrate that, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) In this beautiful passage …
* Affiliate links included. With a dozen sheep in my backyard, I appreciate the shepherds. These lowly young men with little education and spiritual knowledge ate simple foods, endured harsh weather in primitive wild lodgings, and defended themselves against animals, lions, bears, wolves, and thieves, …
Angels are mentioned over 300 times in the Bible: 45 encounters in the Old Testament and 70 appearances in the New. Described as created beings, they number in the millions. The shepherds probably did not see anything resembling our Christmas pageant characters robed in white …
*Affiliate links included. On day four, we considered the wise men in our Nativity set. They came the farthest, following one bright star, to find a King. As soon as they saw the child with His mother Mary—and before they did anything else—Matthew 2:11 says …
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11) At Christmas we read bumper stickers stating, “Wise …
I often make mistakes as a parent and wish my kids had a more perfect mom. But can you imagine what it would feel like to be Joseph, chosen to raise the Son of God? What a profound honor and what a great responsibility! What …
“Merry Christmas” takes on new meaning when we consider the nine months leading up to Mary’s Christmas. She was visited by an angel, overcome by the Holy Spirit, and informed she was pregnant with the Son of God. She left home for three months and …
