A Christmas Story

What is Christmas, Mama?

Christmas is the time of the year when we remember the great gift the Lord gives to us.

God’s gift is for you, for me, and for all the world.

What gift does God give us, Mama?

The Lord gives us a gift that prophets from old time told us would come.

What are prophets?

Prophets are holy men that God speaks to. God tells them what He wants them to tell His people.

Isaiah is a prophet. God told Isaiah there would be a child born. He would be a son. He would be born a King. He would bring the kingdom of God on earth.

Who is this child?

Isaiah told us this child is Wonderful Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Is this child God?

This child is God inside a human body. God began His life as a human as a little baby.

Why is He called The Prince of Peace?

God brought peace to us when He paid the price of our sins. It is a wonderful feeling when we are forgiven and have a fresh start to do what pleases God.

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." - Isaiah 9:6 KJV

"And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." - Colossians 1:20 KJV

"To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." - 2 Corinthians 5:19 KJV

What is this child’s name, Mama?

This child would be named JESUS. This name is God’s name. It means “LORD Salvation”. The name JESUS is God’s greatest name because God paid the price for our sins in the name of Jesus.

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." - Acts 4:12 KJV

Who is this child’s mama?

Her name is Mary.

The angel of the Lord, Gabriel, visited Mary. He told her God would give her a son. He would be God in a human body – the Son of God. The angel told Mary to name her child JESUS. He would be a King with a kingdom that has no end.

"And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS." - Luke 1:31 KJV

"He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:" - Luke 1:32 KJV

"And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." - Luke 1:33 KJV

Joseph was soon to be Mary’s husband. He had just found out that Mary was expecting a baby. Joseph was thinking of not marrying her.

While he was thinking about this, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. He told Joseph to not be afraid to take Mary as his wife. Mary was going to have a baby by the power of God’s Spirit.

He told Joseph to name this holy child JESUS: “for he shall save his people from their sins”.

"But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost." - Matthew 1:20 KJV

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." - Matthew 1:21 KJV

Where was Jesus born?

The Lord spoke through the prophet Micah telling us that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem.

Bethlehem was King David’s home. God promised David there would be a son born from his descendants that would reign forever. This son of David would be God in a human body that would be King forever.

"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." - Micah 5:2 KJV

"And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom." - 2 Samuel 7:12 KJV

"He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever." - 2 Samuel 7:13 KJV

On the night Jesus was born, the angel of the Lord appeared to shepherds that were watching their flocks of sheep in the fields.

All of a sudden, the shepherds felt the glory and power of the Lord all around them and got scared.

The angel told them, you have nothing to be afraid of - you are feeling the presence of God! What I have come to tell you is going to make you very happy. It will bring great joy to you and to everyone that hears the good news I am bringing you.

The angel told the shepherds they would see a sign. They would find Jesus wrapped up snugly and lying in a manger.

Why was Jesus in a manger, Mama? Is a manger what animals eat out of?

Yes. God told us that animals know who the farmer is that feeds them and they know that they find their hay in the manger, but God’s own people do not know who He is and that He cares for them.

God, our heavenly Father, made Himself as a baby and was born our Savior. God knew that He would be rejected by the leaders of His people. He knew that they would not recognize Him as their Savior in a human body. The manger is a sign to show the world Jesus is God.

What happened next, Mama?

"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." - Luke 2:8-9 KJV

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." - Luke 2:10-11 KJV

"And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." - Luke 2:12 KJV

"The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass (donkey) his master's crib (manger): but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider." - Isaiah 1:3 KJV

Suddenly the sky was filled with angels. They were praising and giving God glory for the peace He was bringing to earth between Himself and man. Because of God’s great gift, we can have a close relationship with Him again, like Adam and Eve had back in the Garden of Eden. God was going to save us from our sins that had caused separation between us and God.

The shepherds were excited to go see the Savior that everyone had been waiting for!

They hurried to Bethlehem and found Mary, and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger, just as the angel of the Lord had told them.

"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 KJV

"And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger." - Luke 2:15-16 KJV

When they saw Jesus in the manger, the shepherds went and told everyone everywhere, The Lord has come to save us!

"And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child." - Luke 2:17 KJV

"And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. ... And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them." - Luke 2:18, 20 KJV

As Jesus grew, from a child to a man, He spread His love telling people everywhere about His kingdom. He went about preaching and healing sick, blind, deaf, and lame people.

Jesus chose twelve men to follow Him. They are called disciples. Jesus baptized His disciples in His name Jesus, then they baptized in Jesus name all those that came to Jesus.

When we repent and are baptized in Jesus name, our sins are washed away.

Many people heard this message and began to follow Jesus. They knew Jesus is the way to heaven.

"After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized." - John 3:22 KJV

After doing many miracles and preaching the gospel, God gave the greatest gift He could give: He gave His body on a cross made from a tree to pay the price of our sins.

Did God die, Mama?

The body that God lived in died on a cross. His disciples buried His body in a tomb. But that is not the end of the story!

"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree…" - 1 Peter 2:24 KJV

"And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself…" - Colossians 1:20 KJV

On the third day, God brought His body back to life.

An angel at the grave told His disciples Jesus had risen from the dead!

Because Jesus is God, He is alive today and forevermore.

"And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him." - Mark 16:6 KJV

Jesus then spent 40 days with His disciples. He told them He was going away to heaven, but He would come back and fill them with His Spirit, the Holy Ghost.

"To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:" - Acts 1:3 KJV

"And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." - Acts 1:4-5 KJV

When we are sorry for the wrong things we have done, and we love Jesus with all of our heart, we can receive God’s special gift of His Spirit in us.

When we are baptized in water in Jesus name, all the things we are sorry for are washed away. We are clean from all of our sins. We enter into the kingdom of God.

"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." - John 3:5 KJV

Jesus told His disciples to tell everyone the good news of His gospel. The gospel is the good news that Jesus died for our sins, He was buried, and on the third day rose again!

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." - Mark 16:15 KJV

What shall we do, Mama?

Peter explained what to do on the Day of Pentecost when Jesus first poured our His Spirit.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38 KJV

"For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:39 KJV

We can worship and pray to Jesus and receive His gift of His Spirit, the Holy Ghost! We can get baptized in water in Jesus name and have all our sins washed away!

This gift is for you, for me, and for all the world!

Mama, now I know what Christmas is –

It is the time of year we remember the birth of Jesus and the great gift He gives to us – peace, His Holy Ghost, and a place in His Kingdom!