Count for Christmas 12

Count for Christmas #12

Birth of Jesus  Christ

Matthew 1:18-21  Luke 2:1-7

Joseph was a carpenter in Nazareth. He was

soon to  be Mary's husband. One night he

had a dream. In it an angel spoke Joseph

take Mary as your wife. The child in her is from

the Holy Spirit. When he's born call him Jesus.

He'll save his people from their sins.

In those days Emperor Augustus  Caesar

commanded that his people be counted. To do this

everyone went to their hometown. For Mary and

Joseph this was Bethlehem was also King David's hometown.

It was a long journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

Mary who was almost ready to have her baby traveled with Joseph.

They hills in Galilee to the  Jordan River. Then they followed the river to Judea.

Up in the Judean hills they came to Bethlehem. The town was full of people who

had come to be counted. An inn was there but it was full of people.

Suddenly Mary had to give birth. So they went into a stable. Here Mary had her child Jesus.  She

wrapped him in a blanket and put him to sleep in a feed trough.