STORIES OF JESUS - BORN IN A BARN?!
Season 1: Stories of Jesus
Episode 2: “Born in a Barn?!”
Today’s Bible Bite: Luke 2:1-20
Video Story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5m2GE6DFeM (Saddleback Kids - Luke 2:1-20)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83huFAMOte0 (“Come and Worship” Bebo Norman - “The Nativity” live action)
“‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said. ‘I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.’" (Luke 2:10-11).
Mary and her fiancé, Joseph, had to travel to Bethlehem because the Roman Emperor, Quirinius, had decided he needed to have everyone counted for taxation purposes. Even though the time was close for Mary to have her baby, they didn’t have an option but to do what the government said and they had to make the difficult trip. Lots of other people had to make the same trip and by the time Joseph and Mary got to Bethlehem, the little town was bursting at the seams. In fact, all the available spaces for visitors were gone! An inn keeper felt sorry for Mary and allowed them to stay in the stable where the animals were kept. That’s right...Jesus was born in a barn! The special God-man wasn’t born in a palace, but among stinky animals!
But God still wanted people to know that Jesus was born and sent angels to some shepherds who were awake taking care of their sheep–nearly scared them to death! But the angels told them not to be frightened...and even invited them to be the first to go and see the brand new baby. They would know they had found the right baby because He had been born in a barn...something that did not happen everyday even in first century Palestine! What a special privilege for the shepherds. They were so pleased, they made certain to tell everyone.
Think about it...
Mary and Joseph lived in Nazareth, but had to travel to Bethlehem to be taxed. Even this was part of God’s plan–hundreds of years earlier, the prophet Micah had told everyone that God’s promised rescuer was going to be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)! What other clues did God give about Jesus before He was born?
Jesus was born in a barn. Why? What message might God have been giving people when Jesus, the God-man, wasn’t born in a rich palace?
Shepherds in Jesus’ day were not considered to be very important people. Why did the angels not choose more important people to tell?
How would you have responded if you were one of the shepherds?
Prayer: Thank you, God, for loving people enough to send Jesus to clean up the mess we made of the world. Thank you, too, that you didn’t just come for ‘important’ people, but for everyone! Help me be like one of the shepherds who went and told everyone about you.