The Original Christmas Story and a Special Christmas Prayer
With all the busyness of the Christmas season winding down we finally have the opportunity to take a moment and remember the first and original Christmas. Today I present Saint Luke’s Gospel in the hopes that you will read it with your family and remember the birth of Jesus. I include a prayer I wrote that you can use at your gathering before your meal. God bless you and Merry Christmas, Your pastor and friend — Bryan Martin
Luke 2:1-20
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3All went to their own towns to be registered. 4Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
8In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see-I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, 14″Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” 15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
The Christmas Day Prayer
Dear God, On the day Jesus when was born you came to live among us; this is the great event that we celebrate today. God is with us! You came from heaven to earth that we might know more of your love. While Jesus was with us he taught how to live and how to love. What an incredible gift of love Jesus’birth is. Your love saves us.
These day when the holidays come we are so excited and busy with the traditions like Santa Claus, gift giving, eating and merry making that it is so easy to forget that Jesus was born, God’s gift to people, a long long time ago. So as we gather here today we pause and return our thoughts and our attention to the love of God in Jesus Christ, and we give thanks.
We are thankful for our friends and our family gathered here today.
We are thankful for taste food and a warm bed.
We are thankful for the costly peace and liberty which courageous men and women fought and died for, may your peace be upon them and we pray for peace in the world.
We are thankful for opportunities to help others here in this city and globally.
And we are thankful for so much more. (Add your list of thanks here).
Dear God, thank you for the birth of Jesus, for coming to our world and sharing your great love, which flows from your heart of love, through our hearts to our world; a world in desperate need of your saving love.
This we pray, in the blessed name of Jesus, AMEN! MERRY CHRISTMAS
(This prayer was composed by Dr. Bryan Lee Martin, pastor of St. Patrick’s Community Church for Christmas 2009)
