Today’s Podcast
Today’s Scriptures
Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – Luke 2:1-20
Set – Ezekiel 47; Luke 2
Go! – Ezekiel 47-48; Luke 2
Luke 2:1-20
1 Around the time of Elizabeth’s amazing pregnancy and John’s birth, the emperor in Rome, Caesar Augustus, required everyone in the Roman Empire to participate in a massive census— 2 the first census since Quirinius had become governor of Syria. 3 Each person had to go to his or her ancestral city to be counted.
4-5 Mary’s fiancé Joseph, from Nazareth in Galilee, had to participate in the census in the same way everyone else did. Because he was a descendant of King David, his ancestral city was Bethlehem, David’s birthplace. Mary, who was now late in her pregnancy that the messenger Gabriel had predicted, 6 accompanied Joseph. While in Bethlehem, she went into labor 7 and gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped the baby in a blanket and laid Him in a feeding trough because the inn had no room for them.
8 Nearby, in the fields outside of Bethlehem, a group of shepherds were guarding their flocks from predators in the darkness of night. 9 Suddenly a messenger of the Lord stood in front of them, and the darkness was replaced by a glorious light—the shining light of God’s glory. They were terrified!
Messenger: 10 Don’t be afraid! Listen! I bring good news, news of great joy, news that will affect all people everywhere. 11 Today, in the city of David, a Liberator has been born for you! He is the promised Anointed One, the Supreme Authority! 12 You will know you have found Him when you see a baby, wrapped in a blanket, lying in a feeding trough.
13 At that moment, the first heavenly messenger was joined by thousands of other messengers—a vast heavenly choir. They praised God.
14 Heavenly Choir: To the highest heights of the universe, glory to God!
And on earth, peace among all people who bring pleasure to God!
15 As soon as the heavenly messengers disappeared into heaven, the shepherds were buzzing with conversation.
Shepherds: Let’s rush down to Bethlehem right now! Let’s see what’s happening! Let’s experience what the Lord has told us about!
16 So they ran into town, and eventually they found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in the feeding trough. After they saw the baby, 17 they spread the story of what they had experienced and what had been said to them about this child. 18 Everyone who heard their story couldn’t stop thinking about its meaning. 19 Mary, too, pondered all of these events, treasuring each memory in her heart.
20 The shepherds returned to their flocks, praising God for all they had seen and heard, and they glorified God for the way the experience had unfolded just as the heavenly messenger had predicted.
Today’s Devotional
From today’s background scripture God might say:
The only time My heavenly choir left My throne room and touched the soil of Earth was to announce the birth of Jesus. They have seen many marvelous things throughout the centuries of their existence. My choir has heralded many wonderful events in the heavens. My messengers have been to your world many times. I have sent them one at a time to announce information to individuals. Sometimes I have sent more than one to emphasize the importance of My message.
My choir, however, always stays by My throne singing My praise. Until that night in Bethlehem. Then they couldn’t contain their joy over what was happening on your home planet. I was coming to live with you in the flesh. So they wanted to sing My praises there. I didn’t hold them back. They knew the importance of this single event. I was about to unleash My perfect plan of salvation with the birth of My perfect sacrifice for the world’s sin. I was going to live in the flesh of a human. Born of virgin mother, I would walk on the Earth for just over 33 years and become the perfect sacrifice for you. I would teach you about Me through the words of My flesh-wearing self.
My choir decided to announce My coming to some of the most important people on the planet…a group of shepherds on the Bethlehem hillside. You see, the announcement to those men shows everyone is important to Me. They were among the poorest. They worked in horrid conditions for almost nothing, looking out for the welfare of someone else’s smelly sheep. But those shepherds were important enough that I wanted them to be among the first to hear the choir that sings to Me eternally. It would be a sight and sound they would not forget for the rest of their lives.
My choir continues to sing for Me and rejoiced when the sacrifice for humankind was complete and sins forgiven for those who follow My Son. It has not touched the Earth since the day I came in the flesh, though. What a day that was for you. I’m looking forward to letting you hear that choir again one day. All it takes is for you to believe in Me, in My coming to you and giving My life for the forgiveness of your sins. Like the shepherds, it will be a sight and sound you will never forget.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved. In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.