The Birth of Jesus

Based on the Gospel of Luke (By P Michael Biggs)

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to

Nazareth, in Galilee, to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph. He was a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, favored one. God is with you.”

Mary was troubled at his words and wondered.

The angel said, “Do not be afraid Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son. You are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

“How will this be,” Mary asked, “since I am a virgin?”

The angel answered, “God’s Holy Spirit will come and overshadow you. The holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. For with God nothing is impossible.”

Mary answered, “Let it be done to me as you have said. For I am the Lord’s servant,”

Meanwhile, the local ruler, Caesar Augustus, issued a decree that a census be taken of the entire Roman world. Everyone had to go to their own home town to register.

Joseph went from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the

town of David. He belonged to the line of David. He took Mary also, who was pledged to be married to him, and she was expecting a child. While there, she gave birth to her firstborn son. He was born in a barn. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Now shepherds were nearby watching a flock of

sheep on this night. All of a sudden the angel of God appeared to them. A glorious light which was from God flooded their camp. They were terrified.

The angel assured them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy for all the people. Today in Bethlehem, a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. Look for this sign: find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of angels appeared praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in high heaven, and peace on earth to those on whom his favor rest.”

When the angels left, the shepherds said, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this baby, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph,

and the baby, who was lying in the manger just like they had been told.

After seeing all of this the shepherds spread the word about what they had seen and heard. When the people in nearby towns heard their story, they were amazed.

But Mary treasured up all these things and thought much about them.

Merry Christmas

P Michael Biggs

Christmas Conversations

Christmas Conversations

CB and I have no trouble having conversations.  We talk.  The conversation flows, we laugh, we tease, we get serious.  We talk.

Talk is good for you. 

Sometimes, we miss ‘talking’, like yesterday.  My drive time to my work place this week has been 20 miles one way.  I leave home around 615AM on these mornings.  Last night, CB had some shopping to do on her way home and I had an evening to myself.  I went to sleep, sound asleep, around 745pm.  She got home at 830.  No talking, no conversation.  I missed it.

We caught up this morning for ten minutes on the steps outside our condo.  She was headed up to her car, I was headed down to mine.  We did what we do – we talked.

We’ve had lots of conversations this Christmas – when do we see Scrooge? What about Snowflake Lane?  What will you wear to the party?  What do you want for Christmas?

We’ve had some other, deeper conversations too.  We’re reading a book by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, of Christmas meditations.  That is stimulating a few conversations. 

We talk of love, of life this time last year (I had heart surgery), our grands, kids, relatives in other states.  We’re trying really hard to not let the busyness this season brings interrupt our conversations.  We need to keep in touch. 

We’re having conversations with God to.  Expressing words of thanksgiving, of praise, and hope for today and a brighter hope for our tomorrows.

Conversation is a good thing. 

Engage those you love in good, wholesome Christmastime conversation. 

Something to think on,

in less than 60 seconds.

The "Almost a Minute" Blog Site

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

Encouragement

Inspiration

When the Mundane Becomes Magnificent

When the Mundane 

Become Magnificent

Mundane Bethlehem.  A small hamlet as town’s go.  “Not much going on here” you might hear around the town center.  Bethlehem wasn’t a major metropolitan center of commerce.

Yet God chose insignificant Bethlehem as the hometown of His son.

A mundane stable and manger:  That’s not what one would expect for the birth of God’s son. And yet it is so.  A stable is the epitome of “mundane”.  Do you know what goes on in a stable?  It’s not very glamorous.  And a manger as a bed?  You’ve got to be kidding me. 

And yet … it became a magnificent bed for this child-King born on Christmas morning. 

I’m humbled when I reflect on these thoughts.  I’m not considered magnificent.  I’m a weak, sometimes faltering man.  I’ve had glorious moments of success, and I’ve had un-glorious moments of blunders and woes. 

You see, I think God loves to use willing people and open situations to do his bidding.  He moves into the places we vacate FOR HIM. 

My prayer this Christmas?

God, take my mundane talents and make something magnificent of all that bundle of rags.

Something to think on,

in less than 60 seconds.

The "Almost a Minute" Blog Site

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

Encouragement

Inspiration