Luke 2:8-20
The Shepherds and the Angels
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
The word Christmas does not appear in the Bible...As we read about the first Christmas in the Gospel of Luke, we see that Jesus' birth is the reason for Christmas...We celebrate Jesus birth on the day of December 25th...The Romans had been celebrating this day of the year as Jesus' birth date according to many starting in 336 a.d...So December 25, 336 might be the first recorded first Christmas...Then Pope Julius I sanctioned this day of December 25th in 350 a.d. as Jesus' day of birth...So for over three hundred years there was no Christmas...And the date December 25th is arbitrary, because we are not sure the exact date of His birth....
And Mary, Mother of Jesus would be the one who would Mother Jesus for nine months...In Mary's womb was the One who created all things...In her womb was the King of Kings and the One who would save and forgive the world of its sins...She would be the one who would bring into this world the very One who was with God in the beginning and the One whom all things were made and created...And Mary I suspect treasured up all these things about Him and would ponder them in her heart forever...
Christmas means Christ's Mass or the Mass of Christ...Some believe that in the words Christ's Mass, Christ means Jesus, and Mas in Hebrew is short for the Messiah...
In the very first Christmas there was no lights, no sales, no Santa Claus, no Christmas trees, no Christmas cards on this real first Christmas or Christ's Mass...But there were angels telling the shepherds about a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger, next to His Mother...And the shepherds did get to see the Light of the World, and the One who is known as the Light of Life and the Light of the World...
Jesus is the reason for the Christmas season...Let us not forget this...Let us honor Jesus' birth and birthday with love of God, and love, forgiveness, and mercy toward all of our neighbors...