This is such a great season to share scripture with kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, and even just to read for ourselves. At Downs UMC we absolutely believe that God will bless your Christmas reading with wisdom, insight, comfort, and inspiration. In the Bible, Christmas is found in several places and each of these make for a great holiday read on their own.
Christmas in the Bible
- In the Gospel of Matthew, you will find the Christmas story in chapters 1 and 2 (though the narrative begins in verse 1:18 after a genealogy). Matthew shares a picture of Christ as Messiah/King, visited by foreign dignitaries, and perceived as a threat by the man currently sitting on the throne. This infant king, however, is protected by God, who uses angels, magi, and the dedication of Joseph.
- In the Gospel of Luke, you will find the Christmas story intertwined with the birth of another baby, John the Baptist. Luke shares a picture of God’s gift of a savior to the lowly and forgotten: he is announced to a people who are oppressed, visited by shepherds (a job of low social status), his praise is sung by his mother Mary, and he is accompanied by prophecies of divine justice and rescue.
- In the Gospel of John, you will find the philosophy and theology of Christmas in a mini-sermonette that kicks off the book (Chapter 1:1-18). Using imagery of light and darkness, the apostle tells the Christmas story as God’s overture of love to a fallen world.
Each of these is a fantastic read all on its own, but if you were looking to combine them into one epic Christmas read, scroll down to find one way that you could arrange them. It’s pretty close to chronological, and lets you see the both the movements of God and our human responses in the Christmas story.
A Combined Read (across multiple books)
- John 1:1-18 – Sets the stage and the stakes for the Christmas story.
- Luke 1:5-25 – God’s announcement to Zechariah the Priest
- Luke 1:26 – 38 – God’s announcement to Mary
- Matthew 1:18-25 – Joseph’s dream, and Joseph’s response to God’s announcement.
- Luke 1:39-56 – Mary visits Elizabeth
- Luke 1:57-80 – The Birth of John the Baptist
- Luke 2:1-20 – The Birth of Jesus and the visit of the shepherds.
- Luke 2:21-40 – The naming of Jesus, and his presentation at the Temple
- Matthew 2:1-23 – The Visit of the Magi and King Herod’s tragic and terrible response.
- Luke 2:41-52 – A really neat Christmas-epilogue where Jesus is 12 years old.
May the Lord bless you this Christmas season, and may you find some time to return the one of the most important moments in the Biblical story, the tale of Emmanuel, God-with-us.