Christmas in July

A liturgical calendar might place reading about the birth of Christ in the month of December. But God isn’t tied to our man-made devices, and we’ll study the incarnation as opportunity presents itself. (As an aside, maybe it will help us to endure the summer’s heat a bit more.)

Luke 2:1-7

• Federal census/tax registration and the birth of Christ (v. 1). Think back. How often has an almost insignificant event had a profound influence on the direction of your life? Were it not for the mandated journey to be counted in the hometown of his ancient family, Joseph would not have traveled to Bethlehem (v. 4) and Jesus would have been born in Nazareth. But Micah 5:2 said that the savior would be born in Bethlehem, and God used the Roman emperor to make it happen.
• And Joseph took his pregnant wife on the trip (v. 5). What other options did he have? She, too, was of Davidic descent.
• Although they tried to find lodging in the inn (v. 7), there was no room for them. So they retired to a space reserved for animals. In lieu of a baby bed, they used a manger for the newborn babe.

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