Chapter 22

The Jewish people settled in their land.

Hundreds of years passed. Generations were

born, grew up, and died. Great kingdoms of the

world rose and fell. And the Jews still waited for

the Promised One-the King greater than King

David. When the time was just right, God

prepared some very special people to welcome

his Son. Mary loved her village and the hills around

the little town of Nazareth. The morning dew felt

cool on Mary’s toes as she walked to the well for

water.

“Good morning!” a voice interrupted Mary’s

walk. “Who-o-o … are you?” Mary asked the

stranger.

“I am the angel Gabriel, and God has sent me

to tell you something important. The Lord has

blessed you and is with you,” said the angel

visitor. Mary’s mind was full of questions and

confusion.

“Don’t be afraid,” the angel reassured her.

“God is very pleased with you. He has chosen you

to be the mother of the Son of God. Soon you

will have a baby boy, and you will call him Jesus.

He will be called great. and he will save the

world.”

“But how can this be?” said Mary, still

confused. “I’m not married yet.”

“God will cause a miracle to happen. With

God all things are possible!”

Mary listened and believed the angel’s words.

“I trust the Lord. I am his servant, and I am ready

for this miracle.” Mary knew this was a great

blessing, and she began to sing praises to the

Lord.

Meanwhile, the angel visited Joseph. He was

a good man, and he loved Mary very much. The

angel came to Joseph in a dream with the same

message. “God has caused a miracle to happen.

Even though you aren’t married, God’s Holy

Spirit has caused Mary to be pregnant. She will

have a baby boy, and you will name him Jesus.

Give him that special name, because it means he

will save his people from their sins.”

Joseph believed all that the angel said. He was

ready to obey. Mary was ready to obey. Together,

they waited for the special miracle to come true.

Joseph gently lifted Mary onto the donkey’s

back, and their journey began. “The Roman

emperor picked a bad time to make us go to our

hometowns!” Joseph complained. “Yes,” agreed

Mary. “But it’s the law. He wants to count his

citizens.”

The trip to Bethlehem was a hard journey for

a woman about to have a baby. Late that night they

reached the little town. “I’ll find a room so you

can rest,” Joseph said.

But every inn he tried was full of people. He

knocked on door after door and got the same

answers: “Full.” “No more rooms.” “Try down the

street.”

Mary was very tired. And Joseph was worried.

He kept knocking and begging for a room.

“Please, we’ll take any little corner, anything you

have. My wife is about to have a baby!”

The last innkeeper felt sorry for the young

couple. “There’s a stable in the back. It’s small,

dark, and with the animals. It’s not very clean...”

“We’ll take it!”

Joseph made Mary as comfortable as he

could in the damp little stable-and not a moment

too soon. For that night, her baby boy was born,

just as the angel had said. They named the baby

Jesus. Mary looked at her beautiful baby,

remembering the angel’s words. “He will save the

world.”

That same night, some shepherds were taking

care of their sheep in a nearby field. An angel of

the Lord appeared to the shepherds, with a

glorious light shining all around. The shepherds

had never seen such a thing, and they were scared.

But the angel calmed them down by saying,

“Don’t be afraid. I am bringing you good news

that will be a joy to all the people. Today your

Savior was born in Bethlehem. This is how you

will know him-he will be wrapped in cloths and

lying in a manger.”

Then many angels appeared in the sky, singing

and praising God for the wonderful gift of baby

Jesus. They sang, “Glory to God in heaven, and on

earth, peace and goodwill toward men!”

The shepherds could hardly wait to meet the

baby Savior, so they went straight to town,

looking for a baby lying in a manger. When they

found Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, they knew that the

angel’s words were true.