If you have a nativity scene set up at your house, take the main pieces, the Shepherds, Mary and Joseph, and pass those pieces out to the different people you are reading this with.
As a family read Luke 2:1-21.
As you read the Scriptures about the Christmas story and the Birth of Jesus Christ, here are a few questions and different perspectives to think about. As you read these scriptures, think about the piece that you are holding and ask yourself these questions:
Mary – What do you think was going through Mary’s mind as the Angel Gabriel told her that she was to give birth to the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Pregnancy before marriage was a SERIOUS offense in that century. If she wasn’t put to death (as she could be) she would be the target of much scandalous talk.
Joseph – What do you think that Joseph was thinking once he found out that Mary was pregnant and that the child was not his? Should he not marry her? When the Angel Gabriel came to him in a dream, would you be as accepting of what was happening?
Shepherds – so, here you are, minding your flock at night, when all of the sudden you see a sky full of Angels singing praises to God and telling you to follow a star to see the Messiah who was just born. What are you thinking? Do you drop everything and go and find the baby? Do you believe what you just saw?
