Advent- December 20

Listen: What Child is This?

What do you think Mary must have felt the night she gave birth to baby Jesus? Take time as a family to discuss what it must have been like.

For Adults:

Why was there no room for them in the Inn?

During the time of Caesar Augustus, the size of the Roman Empire had doubled. To pay for the expansion, Augustus ordered that multiple censuses be taken to determine the empire's growing tax base. All of the Roman Empire was on the move to obey the order. Not one person was excluded from returning from the town of their family lineage, which means that the entire Roman world was a bustle of people on the move.

It was an inconvenient time for everyone, especially for a heavily pregnant woman about to give birth. No doubt, Joseph and Mary moved slower than others because of her condition. By the time they arrived in Bethlehem, every available room was taken.

God had orchestrated events in such detail that Mary was in the town, the prophets had declared the Messiah would be born; and Jesus was born among the other lambs that were used for temple sacrifices. This was no accident. He was born exactly where He was supposed to be.