The Christmas Story

The 2016 Version of Luke 2 by Tammy Phillips
December 25, 2020

Caesar Augustus, the first Emperor of the Roman Empire reigned during a really dark time in Israel. The darkness was a lot like our present day.  ​Caesar​ was a dude who thought he knew it all.  He sent out an Executive Order; big brother wanted to know who and where you were!  He wanted money!  And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. Everybody went to be taxed, everyone into his own city.

Joe went up to Judea, not to New York City, but to David’s City, Bethlehem… from Galilee from his hometown, Nazareth.  He was a descendant of David, you know.  He had to drag Mary along with him. She was about to pop because she was so Prego.  It wasn’t long after they arrived that she told Joe: “IT’S TIME!” It was probably the 80-100-mile hike, the 4-7 day walk, that put her into labor.  You know that girl was worn out. Joe forgot to make reservations at the Holiday Inn-Bethlehem. Everything was sold out.  There was a big crowd in Bethlehem to be taxed.  You know how crazy the post office is on tax-day. Bethlehem was buzzing just like that.  No Vacancy signs were everywhere.

Mary had sweet baby Jesus in the only place they could find…A BARN in the ‘hood. (Light brought into darkness. God Almighty laid aside His Glory and appeared on the scene as a baby.) She had her first son, her first child, away from home. She probably left his onesies in Nazareth, so she wrapped him up like a peanut with what she had. She swaddled him and laid him in a manger hewn out of rock. You know, the things that farm animals ate out of. He came into the earth just like he left the earth, all wrapped up and lying on a stone.

Out in the county there were some farmers minding their business.  They were sleeping out in the field taking care of their animals, so no harm would come to them.  Out of the darkness, “kabam-shazam,” out of nowhere, a HUGE angel appeared.  He had to be at least 20 feet tall. He showed up from nowhere.  The mega angel lit up that whole field like sunrise over the ocean. It nearly scared the farmers to death.  They were shaking in their boots. Hopefully, a MAGA angel will show up in 2020. The angel roared, “DON’T BE AFRAID!”  Look!  Listen! I am bringing you GOOD NEWS!!!  You have hit the lottery.  It is going to make you so HAPPY.  It’s good news for everybody. Today.  T-O-D-A-Y!  In Bethlehem…Are you ready for it?  Our Savior has been born, the Savior of the World.  He is here!  Christ the Lord is here!  Our Savior, our deliverer…from Greek word “sozo” which means to save, keep safe, and sound, to rescue from danger, to save from perishing from disease, to make well, heal, restorer, doctor/healer when you need him, restorer to health from the oppressor (you know the one who tries to harm and hurt you, the one who tried to keep you beat down). Our Savior is born! 

Feel like you’re missing something?  The Savior will complete you.
Anxious?  He says don’t worry!
Sick?  God has no big problems!
Need something?  He is more than enough!
Need forgiveness?  Ask.
Need help?  He is the Comforter.
Lonely? He will never leave you nor forsake you?
Need a constant in your life? He will never change. He always has been, always is and always will be.
Want to do well? He has the keys to the kingdom.

His name is I AM, I WAS, I always will be. HIS NAME IS CHRIST, the anointed. He is smeared all over, bathed-in, like suntan oil at the beach…it is all over Him to be who He was and is supposed to be. He is furnished with all necessary powers to perform his position with duties as assigned by God.

The LORD, the man of the hour, has power for decision making.  He gets things done.  He is Supreme.  He has it all under control.  He is our Savior for such a time as this!  He is our SOZO now.  Life is now.  He is not a fire policy. He is the Son of God and He is here. 

A child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace (the Chief of Completeness) – Isaiah 9:6

Get it? I AM is here!

This is the sign. You can find the Savior of the World wrapped in swaddling clothes and He is lying in a M A N G E R. (A manger? The king is in a manger?) Don’t miss the sign boys.

The heavens could not stand it anymore- the good news!

Bam!  The angel’s back-up singers, the Heavenly Host (Heard of them? They were a really popular group with God).  I mean I am talking a platoon, a troop of host, showed up and put on a show.  They were praising God and rocking the stage saying:
“Glory to God in the highest.  Peace on Earth.  Good will to men!” You could hear them all the way in Nazareth.  After the field concert (And Luke Bryan thought this was an original idea?), the Angel of the Lord & the Heavenly Host – poof- they jetted back to heaven in an instant.

The Sheps chatted and thought it might be a good idea to let the flock hang out and for them to head on to Bethlehem. They wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I mean the Lord had dropped a concert in the middle of the field in the middle of the night to let them know the good news.  Talk about virtual reality.  The Sheps sped to Bethlehem.

Lo and behold!  Surprise!  Surprise!  Surprise! C an you believe it?  They found Mare, Joe and sweet lil’ baby Jesus lying in the manger.  After they saw BABY JESUS, they went and told everybody about it!  Anyone that would listen, heard the story. They didn’t go to bed for days.  Everybody they told wandered in AMAZEMENT.  You can see them just shaking their heads.

Mary was just blown away.  She kept quiet and to herself.  She thought…I birthed the King?  He is lying in a manger?  The Savior of the world?  After the long journey, the labor, it was too much.  She just kept all this to herself and let her thoughts just circle in her tiny little brain.  It was just too much to process.

The Sheps!  They just kept on partying.  Glorifying, praising, and singing to the top of their lungs to God.  What a story, a Glory Story of the Savior of the World!

Merry Christmas!