Did you ever wonder why we celebrate Christmas?

It all began over 2000 years ago in a land called Israel. 

One day a young girl named Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel. And the story began.

Luke 1:30-33: But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High."

Matthew 1:20-21: . . . an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” he said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he is the one who will save his people from their sins.”

Joseph, her future husband, was also visited by an angel. The angel told Joseph to take Mary as his wife and raise Jesus as their son.

Mary and Joseph were married and lived happily together. One day Joseph found out that the Roman Empire was doing a census of its citizens, and Joseph must travel to Bethlehem for counting in the census.

By the time they left for Bethlehem, Mary was pregnant and would give birth very soon. But they traveled on to Bethlehem.

Upon arriving, Mary and Joseph discovered all the inns were full. They decided to sleep in a stable offered to them by a sympathetic innkeeper.

 Luke 2: 6-7: While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

In fields outside of Bethlehem, shepherds watched their sheep.

An angel appeared to tell them of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem.

Luke 2:15-16: After the angel left, the shepherds said, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.