Nazareth to Bethlehem: The Christmas Story

Story Synopsis: Visitations from angels, unforeseen circumstances, and an unshakeable faith in God lead Mary and Joseph on a journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. The little One whom they embrace there will profoundly impact not only their lives, but all of mankind, forever.

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"For a child has been born--for us!

the gift of a son--for us!

He'll take over

the running of the world.

His names will be: Amazing Counselor,

Strong God,

Eternal Father,

Prince of Wholeness..."

“Why, she wasn’t brought up that way,” clucked the old women, as they looked at Mary with disapproving glances.

“Well, he should have known better,” muttered the men, and turned away from Joseph as he made his way through the marketplace.

Joseph, one of the most skilled carpenters in Nazareth, used to be well respected for his uprightness in all his dealings. But since Mary’s pregnancy had become obvious, people had begun to smear his good name with gossip. Although they were now married, everyone in the village knew that Mary had become pregnant while she and Joseph were only engaged. They concluded that he must have been responsible for the pregnancy, even though the couple unflaggingly insisted that they’d had visitations from God’s angels, and that the baby she now carried was conceived of the Holy Spirit.

The villagers continued to whisper self-righteously to each other behind their hands, as they watched Joseph walk through the streets, looking for Mary. Joseph found her by the well, just as she was raising a heavy jar of water. He quickly took it from her and heaved it onto his own strong shoulder. She gave him a warm hug, disregarding the unloving critical eyes that were peering at them through mean gossipy hearts.

“Mary,” said Joseph, “I’m so glad I’ve found you! I know this is sudden, but we must leave for Bethlehem in the morning. Caesar’s just ordered a census, and we have to register our name in our hometown.”

Mary, taken aback, placed her hands on her burgeoning belly, and meekly protested.

“I know, Mary, I’ll do my best to make the journey as comfortable as possible for you and the unborn child,” he promised, taking her hand in his.

“Well, Joseph, if we must go, then we must go! It must be God’s will,” she confirmed decidedly, as together they set off for home, to pack what they would need.

“Bethlehem,” mused Mary as they went, “Why, that’s King David’s city.”

In the wee hours of the next morning, Joseph loaded up their little donkey with food, water, and blankets, and gently lifted Mary onto the donkey’s sturdy back. He led the little animal along the winding streets of Nazareth, trying to ignore the pointing of fingers and the gossipy whispering of the Nazarene villagers as they passed them by. Mary and Joseph simply suffered the humiliation of not being believed, and no longer tried to explain themselves to the villagers. With their faces set toward Bethlehem, Joseph and Mary left Nazareth behind, and wended their way towards the City of David.

As they journeyed slowly along the dark winding path, Mary looked toward the hills. Suddenly, shards of bright sunlight burst between the hill’s many gentle peaks. With these unexpected brilliant bursts of light, a memory flooded her consciousness. She caught her breath, and began remembering what had happened on another momentous dark night, nine short months ago. Then, too, there had been a brilliant blinding light in the darkness; only it had been accompanied by an authoritative voice that spoke to her with a strange greeting:

Oh, she had been frightened, so very frightened! She had covered her eyes with her hands, for she was nearly blinded by the intensity of the bright light.

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God!” the voice had assured her.

Taking her hands from her face, she had been startled to behold a most beautiful creature, standing right in front of her. Why, it was the angel Gabriel, sent to her from God! Mary had listened very carefully while he spoke to her.

“Behold, you shall conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you shall call Him Jesus! He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High.”

Because she and Joseph were only engaged then, Mary couldn’t fathom how she would become pregnant! So she had humbly asked Gabriel,

“The Holy Spirit will overshadow you, and create the babe within your womb and you will bear God’s only Son.”

“Do you remember your old cousin, Elizabeth? Why, she is likewise pregnant with a humanly impossible pregnancy, although hers came about quite differently than yours will. Imagine, Elizabeth and Zechariah, an old childless couple, far beyond the ability to produce children! When I told Zack that God had heard his years of prayer for a son, and would quicken their mortal flesh so that Elizabeth could conceive their John, why, he was struck dumb with disbelief! But here she is, now six months into her pregnancy, and she knows, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that with God… nothing is impossible!”

Mary knew then that God had a wonderful plan for these two sons she and Elizabeth had been asked to bear. Elizabeth’s son, John, was to be born six months before Jesus. (What Mary didn’t know yet was that John would spend his life preparing the way for people to know Jesus!)

Even though Mary sensed it wasn’t going to be easy, she completely entrusted herself to God, saying,

Now on the road, as Mary shifted to a more comfortable position on the donkey’s back, she suddenly felt the same strange feelings of expectancy that had awakened her the morning after the angel’s visitation! Back then, she had bolted up from her mat on the floor, crying out into the air:

“I must tell Elizabeth! I must go and tell Elizabeth! She’ll understand!”

Mary had made a hasty departure on foot for Judah, Elizabeth’s town. Finally arriving there weary and breathless, she had spied Elizabeth standing in her yard, arms outstretched in a warm welcome. It was as though Elizabeth had already known that Mary would be coming. (You don’t suppose the angel Gabriel told Elizabeth that Mary was coming, do you?)

When Mary greeted her, a knowing smile lit up Elizabeth’s face, and she clasped her pregnant tummy.

“Oh, Mary, you’ve been blessed among all women, and the baby inside of you is also blessed!” she sang out. “And why am I so blessed that the mother of my Lord should visit me? The moment I heard your greeting, why, my own baby leaped inside of me for sheer joy! You’re blessed, Mary, because you believed God, and believed that what He told you would come to pass!”

The heartfelt joy and expectancy that had first moved Mary to go and tell Elizabeth her wonderful news welled up in her again in Elizabeth’s presence, and Mary erupted into song:

“I'm bursting with God-news; I'm dancing the song of my Savior God.
God took one good look at me, and look what happened--
Why, I'm the most fortunate woman on earth!
What God has done for me will never be forgotten…

This baby is exactly the One He has promised for centuries,
Beginning with Abraham and right up to now.” ¹

At this place in Mary’s remembering, the babe leapt within her womb, and those very same feelings of joy that she had experienced in Elizabeth’s presence began to build in intensity once again, until she could no longer contain them! Suddenly she burst into song atop the donkey, and startled Joseph within an inch of his life! As he listened to her song, he remembered the first time he had heard Mary’s good news.

At the time, it hadn’t seemed like very good news to him. Why, he had hardly known what to think! Mary had claimed to be visited by one of God’s angels. This was a very strange claim indeed! And then she’d told him that she was miraculously made pregnant with God’s Son by the Holy Spirit! He remembered thinking how far-fetched this all was, and wondering how on earth she could expect him to believe her! He thought she’d probably just made the story up, to try and cover up an indiscretion. He probably shouldn’t marry her at all… but then… he really didn’t want to do anything to hurt her either! What a dilemma! He knew what people would think: that he had made her pregnant! And oh, how they would condemn them both. Tired of his conflict, Joseph had determined one night that he would simply break off the engagement. After making his decision, he finally fell into a fitful sleep, where he, too, had a visitation from…God’s angel.

“Joseph,” the angel had said, “Go ahead and marry her. What she told you about the origin of her pregnancy is true. She is bearing God’s Son, and it is your job to name him Jesus when He is born, which means ‘God saves’.”

Joseph awoke, knowing his duty toward Mary and her unborn child. He took Mary for his wife, and together they trusted God, and looked forward to the further unfolding of His great plan.

Well, part of that plan was this journey they were now on. After a few days of trodding the rough road in the bitter cold, they were both quite tired and sore. But Joseph and Mary encouraged one another on, and prayed to God for the strength they needed to continue. What a sight for their weary eyes, as the town of Bethlehem now finally appeared before them!

Never before had they seen a little town so crowded with people! Fathers, mothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents all noisily milled about, greeting one another and catching up on all the news. Joseph led the donkey with its precious cargo through the bustling streets. The marketplace was alive with the scent of freshly baked bread, the noise of clucking chickens, and the sights of colorful wares of every description for sale. Joseph eyed the crowded streets with concern; where would they find shelter for the night?

After registering with the census taker, Joseph was alarmed to see Mary’s extreme weariness. He took her to the town’s inn, hoping to find shelter there, but it was already filled to overflowing with travelers like themselves.

Suddenly, Mary winced with pain! “Oh, Joseph, my time is come! The baby wants to be born tonight!”

“Then we must have shelter now,” Joseph said confidently. “I’ll implore the innkeeper once again. Surely he will create some room for us!” Leaving Mary momentarily, he went inside to plead their case once more.

“Well,” the innkeeper said, “Under these special circumstances, I’ll allow you to take shelter with the animals, out in the stable.”

“Thank-you, sir, oh, thank-you very much for your kindness!” said Joseph, with great relief.

He rushed outside, and led Mary and the donkey to the shelter of the stable. There they were greeted by the mooing, hee-hawing, and baa-ing of its animal inhabitants. Shocked for a moment, Joseph and Mary just stood there and looked at each other, and then they burst into laughter simultaneously! They laughed and they laughed and they laughed! They laughed with their circumstance, they laughed with the friendly animals, and then they wept in gratitude, thanking God for His lovely provision of this warm and friendly animal shelter!

Again, Mary winced with pain, and Joseph knew he’d better prepare a comfortable place on the straw with blankets, so Mary could get on with bringing the child to birth!

After hours of hard labour, a baby’s cry pierced through the dark night. A loving husband was found in a stable, placing a newborn baby on his mother’s breast and mopping the sweat from her brow. How tenderly she held his tiny form; smiling, cooing and welcoming Him wholeheartedly into this world! Taking the swaddling clothes she had packed, she lovingly wrapped him from head to toe. Only his bright wee face escaped the warm wrappings of the clothes.

“Why, God has thought of everything,” Mary whispered, as she spied a manger filled with sweet smelling hay. Laying the child in it, she knew it provided a most comfortable cradle for the wee babe. Mary giggled at God’s providence, as she thought of the cradle at home that Joseph had so lovingly carved out of wood. She affirmed in her heart that God’s ways are not necessarily our ways.

Joseph gazed on the little boy lying in the manger and blessed him, calling him by name. “You, little one, are called Jesus… because you will save the people from their sins.”

Suddenly, they heard some loud voices outside. Joseph jumped to his feet and headed for the stable door. “Who’s there?” he asked.

“Just us, some shepherds,” a shivering hoarse voice replied. Joseph opened the door and found a motley crew of very cold but very excited shepherds.

“This has to be the place!” shouted one of the younger ones, jumping up and down. “It’s a stable! And look…there’s the manger! It’s just like the angel said!”

“Shhh!” Joseph admonished, “You’ll wake the baby. What’s all this about an angel?”

“Not just one angel, a whole sky full of them!” said the smallest shepherd, his eyes wide in wonder.

“It was like this,” interrupted the eldest, “We were watching our sheep on that hill over there, just like we always do, and we were trying to stay awake, as usual. Out of nowhere comes this gigantic angel. You should have seen him! I would have run for my life…but I was scared stiff!”

“I think I know what you’re talking about!” he told the shepherds. “Please, come in,” he invited warmly, “But try to be quiet; the baby’s still sleeping.”

The shepherds took off their hats, and tiptoed into the nice warm stable. There they beheld the precious sight of the little baby boy, just opening his tiny eyes and yawning softly. They fell to their knees before the manger.

“It’s true! All true! Just like the angel said!” whispered the youngest shepherd.

“Oh, he was dazzling! I had to shield my eyes from the brightness. He told us not to be afraid, but I couldn’t help it. He said he had an announcement from God! ‘A Savior has been born’ he told us!” explained the small shepherd, looking toward the baby.

“And he told us what to look for: a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger,” interjected his older brother softly. Mary smiled.

“Don’t forget the other angels!” broke in the eldest. “A whole angel choir! What was it they were singing?”

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men with whom he is well pleased,” sang the youngest proudly.

“Yes, that was it,” concurred the eldest. “That’s when they disappeared, and we ran here as fast as we could, to find out if what he said was true. And here he is, the baby in a manger, just like the angel said!”

“You believed the angel’s message was from God, and now you’ve seen the baby with your own eyes,” said Joseph, speaking to the shepherds, but also reaffirming Mary’s choice to believe what the angel had told her! Mary nodded in agreement.

“We have to tell everyone the good news!” said the youngest. “Let’s go!” With that they scurried out the stable door into the streets of Bethlehem, singing praises to God, and telling everyone they met about the babe who is Savior of the world, the one whom they had just seen with their very own eyes.

In another part of the world, far away from Bethlehem, a brilliant star rose in the East. It was an incredibly bright star, so bright that three star-gazers (who were wise and knowledgeable men who studied such things) knew it could only mean one thing. They had prophesied the appearance of this star, and had been waiting and gazing into the heavens every night, looking for it for years. Now they spied it, and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that they must follow it.

Swiftly, they loaded their camels with supplies and gifts, and followed the star’s journey westward across the heavens, until it rested over the lowly abode where the One they were looking for, the One they called King of the Jews, would be found.

“This must be the place!” they shouted in unison. Joseph, who was outside watering the donkey, looked up with amazement at three huge camels carrying three men, who were decked in strange but beautiful clothing. He reckoned they must have come from some distant foreign land.

“Where is the child?” they asked Joseph excitedly, dismounting from their camels. “His star has led us here, and we have come to worship Him!”

“You will find Him inside,” said Joseph, pointing the way. They quickly unloaded their gifts and hurried inside, while Joseph kindly watered their tired and thirsty camels.

As the wise men entered, they saw Mary, peacefully cradling baby Jesus in her arms. When they saw the child, they dropped to their knees and worshipped Him, for they knew…they were in the very presence of God. They then presented Him with their treasures of gold, frankincense, and myrrh; gifts which were fit for a King.

Mary was astonished to see these educated men of means kneeling humbly before her little baby, and she began to ponder the possible meanings in her heart.

They have called Him, “The King of the Jews”… my baby…God’s baby…Son of man, Son of God; whose coming down to earth from heaven was heralded by God’s angels, proclaimed to lowly shepherds, and now further announced by the coming of an incredibly bright star…

How could Mary know then, that one day, all men would kneel before Him as King of Kings, Lord of Lords, just as the three wise men were doing now? How could she grasp the truth that her baby boy was God the Son, who had come down from heaven, humbling Himself to be clothed in human flesh, in order to save the world from its slavery to selfishness? One day, she and countless others would see the whole miracle of God’s salvation, but for now, all Mary knew for sure was that she simply trusted God with all that she did not yet understand. Enfolded in God’s love, Mary simply embraced the precious gift of His little Son, her little Son… Jesus.

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