A Baby is Born

A Baby is Born

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:14

When someone is coming near the time of birth, it is usually a time of excitement and preparation.  When the mother’s labor begins in earnest, mother and dad rush to the hospital and the mother is given help to reduce the pain that comes with birth.  They already know if they are going to have a boy or a girl, so when the baby is born, it’s no surprise. When my children were born I had no idea what the baby would be.  It seems like the surprise was the most exciting part of it. 

Going back over 2000 years ago, when Mary was pregnant she already knew she was going to have a baby boy.  She knew his name would be Jesus. She didn’t have a hospital to go to; there was nothing to help her give birth or to help ease the pain. There was nothing clean or sanitary about the stable she was in. However, Jesus was born a healthy baby.  The shepherds made their appearance in the stable that night and there was much praising and rejoicing. 

The little family left the stable after Jesus birth and went to a house; it may have been a relative’s home, but we know it was in a house. (See Mathew 2:11)  Jesus was probably about two years old at the time.  It was there at that house the wise men came and found the ‘Child’, not a baby.  It was here they worshiped the Savior of the world and left expensive gifts for him.  Because three gifts were left with Jesus does not mean there were three Wise Men, it only mentions the three gifts.

It was after that, the angel told Joseph to take his family and go to Egypt. Because of the gifts they probably could afford to stay in Egypt until they were safe from danger.  When they did return, they went back to Nazareth where Joseph set up his carpentry business. Mary already knew what his occupation would be when he grew up.  What she didn’t know was that he would spend his grown up years healing people and saving their souls for the Kingdom of God. She didn’t know there were already people who wanted him dead.

Watching him grow from a baby to a man, must have made her do a lot of wondering.  He became a carpenter working alongside of Joseph and their life was no doubt the average for those times. Although, there must have been times Mary saw things in Jesus that made her believe he had power to do things that others couldn’t.  In John 2:4, Mary and Jesus, along with others, were at a wedding in Cana and the host ran out of wine.  Mary turned to Jesus and told him they had no wine. “Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with me; my hour has not yet come.”

Mary told the servants to do whatever Jesus told them to do.  Jesus had them fill big urns with water and take it to the host.  It was wine and was the very best wine.  Jesus was obedient to his mother but I believe it was done very quietly because he wasn’t ready to begin his ministry.  I’m sure there were some who wondered about this young carpenter and the men who followed him.  However, the disciples were also invited to the wedding which showed of good standing in the community.

Turning water into wine was the first miraculous sign that Jesus did.  Later on Jesus and the disciples went to Jerusalem and thus began his ministry. 

A Baby was born just like any normal babe and he had to go through a childhood as did any other child. It is obvious that simple carpenter walked with God and he soon learned what lay before him.  Like his mother, Mary, he was willing to completely give himself for the Glory of God and followed his heavenly Father’s command for his life on earth.

“Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”  Luke 2:10-11