Good morning everyone. It is December 24th, and this is day 12 of the 12 days of Christmas. I'm Mimi Fotz and this is Hello from the Van. Can you believe that we made it through all 12 days of Christmas? I love it. This has been so fun. It has absolutely been a delight to share the last 12 days with you. Well, it is a little sad that we're done with the 12 days of Christmas. I have very exciting news. Hello from the Van is going to become a permanent podcast. That's right, we are going to start with the new year and we will be released every Monday. And the best part? We will continue to cover topics for parents and kids. With the turning of the new year, we will also be adding a website and we'll be adding some social media to stay connected with parents. So look for that in the coming weeks. I can't wait to grow with you. And so without further ado, let's get into day 12 of the 12 days of Christmas. By going back to the beginning where it all began. Today we will be reading Luke 2 or the story of Christmas. So when I was a kid, every Christmas we would go to my grandparents' house, we would sit around, and my grandfather would read Luke 2. He would read the driest version of Luke 2. There was never any explanation of the characters or the people or the place or the setting or the customs of the time. It was just dry. So instead of reading this in my best dry old man voice, I'm going to give you some background, some history, some culture, and then we're going to read the story together, hopefully in a more entertaining manner. So let's set the scene. The who, what, where, when, and why of Luke 2. First of all, who wrote it? Well, it was Luke the Apostle. Here's what we know about Luke. He was a coworker of the Apostle Paul. He was known as Luke the physician, and many traditions hold that he was a doctor. We also know that he paid close attention to details, and he believed that it was important to investigate everything from the beginning and to write an orderly account. Now let's get to the setting. Our first is Nazareth. It's a small village, and scholars believe that it had anywhere between a hundred and four hundred people at the time, and it was only about ten acres. So basically it's a very, very small village. Our next setting is Bethlehem. Bethlehem is about 140 kilometers or roughly 90 miles from Nazareth. To put that into perspective, that's about the distance from Logan, Utah to Salt Lake, Utah. If you're in Texas, that's about the distance from Houston to College Station. Or if you're in California, that's about the distance from Huntington Beach to the Mexican border. It's not a short distance. The next thing we need to cover is the why. Why did Joseph and Mary make the trip from Huntington Beach to Mexico or from Logan to Salt Lake? Well, back in the day, the Romans were in charge. And we know that Joseph and his family were Hebrews. The best way to explain it is that the government was run by the Romans, the Hebrews were under them. And the Roman leader at the time, Caesar Augustus, wanted an accounting called a census of everyone, Romans and Hebrews included. This was done for taxation and military reasons. In the United States, a census is done every 10 years. In the time of Caesar Augustus, it was done whenever the Roman ruler in charge decided that it needed to be done. Now, today when a census is performed, the census recorders come to your house, but back then you had to go to the place that your family was from, and Joseph's family was from Bethlehem. So that's why they made the journey. Here are some other very important details. The journey to Bethlehem from Nazareth would have been very dangerous and difficult. There weren't cars or trains or super highways, and traveling in a caravan would have been ideal for safety, but with people traveling in all different directions on their way to their ancestral home, that might not have been possible. And I'm sorry to be the one to bring it up, but there's no donkey mentioned in the Bible. Sorry. And finally, some small details about that manger and the inn. Or was it a cave? Because Bethlehem was small, and because so many people were traveling there due to the census, there wouldn't have been a large motel or hotel or anything like that available. But there could have been some sort of guest accommodations for travelers. Think of it as like a familial Airbnb. There is some scholarly debate as to where the baby was actually born. The location could have been some sort of stable, as is suggested by the use of a manger. A manger is a trough for animals to eat out of. So it could have been some sort of stable. It also could have been a cave. Both are places that a manger naturally would have been during this time. It is also important to note that mangers and animals were sometimes kept inside poorer homes. In the end, I guess it doesn't really matter if it was a cave or a poor home or a stable. What does matter is that the babe was born and the story was written. Now the interesting thing about the nativity story is that it's not just in Luke 2. Remember how we talked about how Luke was a physician and he focused mostly on facts? Well, he doesn't talk about the wise men. The wise men are actually recorded by Matthew in Matthew chapter two. I will include that here as well. So that the story all comes together. And with that, this is Luke II, the Nativity Story. And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. And this taxing was first made when Serenius was governor of Syria, and all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night, and lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord, and this shall be a sign unto you. Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said unto one another, Let us go now, even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger, and when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning the child, and all that heard it, wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart, and the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them, and the child grew and waxed strong in spirit, filled with the wisdom and the grace of God that was upon him. Matthew two. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod, the king, behold there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born, king of the Jews?

For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the King had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him, and when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together he demanded of them where Christ should be born, and they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet, and thou Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not the least among the princes of Judah, for out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared, and he sent them to Bethlehem and said, Go and search diligently for the young child, and when ye have found him, bring me wood again, that I may come and worship him also.

When they had heard the king, they departed, and lo the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy, and when they were come into the house they saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and fell down and worshipped him, and when they had opened their treasures they presented him with gifts, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. John chapter 15, verse 13. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. And with that, Merry Christmas to all of you. I'm Mimi Fatz, and this has been Hello from the Van.