Caesar Augustus decreed a census that required Joseph to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem to register. While in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to Jesus and placed him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn. Shepherds in the fields were visited by an angel announcing Jesus' birth. They found Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus lying in the manger as the angel had described. The shepherds then spread the word about what they had witnessed.

1. Luke 2:1-3
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree
that a census should be taken of the entire
Roman world. (This was the first census that
took place while Quirinius was governor of
Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to
register.
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2. Luke 2:4-5
So Joseph also went up from the town of
Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the
town of David, because he belonged to the
house and line of David. He went there to
register with Mary, who was pledged to be
married to him and was expecting a child.
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3. Luke 2:6-7
While they were there, the time came for the
baby to be born, and she gave birth to her
firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and
placed him in a manger, because there was no
room for them in the inn.
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4. Luke 2:8-9
And there were shepherds living out in the fields
nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the
glory of the Lord shone around them, and they
were terrified.
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5. Luke 2:10-12
But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I
bring you good news of great joy that will be for
all the people. Today in the town of David a
Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the
Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a
baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’
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6. Luke 2:13-14
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host
appeared with the angel, praising God and
saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace to men on whom his favor rests.’
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7. Luke 2:15-16
When the angels had left them and gone into
heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s
go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has
happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ So
they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and
the baby, who was lying in the manger.
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8. Luke 2:17-18
When they had seen him, they spread the word
concerning what had been told them about this
child, and all who heard it were amazed at what
the shepherds said to them.
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9. Luke 2:19-20
But Mary treasured up all these things and
pondered them in her heart. The shepherds
returned, glorifying and praising God for all the
things they had heard and seen, which were just
as they had been told.
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10. Life’s interruptions are often God’s OPPORTUNTIES.
The census IMPACTED more than Mary and Joseph.
There must be room in your life for good intentions to
become a REALITY.
Jesus just happens to be the FIRST to get crowded out by
life.
Life happens and good
INTENTIONS often fall short.
Life has a way of INTERUPTING
our plans.

11. Part of our task is to CARVE out room in our lives for
Christ to be at home.
To not let life crowd out Christ means to give Him room to
CHANGE your life.
Jesus wants more than a GUEST room in your life; He
wants home ownership.
For many the CIRCUMSTANCES of
life, crowd out a place for the
Savior.

12. The shepherds went back to the same job, but they went
back DIFFERENTLY.
Will you keep Jesus wrapped in your heart and make your
life a MANGER to cradle His life in you?
God may not change your
circumstances, but when He
meets you in them He CHANGES
you

13. Please take a moment to fill out your
Communication Card
My Next Step Today is to:
( ) Do the home life help (in bulletin)
( ) Identify where Jesus tends to get crowded out in my
life.
( ) Be intentional about making more room for Jesus in
my life.
( ) Try to look for God’s opportunities in life’s
interruptions.
( ) Be intentional about not letting life “crowd” out Jesus
( ) Other________________________