The Christmas Narratives: Stories of Grace, Salvation, Peace, and Truth
More treasures can be found in the Christmas narratives than just the gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
The Christmas narratives are simply the Christmas stories found in Matthew chapters 1 and 2 and in Luke chapters 1 and 2. They make up THE Christmas story. It is in these four chapters that we find from God’s Word a treasury of grace, wisdom, salvation, and hope that make up the wonderful and blessed story of Christmas.
The narratives that make up the Christmas story are simple yet profound, humble yet glorious, and always full of wonder. They are about normal people, yet filled with wonderful and supernatural events. Here in this story, God invades the earth with His peace, His hope, and His gift of salvation — His Son Jesus Christ.
This Christmas season, consider a few suggestions for you and your family that can greatly bless your observance of Christmas.
During the Christmas season, take time to read Matthew chapters 1 and 2, and Luke chapters 1 and 2. And when you have finished, read them again. And then, when you have finished, read them again. Spend time reading and meditating on them throughout the month of December.
Read them as an individual believer, but also, read them with your family, several times. Parents, have your children take turns and ask each one to read one of the four chapters out loud to you. It’s good if you read it to them, but also, let them read it to you. (Very often, they will get more out of it if they read it to you.)
Also, as they read, allow them to stop and ask questions. And typically, they will have questions, possibly many questions. Children’s questions are typically GOOD questions. They help to draw everyone in the family more and more into the Christmas story.
In addition to reading the stories, you can listen to them as well. Listen on a Bible app, an audio Bible, a Bible CD, or a Bible DVD. Many times during the Christmas and Advent season, just listen to Matthew 1 and 2, and then Luke 1 and 2. Doing this will bless your socks off!
Also, if your grown children live away (or maybe you’re away from your younger children), perhaps you may want to record your voice reading the story on your smartphone and sending it to them. They may keep it for many years as a reminder of your love for them and God’s love for us.
So, please, during this Christmas season, make it a high priority to read and meditate on and listen to the Christmas stories — many times. Take time to do this, even in the midst of a time that is busier than many other times of the year.
This is just a very wise family goal even though life is busy. It’s always busy. Life does not have a pause button. Yet a family project like this is a great way to “redeem” the time with your family (Eph. 5:16).
We would be very wise to learn an important lesson from the wise men of Matthew 2.
In the busyness of their lives, they were wise enough to put their busyness aside. They took much of their time, spent their money, and spent much energy and effort to follow God. They followed the guiding star God provided to come and find the King of the Jews (and the universe) and worship Him and bring Him precious gifts.
Let’s you and I, this Christmas, be wise men and women. Let’s be wise enough to put aside our “weapons of mass distraction” — our TVs, computers, MP3 players, game systems, CD players, and cell phones. Let’s put aside some of our shopping, our gift-finding, etc. …and seek Christ. And you will always find Him in the Word of God.
Now some believers may read the Christmas stories once or twice during the Christmas holidays. And that’s better than not reading them at all. But why only nibble on God’s Word when Jesus daily invites us to dine on it? (See John 21:12). Taking time to read and meditate on the Christmas stories throughout the Christmas season will be its own reward. It’s a gift you can give to yourself, and to your family — and to Jesus. Let’s take the time!
