Children and Families - Scripture Union NZ

“…while they were there,   she gave birth to her first-born son. She dressed him in baby clothes and laid him on a bed of hay, because there was no room for them in the guest-room.” It was time. God's son was about to be born into the world. Jesus was born, not in a palace, or even in a guest room! Instead, the creator of the universe was born in the room attached to the house where the animals were kept. It may even have been one room shar ed by all the people in the house, with the animals in one corner.  This is what it might have looked like: This image comes from www.psephizo.com The family would have had a mule or a donkey to plough their fields or to carry all their gear when they travelled. They were too precious to leave out in the winter cold. And the animals acted like a heating system for the house. They helped make things nice and warm. This is a beautiful painting on a church wall in Bethlehem, but can you spot what needs to be changed to make i...

…While they were there,   she gave birth to her first-born son. She dressed him in baby clothes and laid him on a bed of hay, because there was no room for them in the inn [guest room]. Bethlehem is crowded when Mary and Joseph arrive in town. Lots of people are pouring into town and families are squeezing people into every single room. It’s noisy, as people greet each other, excited to see one another. Food is cooked and feasts are held. People are yelling too, as someone claims a room that belongs to someone else. Joseph helps Mary as they walk along the busy street where Joseph’s family live. It’s a full house.  But there is the place where the animals live of course...  This picture comes from a book called 'Daily Life at the time of Jesus'. Let's talk about the Inn for a moment: Lots of Christmas books you might have read will tell you that Jesus was born in a stable because there was no room in the inn. An inn is another word for a motel. T...