DO YOU know who this little baby is? Yes, it is Jesus. He has just been born in a stable. A stable is where animals are kept. Mary is laying Jesus in the manger, which is the place that holds the food for donkeys and other animals to eat. But why are Mary and Joseph here with the animals? This is no place for a baby to be born, is it?

No, it isn’t. But this is why they are here: The ruler of Rome, Caesar Au·gusʹtus, made a law that everyone must return to the city where he was born to have his name written in a book. Well, Joseph was born here in Bethʹle·hem. But when he and Mary arrived, there wasn’t a room for them anywhere. So they had to come here with the animals. And on this very day Mary gave birth to Jesus! But, as you can see, he is all right.

Can you see the shepherds coming to see Jesus? They were in the fields at night taking care of their sheep, and a bright light shone all around them. It was an angel! The shepherds were very much afraid. But the angel said: ‘Don’t be afraid! I have good news for you. Today, in Bethʹle·hem, Christ the Lord was born. He will save the people! You will find him wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ Suddenly many angels came and began praising God. So right away these shepherds hurried to look for Jesus, and now they have found him.

Do you know why Jesus is so special? Do you know who he really is? Remember, in the first story of this book we told about God’s first Son. This Son worked with Jehovah in making the heavens and the earth and everything else. Well, this is who Jesus is!

Yes, Jehovah took the life of his Son from heaven and put it inside Mary. Right away a baby began to grow inside her just as other babies grow inside their mothers. But this baby was God’s Son. Finally Jesus was born here in a stable in Bethʹle·hem. Can you see now why the angels were so happy to be able to tell people that Jesus had been born?