The Christmas Story Unplugged (1 of 4)

"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 every-one went to his own town to register."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."Not far from Bethlehem, bivouacked in the Judean hills with his hoards of demons, Satan contemplated Joseph's journey. In the spiritual battle for the hearts and lives of humankind, this inconsequential couple, pregnant out of wedlock, an embarrassment, were the avenue by which God would initiate His coup de grace of mankind's redemption. While the world took no notice, Satan knew, God knew, the demons and angels knew, and Joseph knew Mary was pregnant with the Messiah. With His birth, it would be Christmas.Take notice.