We are in the second week of Advent. Remember Advent means preparation. We are preparing for God’s work in the world as we anticipate the beginning of humanity understanding God’s act of love for us in sending His Son to live among us first as the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes. Now, I imagine that most of you in this room could tell the story of the birth of Christ since you were small children without even reading the accounts in Matthew and in Luke. This season, we are looking fresh at the nativity story, taking in account the perspective of Adam Hamilton, pastor of The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection understands along with what Biblical Scholars and Archaeologists have discovered about the beginnings of this salvation story. My hope and prayer for you is that you will learn something new about this journey to Bethlehem. If you do learn something new, feel welcome to write it down in your study guide; also use it to focus your days of Advent leading to Christmas with the anticipation that your days preparing for Christmas day won’t escape you to point that on the 20^th or even as early as the 15^th you will not be saying…I can’t wait for Christmas to be over!

And so, we continue our 5-week journey to Bethlehem reflecting on Joseph. Last week we learned that Mary was from the insignificant, obscure village of Nazareth.   Today, Nazareth is busily with 70, 000 residents. But when Mary lived there, this little village had no more than 400 residents…maybe as few as 100.

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