Story Summary
Our first Advent story focuses on the real source of Hope — Jesus, the Promised Savior of the world. Listen to the story from Matthew 2:1-12 to hear how hope moved wise men to follow the Star that will lead to the One who will shepherd Israel.
Story is provided by StoryRunners, a Cru ministry.
Upcoming Story Groups
See all the Story Group events scheduled for this story’s Story Set. If this story has no upcoming events, join an active Story Group.
january, 2023
Story Resources
Resources focused on Individual Learning
Listen / download audio
Subscribe using your favorite podcast app to automatically get the new story every week.
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
- Anchor (send an audio version back and get feedback / share with other members!)
Transcript of the Story
The Roman empire was ruling over the Jewish people and the leader of the Romans wanted to have a census that year. He wanted to count all of the people that he had rule over in that empire, so that meant all of the people would have to travel back to the hometown of their ancestors. At that time, Joseph was engaged to Mary who was pregnant and because he was a descendant of David, they would have to travel back to David’s hometown, which was Bethlehem. While they were there, Mary had the baby. She had her first born son and she took him and wrapped him in strips of cloth and placed him in the trough where the animals fed. Mary and Joseph named their baby Jesus. At the same time, there was a group of shepherds and they were tending their flock that night. Suddenly, an angel appeared shining bright and light and the shepherds were afraid, but the angel said, “Don’t be afraid.”
I’ve come with good news for everyone today. The promised savior has been born in the hometown of David, Bethlehem, and this is how you will know him. You will look for a baby that has been wrapped in strips of cloth and that has been placed in the trough where the animals feed. When they said this, the sky was filled with angels who began to sing, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace be with men.”
Then the angels left. The shepherds looked at each other and said, “Well, let’s go to Bethlehem. Let’s see what has happened.” When they arrived, they saw the baby Jesus and there he was wrapped in the strips of cloth placed in the animal trough where they fed the animals. They rejoiced and they told everyone what they had seen and everyone was amazed. All of this came to pass so that the words of the prophet Isaiah would be true when he said the Virgin shall bear a son and his name shall be Emmanuel, which means God with us.