Sunday, December 30, 2012

New Zealand Christmas 2011



NZ095-11Christians celebrate Christmas in various ways.  In some Christian denominations, children re-enact the events of the Nativity with animals to portray the event with more realism or sing carols that reference the event.

New Zealand Post celebrated the Christmas 2011 by issuing a set of five stamps feature the Christmas Nativity .




The 60 c stamp represents “the baby Jesus wrapped by Virgin Mary in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn”.


NZ096-11As the new day began, suddenly an angel appeared  and the glory of God shone around them. The shepherds were very, very scared, but the angel said, 'Don't be afraid. I have good news for you and everyone. Today in Bethlehem a Saviour has been born for you. You will find the baby lying in a manger.'

Then many more angels appeared, lighting up the sky. The shepherds heard them praising God singing: 'Glory to God in highest, and peace to everyone on earth.' When the angels had gone the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go to Bethlehem to see what has happened.'

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Joseph was worried when he found out that Mary was expecting a baby before their marriage had taken place. He wondered if he should put off the wedding altogether.

Then an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said: 'Don't be afraid to have Mary as your wife.' 

The angel explained that Mary had been chosen by God to be the mother of his Son and told Joseph that the baby would be named Jesus which means 'Saviour' because he would save people.When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel had told him to do and took Mary as his wife. They became as a Holly family.
 


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So the shepherds went to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph. The baby Jesus was lying in a manger as they had been told.
When they saw him, they told everyone what the angel had said and everyone who heard the story were astonished.

Then the shepherds returned to their sheep, praising God for sending his Son to be their Saviour.

 
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The Gospel of Matthew instead describes a visit by an unspecified number of magi, or astrologers, sometime after Jesus was born while the family was living in a house (Matthew 2:11), who brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the young child Jesus. 





The visitors were said to be following a mysterious star, commonly known as the Star of Bethlehem, believing it to announce the birth of a king of the Jews

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