Luke 2:1-20
Characters: Luke. Mary, Gabriel, Shepherd.
Luke: Thanks for meeting with me again, Mary.
Mary: It’s no problem at all.
Luke: I just don’t want to wear you out, or make you too tired.
Mary: Now don’t you worry about that. Reliving those memories of Elizabeth. And the birth of our babies was just what an old woman like me needed.
Luke: I’m glad to know that. Speaking of the birth of your baby, that’s why I came back to visit you today. You told me about John, but what about the birth of Jesus?
Mary: Oh yes. I had returned home, and was in my last month or so when the news arrived…
(fades out and transitions to reading.)
Luke (with writing affect): Dear Theophilos, my latest interview has revealed some amazing details in the life of Jesus.
(fades and transitions.)
Luke: In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town.
(transition affect)
Luke: Now hold on a moment Mary. Are you certain about the date?
Mary: Yes, it was when Quirinius took office. There was another census later, but this would have been at the first one.
Luke: But why did the governor command that everybody had to travel back to their home cities? That isn’t normal for a census, is it?
Mary: To be counted while away from home would mean that a different town would get credit for you living there. Not to mention that any time that taxes had to be paid, you would need to travel back there to pay them.
Luke: But if your family lived in Nazareth. Why not just stay there? I’ m sure such a tiny little town could use the extra people in the census, and revenue from any taxes.
Mary: I haven’t thought about that. If only Joseph were still with us, he could probably tell you. I know that as Jews, it was forbidden to havde a census, and there was resentment over that.
Luke: I want to write this down as an accurate record, so I need to know for sure about why the Roman government would have all the people travel to their ancestry homes.
Mary: Well, since both of us were from the line of David, Bethlehem was our ancestry home. But we weren’t commanded to go there exactly. My family had been in Nazareth for quite some time, but Joseph still had all his relatives living there. We went there together, because that’s what a young bride does. Go where your husband goes.
(fade, and transition to writing affect).
Luke: And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
(Transition affect)
Luke: I still find that incredible, that you walked all that way in your condition.
Mary: I’m just glad we made it to that inn. At least here was shelter, and a little privacy. There are plenty of roadside inns, but many are little more than an open field where animals in the caravan can graze.
Luke: Amazing.
Mary: Yes, but it gets even more amazing. Let me tell you that I never dreamed something like this could happen.
(fades, and writing affect).
Luke: And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them,
Gabriel: “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
Luke: And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
Gabriel: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Luke: When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another,
Shepherd: “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
Luke: And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Credit
Scriptts in the Luke audio drama series are property of Life Truth, copyright 2019, updated at the date of reposting by Life Truth.
Written permission is required from the author for use in print, digital or audio formats.
“Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”
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