Around this time of year, just about every preacher tells the story of Christmas as revealed in the biblical Gospels. Or at least part of that story, at any rate. Some preachers draw from Matthew's birth narrative with its focus on Joseph and the Magi. Other preachers mine the riches of Luke, which includes the birth of John, Mary's story, the Magnificat, Jesus laid in a manger, shepherds, and angels proclaiming "Peace on earth!"
I understand why, during the seasons of Advent and Christmas, preachers exposit the infancy stories of Matthew and Luke. I have done so myself on numerous occasions. Yet, there is another Christmas story in the Gospels, one that gets far less pulpit time, even though it reveals the wondrous truth of Christmas with clarity and power.
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