When baby Jesus was eight days old, His parents took Him to the temple in Jerusalem, because they wanted to present Jesus to God.  An old man named Simeon was in the temple and God had told him that he would not die until he had seen the Christ, Whom God had promised to send to save His people Israel.  When Simeon saw Jesus, he took the baby in his arms and said to God, "My eyes have seen Your salvation.  He is a light for all the people and the glory of Israel."

An old prophetess named Anna also saw the baby and told the people that this child had come to save them.  Simeon and Anna knew that Jesus was Christ the Saviour whom God had promised.

In Jerusalem there was a big and beautiful building set high above the hilly streets.  It's rooms were magnificently decorated with many fine courts and fountains.  Herod the King who had built the palace, lived there surrounded by servants and dressed in rich silken robes.  Some Wise Men had come to Jerusalem from far countries in the east and were asking where the new King of the Jews had been born, because they had seen a strange and glorious star in the east.  And knowing that this meant the birth of a very great King, they had come to worship Him.

So Herod sent messages to the Chief Priests and to the Scribes, and asked them to come to the palace and talk the matter over with him. They knew that the prophets had said long ago that a wonderful new King would reign over the nation of Israel.  So then Herod asked them where this great King, who was called Christ should be born, they replied that it was to be in Bethlehem.

Herod was very jealous when he heard this and wanted to kill the baby.   So he called the wise men secretly and sent them to Bethlehem saying, "Go and search for the child and when you find him come and tell me, so that I may go and worship him as well".  But Herod's heart was very wicked, because he meant to kill the Baby Christ if he could find him.   However, the Wise Men didn't know this, so they set out for Bethlehem.

As they rode their camels, with their servants about them, they saw again in the sky the great shining star that they had seen in the East.  It went before them until it stopped over the place where the child was.   The Wise Men got down from their camels and asked if they might go in.  And when they saw Mary with the little baby in her arms, they knelt down and worshipped Him.  They then presented gifts to the infant King, of gold, sweet-smelling incense and myrrh.  And being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Meanwhile, Mary and Joseph and the Baby Jesus were fast asleep, when an angel warned Joseph in a dream about Herod's plans to kill all babies under two years of age.  Joseph knew how angry Herod must be to think that another King had been born in the land.  So he woke Mary and they gathered together their belongings.  Joseph brought a donkey to the door and Mary came out with the Baby Jesus.  He helped her to mount and started on to the long road that led to Egypt.

God was very near to them and so Joseph and Mary were able to stay in Egypt quite safely until Herod died.  Then one night, the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise up and take the young child and his mother, and go back to the land of Israel.  For those who sought the child's life are dead".

But, when Joseph learnt that Herod's son was reigning in his father's place, he felt it wouldn't be safe to go back to Judea.  While he was wondering what to do, the angel came to him a third time and told him to go and live in the north of Israel at a place called Nazareth.

And so Joseph and Mary avoided from Bethlehem on their return journey and settled at Nazareth, a strange town built on the side of a mountain which had once been a volcano.  Here Joseph set up in business as a carpenter, and the baby, who was to become so great and wonderful, grew up to be a cheerful little boy.

Jesus was presented to God and many of you have done the same.  You prayed and said, "Here I am God, I want You to take my life and make it Yours!"   And then you asked the Son of God to come and live in your heart.  Jesus came into your heart and changed you into a child of God.  And now God wants you to grow up as a Christian and enjoy your life serving Him.

God bless!