Happy New Year's Day - The Day Jesus was Named!

"It might be the first day of the new year but did you know that the most important thing about today is that it's the 8th day of Christmas and the day that Jesus was circumcised and given His name! Cool, huh!?"

"On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived." (Luke 2:21)





P.S. The painting is courtesy of wikipedia and it is by Parmigianino (1503 - 1540) and it is now located in the Detroit Institute of Art.

The Days After Jesus Was Born - (Michael Toppelius)

"I love how happy the shepherds look in this painting by Michael Toppelius. Michael was from the country of Finland. He was a church painter. 
Tell me, children, do you think  shepherds came and saw Jesus in his manger during the days after his birth?" Grandma asked Pete and Lucy.

Image courtesy: Wikipedia

In Kempele Old Church in Kempele, Finland

Lucy thought a moment about that. "Hmm...the Bible doesn't say exactly, Grandma. But I think many people must have gone to see Jesus during the days after he was born." Lucy said. She loved Bible mysteries like this.

"Yeah, I think so too!" Pete said. "After all the shepherds, 'spread the word,' concerning Jesus!"