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The Innkeeper at Bethlehem

An innkeeper offers his stable to Joseph and Mary.
Contributed by Lambsongs
CC BY-NC
Personal & teaching use permitted Personal & teaching useCommercial use prohibited Commercial useDerivative works permitted Derivative worksA.I. adaptations permitted A.I. adaptations
Story also available on our translated website: German
1
Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem, where Joseph had been born, to write their names in the Tax Book. The little town was crowded with visitors. – Slide 1
2
Joseph wanted to find somewhere to stay, because Mary’s baby would be born soon. He found an inn and knocked on the door. Knockity knock, knock, knock. – Slide 2
3
The door of the inn opened quickly. ‘No room,’ the innkeeper said. ‘Move on. We have no beds left.’ Joseph and Mary walked wearily on. – Slide 3
4
In the town people gathered around visitors, asking for news of distant friends and family. Men talked about the big star that shone right over Bethlehem and about the new Tax Law. – Slide 4
5
Joseph asked for directions to another inn. ‘So many visitors have returned to Bethlehem, to sign the tax book, that the inns are full,’ they said. – Slide 5
6
Joseph needed somewhere for Mary to rest that night. He knocked urgently on the next inn door. Knockity knock, knock, knock. – Slide 6
7
No room,’ said the innkeeper. ‘Move on. We have no beds left. I don’t think you will find an empty bed in Bethlehem tonight!’ – Slide 7
8
But, when he saw Mary, the innkeeper felt sorry for her. He could see that her baby was going to be born, very soon. – Slide 8
9
‘You can use the stable. There is hay and water and it is warm and dry. It isn’t much, but it’s all I can give you,’ the innkeeper said. – Slide 9
10
Joseph looked at the animal’s shelter. It wasn’t where he had ever imagined that God’s promised Saviour would be born - in a stable! – Slide 10
11
That night, baby Jesus was born. Mary wrapped him in soft linen and Joseph made baby Jesus a bed, in a manger box of hay. – Slide 11
12
Some shepherds, from the fields nearby, came knocking on inn doors, looking for a baby. They told of angels singing, ‘Peace on earth and good will to all men.’ – Slide 12
13
Late that night, the shepherds knocked at the inn where Mary and Joseph were staying. ‘No room’ the inn keeper said crossly. ‘We even have a couple in the stable.’ – Slide 13
14
‘We have seen angels tonight! We are looking for a baby in a manger,’ they said excitedly. ‘The angel said He is the Saviour, Christ the Lord.’ The inn keeper took the shepherds to the stable. – Slide 14
15
The shepherds and the innkeeper were the first to see baby Jesus, the promised Saviour. He was wrapped in soft linen and lying a manger, just as the angel had said. – Slide 15
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Slide 16