Free Reading Plans and Devotionals related to Luke 2:5

Most Christmas stories begin with the cry of a baby in a manger, but for this story will begin three months earlier in a small mountain village just south of Jerusalem near the town of Hebron.  The story will begin as you watch a young, tired, and very pregnant girl walking up the road to the house of Elizabeth and Zechariah.  That’s where you will begin your journey to Bethlehem with Mary and Joseph.

Though Christmas bears the name of Jesus Christ, it’s becoming more rare to hear his name in public. But December doesn’t bring just another holiday, it brings a celebration of the advent of hope and joy—the birth of the Savior of the world. This Christmas season, let the wonder of Christ’s love stir you to Make Room for him with Mark Hall From Casting Crowns.

How is Christmas celebrated around the world? Over the next 5 days, we’ll learn from other cultures how they prepare for and celebrate the birth of our Savior. Included in each devotion is a family activity to incorporate in your family’s traditions.

The most important moment in the history of the world was when Jesus, the Light of the World, became flesh to dwell among us.  Angels announced his arrival, poems were written, shepherds ran and Mary sang! Come with us on a five-day journey as we examine His light, how it inspired those around Him and how it impacts us today.

It feels crowded, doesn’t it? The stores. The calendar. Our hearts. Even before stepping one foot into December, we’re already overwhelmed.
 In this 5-Day Bible Plan from The Messy Table Podcast, we’re intentionally making room—in our minds, relationships, time, bodies, and resources—to remember the real meaning of Christmas.

The Christmas story is so familiar to those young and old. The manger scenes, shepherds, and wise men are all a part of a narrative that has been retold for over two thousand years. It’s easy to think it has nothing new to teach us. Yet, the word of God is living and active - it works in us in new ways every time we digest it. -Vertical Worship

The Essential 100® Bible Challenge is a simple tool to read through the Big Story of God's Word. The reading plan is based on 50 Old Testament and 50 New Testament passages. Continue with the eleventh part "The Living Word." ®Produced by American Bible Society in partnership with Scripture Union, Inc.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but we often find ourselves hustling through the holidays. This Christmas, what if we reclaimed wonder? In this 5-day Bible Plan accompanying Pastor Craig Groeschel’s series, The Gift, we’ll discover how the three gifts the wise men gave Jesus can lead us to a place of wonder and worship today.

We hate to admit it, but after years of reading the same story of Christmas, we get a little bored—we lose some of the awe that we had the first time. That's why The Characters of Christmas was written, to give you a fresh look at the Christmas story by getting to know the characters that played a part in Jesus' birth and restore awe to the Christmas story.

Christmas is a reminder. It pulls us back to the center, to what matters most and where we belong. In the broken places, in the waiting, in the hoping, we are not alone. God has come to dwell with us. In this 5-day devotional, journey with Sandra as we pair scripture with classic hymns and songs from her new album, “Christmas.”

Watch this devotional plan to find out what you can do when the Christmas season isn't so happy and merry.

During the Christmas season, many Christians sing the hymn "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," which depicts the longing of the people of God for their Savior. This hope for the Savior is grounded in the Old Testament and its revelation of the Messiah. In this plan, we will look closely at the Old Testament promises about the Messiah and see how Christ perfectly fills that role.

Weariness can steal the joy from our Christmas journey! Let the Nativity refresh your heart as you walk with Zechariah, Elizabeth, Joseph, Mary and the shepherds in preparation to experience Emmanuel this holiday season.

Our Christmas story starts with the angel’s annunciation to Mary and concludes with the visit of the Magi. In these reflections and applications of the Christmas narrative I will mostly refer to Luke, as his is the fullest of the gospel accounts.

Do you long for fresh spices to flavor your spiritual experience of the Incarnation of Christ? Are you tired of stale clichés that taste like microwaved Christmas dinner leftovers? Are you hungry for an explosion of fresh flavors in your Christmas devotions? Experience a Gospel Spice Christmas alongside the shepherds, and discover how to make your life a daily nativity scene where Christ can be born in ever-deepening ways.

This five-day plan reminds you of the Christmas Story and how a King was born to save us all. From the competitor perspective, this plan walks you through the true meaning of Jesus’ birth and how we can learn something from the story and its characters. As you read, you’ll see the true meaning of Christmas and the principles you can take with you as you compete for Christ!

The Christmas story is filled with a wide cast of human characters who were each visited by an angel. The angels' messages were true not just 2000 years ago but also today. Read, listen, and learn from this most beloved of ancient stories.

Why was Jesus born? This may seem like a simple question, too familiar to ponder. But as you prepare for Christmas this year, take time to reflect on the deep meaning and purpose of Jesus's birth for your life, and for the whole world. This 5 day series was written by Scott Hoezee, and is an excerpt from the Words of Hope daily devotional.

In this fourth and final reading plan in the Infinitum Christmas Series, we progress from ‘Space for Awe’ (week 1) and ‘Liminal Space’ (week 2) and ‘Lectio Liminal’ (week 3) to ‘Awestruck & Awesome’, a consideration of the remainder of Luke’s Christmas story through the lenses of the Infinitum postures of surrender, generosity, and mission.

Slow down and savor time with the Savior this season. Choose to pause and ponder as Mary did, to get lost in the wonder of Immanuel, of God with us. This year, let it be simply Christmas.

A myth is a traditional story or a widely held but false belief or idea. Was Jesus born on December 25? Were there three kings who visited Jesus? Did the shepherds and the wise men come together to worship Jesus in the manger as is often shown in nativity plays? In this five-day devotional, find answers to these questions and get to know the truth about Christmas.

The Gospels of Matthew and Luke introduce us to a whole cast of Christmas characters with whom we’ve grown quite familiar: Joseph, Mary, the shepherds, the wise men, and so on. But have you ever stopped to ponder Christmas from Jesus’ vantage point? In this five-day plan, Alistair Begg will help you consider Christmas like never before.

This year and last year have felt chaotic, stressful, uncertain, but God (I love those two words!) is unchanging, faithful, and our source of peace. Christmas is a time of remembrance, to reflect on what our God really did when Jesus was born in a manger. Follow along as we meditate on Christmas, joy, peace, love, and hope this Advent season. -Matthew West

Jesus truly does change everything. There is a dazzling beauty in the imagery the Bible paints around the life of Jesus, and how He brings light to even the hardest moments of life. If you need something to change in your life, this is for you! Jesus is a beacon of hope piercing the night, sparkling on the dark horizon as we pitch and yaw through stormy waters. Come on this transformative journey as we read some of the most compelling descriptors of Jesus. Jesus can bring change into every area of your life.

Spikenard designed The Tapestry of Christmas to inspire individuals, small groups, and families to celebrate the women in the Christmas story. This five-day plan incorporates character discussions, reflective questions, and prayers to help participants explore biblical examples of blessing, humility, faithfulness, and thankfulness. Choose this plan to discover how these virtues prepare the way for Christ’s entrance into the world.