The Who, What, Why, How of Christmas

Christmas In the beginning God made everything ...

What?

g? in

Ev er yt h

Susannah McFarlane Illustrated by Kim Fleming

This little book has been funded by the generosity of the supporters of Bible Society Australia.

The Bible can inspire us, challenge us and give us answers to the difficult questions of life. It can change us, for good.

That’s why we and our supporters work so hard to make sure everyone who wants a Bible can have one. We provide Bibles all over the world: to refugees from the Middle East, new Christians in China and to the poorest Christians everywhere.

And we want children here to know the wonderful stories of the Bible too. That’s why we have created this book, just for them.

We hope you enjoy it. © Bible Society 2019. All rights reserved.

Editor: Kris Argall Art direction: John Healy W: biblesociety.org.au E: bibles@biblesociety.org.au T: 1300 BIBLES (1300 242 537) Charity Licence: 19 000 528

y!

A bb I’m it for me! a W

Christmas The Christmas story has been told so many times that we often forget that it’s a real and powerful story about real things that happened.

And not everyone knows the story that changed our world forever: who it’s about, what happened, why and how.

Sometimes the best way to find out is to ask questions.

And the best people to ask questions are kids who ask close to 300 questions a day.

So get ready for the Christmas story with a difference.

You can also watch an animated version of this story on our website: biblesociety.org.au/whowhat

Susannah McFarlane Illustrated by Kim Fleming

Come on Abby, the story has started!

ing ! v a es e h tori w s e r o ve l

I

A

o r y? t s a

4

God made the land and the seas, the stars and the sky.

He made the fish, the birds, the animals and ‌

Did

he

ke

m a

slo s? th 3

Yes, even sloths.

Who are you?

I’m telling the story of Christmas.

’

Awww w

before. e n o at h t LOVE Christm I d ar t the story need as! e u B s h ‘Once upon a ti to s me ta .. .

But that’s how fairytales start Abby.

This is a true story, about things that really happened.

Now, where was I? Ah yes, God made everything.

4

rt

...

I’v e

I’

m

m. o T Hello Tom, I’m the narrator.

And it was good and God

LOVED it.

And things were good. He loved being with us and giving us everything we needed. He told us what to do to be happy.

But something went wrong ‌

Oh no!

Wh at?

5

People didn’t do what God told them to. Then more and more people didn’t.

Wh

y?

They wanted to decide things, not God.

I like to decide

Hello, I’m Gra c God doesn’t ge e. t th ing sw No, but we didn’t listen ro to God and our wrong things ng . blocked us from him.

6

.

Yes, we all do, but we all get things wrong.

thi ng s

And things got

WORSE.

osh. Cool! An aw I’m J eso d b l l e o i c f k e i n c g th me d for e li gh ark t!

7

There was confusion, sickness and

e

m

er? t t e tb i e ak

8

W e

Ho w

do

w

FIGHTING. ve a h

le o t

o tG

d

u help

s.

Who ’

sG od God is the one who made everything ? and the only one who can save us. He promised to send a king to rescue us.

God had a plan.

Like a superhero?

Punching through t he Yes, sort of. da rk

fo

fie

rc That’s cool! e He ma sloths and d est kes Well, yes. r oy So what did se he vi do l! ?

? ld 9

God waited.

We waited.

W

10

I ha ? y h

te waiting.

H

ow

m la

e

h !T

is

uld o w

ea k a m

ble mov i r r e t

ie.

When the time was right,

GOD MOVED. 11

God came down to

c

!

12

ne

We pu to

Supe rhe ro

re

ad y

f

a r o

n tio

a s ’ at

Th

SAVE US.

God sent an angel named Gabriel to a town called Nazareth.

Israel. ace in l p l rea Yes, Grace, it’s a real place, because this is a real story.

Gabriel went to the house where a young woman called Mary lived.

on

are cute! s l e g An hristmas tree. rC u o

Real angels aren’t cute, Abby.

They look more like this …

13

N 14

ow

’re e w

Angels are mighty warriors and God’s messengers.

Awesome! ! g n i Gabriel had a message talk for Mary about God’s plan.

Mary was scared, but Gabriel told her it was okay.

God had chosen her to have a baby.

My m

um’s having

ab ab y.

It’s exciting isn’t it? And Mary’s baby would be a super-special baby.

He would be God’s son and a king to save the world.

Mary didn’t understand all of God’s plan, but she trusted God so she said yes.

Gabriel said the baby would be called …

15

16

17

So where is this

s up

erh ero J

He’s coming. I’m getting to that, but first Mary and her husband Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem.

es us ?

Wh y?

They had to register for a government census that was counting all the people.

Bethlehem was full of people.

The only place Mary and Joseph could find was a room where animals were kept.

18

And so it was there that the baby

JESUS WAS BORN.

You’re kidd ing A baby is th me? e su p everyone was erhero wai He can’t d o AN ting for YT H But he already has. God has IN ?

G! become a human being. In Jesus, he has come down to earth.

The wait is over.

even t ’ can is arms! e h H ve o m

This i s

stu pid .

19

NE

WS O F

GREAT JO Y!

GLORY

TO GOD!

The angels didn’t think it was stupid.

They knew it was great news, so they shouted it with joy to shepherds who were watching their sheep in nearby fields.

W

20

H! A O

W

OW

!

Y! A Y

B S I R A SAVIOU

!

N OR

!

H T R A E N PEACE O !

T O N R FEA As soon as the shepherds heard, they rushed to find the baby.

21

When the shepherds found the baby Jesus, they bowed down. They were so happy.

y?

Wh

Because

hi m t o

they

save knew eve Go r yo d h s a h m i n s g y ne a d B t he w? o on s e H rce field away? o f Ea nt k d ar rt h.

Yes! The shepherds rushed out to tell people.

22

And everyone who heard it was amazed.

The

GOOD NEWS

travelled far.

M

!

e

o to

!

Iw an tt

o

l te

ne o me o ls

23

A few years later, God put a special star in the sky far away.

Some wise men knew it was a sign that the special king had come. They rushed to see Jesus too. They bowed down and gave him presents.

Il

ov

e

24

ts! n e es r p

B

bo

ts look n e s pre ot toys? e os h y n h t !W ut ing r Well, their presents were very valuable – spices, perfume and gold.

KING. They were gifts fit for a

But not everyone was excited about the kid who was a king ...

25

Herod was the king of Israel.

He was cross about Jesus.

He didn’t want another king.

He wanted to be the only king.

He sent his soldiers out to get rid of Jesus.

26

GOD is in charge.

But

He sent an angel to warn Joseph.

Joseph took Jesus and Mary far away to Egypt.

27

When it was safe, Jesus went back to Nazareth. As he grew, he listened to God and learnt from him. He was getting ready to save the world from the darkness that had trapped us.

But for now, we have to wait.

Agai n?

Yes, we have to wait for the story of Easter to see what God does.

I promise you, it will be worth it ‌

28

s!

That’s why happy at C we a h r Yes, Abby! In Jesus, God gave us rist e m the best present ever. a

What’s your response to the true story of Christmas?

Do you have questions?

You can find out more answers to the Who? What?

Why? and How? of the Christmas story in the Bible, particularly the Gospels of Luke and Matthew, chapters 1 and 2.

Join Josh, Tom, Grace and Abby again, with a whole lot more questions, in the Who? What? Why? How? Easter story to find out what happens next.

23

Books for curious kids Christmas – a real story about something that really happened.

But who, what, why and how?

Join Josh, Tom, Grace and Abby as they ask the tricky questions to find out what Christmas is all about.

RRP $2.99