Free Reading Plans and Devotionals related to Matthew 2:1

How will you prepare to celebrate the Savior's birth this year? Many people have traditions such as listening to Christmas music, sending cards, decorating a tree, or reading the Christmas story. During this Advent devotion, we'll be looking at 5 different responses from people who were present for the coming of Jesus and we'll look at how they prepared for His arrival. We'll now look at The Magi’s response.

Feel like the wonder of Christmas gets lost amidst all of the digital distractions and busyness of the season? This 3-day plan will help you to adorn your heart with wonder. Each day includes a "Wonder Challenge," a short, practical activity that will help to bring some wonder into your life through a reflection on a part of the story of Jesus' birth.

The celebration of Christmas is less about Jesus being born in a manger and more about Him being born because we matter. God came to be with us because He didn’t want our world to be without Him. He intentionally chose the name Immanuel because He was no longer simply watching us, warning us, and waiting for us to get it right. He was with us. In this devotional, you will be challenged with a fresh perspective as you prepare for the Christmas season.

Reflections on the events of Good Friday told by characters from the nativity stories. An imaginative exploration of the wonder of the nativity and the sacrifice of the crucifixion.

Have you ever sat in front of your oven waiting for a frozen pizza to finish cooking?... Then you know what it’s like to wait in anticipation for something you want. Well here's some Good News you don’t have to wait for: Jesus is born! God has saved the world from sin! And guess what? He’s coming back again!

Have you grown up reading the Christmas story in the book of Luke? Most of us are very familiar with this story, but there may be some amazing things that you've never noticed before. Let's take a moment this Christmas season to look beyond the manager and discover some interesting facts about the Christmas story.

The magi, or “wise men,” are known for their gifts to baby Jesus—gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But their story goes beyond giving; they also received profound gifts from God. In this 3-day reading plan, we’ll explore the three gifts God gave the magi and still offers us today. Based on The Gifts the Magi Received by Stephen Unwin, published by Our Daily Bread Ministries Australia, this plan reveals the generosity at the heart of their journey and the gifts that continue to inspire us.

What would make this Christmas awesome for your marriage? How do we take a season that is often filled with stress and anxiety and turn things around? In this reading plan, Dr. Kim Kimberling addresses four things you can do as a couple to reduce the stress and anxiety of the season and help you focus on Jesus. Your Christmas and your marriage can be better than ever.

The aim of this devotion is to help you put a little bit of "Awe and Wonder" back into your celebration as you contemplate and celebrate the birth of Jesus from a child-like faith. During this special time of Christmas celebration, may you prepare your heart to prepare Jesus even more room all year through.

The glorious event of the birth of Jesus teaches many lessons beyond the traditional tales of Christmas. This devotional takes a closer look at some of the events surrounding that holy moment and discusses how we can leverage the opportunities from the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ beyond the seasonal celebrations and into our everyday living.

Not many people knew about the first Christmas when Jesus was born physically on earth. Just a handful of people celebrated the first Christmas and were blessed. Even today, while many people celebrate Christmas, not everyone is blessed during this season. Let's take time to learn how to position ourselves for heaven's attention this Christmas.

Christmas is a time to celebrate the greatest gift of all, Jesus. Looking at the story of Christ's anticipated arrival at Christmas reminds us that Jesus came to be the fulfillment of God's promises and faithfulness. All our hopes and prayers are answered in the presence of Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us.

At Christmastime, Advent calendars serve as tangible reminders of expectation slowly moving toward fulfillment. Likewise, the Old Testament records how the failures and weaknesses of God’s people created a longing and a need for a perfect King to come. This four-day plan reminds us that Jesus’ birth wasn’t an isolated event but the fulfillment of God’s promise to establish His kingdom forever. In Christ alone we find our long-expected, perfect King.

The vocations represented in the characters of Christmas can teach us a lot about God and how our work is a means of co-laboring with “the newborn King.” In this four-day plan, we’ll look at the vocations of the innkeeper, King Herod, the nameless manger builder, and Jesus himself to draw out applications for our own work today.

Game systems… new clothes… snacks that are honestly kind of gross but we eat them because it’s tradition… We are talking about GIFTS! Over the next few days, we will be focusing in on the greatest gift we could ever hope to receive: the Savior of the world… Jesus!

Advent is a time of spiritually preparing our hearts, celebrating the birth of Jesus, as well as looking forward to His Second Coming! Advent begins on the Sunday closest to December and ends on December 24th. This devotional is taking the four Sundays before Christmas to reflect on this sacred time. In this study, we will also include activities that can be done alone or with the family.

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.

Ask any Jew what the difference is between Judaism and Christianity, and he will say one word: Jesus. In this 5-day devotional, Rabbi Kirt A. Schneider unpacks why understanding the person of Jesus is instrumental in bridging the gap between Judaism and Christianity.

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 reflections in this Advent reading plan will help readers to draw close to the Lord this Christmas. As you consider Christ’s miraculous birth and the privilege of knowing Him, you will find your life, love, hope and joy renewed. Each of the five days features a Bible verse, a reflection for the day and a short prayer.

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 time of joy, hope and love. As we get ready to celebrate, we are going to take a journey to Bethlehem and experience the story of Christmas to prepare our hearts to receive the greatest gift of all - Jesus.

The ancient Scriptures, written by the prophets of old, declare that the Word of God was indeed made flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus, the Christ, was the fulfillment of both the Law and the Prophets. This year, may we share His peace and declare goodwill toward all mankind!

During Advent, we remember that Jesus is God’s Star, heralding God’s love and forgiving power to us. Each devotional in this series is for one of the Sundays leading up to Christmas. The fifth, and final devotional, is for Christmas Day. Use these short reflections around a meal table, or on your own. More than anything, lift your eyes to God’s Star –Jesus – as your Hope this season.

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.