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December 24:
Text: Luke 2: 1-20 Prophets: Micah 5:2; Isaiah 9: 2, 6-7; Isaiah 52: 7-9 Response: John 1: 1-14 Prayer: W&S # 7 (modified) Our Visit To Bethlehem Oooooooh, little town of Bethlehem How still we picture, we envision, and we see thee lie As your people rest and as your people sleep And as the silent stars go by. But too, we picture and envision Darkness defeated by the everlasting light As the hopes and the fears met in thee that wonderful, that glorious night. [addressing congregation] You and I have the Bethlehem of that night pictured in our minds. And you and I would love to have been there That we might have been and that we might be Witnesses to the event. If we could visit Bethlehem We would see the stable and We would observe people crowded together among the animals. If we could visit Bethlehem We would see and we would hear the angels and our eyes would open wide with awe. If we could visit Bethlehem We would notice the shepherds and We would share both their confusion and their fascination with what was going on. If we could visit Bethlehem We would be uncertain what as to what to bring And uncertain as to what to say or what to sing But In amongst that uncertainty we would peek into the manger to see the baby But you know what, I think we might be at least a bit disappointed For I suspect our reaction would be That he does not look like a king And that he is certainly not clothed like a king. To the contrary, he would look a lot like one of us (although he may have more hair than some of us) If the kid is so special that the angels sing Why does he seem so ordinary - so much like us? In fact, in the three month period from the 3rd of November through the 26th of January six children have been or will be baptized right here in this sanctuary and all six will have been dressed better and looked more royal than the newborn in the Bethlehem manger. But this king came to be one of us This king came to show us that we can be like him And thus, it is this very ordinariness of the baby That is the lesson of the manger It is this humble beginning in a stable in a small town That foreshadows his life, his teachings, his death. For despite our being called to observe him And to see him as a sign That we might live in peace and harmony God made sure that everything we would see on our visit Would be humble and simple - not grand and ostentatious. That is why this child was born Not in a palace or a temple That is why this child was born Not in a large commercial or political metropolis That is why this child was born Not into a wealthy or powerful family But in a stable in a small town and into a family of a carpenter and his young fiancée. On this night You and I celebrate that birth in a large, impressive building that is well kept and well decorated You and I celebrate with organ and voice and with candles on a brass ring These are great ways to celebrate I look forward each year to celebrating like this But as we celebrate We need to remember You need to remember And I need to remember that this was a humble birth And that this birth and our visit teach us the lesson of humility And we have to understand that that birth and that lesson Are far more important Than any fancy celebration - even one celebrating the birth And so as we continue to celebrate throughout this next year We need to be conscious that Bethlehem is not just a place to visit But rather an instruction that shows us a way to live We cannot visit Bethlehem But what we can we'll do We'll say to Christ "I love you. I'll give my life to you."