THIS Baby

Preached at Christ Church, Billericay on 24 December 2023 at 23:15

Readings: Micah 5:2-5a, Luke 2:1-14

Why did you come tonight?

I wonder why you came to church tonight? To get out of the cold? To have a sit down? Because you enjoy singing carols? Maybe you came because you always do – it's a tradition. Perhaps you even came reluctantly and would have preferred to stay at home, watch some telly, have an early night – after all it's a busy day tomorrow. You couldn't, because it's Christmas Eve, and on Christmas Eve we always go to church. Or was there some other reason?

Why did I come?

I've been coming to this service for more than 40 years and for a variety of different reasons:

at first, it was just a late night out with friends

later it was to meet with friends and exchange gifts

when the children were young, I'd wake them up and bring them, so that Father Christmas could sleep in late

more recently, it is back to seeing old friends

but tonight it’s because I have the privilege of sharing some thoughts on the bible readings.

Start of Christmas – do it ASAP

It's the start of Christmas, and we want to get the celebration going as soon as possible. That's what this service is supposed to represent. Get here for 11:15, and you will be able to take communion as early on Christmas day as is physically possible – so long as the preacher doesn't go on all night! We can sing the last verse of O Come all ye faithful too, because that can only be sung on Christmas day, when Jesus has been born.

Reminder of the story

Let’s outline the story before we look closer at these readings. Jesus born in Bethlehem, in Judea, (not the one in Caesarea, or Wales), because this Bethlehem is David's Town. He was born to the Virgin Mary and her betrothed Joseph, who is descended from David. They have come to Bethlehem because of a census and the town is full, so they are in a stable.

Announced to shepherds

The birth is announced to shepherds, out on the hills around Bethlehem:

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign a to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Shepherds

Shepherds were the lowest of the low. They were not allowed in the temple because they were ritually unclean (from dealing with dead sheep). They were out in all weathers, wind, rain, and cold. Most people thought of them as thieves. To look after the sheep they would have to face the dangers of bears and wolves, so they would be armed, with a sling and a club, or a crook.

The shepherds got their things together, tied them up in their goats skins, picked up their crooks, wrapped their cloaks around them and, leaving the sheep, went off to look for the sign that the angel had promised.

Now you might think wandering around town looking for a newborn baby was quite a challenge, but the town would have been dark, with very few lights. The commotion around the birth would have been quite noticeable.

A new Baby

Of course, anyone will go and visit a new baby. Even as a young single adult, I went to visit my Sister and new baby in hospital. As I bent over the cot, he formed a fist, and reached sharply upwards. I just got out of the way in time – imagine explaining that black eye!

Even if the baby doesn't give you a great welcome, there's still a sense of joy, anticipation, and hope that comes from hearing of a newborn. That's one of the reasons we have to go to see them, to be sure it's real — “I have seen it with my own eyes”.

What has a baby got more of than the rest of us?

What has a baby got more of than the rest of us?

Bones – yes, 300 compared to 260 in an adult, but that's not what I was thinking about. A baby has more time left on this earth than we do, or at least that is always the hope that we have. The next generation is here, the future of our family, the next layer in the family tree is created, or is starting to fill up. We can somehow look further into the future than we once did. What will the world be like when he or she is grown? — and has children of their own?

Every baby brings hope to its parents and their families for these reasons, but THIS baby …

Birth Announcement – normal

Most babies arrival is announced by the parents, probably on social media, or possibly in the local paper. If you're born into royalty, you'll get an announcement on the TV news – explaining what your position is in the line of succession. As we heard in 2021, with our latest royal birth “Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor”, now Princess Lilibet who was eighth in line when she was born on 4 June. But in this announcement there is more fascination with the name than the position in the line of succession.

Well, it was an impressive way to enter the world, I'm sure she is destined for greatness, but it's not quite a choir of angels like THIS baby.

Jesus’s announcement

THIS baby comes, not just with lots of expectation and joy from its parents, but with a message from God. There's all the prophecies about His birth, and the sort of person he will be. There's the angels visit to Mary and then to Joseph. Then, when He arrives, the angels delivered a message about Him to the shepherds, and all heaven celebrates.

“Do not be afraid … I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”

There’s even a new star, but we’re not going to cover that tonight.

Expectations for the Christ

The Jews had been waiting, hoping for the Christ (or Messiah) to arrive, for hundreds of years. God had been silent for about 400 years. Many of them were hoping that the Christ would re-establish Israel to its golden age when David was king, and conqueror of the surrounding lands. That would have to be a military solution – to kick out the Roman occupiers. THIS baby comes with a different promise, and causes a different hope. THIS baby brings hope to everyone – all the people. It must be all the people, otherwise why tell the shepherds? That's hope for the Shepherds, the Jews, the wise men, the hated Romans, all the other human beings living in the world that the Jews had no idea about, and all their descendants all the way down their family trees to you and me.

Prophecies → military leader?

Many of the prophecies can give the impression that a great military leader is expected – particularly if that’s what you want and believe. Even the Micah reading we had could be interpreted that way. In reality, though, if you put aside your own pre-conceptions and desires and let the text speak to you, the emphasis of the prophecies is on character traits like ‘shepherd’, from our Micah reading and ‘counsellor’ from Isaiah 9:6:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Kenny Richey

Let me tell the story of Kenny Richey. He was on death row for 20 year because he started a fire in an act of revenge on his ex-girlfriend. It killed a two-year-old girl. Eventually, because of a plea bargain, he had a hearing that might lead to his release.

That's like the position each of us finds ourselves in with God. We are effectively on death row. The apostle Paul says in his letter to Titus:

“we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.”

It was hate that drove Kenny, the two-year-old was what the American's call 'collateral damage'.

Our Hatred

Most of us won't act out our hatred to that extent, but it's there inside each of us. You can see it. Just catch the eye of the driver you've just beaten into a parking space, or the person who can't get a seat on the train because you're ahead of them, or the person in the supermarket queue, when something you do causes them to be delayed – there are hundreds of other examples. We've all been that person too. Think back to the events of last week, or yesterday, or perhaps tonight in the church car park.

No contest

Kenny entered a 'no contest' plea – neither 'guilty' nor 'not guilty' – at his hearing. That fudge would not be good enough for God, but it served for Kenny in the American justice system, and he was released.

With God, there can be no plea bargains, only a plea of 'guilty'. God already knows that we are, but he needs to know that we know, that we have admitted it to ourselves. That we no longer want to live your life as one who is “disobedient, deceived and enslaved.” If that's the case then God because of His mercy and graciousness and because of what THIS baby achieved when he was a man, will not apply the ultimate penalty to us.

Hope

THIS baby is the source of our hope. His birth, His life, His death, and His Life show us what God is like. He is merciful, gracious, and is prepared to release us from the sentence we are facing and accept us back into his family, so that we will no longer have to live in hatred.

I wonder if anyone will ever tell Kenny? Who has spent two further terms in jail for various less serious crimes.

I wonder if anyone will tell those who are busy cooking the turkey, or watching the television, or tucked up in their beds, preparing to celebrate a festival they don't know the real meaning of?

For those of us who do know what the celebration is about, let us proclaim:

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.”

Amen.

 Link

The service was not live-streamed, so there is no recording.

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Richey

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Lilibet_of_Sussex

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/religion/bulletins/religionenglandandwales/census2021

A Shepherd tells his story

That was a night! I can remember it like it was yesterday. It was a cold night up on the hills, and a bit windy. Not really full on winter, but not a nice night to be sleeping under the stars. Even us Shepherds look forward to a nice warm bed you know, not that we get to sleep in one that often. There were five of us, or was it six, its a long time ago. Anyway there we were sitting together between a few rocks, trying to keep out of the wind, and keep a bit of warmth so that we could get some sleep. I'd just nodded off when someone switched a light on. There it was, this kind of person with wings, just sort of hanging there.

No don't look at me like that – its not one of them UFO stories – we don't have time to worry about them – this really happened – it did! There were five of us, or was it six, – we all saw it – the same thing – just there in the air – above our heads almost. It was glowing – not bright like the sun, so you couldn't look at it – more like a giant candle but the flame had no bright bit in the middle, but there was light all around too – not like the day time, cause it was still dark everywhere else.

Anyway we'd have all been behind the rocks, but we were in the middle of nowhere and the rocks were just about big enough to sleep against, not really big enough to hide us so we just kind of froze to the spot. Funny thing was the sheep didn't even notice, just kept grazing and bleating like normal.

Anyway we got our breath back and old Joseph said "That's an Angel that is".

"Do not be afraid" he (or should that be she, or it? - I don't know – not that it matters, so I'll keep saying 'he' cause it sounds right somehow.). So anyway "do not be afraid" he said. Talk about asking the impossible. We don't scare easy you know, we have to fight great big bears, and chase off wolves and all if we're gonna keep the sheep safe, but we'd never seen the like of that before and we didn't know what it wanted – he wanted. Probably us, not the sheep – they were still eating – its what they do best.

"I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people" he said. Well it would have to be for everyone for us to get to hear about it. They don't tell us anything when we go down into town, in fact they do their level best to keep well clear of us. You'd think we were lepers sometimes, or thieves and murderers perhaps. So we don't find out what's going on, and were not allowed in the temple either, so we don't even get to hear the notices. One day they'll invent CNN, then there won't be any need for angels scaring the living daylights out of people.
But we do know enough, 'cause we're not stupid. We know the scriptures, we know all about angels and the different forms they take, we hear the stories of how God used to talk us Jews – they teach all the children all of those stories. That was hundreds of years ago, but we upset him somehow and he hasn't sent any of his messengers for getting on for 20 generations – that's a long time. So an angel now was something special – but there wasn't any time for us to decide which of us was the next prophet. God was speaking to us –all five, or was it six, its a long time ago. God was speaking to us – just us after all this time. Well that's how it looked, of course, he'd been speaking to lots of other people and doing lots of other things to, but we didn't know that then.

Alright I'll get to the news, cause I know you want to hear it.

"Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign a to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

He spoke to us in Greek, but that didn't matter we all knew what it meant.

Messiah is here!

Here, now, in our lifetime,. My old granddad used to say that we'd had our last chance, that we failed God so often he'd given up on us. Well its true, we have failed God, more times than I can count, but he's never forgotten us. He made us see, and he chose us, and he loves us, and if my old granddad didn't give up on me I can't see how God could give up on us. Well, yes I can – cause we can be awful always fighting and killing and stealing.

Not us five, or was it six, its a long time ago. No we were best mates, and we didn't have anyone to fight or steal from anyway, no not us – just ... everybody!

Anyway Messiah here now, in our lifetime – difficult to believe, I didn't think I'd live to see it, even then, but we all knew the prophesies, we all knew what it meant.

Old Isaiah gave us the best ones, but he went on a bit, so I'll just give you the high lights:

"Therefore the LORD himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14)

then a bit further on he says

Isa 9:2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.

Isa 9:6 For to us a child is born,to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isa 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

and Micah said

Mic 5:2 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.

Before we had a chance to move or even discuss what to do next the whole sky lights up – all sorts of creatures, wings, wheels and eyes everywhere, and all of them singing at the tops of their voices:

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests”

That's all they sung – but not once or one at a time – seemed to go on for ages – not that I mind, I like a good concert as much as the next man, and these were perfectly in tune and perfectly in time – heavenly it was. Oh, yes, of course it WAS heavenly, that's the point. So who might God's favour rest on then? I tell you my theory on that later, if you've got time.

Then just as suddenly as it started they were gone. Just a few thousand stars in a dark sky and the sound of the sheep bleating in the gusts of wind.

The Messiah is here – now as a baby and just a short walk away, just down there somewhere at the bottom of those hills. And we're up here with a load of sheep. We must go and see God's son - all of us agreed. I had five sons you know, or was it six, its a long time ago.

We must pay our respects welcome him into the world. Suppose I should say welcome him into his world but it sounds strange even now. So the five of us or was it six, its a long time ago – well we had a bit of a discussion and reckoned that God would look after the sheep for one night, so off we went in search of the baby.

It wasn't so difficult finding the baby as we'd expected. Bethlehem is a very small place really. We were on the right side of town too, and there were lots of old women fussing around making sure he was OK. We could do with their help at lambing time, but they won't come up in the hills and get messy. Anyway we started off for Bethlehem, singing the angels song - “Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth to his favoured men” over and over. We must have seemed like a drunken mob of religious fanatics, but Messiah's here and we're on our way to actually see him – really in the flesh and all. We got shussed by the old women, but that didn't stop us singing. We didn't shut-up until we saw him, then all of us just knelt in front of him in awe.

This is God in person, wrapped in cloths and sleeping peacefully.

We listened to His mum Mary tell her story, more visits by angels, God had been busier than we could have imagined, and then they had the journey to Bethlehem to register in the census. The town was heaving with people – fuller than I've ever seen it. So its no surprise she ended up out in the back where the animals usually are. Joseph, Mary's soon to be husband was there too so we heard about angels. They were going to call the baby Jesus.

Then young Rubens said “so you still a virgin then?” and the look he got in reply said it all. Time for us to leave.

That's it! I'd forgotten about him – Rubens had only been with us a few day, and he'd put his foot in his mouth on every one of them.

The six of us – it definitely was six, got back to the sheep just after first light and had a quick count 'cause if there were any missing explaining why we were away from our jobs might have been a bit tricky. Anyway perhaps we are the ones who had Gods favour – cause they were all still there – every last one.

So there you have it – the story of the most remarkable night in my life, but the Messiah's story doesn't end there.

After about thirty winters more of sheep, I heard of this bloke called Jesus of Nazareth, people said he was a prophet from God. How he got from Bethlehem to Nazareth I haven't a clue, but it was definitely him. I never met him as a man, only as a baby. He's certainly had power though – healing some people and feeding others. His teaching and story telling amazed lots of people. People love a good prophet, specially when he's on their side. Trouble is that prophets never really are on their side, cause everyone's mostly just on his own side, so sooner or later the prophet is saying things you don't want to hear. They say he said 'no more divorce' – and upset a lot of people. They say he said the Romans could keep their currency for themselves and us Jews aren't to use it, but you can't live like that. He was clever though and a lot of those priests in the temple didn't like the things he was saying and couldn't get him to shut up. So I suppose it had to happen eventually - they found a way to get the Romans to crucify him. Horrible way to go that – treating people worse than sheep. One thing you can say for the Romans – they're good at suffering and death. Our law says that anyone who is hung on a tree is cursed by God and that's how He ended his days amongst us – cursed by God because of all of us they say. And for all of you as well. 'cause that's what God's son does: He put the worlds to right. Not like us six in the inn after a hard nights shepherding – properly. Means we can be friends with God like Adam was.

And to prove it God brought him back to life. There's loads of people around who saw him on the cross, and loads who've seen him since, and He's got a bigger following in Jerusalem now than he ever had before his death.

Now have you got a minute or two, or are you dashing off somewhere? Thought you might like to hear my theory on who has Gods favour?

Alright then, as you haven't moved. It's simple really almost obvious when you think about it, and we get plenty of time for that. Most of the time there's not a lot to do on the hills. So long as you keep your wits about you. Some people write songs, others sit and think, some just idle their time away.

Oh sorry, yes, I was telling you my theory wasn't I – well I reckon God's favour is on anyone who takes him seriously, anyone who worships in the temple regularly, and really tries to keep all the law, but more than that anyone who cares for God people, and make sure they are treated right. Like David, I suppose – he made a few mistakes, but God really loved him – you could see it. Now, of course there's Jesus, so I don't have to worry about not being allowed in the temple until I've gone through the purification rituals and spent days away from the sheep. I can worship him any time, anywhere.

Yes that night really changed things for us shepherds, and for everyone else too I suppose.

Dec 24 - Midnight Communion

I wonder why you came to church tonight? Perhaps it was just to get out of the cold, or to have a sit down, or perhaps you enjoy singing carols.

Maybe you came because you always do. Its a personal or a family tradition, perhaps you even came reluctantly. Maybe you'd have preferred to stay at home, watch some telly, and have an early night – after all it's a busy day tomorrow. You couldn't, because its Christmas eve, and on Christmas eve we always go to church.

I've been coming to this service for more than 20 years and for a variety of different reasons:

• at first it was just a late night out with friends
• later it was to meet with friends and exchange gifts
• more recently, I'd wake up my young children and bring them, so that Father Christmas could sleep in late.

Its the start of Christmas, so we finish work early, if we're lucky enough to be able to, and start the celebration as soon as possible. That's what this service is supposed to represent. Get here for 11:30, and you will be able to take communion as early on Christmas day as its physically possible – so long as the preacher doesn't go on all night! We can sing the last verse of O Come all ye faithful too, because that can only be sung on Christmas day, when Jesus has been born.

Its the start of Christmas, and I feel obliged to give you an outline of the story. I want to do this, because although it gets told every year, and I'm reasonably sure that everyone here knows all the basics, but as a society we seem to be forgetting. We're told in a survey last week that 25% of people don't know where Jesus was born, and its up to about a third in the 18-25's.

So where was Jesus born? - Bethlehem – which one? In Judea, not Ceaserea, or Wales, because this Bethlehem is David's Town.

I don't care – really I don't. I'm much more interested in people understanding why Jesus was born. . Why was Jesus born?

Not of course a one word answer, but before we look at that, lets take a closer look at the story of the shepherds.

It's the start of Christmas, so we tell the story, over and over, until we all remember it.

There is of course no more evidence for the shepherds visiting Jesus than there is for the Wise Men. It is also true that there isn't any evidence to suggest that either of these event didn't happen. Just because we have no independent historical record of something doesn't automatically make it a myth. The stories were written down because the people at the time of writing believed them, and thought them important enough to record.

Why did the shepherds go to visit the baby Jesus?

Well, not for any of the reasons we've had for coming here. They went because an angel appeared in the sky, and the “glory of the Lord shone around them”. The angel made the announcement:

“Do not be afraid ...I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign a to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

and the Shepherds collected their stuff together and went off to find the baby.

Shepherd were the lowest of the low. They were not allowed in the temple because they were ritually unclean (from dealing with dead sheep). They were out in all weathers, wind, rain and cold. Most people thought of them as thieves. To look after the sheep they would have to face the dangers of bears and wolves, so they would be armed, with sling and a club, something like this one.

I was given this by the villagers in Chibelela in Tanzania in 2002, they would use it to defend themselves against robbers, but our shepherds would be more worried about wild animals. They had nothing worth stealing, so they wouldn't worry about robbers. The shepherds got their things together, tied them up in their goats skins, picked up their crooks, wrapped there cloaks around them and leaving the sheep, went off to look for the sign that the angel had promised.

Now you might think wandering around town looking for a new born baby was quite a challenge, but the town would have been dark, there would have been very few lights, and the commotion around the birth would have been quite noticeable.

Of course anyone will go and visit a new baby. Even as a young single adult, I went to visit my Sister and new new baby in hospital. As I bent over the cot, he formed a fist, and reached sharply upwards. I just got out of the way in time – imagine explaining that black eye!

Even if the baby doesn't give you a great welcome, there's still a sense of joy, anticipation, and hope that comes from hearing of a new born. That's one of the reasons we have to go to see them, to be sure its real - “I have seen it with my own eyes”.

What has a baby got more of than the rest of us?

Bones – yes 300 compared to 260 in an adult

but that's not what I was thinking about. A baby has more time left on this earth than we do, or at least that is always the hope that we have. The next generation is here, the future of our family, the next layer in the family tree is created, or is starting to fill up.. We can somehow look further into the future than we once did. What will the world be like when he or she is grown? - and has children of their own?

Every baby brings hope to its parents and their families for these reasons, but THIS baby ...

Most babies arrival is announced by the parents, or the mid-wives, and possible then in the local paper, or if you're born into royalty, you'll get an announcement on the TV news – explaining what you position is in the line of succession. As we heard recently:

“The Queen has become a grandmother for the 8th time after her son, Prince Edward (Earl of Wessex), and daughter-in-law Sophie (Countess of Wessex) celebrate the arrival of a baby boy.

The baby is 8th in line to the British Throne and has not yet been named (though the name James looks likely). His title is Viscount Severn.”

Wow! What a way to enter the world, I'm sure he is destined for greatness, but it's not quite a choir of angels like THIS baby ....

THIS baby comes, not just with lots of expectation and joy from its parents, but with a message from God. There's all the prophesies about his birth, and the sort of person he will be. There's the angels visit to Mary and then to Joseph. Then when HE arrives the angels delivered a message about Him to the shepherds, and all heaven celebrates.

“Do not be afraid ...I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. ”

The Jews had been waiting, hoping for the Christ to arrive for hundreds of years. Many of them were hoping that the Christ would re-establish Israel to its golden age when David was king, and the country was conqueror of the surrounding lands. That would have to be a military solution – to kick out the Roman occupiers. THIS baby comes with a different promise, and causes a different hope. THIS baby brings hope to everyone – all the people. It must be all the people, otherwise why tell the shepherds? That's hope for the Shepherds, the Jews, the wise men, the hated Romans, all the other human beings living in the world that the Jews had no idea about, and all their descendants all the way down their family trees to you and me.

That's what our other reading, from Titus, today (yesterday) is about.

Kenny Richey has been in an Ohio prison for 20 years, facing the death penalty for starting a fire which killed a two year old girl. Many times he has come close to being executed. Each time there has been a stay of execution. Now, because of a plea bargain he has a hearing scheduled that he hopes will result in his release.

That's like the position each of us finds ourself in with God. The apostle Paul says in his letter to Titus “we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.”. Kenny had set the fire as revenge on his ex-girlfriend and the two year old was what the American's call 'collateral damage'.

Most of us won't act out our hatred to that extent, but its there inside each of us. You can see it. Just catch the eye of the driver you've just beaten into a parking space, or the person who can't get a seat on the train because you're ahead of them, or the person in the supermarket queue, when something you do causes them to be delayed – there are hundreds of other examples. We've all been that person too. Think back to the events of last week, or yesterday, or perhaps tonight in the church car park.

Kenny will enter a 'no contest' plea – neither 'guilty' nor 'not guilty' – at his hearing in January. That of course would not be good enough for God, although it will serve for Kenny in the American justice system. With God there can be no plea other than 'guilty', God already knows that you are, but he needs to know that you know, that you have admitted it to yourself. That you no longer want to live your life as one who is “disobedient, deceived and enslaved.” If that's the case then God because of His mercy and graciousness will not apply the ultimate penalty to us.

We have the hope of eternal life, of being put right with God our Father, and once again becoming heirs to His Kingdom.

Like Kenny's release, its only possible through careful planning. God told the prophets what to expect, and they told us. A virgin was given to be married to one of King David's descendants. She listened to what God's angel said, and obeyed. More surprisingly so did her intended. The civil authorities caused chaos in the community by deciding to count all the people, they were just doing what God had planned. The baby was born amongst the animals because there was no accommodation left. Some shepherds were given the message, and listened, and found the mother and told her what they had seen and heard. Astrologers or Kings or Wise Men (the Magi) were watching the sky, and saw signs of something very important. They found the child, and gave him gifts to acknowledge Him as King of the world. The family fled as the Roman governor sensed revolution, and decided to kill all the young boys.

God had broken into His world in order to free all the people from the certain death sentence that they were facing. To do that he sent his son to be born as a human man.

THIS baby is the source of our hope. His birth, His life, His death and His Life show us what God is like, they show us that He is merciful, gracious, and is prepared to release us from the sentence we are facing and accept us back into his family, so that we will no longer have to live in hatred.

I wonder if anyone will tell Kenny?

I wonder if anyone will tell those who are busy cooking the turkey, or watching the television, or tucked up in their beds, preparing to celebrate a festival they don't know the meaning of?

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.”

Tell the Story