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: None
O
: May use two that alternate, the pastor, or a different reader for
each part.

  A simple program using scripture and some extra thoughts I have
shared that will take very little practice if any, and can be done with your
congregation on a Sunday or Wednesday evening service to close out the
Christmas season.
pLuke 2:1-20 and Matthew 2:1-3; 7-12


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O
 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census



should be taken of the entire Roman world.  (This was the first census that
took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.)  And everyone went to
their own town to register.

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O
 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to

!

Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house

and line of David. " He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to
be married to him and was expecting a child. # While they were there, the
time came for the baby to be born, $ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a
son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there
was no guest room available for them.

Can you imagine how Joseph must have felt? At that time, an engagement
was a serious occasion not to be taken lightly. It was as binding as a
marriage today. Joseph submitted to God¶s will and took Mary to be his wife
trusting that God knew what He was doing.

God wants us to trust him when he asks us to do something. He wants our

complete obedient, even if we do not understand or if nothing makes any
sense. Just obey as Joseph did, and God will take care of everything else.

p %
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O
p& And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping
watch over their flocks at night. ' An angel of the Lord appeared to them,
and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ( But
the angel said to them, ³Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will
cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has
been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you:
You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.´

This must have been a frightening time for the Shepherds. Here out alone at
night under the dark skies, when angels appeared to them must have scared
them immensely. However, their fears were calmed when they heard the
good news.

God has good news for us if we will take time to listen to him and feed on
His word. He has provided many good promises for us if we will look up and
trust Him.

p p)pp

O
 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the


angel, praising God and saying,

!
³Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.´

Notice the angels did not appear to the wise men or the town officials. God
sent them to lowly shepherds. Shepherds were not highly thought of by
society because they did not keep all the ceremonial laws for cleanliness.
They were not to be trusted to give a testimony in court ± no one would
believe them. They were looked down upon as lesser - unvalued. I am glad
that God does not place different values on us. We all have equal
opportunity to belong to Him and worship Him. He came to the shepherds to
show us that ALL people may know him in a personal way. He came to save
the rich, the poor, the handicap, the famous, and all races and cultures of
people.

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+p*
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"
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said
to one another, ³Let¶s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has
happened, which the Lord has told us about.´

#
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was
lying in the manger. $ When they had seen him, they spread the word
concerning what had been told them about this child, & and all who heard it
were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ' But Mary treasured up
all these things and pondered them in her heart. ( The shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which
were just as they had been told.

When God does something good for us, let¶s share it. If he is working in your
life, your sharing it may be a blessing to others that will encourage them.
The shepherds did not waste any time to share the good news of Jesus
Christ and his message of salvation to the whole world. We too, must be like
the shepherds and tell others what Christ has done for us.

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p pO,p

O
 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King
Herod, Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem  and asked, ³Where is the
one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and
have come to worship him.´

God came for the kings and the poorest of people. The wisemen came to
worship Him. They had great wealth and were probably poplar compared to
today¶s society. Yet, they knew they needed something more than all their
wealth to bring them happiness. They found it in the Christ Child. The
offered Him their very best in worship.

We have liberty to worship God today, and need to take that advantage of
that liberty to praise him, by offering ourselves to him. The greatest gift that
we can give to him is our heart ± our lives.

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O
: 
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem
with him.

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact
$

time the star had appeared. & He sent them to Bethlehem and said, ³Go and
search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that
I too may go and worship him.´

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they
'

had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place
where the child was. ( When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.  On
coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they
bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and
presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  And having been
warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country
by another route.

Herod did not seek to worship the Christ Child. He was concerned in case
someone else were to rise higher than himself. Pride will harm us and cause
us to fall. God cast out Lucifer and all those who worshipped him out of
heaven. He will not allow any pride in heaven. We must yield our pride to
Him, and ask Him to fill us only with love.

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O
: As we celebrate this Christmas season, may we focus on what is

the most important. May we seek to tell others about him, help those in
need, and most of all offer our best get to Him ± our hearts.

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© Kidzministry.net Jeanne McIntosh December 2010