At the Manger

Unto you is born a Savior

DECEMBER 23, 2007 (SUNDAY) >– Following a self-imposed personal tradition, I am devoting the blog today to a sermon. The sermon, “At the Manger,” Luke 2:1-20, will be presented at the First Baptist Church of Rockport, Texas, at 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. (There will be no evening service today, but we will all be back tomorrow evening for the Christmas Eve service).
I have many Christmas sermons in my files, but I would like to repeat last year’s message and say a few words about the people who are usually represented in a Nativity Scene. Who were they? Here’s a list, and not all of them were actually at Bethlehem that wonderful day when Christ was born. They are, however, found in many nativity sets:

• The Christchild, Jesus
  
• Mary, the mother of Jesus
  
• Joseph, the adopted father of Jesus
  
• The angels who announced the miraculous birth
  
• The shepherds who saw and heard the angels
  
• The Magi, mysterious kings from the East

Others, not present, but sometimes portrayed,
because they were involved in some way:

• The inkeeper
  
• The inkeeper’s wife
  
• Simeon and Anna
  
• King Herod
  
• The Roman Emperor

The Christmas program at our church last weekend beautifully portrayed many of these in a magnificent musical drama presentation. About 100 people were in the choir and cast. I am very thankful for the program and the reminder that Christmas for us is a celebration of the birth of our Savior. We will continue that celebration today and tomorrow at our church.