Post by Pilgrim Marc on Dec 22, 2008 11:42:59 GMT -5
Christmas.
Slowly and quietly, not to wake mommy and daddy, the two little boys climbed from there bunk bed, opened quietly the door of their bedroom and walked carefully down the stairs.
In the house was it quiet and outside dark, they came to look at the Christmas tree they bought with daddy on the parking lot near the mall. The Christmas tree they decorated with mommy, daddy and their big sister.
The lights in the tree where not on now, it was not so pretty as on other times, on the table was the chandelier for nine candles, they forgot the name, it was such a difficult name.
Daddy had told them that the meaning was that light of God had entered the world; Jesus the little Bethlehem child.
All these things, all the decorations in the room where nice, but that was not where they came for, they came to see if the presents where all ready under the tree.
Daddy promised… so….
Yes, the presents where there, five shiny wrapped presents!
Wow, don’t’ touch now, not trying to peak to see what is in it, just guessing for who which present would be.
Tonight at Christmas eve would it be time to unwrap the presents.
Yesterday, when the lights and candles where burning bright, had daddy told them that he would lie the presents under the tree.
The benjamin of the family shouted isn’t it weird that it is Jesus his birthday and that we get the presents.
It is so that the one who celebrates his birthday should get the presents.
Later that evening, just for bedtime, took mommy them on the couch and told them why they received presents at Christmas eve, why this birthday was so different from any other birthday.
Warm and cosy with mommy on the couch, big sister went to watch a movie at a friends house; daddy had a meeting at the church.
Long ago, more than two thousand years, something amazing happened.
God who created heaven and earth and all the plants and also men decided that he was going to do what always intended to do.
He the greatest of all would become the smallest.
Not without a reason, listen with me.
God send an angel to a girl called Marry and the angel asked Marry if God could give her a son that would grow in her belly.
Not with a mister as daddy, but God would by a miracle, that is something very special what is not possible but God still does, make a baby grow in Marries belly by his Holy Spirit.
Marry would be the mommy and God the daddy.
Marry found a bit scary, but she wanted to listen to God and so she said yes.
Marry also had a boyfriend called Joseph, one day she would marry him, they where all ready encaged.
At first Joseph did not know what God had told Marry, and just as the neighbours and other people of the village Nazareth where they lived did he became very, very angry.
Because it was not right to get a baby when you where not married. Joseph was also very sad, because he thought the baby is not mine, so there must be another daddy Marry loves. This was a terrible thought for Joseph.
But God had not forgotten Joseph so he send an angel to Joseph in a dream that told him everything was all right, told him that the little baby was Gods own son and that his name should be Jesus.
The oldest interrupted the story and said: “Mom and than Joseph and Marry went a journey and Jesus was born in a dirty stable, isn’t it, with shepherds and wise men from a land far away…”
Yes, that is so mommy said and there was much more the happened then.
But now I was going to tell you why you get presents on the birthday of Jesus.
This little baby was no ordinary baby it was a presents from God to mankind, not that the people knew it already, and many never would want to know, but still this how it was.
Jesus, lived as all other people but he never did bad or naughty things, no sin we call that.
In this way he grew up and became wise, when he was a man he walked with a group of friends through the land to tell people about God and the Kingdom of God.
People thought that Jesus would become the new king and would kick the Romans, who where bullying them, out the land.
Jesus, told people that God was a kind and loving God, but also that he can’t stand bad things, people who do or think bad things can not belong to God.
That was frightening because everyone does something bad sometimes.
However Jesus especially went to the people who did bad things, he healed them when they where sick and forgave them the bad things, that means that he told them that he and God would no longer think about those bad thing but would put them away.
The people of the temple and the synagogue, a kind of churches for the Jewish people said that he could not do that and became very angry at him.
As you know was there end to things going well, Jesus entered the city Jerusalem on a donkey and than it was party time, people though now it will happen, now does Jesus will become king.
But that is not how things went, one of Jesus friends betrayed him, other left him, turned their backs on him.
The people killed Jesus, after hurting him very bad, and nailed him to a cross.
Mommy the youngest said; such a cross as in grandma’s church? The church with that nice smell?
Yes, mom smiled, such a cross.
But that is wrong mommy, that hurts so much doesn’t it mommy?
Yes, it did cause Jesus a lot of pain and suffering, but again he was a present for the people.
Jesus, said to God his father, I take all the bad things of all the people who live now and who will born later and take them with me on the cross, I will become all these bad things, that is how much Jesus loves us.
This was also the plan of God, Jesus who never did something wrong, was the only one who could do this.
He received the punishment we deserved, amazing isn't it?
Yes, the oldest replied, I would not want to get the spanking on my behind for something he, he looks at his little brother, had done, that is not fair, or is it?
No, mom said that doesn’t seem fair, but that is why it is a present, grace we call that. We should get punished but still we don’t get punished.
If we believe in Jesus and want to follow him than does God no longer look at the bad things we done and the punishment we deserve, as long as we tell him the things we remembered doing wrong honestly. He looks at Jesus who received the punishment in our place.
Grace is a present, a gift, we did not deserve, nor have to deserve, but what we receive freely from God through Jesus.
That is why we give presents at Christmas time, where we remember the birthday of Jesus. Because Jesus became Gods present to us.
And through his death on the cross can we also receive the present of grace.
That is why we give presents at Christmas eve.
The youngest whispers…. Jesus did not stay dead, did He? With a soft sad voice he says this…
No, by a miracle of God did Jesus not stay dead, but became alive again, and went to heaven after that.
But one day, a special day, will Jesus return and than as a man, a soldier bringing peace, the great king.
This is something else we think about on Christmas day; not only about how came to us as a little baby, but also about how he will come as king.
But most of all how he loves to give presents became a present, than that he wants to receives presents.
Still there is a present Jesus loves to get; the oldest says… can you guess which present that is?
Let me think mommy says… do you know it she asks the youngest?
The youngest thinks… his whole face looks like a junior professor… than he nods no... I don’t’ know.
Now, tell me mommy says…
Now, now, Jesus wants us to give our selves as present to him, so that we can become his friends!
Yes, mommy laughs that is right…
After this story mom tugged them in, the oldest did read for a little while the youngest slept almost right away.
Now they where awake, and looked at the presents, the lights in the tree where not on now, it was not as pretty as on other times, on the table was the chandelier for nine candles.
They hear the steps of the stair… daddy enters the room with his sleepy head and messy hair. Hi little rascals, I thought already that I heard something.
Daddy always looks a bit funny when he is just awake; just if he is w bit wrinkly, his hair messy, in his T – shirt and boxer short.
You guys are awake early, it is just a quarter to six… did you find thing so exiting, daddy laughs…
They nod
Come daddy says, I am going to tug you in again, nice and warm in your bed, just try to sleep a little longer, or read a book or watch the pictures if you can not sleep at all anymore.
I call you at eight than will we have a nice family breakfast together… and tonight, tonight we unwrap the presents.
14-12-2008
Copyright Marc Pranger
Slowly and quietly, not to wake mommy and daddy, the two little boys climbed from there bunk bed, opened quietly the door of their bedroom and walked carefully down the stairs.
In the house was it quiet and outside dark, they came to look at the Christmas tree they bought with daddy on the parking lot near the mall. The Christmas tree they decorated with mommy, daddy and their big sister.
The lights in the tree where not on now, it was not so pretty as on other times, on the table was the chandelier for nine candles, they forgot the name, it was such a difficult name.
Daddy had told them that the meaning was that light of God had entered the world; Jesus the little Bethlehem child.
All these things, all the decorations in the room where nice, but that was not where they came for, they came to see if the presents where all ready under the tree.
Daddy promised… so….
Yes, the presents where there, five shiny wrapped presents!
Wow, don’t’ touch now, not trying to peak to see what is in it, just guessing for who which present would be.
Tonight at Christmas eve would it be time to unwrap the presents.
Yesterday, when the lights and candles where burning bright, had daddy told them that he would lie the presents under the tree.
The benjamin of the family shouted isn’t it weird that it is Jesus his birthday and that we get the presents.
It is so that the one who celebrates his birthday should get the presents.
Later that evening, just for bedtime, took mommy them on the couch and told them why they received presents at Christmas eve, why this birthday was so different from any other birthday.
Warm and cosy with mommy on the couch, big sister went to watch a movie at a friends house; daddy had a meeting at the church.
Long ago, more than two thousand years, something amazing happened.
God who created heaven and earth and all the plants and also men decided that he was going to do what always intended to do.
He the greatest of all would become the smallest.
Not without a reason, listen with me.
God send an angel to a girl called Marry and the angel asked Marry if God could give her a son that would grow in her belly.
Not with a mister as daddy, but God would by a miracle, that is something very special what is not possible but God still does, make a baby grow in Marries belly by his Holy Spirit.
Marry would be the mommy and God the daddy.
Marry found a bit scary, but she wanted to listen to God and so she said yes.
Marry also had a boyfriend called Joseph, one day she would marry him, they where all ready encaged.
At first Joseph did not know what God had told Marry, and just as the neighbours and other people of the village Nazareth where they lived did he became very, very angry.
Because it was not right to get a baby when you where not married. Joseph was also very sad, because he thought the baby is not mine, so there must be another daddy Marry loves. This was a terrible thought for Joseph.
But God had not forgotten Joseph so he send an angel to Joseph in a dream that told him everything was all right, told him that the little baby was Gods own son and that his name should be Jesus.
The oldest interrupted the story and said: “Mom and than Joseph and Marry went a journey and Jesus was born in a dirty stable, isn’t it, with shepherds and wise men from a land far away…”
Yes, that is so mommy said and there was much more the happened then.
But now I was going to tell you why you get presents on the birthday of Jesus.
This little baby was no ordinary baby it was a presents from God to mankind, not that the people knew it already, and many never would want to know, but still this how it was.
Jesus, lived as all other people but he never did bad or naughty things, no sin we call that.
In this way he grew up and became wise, when he was a man he walked with a group of friends through the land to tell people about God and the Kingdom of God.
People thought that Jesus would become the new king and would kick the Romans, who where bullying them, out the land.
Jesus, told people that God was a kind and loving God, but also that he can’t stand bad things, people who do or think bad things can not belong to God.
That was frightening because everyone does something bad sometimes.
However Jesus especially went to the people who did bad things, he healed them when they where sick and forgave them the bad things, that means that he told them that he and God would no longer think about those bad thing but would put them away.
The people of the temple and the synagogue, a kind of churches for the Jewish people said that he could not do that and became very angry at him.
As you know was there end to things going well, Jesus entered the city Jerusalem on a donkey and than it was party time, people though now it will happen, now does Jesus will become king.
But that is not how things went, one of Jesus friends betrayed him, other left him, turned their backs on him.
The people killed Jesus, after hurting him very bad, and nailed him to a cross.
Mommy the youngest said; such a cross as in grandma’s church? The church with that nice smell?
Yes, mom smiled, such a cross.
But that is wrong mommy, that hurts so much doesn’t it mommy?
Yes, it did cause Jesus a lot of pain and suffering, but again he was a present for the people.
Jesus, said to God his father, I take all the bad things of all the people who live now and who will born later and take them with me on the cross, I will become all these bad things, that is how much Jesus loves us.
This was also the plan of God, Jesus who never did something wrong, was the only one who could do this.
He received the punishment we deserved, amazing isn't it?
Yes, the oldest replied, I would not want to get the spanking on my behind for something he, he looks at his little brother, had done, that is not fair, or is it?
No, mom said that doesn’t seem fair, but that is why it is a present, grace we call that. We should get punished but still we don’t get punished.
If we believe in Jesus and want to follow him than does God no longer look at the bad things we done and the punishment we deserve, as long as we tell him the things we remembered doing wrong honestly. He looks at Jesus who received the punishment in our place.
Grace is a present, a gift, we did not deserve, nor have to deserve, but what we receive freely from God through Jesus.
That is why we give presents at Christmas time, where we remember the birthday of Jesus. Because Jesus became Gods present to us.
And through his death on the cross can we also receive the present of grace.
That is why we give presents at Christmas eve.
The youngest whispers…. Jesus did not stay dead, did He? With a soft sad voice he says this…
No, by a miracle of God did Jesus not stay dead, but became alive again, and went to heaven after that.
But one day, a special day, will Jesus return and than as a man, a soldier bringing peace, the great king.
This is something else we think about on Christmas day; not only about how came to us as a little baby, but also about how he will come as king.
But most of all how he loves to give presents became a present, than that he wants to receives presents.
Still there is a present Jesus loves to get; the oldest says… can you guess which present that is?
Let me think mommy says… do you know it she asks the youngest?
The youngest thinks… his whole face looks like a junior professor… than he nods no... I don’t’ know.
Now, tell me mommy says…
Now, now, Jesus wants us to give our selves as present to him, so that we can become his friends!
Yes, mommy laughs that is right…
After this story mom tugged them in, the oldest did read for a little while the youngest slept almost right away.
Now they where awake, and looked at the presents, the lights in the tree where not on now, it was not as pretty as on other times, on the table was the chandelier for nine candles.
They hear the steps of the stair… daddy enters the room with his sleepy head and messy hair. Hi little rascals, I thought already that I heard something.
Daddy always looks a bit funny when he is just awake; just if he is w bit wrinkly, his hair messy, in his T – shirt and boxer short.
You guys are awake early, it is just a quarter to six… did you find thing so exiting, daddy laughs…
They nod
Come daddy says, I am going to tug you in again, nice and warm in your bed, just try to sleep a little longer, or read a book or watch the pictures if you can not sleep at all anymore.
I call you at eight than will we have a nice family breakfast together… and tonight, tonight we unwrap the presents.
14-12-2008
Copyright Marc Pranger