The Birth of Jesus
God's Plan to save the World was the buzz around the Coffee Maker in Heaven a little over 2000 years ago. Jesus, the son of God, will be born of a virgin in a barn, raised by a carpenter, and as a man, is the friend of tax collectors & fishermen. This man, Jesus, will be the savior of our world. <pause>
GET OUT OF TOWN!
This plan was both original and ingenious!
That First Christmas Night (Luke 2)
So Mary & Joseph traveled to Bethlehem while just out of earshot, Betsy nagged her husband Betty about reservations, leaving the night for Harry neither SILENT nor HOLY.
Meanwhile, Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem, but there was no room at the Inn, so Jesus was born in a stable and laid in a manger.
Jesus' birth was announced by a white collar (and robed) Heavenly Angels to smelly, truly blue-collar shepherds. On this indeed Holy Night, these shepherds and angels rubbing elbows were the perfect Christmas Odd Couple.
Note: There was an extensive tryout period before the Realms of Glory Choir and the Angel to announce Jesus' birth.
So Mary & Joseph traveled to Bethlehem while just out of earshot, Betsy nagged her husband Betty about reservations, leaving the night for Harry neither SILENT nor HOLY.
Meanwhile, Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem, but there was no room at the Inn, so Jesus was born in a stable and laid in a manger.
Jesus' birth was announced by a white collar (and robed) Heavenly Angels to smelly, truly blue-collar shepherds. On this indeed Holy Night, these shepherds and angels rubbing elbows were the perfect Christmas Odd Couple.
Note: There was an extensive tryout period before the Realms of Glory Choir and the Angel to announce Jesus' birth.
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In stark contrast to the Realms of Glory Choir, one shepherd sang 'Go Smell it on the Mountain.' This was later revised to become the more popular Gospel Classic 'Go Tell it on the Mountain. '
Even the sheep could not help but take notice of Jesus's birth. Some could be heard crying out the birthplace of Jesus, "BAAAAthehem", while others copped an attitude crying, "BAAA-humbug!"
Even the sheep could not help but take notice of Jesus's birth. Some could be heard crying out the birthplace of Jesus, "BAAAAthehem", while others copped an attitude crying, "BAAA-humbug!"
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( Misc. Shepherd and Angel Christmas Toons )
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And let's remember the Three Wise Men bearing gifts and traveling so far following the stars to the baby Jesus. They were absent that first Christmas night, but what Nativity set would be complete without them. Below, find a few possible Wise Men outtakes.
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So it was a starry night, a Holy Night, in the Little Town of Bethlehem, where we found Harold the Angel singing Hark and Gloria in Excelsis Deo(her hometown). The Drummer Boy drummed, and for this one night, a stable was the birthplace of a king.
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Here is where I will confess the obvious. Cartoons are not the best medium to capture that first Christmas night's beauty and significance.
Then again, by this world's standards, the birth of Jesus in a smelly barn because Joseph & Mary did not make reservations online at the Bethlehem Holiday Inn Express is unforgivable.
The perfection of that first Christmas Night when the son of God was born to a world that needed (and still does) a savior is not a story that any 24/7 news channels could ever grasp... but exactly the story the world needs to know.
Then again, by this world's standards, the birth of Jesus in a smelly barn because Joseph & Mary did not make reservations online at the Bethlehem Holiday Inn Express is unforgivable.
The perfection of that first Christmas Night when the son of God was born to a world that needed (and still does) a savior is not a story that any 24/7 news channels could ever grasp... but exactly the story the world needs to know.
