Glory in the Manger

Dr. Jesse Long: in chapel today we bring to life the incarnation the birth of Jesus of
Nazareth son of God through the lens of the Gospel of Luke the New Living
translation a reading from Max Lucado and imaginary dramatization in two clips
from the chosen our readers are Don Williams Ruth Blayee Eddie Harris and
JoAnn and Jesse long and we will also have songs led by Philip camp
Dr. Don Williams: When Herod was king of Judea there was a Jewish priest named Zachariah
Zachariah and his wife Elizabeth were righteous in God's eyes they had no
children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive and they were both very old
one day when Zachariah was in the temple an angel of the Lord appeared to him
standing to the right of the incense altar
Zachariah was shaken he was overwhelmed with fear but the angel said
Eddie Harris: don't be afraid Zachariah God has heard your prayers your wife Elizabeth will
give you a son and you will name him John he will be a man with the spirit
and power of Elijah he will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord.
Dr. Jesse Long: How can this be how can I be sure that this will happen I'm an old man and my wife
is also well along in years
Eddie Harris: I am Gabriel I stand in the very presence of God it was he who sent me to bring you this good news but now since you didn't believe
what I said you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born
Dr. Don Williams: when Zachariah finally came out of the sanctuary he couldn't speak to the
people who were waiting then they realized from his gestures and his
silence that he must have seen a vision soon after returning home Elizabeth
became pregnant
Ruth Blighi: how kind the Lord is he has taken away my disgrace of having no children
Dr. Don Williams: God sent his angel Gabriel to Nazareth the village in Galilee to a virgin named
Mary she was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph a descendant of King
David Gabriel appeared to her and said
Eddie Harris: greetings favored woman the Lord is with you
Dr. Don Williams: confused and disturbed Mary tried to think what the angel could mean
Eddie Harris: don't be afraid Mary for your found favor with God you will conceive and give birth to a son and
you would name him Jesus he will be great very great and will be called the
son of the Most High the Lord God would give him the throne of his ancestor
David and will reign over Israel forever his kingdom would never end
Dr. JoAnn Long: but how can this happen I'm a virgin
Eddie Harris: the Holy Spirit would come upon you and the power of the Most High will
overshadow you so the baby to be born would be holy he will be called the Son
of God what's more your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old
age
Dr. JoAnn Long: I am the Lord's servant may everything you've said about me come true
Dr. Don Williams: and then the angel left her Mary hurried to the hill country of Galilee to the town where Zechariah lived she entered the house and greeted Elizabeth
at the sound of Mary's greeting Elizabeth's child leaped within her and
Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed
Ruth Blighi: God has blessed you above all women and your child is blessed why am I
so honored that the mother of the Lord should visit me when I heard your
greeting the baby in my womb jumped for joy you are blessed because you believe that the Lord would do what he said
Dr. Don Williams: Mary responded
baby to be born she gave birth to a son when the baby was eight days old those who came to the
circumcision ceremony wanted to name him Zechariah after the father but Elizabeth said
Ruth Blayee: no his name is John
Dr. Don Williams: they used gestures to ask the baby's father what he wanted to name him he motioned for a writing tablet and to everyone's
surprise he wrote his name is John instantly Zechariah could speak again and he began praising
Dr. Jesse Long: God Holly Holly hallelujah praise the Lord the God of Israel
because he has visited and redeemed his
Eddie Harris: people he has sent a mighty Savior a Savior from the royal line of his servant David
Dr. Don Williams: at that time the Roman Emperor Augustus decreed that a census
should be taken throughout the Roman Empire all returned to their own
ancestral towns to register for this census
and because Joseph was a descendant of King David he had to go to Bethlehem in
Judea David's ancient home he took with him Mary to whom he was engaged who was
now expecting a child and while they were there the time came for her baby to
be born she gave birth to her firstborn son she wrapped him snugly in strips of
cloth and laid him in a manger
because there was no lodging available for them.
Dr. Jesse Long: Wide awake is Mary. My, how young she looks! Her head rests on the soft leather of Joseph's saddle.
The pain has been eclipsed by wonder. At this point in history, the human being who best
understands who God is, and what he's doing is a teenage girl in a smelly stable. Somehow,
somehow Mary knows that she is holding God. But he looks like anything but a king. His face is
prunish and red. His cry, though strong and healthy, is still the helpless and piercing cry
of a baby. And he's absolutely dependent.
Upon Mary for his well-being.
Ruth Blighi: How did you feel when that happened?
Dr. Jesse Long: Majesty. Majesty in the midst of the mundane. Holiness in the filth of sheep manure and sweat.
Divinity entering the world on the floor of a stable, through the womb of a teenager,
and in the presence of a carpenter.
Dr. Don Williams: That night, there were shepherds staying in the fields of the temple.
They were all waiting in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared unto them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them.
They were terrified, but the angel reassured them.
Eddie Harris: Don't be afraid. I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior, yes, the Messiah, the Lord, has been born in Bethlehem.
The city of David. And you will recognize him by this sign. You will find the babe wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.
Dr. Don Williams: Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others, the armies of heaven, praising God and saying,
All : Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.
Dr. Don Williams: The shepherds said to each other
Dr. Jesse Long: let's go to Bathlehem. Let's see this thing that has happened, which the Lord, the Lord has told us about.
Dr. Don Williams: They hurried to the village, found Mary and Joseph, and there was the baby lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told
everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.
Eddie Harris: I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior, yes, the Messiah,
the Lord, has been born in the city of David.
All : Glory to God in the highest heaven and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.
Joy to the world.
Dr. Jesse Long: Praise God for the incarnation. You are dismissed.
: applause