They were waiting for Me

"This was one of the most meaningful Christmas Eve services I've had in years!"

That was a comment from a friend after the Christmas pageant at our church. A choir member, who had sung a solo part for the pageant said to me, "I was deeply moved by the story." He had not seen the Christmas story from the context of the Old Testament and he was in awe of our God for his meticulous planning and his faithfulness in keeping promises. Another friend quipped that the pageant had covered seven years' worth of Bible Study Fellowship lessons in one hour! A number of people said the pageant gave them a wonderful overview of the birth of Christ, that it set the events of Christmas in the context of Bible history.

When my wife and I were asked if we could help in writing a play or drama for this year's Christmas Eve service, I knew exactly what I wanted to do: break through people's narrow view of Christmas and show them how awesome our God is. Christmas didn't begin in the New Testament but can be traced back all the way to the Garden of Eden. God revealed his glory and his tender love toward us through his meticulous planning of Christmas.

The pageant revolved around a father and daughter trimming the tree for Christmas. While the daughter has the usual shiny baubles, the father pulls out a number of unusual ones: a weird shaped fruit, a branch, a sheep and a crown. When the daughter protests, the father proceeds to explain how each of his items is part of the Christmas story, the long version as he calls it.

With each item, he delves into the Old Testament and the scene he relates comes to life as the OT characters come on stage. We meet Adam and Eve, who received the promise of the Saviour right after they rebel and break their relationship with God. We meet Jeremiah, Baruch and Zedekiah, who talk about how God will raise a Righteous Branch who will gather God's scattered people. We meet Moses and Aaron who elaborate on how the Passover lamb is our sin substitute. We meet King David who ponders on how God will be the father to his descendent whose kingdom will have no end. Then the father ties in all these OT stories to show that Jesus is the saviour promised to Eve, how he is the Righteous Branch promised to Jeremiah, how he is the Passover Lamb promised to Moses, how he is the Forever King promised to David. All these promises are fulfilled when Jesus comes at Christmas. The people in the Old Testament waited in faith for God to fulfill his promises and God did not fail them.

Looking back, we can see God's hand through the whole process. He selected the actors, he helped the choir choose the music, he brought the crew together to put the costumes together, build the props and get all the details in place. We had only a few rehearsals but God blessed our efforts to glorify him for on the night of the play, everything came together. The actors became their characters. The music blended in seamlessly with the story. The mics and lights, the costumes and props, all worked out.

We were deeply moved by the cast and crew who put in so much of themselves into telling the Christmas story. And we were even more moved by the responses from the congregation. One of our friends gave a big huge to my wife and told her the pageant was simply amazing. Another of our friends came up to me and asked point blank, "Did you write this?" When I admitted that I did, she gave me a big hug. Those were the best testimonies of God making his glory known deep in the hearts of his people. All we wanted was for people not to treat Christmas casually but to have a deep joy for what God had accomplished through Christmas. We wanted the hearts of the people re-ignited; we wanted them excited about what God did at Christmas. God truly multiplied the work of all the cast and crew. It was an amazing night of worship.

The most moving song in the pageant for me was "How Deep the Father's Love for Us". Watching Moses and Aaron with the Passover Lamb and hearing the soloist sing it, I was moved to tears by God's love for us. These are the lyrics:

How deep the Father's love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the man upon a cross
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

And the verses that really brought home the message of God's purpose in Christmas was from Isaiah:

Isaiah 25:8-9
He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken. It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

To read a copy of the script, download it here.