One Silent Night / Living Nativity

Welcome (cars driving up to the HHF Sign)

Campfire with two greeters in regular Christmas attire

Welcome to "One Silent Night." We are glad you are here to celebrate with us the true meaning of Christmas. As you drive down the road you will be going back more than 2,000 years to a small town called Bethlehem. It is the City of David in the land of Judea. Right now the city is occupied with Roman soldiers. Caesar Augustus has decreed that everyone must go to their cities of origin to be registered and to be taxed. You will need these coins in order to pay your taxes (one coin per person) and whatever you do, be sure to be respectful of the Roman Soldiers. They can be domineering.

Cars driving down the lane toward the arch of lights

Roman Soldiers stop cars as they approach

"By Decree of Caesar Augustus you are hereby notified that you must register to be taxed. Are you prepared to pay your taxes? Only Roman currency is acceptable. You must register at the appropriate revenue service and carry with you proper documentation at all times. (Soldier hands forms to the guests as they arrive.) You may park your "donkeys" in the pasture. The tax collection center is located just down the road. Move along now.

In the Tax Office (General Store)

Families enter and must be interviewed.

Tax collector Seated at desk (3 tax collectors)

"Forms please!" Do you have your forms? Family name? City of origin? Your tax??? Drachms/ denarius /staters. (Write taxes due on form.) Pay up! (Collect Money and Stamp Paid in Full) (Mark with seal and roll up form.) Now you will need to find a room in the inn. Wait till the inn keeper comes for you.

Inn Keeper

Welcome, Welcome to Bethlehem! You might have felt it in the air but this place is alive with anticipation and excitement. I know, I know the Romans are still here, but after you hear about what has happened I guarantee you they will just blend into the background of your experience in our lovely little town. Oh, I am glad that you all came dressed for the unusually cold weather that we are experiencing because it is a bit of a walk to our Inn but when there you will find a place to warm yourself with refreshments and good conversation. On the way then I will have time to tell you all that has happened, for it has changed everything for us the People of God, and even the entire world.

It is fortunate that you arrived tonight as last night, I am sad to say, you would not have found me nearly as welcoming. This place was a madhouse, and quite frankly I was not very pleasant as our little Inn was full beyond capacity and I kept having to turn away family after family. But there was this one family, I was not sure what it was about them but I just knew that I had to find them someplace to stay. They had traveled very far and she was expecting a baby at any moment. What could I do, the rooms were all full, so I did the best I could and I put them up in the stable out back. Looking back on it, I feel so ashamed. But you know I am convinced that it was just meant to be this way…Oh I am sorry I am getting ahead of myself, let me start at the beginning to give you the entire story, because believe it or not it all started with some shepherds….

Walking toward the round pen where the sheep and shepherds are waiting

I know, how could any good story start out with those unwashed mountain people, but that is where it started. It was late, I mean really late. My wife and I were finally in bed after such a long and frustrating night and we heard a great commotion outside. I didn’t want it wake up any of our guest as we had fielded many complaints already that night so I ran outside to see about the noise. And there they were, shepherds, dirty smelly shepherds who were “glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” (Luke 2:20) Told, told by who? I quickly grabbed one and pulled it the side to get the story and this is what he told me.

He said that they were merely keeping watch over their flocks by night. As you probably know this is lambing season here in Bethlehem, so that part was no surprise to me. I mean there is no denying that much of our history and culture revolves around sheep. It was a lamb skin that covered Adam and Eve back in the Garden of Eden. It was the blood of the lamb that covered the door posts when the death angel passed our Jewish forefathers in Egypt. It is a lamb that we sacrificed on the day of Atonement. And it is a lamb that is slain by each of our families during the Jewish Passover. And, most important to this story is that the Messiah, the one we have been waiting and waiting for is prophesied to be called the Lamb of God. But since you are here to register according to your Jewish heritage none of that would surprise you either. But what they said next did surprised me. According to the shepherd

Angel lights up in the top of the tree

…While they were out keeping watch on their sheep, an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them and the glory of the Lord shone around about them and they were terrible frightened. And the angel said to them. “Do not be afraid; behold I bring you good news of great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there had been born for you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you; you will find a baby wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger.”

Heavenly Host: Lights in all three locust trees come on

And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased. 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. (Luke 2:9-20)

I know, I know a baby in a manger. I had a hard time believing him at first too, I mean he is a shepherd after all, but you should have heard the passion and exactness of his explanation, I was amazed at all this shepherd had told me we all were. So I started questioning him about where he found this “baby in a manger” Little did I know as he began to described where they found the child, I slowly realized that he was talking about the manger in my stable, the place that I had put up that family who I just couldn’t turn away. Come on I’ll show you where it all happened it’s on the way to the Inn.

Approach the Pavilion: lights off till “imagine”

Well here we are. The Shepherds told us that they found the baby sleeping, if you use your imagination I am sure you can still see him cradled in his mothers arms while here husband looks on. Go ahead take a moment to quietly reflect, if the shepherds and the angels are right then this little baby will grow up to be the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world.

Pause for quiet reflection: Shepherds hold the baby Jesus

After a few minutes the inn keeper whispers

We know too that the shepherds won’t be the only ones to visit this child. Our prophets tell us of a star that will mark his arrival and this will bring many more to worship the child asking “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

The Wise men arrive from the East

11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. (Matt 2:1-2; 11)

Gifts of Gold Frankincense and Myrrh

You can see why I am a bit ashamed that I could only offer this child our manger. I mean he deserves better than that. He deserves gold, gold fit for a king. Or… or… frankincense that sweet incense used for proper worship or maybe even expensive myrrh for a proper burial some day. Those are the offerings fit for this child.

Position group to see the lighted cross in the distance on top of the ridge

You know there are some who don’t believe that the coming of this baby is very special. I mean they do think it makes a great story, you know the shepherds dramatic description of angles lighting up the sky or the humble beginning of a new life in a manger. But that is all it is to them, a good story. The kind of story that might entertain for a season but is forgotten as the seasons change…

…but I know better. I know that the arrival of this child is not just a good story, but the major plot twist in the greatest story ever told, the true story of our Jehovah God and his never stopping, never ending, never giving up, always and forever love for his people. I am sure you have heard of how our prophets have prophesied of the coming the Messiah. They told us that he would be born right here in Bethlehem. You remember, the prophet Micah told us:

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Micah 5:2

You see I believe that it is the baby who was born in my manger who is this ruler, this king this Messiah. You know our prophets not only told us how the Messiah would come into this world but also how he would leave it. And if you had trouble believing anything good could come from unwashed shepherds, it must be terribly hard for you believe the prophet Isaiah when he said that our Messiah would be betrayed, beaten, spat upon and die crucified between two criminals. Isaiah said…

4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:4-6

It is hard to believe that such a tiny baby would have been sent on such a mission. His tiny little hands and feet will grow and then be pierced through into the rugged planks of a blood stained cross. That God could love someone like me that much is hard to believe… But He does love me and He loves you too. This baby that was born "One Silent Night" demonstrated the love of God. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." And because of all of this "I Believe. Do you believe?"

Well let's keep moving my Inn is just around the corner.

Finish the Journey at the Barn “INN”

Well here we are at my Inn, I hope you will enjoy your stay here in Bethlehem, but even more I hope that you will consider what this baby being born in Bethlehem might mean to you. Is it just a good story to re-tell during certain seasons, or is it something more. Because if you believe as I do that this baby is indeed the promised Messiah, then it has the power to change your entire life.

We also have a special gift for each family to take home with them. (Instructions)

Beware, that Roman soldiers remain as the governing authority here in Bethlehem. Keep your documents on you at all times and show them due respect if they ask to see you credentials, You all have paid your taxes right?