It was Christmas Eve and little Tommy was finally old enough to have a part in the Christmas Eve pageant at church. He had been begging to be a shepherd and since he was now four, he was promised a part.
Tommy had rehearsed with the drama team for weeks. His part as the little shepherd boy was to walk up to the manger, look in and say,"Behold, the Child is here." He practiced and practiced his line. He attended every rehearsal. He thought the doll they were using for baby Jesus during the rehearsals looked so real.
Christmas Eve finally arrived and Tommy was almost more excited about the play as he was about all of the presents under the tree. His parents made sure their phones and camera were charged but were held up in traffic and got to the church late, only minutes before the play was to begin; but they made it.
The delay made Tommy a bit nervous, but he quickly got his shepherd robe and staff and got in place ready to walk out and up to the manger for his line. Since he was late, no one had time to tell him, or they didn't think it mattered, that for the drama night they had replaced the doll with a real baby boy for baby Jesus.
Tommy walked up to the manger, phones and cameras on, looked into the manger and said, "Behold..." then looked up to the crowd with his eyes wide opened and exclaimed, "He's alive!!!"
Jesus was born in a small cave in Bethlehem because of the crowd for the census. Shepherds came to see Him because the angel of The Lord had told them that Christ The Lord had been born and they would find Him in a manger. Within 30 years Jesus would be placed in another small cave only six miles away outside Jerusalem following His death on the cross to provide salvation for all of mankind. On the first day of the week, on Sunday, the women went to the tomb only to find the angels (maybe the same ones who announced to the shepherds), with the announcement "He's alive!"
Tommy may not have realized it, but he told the whole story of Christmas that night at the church. Jesus Christ The Lord is alive!!!
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