INTRODUCTION
A friend catches you up one morning on the way to school. She's very excited - so excited she can hardly talk straight. Once you've calmed her down a bit, you begin to piece things together.
Apparently something really strange has happened in the road next to where your friend lives. There are a lot of big houses down there that do bed and breakfast. She walks past them every day and there's always different people going in and out. The place looks a bit shabby really, but it always seems full. She doesn't usually take much notice, but today was different.
Today there was a lot of commotion. The garage door was open and loads of people were crowded around it. Your friend joined in the crush for a moment, peering between the crowd. And there was.... a baby! A newborn baby! And its mum and dad! And among the crowd were (can you believe it?) five local dustmen - that's why the dustbin lorry was out there today, on the wrong day.....
As if that's not strange enough, one of the crowd was saying something about how she had come because her son had seen on the internet that something really strange was supposed to be going on here today. Looks like she was right!
Maybe you'll go by there on the way home...
KEY VIDEO CLIP
Episode 6: Starlight Escape
PRAYER
Each year we wait expectantly for Christmas. Each year we hear the story of Jesus' birth to Mary and Joseph, ordinary people, in the stable in Bethlehem, and of how every creature there worshipped the baby. We hear how it was the shepherds - ordinary people, not wealthy and grand - who saw him first. But Jesus was not just an ordinary baby. He promised us that however ordinary we think we are, God thinks we are each special and loves us.
At Christmas time, help us to remember God's love, shown to us in the baby Jesus. Help us to remember that he shows us that we are all special. Help us to show his love through the way we love other people.
Amen.
MUSIC
'As I went riding by' No.120 in The Complete Come and Praise
BBC, 2000 ISBN 0 563 345810
NOTES
Episode 6 of Storykeepers is concerned with the traditional Christmas themes of giving and caring for others. The story of Ben and the other storykeepers is set in a dangerous point in time for Christians, just as life was dangerous for Jesus at the time of his birth and earliest childhood; Ben and Jesus both had to rely on the generosity and courage of others for their wellbeing. God's generous love is shown as being given to the poorest and most humble first. The episode also emphasises the contrast between Jesus' humble situation and the way he is paid homage as if to a king.
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