"A Story Inside a Story"

CLICK ON THE THUMBNAIL IMAGES TO SEE THEM LARGER.	SCRIPT: Shhhhh . . .the children are snuggled at their parents' feet waiting to hear the Christmas story that has been told by so many families, on so many Christmas eves. But this time, let's listen to the story inside the story . . .
A picture of the Bible.	The Bible tells us the story of Jesus' life. His story begins in Palestine 2000 years ago on a hillside outside of Bethlehem.
Sheep and shepherds on a hill at night.	On one of the hills outside of Bethlehem shepherds huddled by the embers of a small fire, keeping watch over their flocks by night.
The shepherds are in the field tending to their flock of sheep when an angel appears to them.	Without warning an angel appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them.
This is a picture of angels with the big star that led the shepherds to Jesus.	"Hark! the herald angels sing, 'Glory to the newborn King; peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!' Joyful, all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies; with th'angelic host proclaim, 'Christ is born in Bethlehem!' Hark! the herald angels sing, 'Glory to the newborn King!'"
Angels.	"Christ by highest heaven adored; Christ, the everlasting Lord; late in time behold him come, offspring of a virgin's womb. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail th'incarnate Deity, pleased with us in flesh to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel. Hark! the herald angels sing, 'Glory to the newborn King!'"
Gerry's Angel.	"Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings. Mild he lays his glory by, born that we no more may die, born to raise us from the earth, born to give us second birth. Hark! the herald angels sing, 'Glory to the newborn King!'"
Shepherds afraid. They had just seen an angel.	The shepherds clutched each other, their eyes wide with fear. The angel said, "Don't be afraid. I bring you good news of a great joy which shall come to all people. This very night in the city of David, a Savior is born for all the people, who is Christ the Lord. Here is the sign by which you can find him: He will be wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."
A choir of angels.	Suddenly there appeared a host of angels singing, "Glory to God in the highest! On earth peace, goodwill toward all men." Then they disappeared. The shepherds looked about them, open mouthed with wonder.
Sheep sleeping.	Their sheep still lay sleeping, crowded together for warmth. Click here for a sound effect.
Scene from "Go Tell it on the Mountain."	"Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere; go, tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is born."
Excited shepherds. "This shepherd is colorful. My favorite part is the yellow."	"Let us hurry to Bethlehem," on shepherd urged, "and see this thing that has happened." The others agreed. "Let's find out what God is making known to us!" Click here for a sound effect.
A group of excited shepherds.	The shepherds drew lots to decide which of them would stay and watch over the sheep. Then the rest hurried toward the town. Click here for a sound effect.
Shepherds at the manger with Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus.	The shepherds searched until they found Mary and Joseph behind one of the inns, in the stable. And there was the baby, fast asleep in the manger, wrapped in soft woolen cloths. The roughly dressed sheep herders were simple lowly men. Yet they knew they had seen the wonder of something great beyond imagining.
Shepherds at a manger.	"What child is this who, laid to rest, on Mary's lap is sleeping? Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, while shepherds watch are keeping? This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing; haste, haste to bring him laud, the babe, the son of Mary."
This is a picture of Mary (blue), Joseph (far left) and two shepherds at a manger with baby Jesus.	"Why lies he in such mean estate where ox and ass are feeding? Good Christians, fear, for sinners here the silent Word is pleading. This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing; haste, haste to bring him laud, the babe, the son of Mary." In their joy the shepherds told Joseph and Mary about their experience with the angels.
Shepherds in the city.	Then they went back out into the street, marveling aloud, telling their story to every passerby. They walked on through the city gates, back to the hills and their flock. They were full of praise for God and his mystical, wonderful glory.
Mary and Baby Jesus.	And Mary picked up her newborn son and held him close to her. Wistful and puzzled, she pondered all these things in her heart.
Mary holding Baby Jesus.	"Love came down at Christmas, Love all lovely, Love divine; Love was born at Christmas; star and angels gave the sign."
Mary and Baby Jesus.	"Worship we the Godhead, Love incarnate, Love divine; worship we our Jesus, but wherewith for sacred sign?"
Mary and Baby Jesus.	"Love shall be our token; love be yours and love be mine; love to God and neighbor, love for plea and gift and sign."
Jesus telling stories.	When Jesus grew up, he devoted his life to helping people of all kinds live happier, more worthwhile lives. He told many stories. The story of The Good Samaritan is one which explained how the earth could attain the peace which the angels had promised.
Jesus telling stories.	A religious lawyer called a "scribe" decided to put Jesus to the test. "Teacher," he asked, "what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus countered by asking, "What is written in the law?" So the scribe, learned in all these matters, quoted quickly from Deuteronomy and from Leviticus: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength," he chanted. "And your neighbor as yourself." "You have answered right," Jesus said. "Do this and you will live." But the lawyer wanted to justify his question so he asked arrogantly, "Who is my neighbor?" Jesus looked at the man. Surely this expert in the law knew that in the eyes of God every man on earth was his neighbor. The real question was: How should I treat my neighbor? So Jesus replied by telling this parable:
From the Good Samaritan: robbers attacking a traveler.	A Jewish man was taking a trip from Jerusalem down to Jericho, down through the lonely and forbidding hills of the Judean wilderness. Robbers, hiding behind boulders, leaped out upon the traveler. They beat him until he was bloody and unconscious, stripped him of his clothes, and took his money belt. Click here for a sound effect.
The victim lying on the roadside, half dead.	They went off, leaving him for dead.
The Priest riding by on the donkey. "The priest on his donkey saw the wounded man on the side of the road, but ignored him and quickly rode past.	Perched comfortably on a large donkey, a priest from the Jerusalem temple was going down the same Jericho road. He saw the wounded man but did not want to get involved. Robbers might still lurk nearby. He prodded his beast to trot faster, passing by on the other side of the road.
The Levite hiking up a steep road--looks away as he passes the wounded man.	Then a Levite came hiking up the steep road on his way back to Jerusalem and his duties as an assistant in the great temple. When he saw the injured man, unconscious and groaning, he quickly looked away and walked faster. He did not want to get involved either.
The Good Samaritan on a donkey-- as he sees the victim lying along the roadside.	Then a Samaritan came along. People from his country, located midway between Judea and Galilee, were scorned by the Jews. The Samaritan had trading that took him to Jerusalem and Jericho; he went about his business, not expecting to be treated well. Riding upon his donkey, the Samaritan came around a bend in the bleak Jericho road. When he saw the victim of the robbers, his compassion was greater than religious or national differences. Immediately, the traveler leaped to the ground. He did not stop to consider his own safety, but he ran across the road to the injured man.
The Good Samaritan binding up the wounds of the man beaten by robbers. "The Good Samaritan is taking the person who got robbed while the robber runs away."	He used a popular remedy for his wounds, pouring oil and wine from small flasks he had with him. He bound up the wounds with strips torn from his own clothing.
The Good Samaritan lifting the hurt/injured man onto his donkey.	The injured man opened his eyes, slowly coming back to consciousness. The Samaritan reassured him. "You will be all right now," this new friend said soothingly. "I will take care of you." The Samaritan set the victim on his own beast, and he brought him to an inn further down the road.
The Good Samaritan paying the innkeeper.	The next day the man's wounds were healing; but he needed more rest before he would be able to travel. The Samaritan gave two silver coins to the innkeeper, saying, "Take good care of him. Whatever more you spend, I will repay you on my return trip."
Jesus as an adult.	After telling this parable, Jesus looked the questioning lawyer in the eye. "Which of these three," he asked, "do you think was a real neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" The lawyer had to admit, "The one who showed mercy upon him." Jesus said to this scribe, "Go and do likewise."
Jesus and modern day Christians.	"Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart, in my heart; Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart."
Another modern day Christian. "I have picked my father because he is a Christian. He is a Christian because he believes in Christ. He tries to live by God's rules.	On Jesus' birthday each year we remember to ask ourselves, "Are we living the way Jesus wanted us to live?" "Are we like the Good Samaritan?" "And who is our neighbor?"
A lonely, rejected school child. "Even though the school child was rejected he was still happy ('Because I am loved by God!' said the school child)."	--a lonely child at school whom people consider strange?
A black person.	--an African or African-American person?
An Asian person.	--an Asian with different face and clothes?
A person from Afghanistan.	--a person from Afghanistan?
A Muslim woman with a veil across her face.	--a Muslim with a veil and a different religion?
A child speaking a foreign language.	--a child who speaks a language I cannot understand? Click here for a sound effect.
A very poor, ragged, dirty person. "My picture is a person with no home, and on the right side it is getting dark."	--or maybe a very poor person in dirty, ragged clothes?
The world surrounded by many races.	According to Jesus' story, everyone on earth is our neighbor.
A Christmas family.	Christmas--and every day of the year--requires our love, our caring, healing, and sharing: for peace in the world--and inside each one of us, for the end of anger, hating, fighting, killing and ignoring.
A lot of children of different races holding hands.	"Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me;"
A lot of children of different races holding hands.	"Let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be."
Children of different races holding hands.	"With God our creator, children all are we. Let us walk with each other in perfect harmony."
A lot of children of different races holding hands.	"Let peace begin with me; let this be the moment now. With every step I take, let this be my solemn vow:"
A lot of children of different races holding hands.	"to take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally."
A lot of children of different races holding hands.	"Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me."

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