Last Christmas I heard of something that happened at Bloomingdale’s: A Christmas shopper dragging two too active toddlers stormed into a crowded elevator and blurted out: “The person who invented Christmas ought to be killed”.  From the back of the elevator came a strong male voice: “They already did.”

This made me think of something:years ago I assisted some teenagers who put on a program where they juxtaposed secular songs with prophecies.  (I will put it on the blog  at the beginning of Advent  2011 in case someone would like to borrow the idea)

The teenagers set up the stage as a triptych with groups of “live” shoppers with packages. On the left “live” Old Testament figures: Abraham, King David, Isaiah. On the right “live” New Testament figures: Shepherds, Three Kings. The room was darkened until the stoplight illumined a panel.  It began with the spotlight being on the shoppers to the tune of Jingle Bells.

SCENE ONE….SPOTLIGHT
CENTER/SHOPPERS “Jingle Bells”
LEFT for the PROPHECY
RIGHT for the FULFILLMENT

1 BORN IN BETHLEHEM

PROPHECY”But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.” (Micah 5:2)

FULFILLED Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register, along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child…. And she gave birth to her first-born son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:4-5, 7)

SCENE TWO….SPOTLIGHT
CENTER/SHOPPERS  “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus”
LEFT for the PROPHECY
RIGHT for the FULFILLMENT

2 BORN OF A VIRGIN

PROPHECY”Therefore the LORD Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)

FULFILLED Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee, called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary…. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb,
and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.” (Luke 1:26-27, 30-31)

SCENE THREE ….SPOTLIGHT
CENTER/SHOPPERS “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”
LEFT for the PROPHECY
RIGHT for the FULFILLMENT

3 HONORED BY GREAT KINGS

PROPHECIES  Let the kings of Tarshish and of the islands bring presents; The kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts… So may he live; and may the gold of Sheba be given to him; And let them pray for him continually; Let them bless him all day long. (Psalm 72:10, 15)

“And nations will come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.” (Isaiah 60:3)

FULFILLED Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east, and have come to worship Him.”… And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. (Matthew 2:1-11)

SCENE FOUR ….SPOTLIGHT
CENTER/SHOPPERS “All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth”
LEFT for the PROPHECY
RIGHT for the FULFILLMENT

4 DECLARED THE SON OF GOD
PROPHECY”I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, `Thou art My Son, today I have begotten Thee.'” (Psalm 2:7)

Who has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has wrapped the waters in His garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name or His son’s name? Surely you know! (Proverbs 30:4)

FULFILLED “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;” (Luke 1:32)

and behold, a voice out of the heavens, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)

SCENE FIVE ….SPOTLIGHT
CENTER/SHOPPERS “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”
LEFT for the PROPHECY
RIGHT for the FULFILLMENT

5 BIND UP THE BROKENHEARTED

PROPHECY The Spirit of the LORD God is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners; to proclaim the favorable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, (Isaiah 61:1-2)

FULFILLED “He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are downtrodden, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4:18-19)

SCENE SIX….SPOTLIGHT
CENTER/SHOPPERS “Here Comes Santa Claus”
LEFT for the PROPHECY
RIGHT for the FULFILLMENT

6 THE GENTILES WILL SEEK THE MESSIAH

PROPHECIES The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them. (Isaiah 9:2)

Then it will come about in that day that the nations will resort to the root of Jesse, Who will stand as a signal for the peoples; and His resting place will be glorious. (Isaiah 11:10)

“I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me; I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me. I said, ‘Here am I, here am I,’ To a nation which did not call on My name.” (Isaiah 65:1)

FULFILLED For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; (Romans 11:25)

“THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING IN DARKNESS SAW A GREAT LIGHT, AND TO THOSE WHO WERE SITTING IN THE LAND AND SHADOW OF DEATH, UPON THEM A LIGHT DAWNED.” (Matthew 4:16)

ENDING: “live” nativity scene with “O Silent Night” and shoppers kneeling.