That Other Christmas Story

Christmas Eve 2023
John 1:1-5, 10-14

It is well known that Luke and Matthew have two very different Christmas accounts. Luke’s is the best known, with the journey to Bethlehem, no room at the inn, the choirs of angels appearing to shepherds, and the baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. From Matthew we get the wise men (or kings), their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrr, and of course, the star. Our nativity plays tend to follow one story or the other.  The Christmas musical called ‘Journey to Bethlehem’, that was released in cinemas this year, and which featured Antonio Banderas as a maniacal, singing King Herod, is based on the story of Matthew’s Gospel. The Christmas special released by the makers of ‘The Chosen’ for this Christmas is based on Luke’s Christmas story. Sometimes both accounts are combined so that shepherds and sheep are mixing with magi and camels in the stable, while angels and a star share the sky overhead. It’s a bit busy, but you cannot get more Christmassy than that!

Less known to most people is that there is a third Christmas account in the Gospels, and that is the one at the beginning of John’s Gospel which we have just heard. Of all the Christmas accounts it is the most profound, the most filled with meaning and, in my view, the most impactful. Yet I have never seen a Nativity play or Christmas film based upon John’s Christmas account.

The problem is a practical one. If you are putting on a nativity play based on the account from Luke, you need to find people to play shepherds, angels, Mary and Joseph. Plenty of parts to go around. And for the backdrop you will need a stable, manger and perhaps a few farm animals. Casting, costumes and scenery are pretty straight forward.

If you decide to put on a nativity play based on Matthew’s account you will need to find people to play the kings, or magi. And the Bible doesn’t say there were only three, so you can fill up the cast on these. You still need a Mary and a Joseph. Even though the magi appear sometime well after the birth in Bethlehem and the family have certainly moved out of the stable by then, most go with the stable setting. It is certainly easier as a backdrop than a Middle-Eastern mud and brick house. As backdrop you will need some camels, a stable and a star. A maniacal singing King Herod is optional. Once again, casting, costumes and scenery are pretty straight forward.

But what if the pastor says, “You know what, I think this year we should go with the account in John’s Gospel for our nativity play.” Well, what to you do then. The account in John chapter one is certainly powerful. But then we begin to look at the practical aspects. The main cast consists of God, the Word (who is also God), the Light (which is also God and the Word). Oh, and that crazy prophet who wore animal skins and ate locust, John the Baptist, also makes an appearance. But his part comes some thirty years after the birth of Jesus, so perhaps easier to leave him out.  I wonder what casting and costuming are going to do with God, the Word, and the Light?

The setting for the first scene is in the beginning, before anything was created. So the backdrop to that scene is pretty straight forward. Nothing. Then comes Darkness, and Light that shines into the darkness. Perhaps we could turn the lights down and then turn a spotlight or torch on.

Oh, and we also have the world. All of it. The same world that the main character, the Word, has created. But that is a different story. A bit hard to fit the world on stage. Perhaps an old globe would do. And then all the people in the world need to see the glory of the Word made flesh, full of grace and truth. So we will need to work on how to depict glory, grace and truth – and should they be characters or scenery?

And then the climax of the story. The Word, which existed way back when nothing else existed and is God, takes on human flesh (that is, is born as a baby) and comes and lives among us. But this is all really important, because everyone who sees the Light, who believes that the Word was made flesh as a little baby and lived among us, is ‘empowered to become the children of God.’ Not sure how we will show people transforming into children of God, but I suspect some sort of costume change might be needed here.

Okay, so admittedly, putting on a nativity play based on John’s Gospel would present some challenges. And no one has been able to pull it off before. But we’re up for a challenge, right?

Or maybe we could just stick with shepherds and angels and Mary and Joseph. After all, we already have the costumes. And we can keep the stable and manger because we already have those too. Perhaps It is as good as way as any to show that ‘the Word became flesh and lived among us.’

And the crazy pastor who wanted to do everything this year based on John’s Gospel? Well, perhaps he could simply read the story from John after the traditional nativity play and explain it. And as for the beginning of the World, God, the Word, the Light, Darkness, glory, grace and truth – We will just have to use our imaginations until we can find a very creative and hopelessly optimistic Christmas play director.

Until then, we will just have to rely on shepherds, sheep, angels, stables and kings bearing gifts to get the point across.

A blessed Christmas everyone!

And may the light of the world, the Word made flesh who came and dwelt among us, bless you and keep you.

Pastor Mark Worthing.