25 Days of Christmas - December 22

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SCRIPTURE

Luke 2:36-38

And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

SONG

Sussex Carol

On Christmas night all Christians sing
To hear the news the angels bring
On Christmas night all Christians sing
To hear the news the angels bring
News of great joy news of great mirth
News of our merciful King’s birth

Then why should men on earth be so sad
Since our Redeemer made us glad
Then why should men on earth be so sad
Since our Redeemer made us glad
When from our sin he set us free
All for to gain our liberty?

When sin departs before his grace
Then life and health come in its place
When sin departs before his grace
Then life and health come in its place
Angels and men with joy may sing
All for to see the newborn King

All out of darkness we have light
Which made the angels sing this night
All out of darkness we have light
Which made the angels sing this night
Glory to God and peace to men
Now and forever more, Amen.

ACTIVITY

In yesterday’s passage, Simeon, a servant of God, filled with the Holy Spirit, immediately recognized that Jesus, an 8-day-old baby at the time, was the Christ. Today’s passage talks about Anna, a long-time servant of God, at the same time also recognizing Jesus as the Redeemer of Israel. It strikes me as extraordinary the people through whom and the ways in which God chose to reveal His Son’s coming to earth. He chose the Holy Spirit to reveal it to Simeon. From what we can tell from this passage, He chose Simeon to reveal it to Anna. He chose Angels to reveal it to poor shepherds working the night shift. And He chose a star to reveal it to very educated and apparently very rich men who were willing to go on a long journey just to meet Him (more about them tomorrow!). All from very different backgrounds, but the one thing they have in common is that they all seem to have open hearts towards the coming of the Messiah.

Let’s make a Bethlehem Star for your Nativity, and then some other stars to either put up around the Bethlehem Star, or to hang on your Christmas tree.

Cardstock
Glitter glue
Craft sticks (colored or natural)
Glue: I recommend Tacky Glue or Glue-All or something similar
Sticker jewels or other shiny stickers, if desired
Yarn or ribbon, if you are hanging the craft stick stars on your tree

First, print out this page on cardstock.

Cut out the star.

Let your kids decorate it with glitter glue.

Set aside to dry.

Hang it on the wall or from the ceiling above the stable in your Nativity.

Next, make some craft stick stars.

Six-point stars are easy to make. Just glue together two craft stick triangles.

Five-point stars are a little harder to make. You have to overlap them so that they all can be glued in at least 2 places on each stick. I had to finagle it, but this is what I came up with.