You all know about the star of
Bethlehem, don’t you - the star that led the three kings from far away right to
the stable in Bethlehem where Jesus was born. Well, I am going to tell you the story
of how that Christmas star got its wonderful, great light so that it was
brighter than all the other stars.
In the beginning God created all
the heavens and all the earth. And then God said:
“Let there be stars in the
heavens.” And immediately there were millions and millions of new heavenly
creations of all shapes and sizes. God wanted the stars to be good like all the
other things that God created. But when God looked at all these new heavenly creations
and saw them just hanging there cold and lifeless in the dark silent sky, God knew
that there was something wrong, there was something missing. God thought and thought
and thought but could not figure out what was wrong with the stars.
And so God called together all
the angels and asked them what was wrong with the stars. And the great angels
and archangels and cherubim and seraphim, with all their combined wisdom, could
not tell God what was wrong. But suddenly a small cherub came forward. You know
what a cherub is - a little, young angel, like a child angel, just about the
size of children like you. Well, this cherub stood before God and said, “I know
what is wrong with the stars, God.” And all the older angels gasped in
amazement; how could this little angel dare to tell God that there was
something wrong in creation. But God said,
“That's all right. Tell me,
little one, what is wrong with the stars?” And the little angel said, “They are
hanging in the heavens alright, but they do not shine, for all people to see.”
“That's it; that is what is
wrong,” God shouted, “The stars do not shine; I must make the stars twinkle and
shine. I know what I will do. Each star shall get an angel to give it an inner
light so that it will shine for all to see.” And with a wave of God’s hand the
great angels flew off to be the stars’ light. And the millions and millions of
stars all lit up, like sparkling jewels. And God looked and said, “Ah, finally
it is right, the stars are good.”
But the cherub, the little angel
who told God what was wrong, was pushed aside in the great rush and excitement,
and soon forgotten.
And then, thousands and
thousands of years later, God had a certain plan and needed an angel; and God
remembered the cherub. When God inquired they told how the cherub had been
pushed aside and forgotten in the great rush and excitement of lighting up the
stars. God was sad to hear this and sent out many angels to search for the
cherub.
After a long time, they brought
the cherub before God. God said, “It has been a long time, my little one, but
finally I have a reward for you. You did not get a star like the other angels,
but now I have something very special for you to do for me.” And God leaned down
and whispered in the cherub's ear. The cherub smiled widely, leaped for joy,
and flew away. And almost immediately there appeared a new star in the sky. And
the star did exactly what God whispered to the cherub. That star traveled far
away into the east, and after many, many years it began a long journey back
from the east, and when it arrived at
Bethlehem it stopped and stood
still. And the little cherub inside that star glowed with all the power and
might stored up over all those thousands and thousands of years so that the star
grew bigger and brighter than all the other stars. And that is how the star of
Christmas got its wonderful, great light, and how the kings were able to know
Jesus in Bethlehem on the first Christmas night.
And now let us all stand together and say this
prayer after me: “Lord Jesus – you are the light - of the world - like the
stars - in the sky. Lord Jesus - you are the light – of my life. 
