Christmas: then and Now

Without exception, everyone to whom we preach has heard the story of Mary, Joseph, and the child in the manger. Everyone. So how do we make the message of Christmas relevant, new, and exciting, season after season? A few years back, I decided to try something a little different. I decided to write a story of Christmas, using both historical setting and pure imagination. I enjoyed the diversion from normal sermon writing. I also enjoyed the process of creating an original narrative to convey the message of Christmas. I first wrote a "period" piece set in the context of ancient Israel. I then tried my hand with a modern-day story. Soon, the stories became a part of Christmas at Woodmont. What you hold in your hand is a collection of twenty-five stories that I have written over the past dozen or so years. Some are set centuries ago while others are drawn from modern life-thus the title, Christmas: Then and Now. It is my sincere hope that each of these stories will remind you of God's unfolding plan of redemption and grace offered through the child born at Christmas.