Pastor Bob’s Christmas Prayer
A Christmas Eve dialogue sermon
by Rev. Robert Ellis Stump

A Christmas Eve dialogue sermon for three voices: a narrator, John the Baptist, and Pastor Bob.

 

As the dialogue opens, the narrator will take her place at the “old” pulpit.  John the Baptist and Pastor Bob are seated in the pew behind the pulpit.

 

Narrator:

On Tuesday morning, Pastor Bob awoke, still struggling with his Christmas Eve sermon.  That morning he spent  a couple of  hours staring at a blank computer screen.  Still, no sermon would come.  His mind was filled with excitement about the coming of Christmas and all the wonderful celebrations that he planned.  He just couldn’t get his mind on the sermon.  More then a little flustered because Christmas Eve was only a day away and he had nothing to offer his congregation, he came over to the church for prayer.  He was hoping for a little bit of inspiration in the quiet of the Church Sanctuary.

(The Narrator sits down.)

 

Pastor Bob: (Moves to the Communion Rail and kneels for Prayer.)

God, I’m so very thankful that we have come close to the day in which we celebrate the birth of our Savior.  I’m so excited about Christmas.  We bought each of the kids nice presents that we are looking forward to sharing with them.  I’m looking forward to visiting at mom and dad’s on Christmas Day.  It’ll be great to see Dan and Lori, Auntie Irene and Uncle Mike.   Gee, I hope Auntie has some left over squid and sauce to give me!  Later I will be very pleased to travel to Glenda’s home and see her family. 

 

I’m also glad that Advent is finally over and that the waiting to celebrate Christmas is finally about to come to an end. 

 

I’m really looking forward to celebrating Christmas Eve with the congregation!   I love to sing the songs of Christmas with them and read the story of Christmas once more.

 

But, Lord, I’m still bothered by something.  Why do you make us read about John the Baptist every year?   He bugs me.  He bugs me pretty bad.  At a time of year when everybody is getting excited about Christmas, we have to read about him.   Just when people are out doing their Christmas shopping, wrapping gifts, decorating, baking, and preparing for holiday feasts and parties, we have to listen to him shouting and carrying on about repentance.  He’s like a wet blanket on the whole celebration of Christmas!    He’s just so irritating!  I’m so thankful to be done with him!

 

John the Baptist: (Rises quickly to the mike and speaks like a man possessed!)

Repent!  Repent!

 

Pastor Bob: (Complete oblivious to John the Baptist.)

His voice grates in everybody’s ears.  It’s like I can hear him right now!

 

John the Baptist:

Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand!

 

Pastor Bob:

He is not diplomatic at all!  He certainly doesn’t know how to win friends and influence people.  What can I possibly learn from him except how to make enemies!   I’m just so glad finally to be done with him for a while! 

 

John the Baptist:

Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

 

Pastor Bob: (Finally noticing John the Baptist, Pastor Bob rises from the altar rail.)

What are you doing standing there behind my pulpit?  Bishop May assigned me to that pulpit a year and a half ago.   I have the final say about who can and can’t stand behind it.  I don’t want the likes of you standing there ruining everybody’s Christmas!  What do you think you’re doing there anyhow?

 

John the Baptist:

As it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,

"I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

“Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low,

and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth;

and all flesh shall see the salvation of God."

 

I was sent by God to preach a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins so the Messiah can come into the hearts of his people.

 

Pastor Bob:

We don’t need your message, not on Christmas Eve!  On Christmas Eve we’ll be talking about Angels and shepherds and a baby lying in a manger in Bethlehem. 

 

We don’t need your message!  Why don’t you just leave my church or shall I call Carl Fox and have him get a crew of ushers together to carry you out of the church!  Leave now!

 

We don’t need to hear about repentance!  Everyone who belongs here is a Christian and is trying to do what is right. 

 

John the Baptist:

That may be so.  But don’t you think that people could do better?

 

Pastor Bob:

Maybe.

 

John the Baptist:

I think so!  Everybody has need of repentance, including you!

 

Pastor Bob:

What are you talking about?  Many of the people who attend here have been coming to this church or at least some church all of their lives.  They give of their time and their resources to serve Christ and the church.  How dare you question whether they are saved!

 

Further, I am an Ordained Minister in The United Methodist Church.   How dare you say that I have need of repentance!  My whole life is dedicated to serving God.  Why, my whole work week is spent planning and leading worship, attending meetings, praying with the sick, visiting, and just keeping life moving smoothly in my church.  Again I tell you: Get out of my church or I’ll find somebody to carry you out!

 

John the Baptist:

Bear fruits worthy of repentance.

 

Pastor Bob:

There you go again!  Would you please leave so I can begin to get ready to lead worship on Christmas Eve.  

 

John the Baptist:

Bear fruits worthy of repentance.

 

Pastor Bob:

You’re like a broken record!  We really don’t want to hear your message on Christmas Eve.

 

John the Baptist:

Why not!  It’s the one message that all the people who are coming tomorrow night need to hear the most.   It’s the one thing they need to hear in order to be prepared to celebrate this Christmas.

 

Pastor Bob:

How is that so?  I can understand that those who do not yet know Christ need to hear your message.  But those who already know Christ have grown beyond needing your message.

 

 

John the Baptist:

The lost certainly do need to hear my message.  That much is very true.  But my ministry in Judea was to the common people.  Most of them were already Jews and already believers.  The trusted in God and believed God’s promises.  But one part was missing: Although they said they believed in God and trusted in God’s promises, they didn’t show any fruit.

 

Pastor Bob:

Come on!  Surely they attended synagogue and participated in the various Holy Days.

 

John the Baptist:

Yes they did.  But they didn’t attend to the weightier matters of the Law like loving God and neighbor.   They weren’t showing their love for God by living lives that glorified him.

 

Pastor Bob:

I see.  That must be the fruit you were talking about.

 

John the Baptist:

Yes, I told them to bear fruit worthy of repentance.  If they are God’s people then they must show that they are God’s people by how they live.

 

Pastor Bob:

That’s a big job!

 

John the Baptist:

That’s why I broke it down into some simple, easy, concrete things that a person could do which would show how much God mattered in their lives.  I told people who had extra food and clothing to share with those in need.  I told tax collectors, who were getting wealthy by collecting more money then was due, to collect only what was actually necessary to pay the tax.  I told soldiers who were getting things from common folks by threats and accusations to refrain from that practice and treat people kindly.

 

Pastor Bob:

You gave them simple things that they could easily do that would show that they were really God’s people and desired to live as God’s people.

 

John the Baptist:

This is the way I prepared people to welcome Christ into their hearts.  Through repentance they recognized what was wrong in their lives and presented Christ a desire to live a life that is transformed, a life that reflects God’s love and God’s will for us.

 

Christmas is going to have far more meaning for your congregation if you would teach them the same lesson that I taught. 

 

Pastor Bob:

Where would I begin?

 

John the Baptist:

You could challenge them. 

 

Challenge them to find ways to deepen their love for God.  Challenge them to deepen their prayer and devotional life.  Challenge them to deepen their commitment to worship.

 

Challenge them to find ways to demonstrate their love for God through their ministry to the world around them.  Challenge them to spend time in prayer for and with a Christian brother or sister.  Challenge them to visit the sick and the shut in.  Challenge them to find ways to use their time, their talent, and their treasure better to serve God’s work.

 

You could challenge them as I challenged the people of my day: Show me your love for God through your actions.  Bear fruit worthy of repentance.

 

Pastor Bob:

Thank you.  I think I know what I am going to do on Christmas Eve now.

(Pastor Bob and John the Baptist take a seat behind the pulpit.)

 

Narrator: (Moves into the “old” pulpit.)

Christmas is about letting Christ come into our hearts once more to challenge and transform us into people who lovingly serve God and our neighbor. 

 

Two classic stories which we love to hear at Christmas speak of hearts that are changed. 

 

The Grinch in Doctor Suess’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas was transformed.  Once he was a mean, nasty miserable soul who wanted to make everyone as unhappy as he was, but he was transformed into a warm, caring person who hosted the Christmas feast in joy and gratitude.

 

Ebenezer Scrooge from Dickens’ A Christmas Carol changed.  Once he was filled with greed and so miserly that he wouldn’t even spend his money to make himself comfortable.  He had no time to offer the least bit of kindness to others.   By the end of the story he became a jolly soul who learned to love and give.

 

May this Christmas be the beginning of something new and exciting in your relationship with Christ!  Make room in your heart for Christ to come in.  Allow him to challenge and transform you into the kind of Christian he wants you to be.  Allow him to make you into the kind of Christian who shows through all his words and actions his deep compassion for Christ and his love for his neighbor.   Allow him to make you the kind of person whom people will see and know that Christ dwells in your heart.