Categories: uncategorized
Date: 16 December 2004 06:15:49
Another Aussie Christmas Story
In my quest to add meaning and significance to a spiritual season threatened by consumerism and materialism, I have searched out a number ways to bring the focus back to Jesus. And so yet again, here is another report of my Christmas happenings, again quite dependant on the warm weather and extended hours of sunlight. Without this blog, I'd have had no idea I loved Christmas in Australia. Bring it on!
We went to Road to Bethlehem, an outdoor theatrical telling of the Christmas story at the Seventh Day Adventist Camping ground. Groups of people walk from stage to stage to see different parts of the bible story re-enacted. The group is joined at different stations by various 'travellers' also travelling to Bethlehem, such the three wise men, and the shepherds. These people guide the way, and interact with the actors at each station. The group of travellers, ie. us, is harrassed by Roman soldiers and hawkers selling goods on every path and at every "city gate" along the way. The Mary and Joseph our group saw receiving news of their pregnancy from an angel, was the same Mary and Joseph with the little baby in the last scene. I was very impressed. There's some photo's here. It's a beautiful spot for it. There's lots of short rough barked gums around, and dusty gravel paths. We went at dusk, ending when it was dark, the stars in the sky, the gum trees lit with lights. It's a massive undertaking, (13,000 people saw it last year) very professional, mostly by volunteers from the SDA church.
On the way out is a cross, two banners on either side. One says,
Jesus Christ, the Messiah promised in the scriptures since the earliest times was rejected by the Jewish Nation. He was executed by the Roman govenor Pontius Pilate in the year 31 A.D. at the bargining of the Jewish authorities.
On the third day he rose from the dead.
The other,
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16
People could write messages on cards and stick them in the sand as the base of the cross. It made me cry. I can't tell you why. Kids busily wrote messages, and drew pictures signed in wobbly hand writing "Love Form Anna." Adults stood and stared, some looking a little lost, or bewildered, like they'd just discovered someone had died. Others walked on chatting and laughing, arm in arm with friends. Everyone walked past it. There were so many people, some stopped right in the middle of the path staring, others trying to get past. Everyone seemed to be alone, or perhaps alone with Jesus. If not Jesus, a shocking sense of happened to him.
Must have been some kind of an alt:woship event with all that sand... ;-)