(based on Dr. Seuss’ poem, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”)
Every Jew down in Jew-ville liked Jesus a lot….
But Herod, the mean king of Jew-ville, Did Not!!
Herod hated Jesus! The whole Jesus season! Now please don’t ask why. No one quite knows the reason.
It could be his head wasn’t screwed on just right.
It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight.
But I think that the most likely reason of all
May have been that his heart was two sizes too small.;)
But, whatever the reason, his heart or his shoes, he stood there in his palace, hating the Jews.
Staring down from his castle with a Herod frown, worried that baby Jesus would take away his crown.
For he knew every Jew down in Jew-ville below, would be glad to bring old King Herod woe.
“And they’re bringing Him rich gifts,”
he snarled with a sneer,
“Those Wise Men, they had better steer clear.”
Then he growled, with his vile fingers nervously drumming,
“I MUST find some way to stop Jesus from coming!”
For all too soon, he knew….
…All the Jews around would hear of Jesus’ coming. They’d cry out their joys! And then,
Oh the noise!
Oh the Noise! Noise! Noise! Noise!
That’s one thing he hated.
The Noise!
Noise! Noise! Noise!
Then the Jews, young and old, would sit down to a feast.
And they’d feast.
And they’d feast.
And they’d Feast! Feast! Feast! Feast!
They would feast on some berries and bread baked with yeast.
Which was something Herod couldn’t stand in the least.
And THEN he’d heard something he liked least of all!
Every angel in heaven, the tall and the small, would stand close together, good news they were bringing. They’d stand hand-in-hand. And the angels would start singing.
They’d sing.
And they’d sing.
And they’d Sing! Sing! Sing! Sing!
And the more Herod thought of this whole-angel-sing,
The more Herod thought,
“I must stop this whole thing. To this ordinary baby, I will not bow! I MUST stop this Jesus from leading! But, HOW?”
The he got an idea.
An awful idea!
Old Herod got a HORRIBLE, AWFUL IDEA!;)
“I know just what to do,”
Herod laughed in his throat.
And he made up a lie over which he could gloat.
And he chuckled and clucked,
“What a great, sneaky trick! I’ll pretend to like Jesus and find Him real quick! All I need is a snitcher…”
Herod looked around. But since snitchers are scarce, there were none to be found.
Did that stop Old Herod…?
No!
Herod simply said,
“If I can’t find a snitcher, I’ll use them instead.”
So he called the three Wise Men.
Then he asked them each when
The star had shown the site of God’s gift to men.
Then he loaded their bags
On some camel’s humped backs
And sent them away
With some gifts in their sacks.
Then Herod said,
“Go now!”
And the Wise Men went
Toward Bethlehem, the town to which they had been sent.
Herod told them to make a search of the city
And find the young king then bring him news quickly
So he could honor the child so sweetly.
“This is a splendid trick,”
Herod said to himself.
“I better keep this nasty plan to myself!”
For Herod did not want Jesus to be the king
To kill the baby boy, he thought
Would be just the thing.
He feared the baby, no ordinary child
But God’s only Son, both tender and mild,
Sent to this earth to bring the good news of God’s love.
The Shepherds heard the news from angels above.
As they were watching their sheep in fields dark at night
An angel appeared and said, please don’t take fright!
I bring you good news, of great joy,
News of celebration, all should be overjoyed!
Today in the town of David
A Savior has been born.
He is the Messiah,
He is Christ the Lord!
You will find him wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.
Then a host of angels praised God and the newborn Savior.
Glory to God in highest heaven, and on earth
Peace to all to whom He gives worth!
So the Shepherds, amazed, said to one another
Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this youngster
For the Lord has said, through His heavenly host,
And with a bright light,
That this babe is foremost!
The Shepherds hurried off as fast as they might,
With their sheep and their lambs, right then in the night.
To find Joseph and Mary and the babe in the manger
All were welcome; shepherds, Wise Men, angels and even those stranger!
Why, only a king with the biggest love ever
Could gather those with the most and the least and bring them all together!
When they had all seen Him and praised Him as Lord,
The Wise Men agreed and were of one accord,
“We cannot tell King Herod of the babe in the hay.
He will try to kill him,
We’ll go home another way.”
So they went home by a route that Herod did not know.
Herod was so angry the nasty king said,
“So!”
“I’ll get rid of all the baby boys and also of my foe!”
“I’ll stop this Jesus from coming, some way, some how!”
“I’ll stop this new King!”
Herod said as a vow.
But no matter how he tried, Herod couldn’t stop word from spreading,
News swept by word of mouth, even by barking, mooing and baaing,
Of baby Jesus, the King, who came
Without ribbons, tags, or bows, but a gift just the same.
And what happened then…?
Well…in Jew-ville they say
That the world’s small heart grew three sizes that day!
And Jesus brought us love
And He is death’s downfall
And He…
He Himself…!
Jesus came for us all!