Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household. – Ephesians 2:19

Today's Scripture Reading (May 21, 2024):  Ephesians 2

I love a story that Tim Green tells in his book about discipleship, "So, What Now." In the book, he tells the story of Adam, who visits a Nativity Scene at a local amusement park. He had visited the park a year earlier. Then, his dad called him and his sister up, wondering if they would be willing to go to the nativity scene for a "family night out." They had driven together to the amusement park. But when they arrived at the gates, they discovered that the admission price to enter the park and view the nativity scene was fifteen dollars.  He remembers the family being shocked at the price. They had a quick family meeting and decided that since they had made the trip all the way out to the park, they might as well see what all the fuss was about. As they went through the gate, Adam muttered to himself that this had better be good.  There were a lot of things that he could have done with his fifteen dollars.

To top it all off, as soon as they got inside the park, Adam noticed all the good rides were closed.  The only rides that seemed to be running were the little kid's rides and an antique Merry-Go-Round.

After grabbing some Hot Chocolate, the family followed the arrows that guided them to the World's Largest Nativity Scene.  They ended up at the park's mammoth performance hall.  Moving through the massive glass doors, Adam heard "The Hallelujah Chorus" playing inside the auditorium.  As they walked into the auditorium, the sight was overwhelming!  A larger-than-life Nativity Scene of plaster figurines was spread across the auditorium's massive stage.  Every member of the Christmas cast was present.  Mary and Joseph occupied center stage with Baby Jesus tucked in between them.  On the far-right stage were at least a half dozen shepherds with a couple dozen sheep.  On the opposite side of the stage were the wise men bearing their gifts.  Donkeys, cows, and camels were scattered throughout the stage area. Hanging from the ceiling were the most beautiful angels they had ever seen, with their wings extended and trumpets being held to their mouths

For a couple of minutes, the whole family just stared in amazement.  Even Adam was speechless!  A brief silence followed "The Hallelujah Chorus."  Then the same song started right back up again.  Adam looked over at his Mom, and she shrugged her shoulders. It was Adam's Dad that broke the silence. "So, do you think that's all there is?" After a few minutes, the family left the performance hall.

As they left, Adam's sister exclaimed, "I can't believe it!  It was so beautiful, but fifteen dollars to stand in front of a Nativity Scene for five minutes and look at a bunch of statues from a distance is kind of drastic. Adam had more precise words for the experience, "It wasn't drastic. It was a rip-off." The family agreed that this was the last time they would visit this attraction.

Now, only a year had passed and Adam found himself getting dressed to go right back again.  He had heard this year they had added a skating rink, and one of his friends had some two-for-one coupons, but Adam couldn't believe that he was returning to that tourist trap for the privilege of being ripped off for the second time.

As Adam and his friends entered the park, Adam decided to lead the way to the performance hall so that they could get the viewing over with and proceed to do more important things, like skating. As he entered the auditorium, he couldn't believe how much things had changed in the past year. The stage that had held the nativity scene the year before was now solid ice.  At least a couple of hundred people were down there skating.  The nativity scene was nowhere to be seen.  Although he really wanted to get down to the ice and start skating, he decided before he did, he would join his small group of friends in search of the missing Nativity Scene.

After checking out a couple of smaller auditoriums in the park, Adam and his friends stumbled onto the most fantastic sight right in the middle of the park. The characters of the Nativity were still the same, but where they stood made all the difference.  The Characters had been moved outside into the center of the park. There were no seats for the spectators. There was no stage for the figures.  The metal bar that had separated the display from the people a year ago was gone.  Adam and his friends were able to walk up to each one of the characters.  They entered right into the middle of the Nativity scene as if they were characters themselves.  First, Adam went and stood beside Mary.  Looking into Baby Jesus's face from her perspective was awesome.  Next, Adam stood beside the shepherds and felt like he was one of them.  As he crossed over to see the wise men, he walked under several angels. It was amazing what a change in perspective could do.  Last year, he stood on the balcony as a spectator.  This year, he felt like he had become a participant in the story.

Paul's message to the Ephesians is that there was a time when they were foreigners. Then, they had been outsiders watching the action from the balcony. But God had made them fellow citizens with the people of Israel. He had taken them, and us, from the balcony to the stage. We were placed at the center of the action instead of being on the outside looking in.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Ephesians 3