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December 2020
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John the Moon-Baptist

A children’s message for the 3rd Sunday of Advent. RCL Year B. Scripture Reference: John 1:6-8

Hamlet the Pig trots outside in the cold of December to search the skies for… John the Baptist? Why does he think that the moon is John the Baptist? Might it have something to do with John 1:6-8? “John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light.” (NLT)

See script below for reference: – Dec. 10, 2020:

Hamlet: Hey! That’s too bright! Turn off that light… I can’t see John the Baptist with that light shining in my eyes.


Me: What? You can’t see “John the Baptist?” Hamlet what are you doing outside at night, and what do you mean, you can’t see John the Baptist?


Hamlet: Well, Baabara was reading to me from the Bible today about how John the Baptist was sent ahead of Jesus to get people ready to listen to Jesus.


Me: Yes, the Bible says, “John the Baptist came as a witness to point to the light, so that all might believe through him.” I did hear you two talking about that. But that does not explain why you are outside here in the dark.


Hamlet: Baabara said that John the Baptist was the moon! So I came out here to see John the Baptist for myself.


Me: Oh, Hamlet! I think you might need to clean out your ears a bit.. Baabara said that John the Baptist was “like the moon.” She didn’t say John the Baptist was the moon!” 


Hamlet: Oh. So I’m not going to get to see John the Baptist?


Me: No, but you might get to see the moon tonight.


Hamlet: How is John the Baptist like the moon?


Me: Well, the moon does not create any light of its own. It just reflects the light from the sun back to the earth. John the Baptist told people very clearly that he was not the Light; he just was a witness to the light… a reflection of the light. He was there to point people to Jesus, the true Light of the world.


Hamlet: So the moon is sort of like John the Baptist.


Me: That’s right. Long ago, people thought that the moon was a source of light… that it produced its own brightness. But now we know that it only reflects the light from the sun.


Hamlet: I want to be like the moon.


Me: You do? What do you mean?


Hamlet: I want to reflect God’s light to the world. How do I do that? I can’t get up into the sky like the moon. Pigs don’t fly you know.


Me: Yes, I know that pigs don’t fly. But you can reflect the Light of the world by showing God’s love to others. You can be kind and caring and let people know that Jesus loves them. You can reflect the love of God in the things that you do and the kind words that you speak.


Hamlet: I can do that! I will practice on Baabara and then I will try to be kind to Grudge the Rat… even though that is more difficult.


Me: Sounds like a good plan, Hamlet. Now can we go back inside because it’s freezing out here. The moon is just not a very good source of heat.


Hamlet: Okay. My hooves are freezing. Can I have a cup of hot chocolate? 


Me: Good idea.


Hamlet: With a big marshmallow?


Me: Sure.


Hamlet: Or maybe two marshmallows… or maybe just a bowl of marshmallows with hot chocolate poured on top?

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