Then it happened… The bicycle began bouncing like a toad in a washing machine! There was a blinding flash of light and a loud noise like a turtle singing! Suddenly Bethlehem disappeared and….
There were camels everywhere! In front of them, beside them, and behind them! They were in the middle of a big caravan! The Professor said, “Ooops”! One of the camels was mean, and turned his head and spit at the Professor, fortunately he missed. Shane and Shelly looked around and saw that they were in a big city, and the caravan was stopped in front of a palace. Just then the doors opened, and people came out! First there were several men who looked very wise and very rich! Their clothes were dusty from a long journey; they had arrived with the caravan of camels. Shane and Shelly recognized these men, Shane whispered, “These are the wise men we saw before; they have traveled from their homes looking for the baby Jesus!” Another man came out of the palace, he was dressed even more richly, but he did not look wise, he looked mean! This man had a crown on his head made of gold and many jewels. The Professor tried to get closer to this king, but he tripped over a baby camel and knocked the crown off the king’s head. Several things happened at once! The Professor said, “Ooops!” The king knocked the Professor down, and the mean camel spit at the Professor and missed again. The king pointed at the Professor and laughed in a mean way and said, “I’ll take care of you in a minute! Prepare to die!” Then the king turned to the wise, rich men and said, “Go to Bethlehem and find this baby that you think has been born. The one that you think will be the king someday! Then come back here and tell me where he is, so that I can go and kill…I mean worship him!” Then the king laughed in a very mean way. The wise, rich men bowed and then turned and got on their camels. Shelly grabbed the Professor and said, “Let’s get in the middle of this caravan and leave with them, otherwise that mean king will kill you!”
The caravan left the palace and headed out of the city. The Professor, Shane and Shelly rode the bicycle/time machine right in the middle of the caravan. The men in the caravan pointed and laughed at how funny they looked, but that one mean camel kept looking for a chance to spit at the Professor, he knew that he would get his chance! Shane asked, “I wonder where we are?” Shelly answered, “I think we are leaving Jerusalem! That mean king had to be King Herod, and these are the same men we saw before, these are the wise men who are going to visit baby Jesus. See how rich and wise they look!” Shane said, “We just left baby Jesus in Bethlehem, now are we going right back there?”
The sun was going down just as they were leaving Jerusalem. Then it happened! Without warning there was suddenly a large star in the sky that the Professor, Shane, and Shelly had not ever seen before! The star was right over the road that went to Bethlehem. All the people in the caravan pointed at the star and cheered, they had seen this same star when they left their own country far to the east. The star had always guided them. The Professor cheered and clapped his hands too, but while he was clapping no one was steering the bicycle/time machine. The bicycle/time machine wobbled and then ran right into the side of the mean camel. The Professor, Shane and Shelly all fell off. The Professor said, “Ooops!” The mean camel spit at the Professor again and missed again! They got back on the bicycle/time machine and continued toward Bethlehem, but the mean camel was more determined than ever to get even with the Professor!
When they finally arrived in Bethlehem, the star was still above the road on the other side of the village, but the stable where Jesus was born was off to the right. The Professor yelled, “Follow me everyone! I will take you to Jesus!” The Professor immediately turned the bicycle/time machine to the right and headed for the stable. No one in the caravan listened to the Professor, they did not turn, and they kept following the star. The Professor ran into more camels and caused more confusion and said “Ooops!” Then the mean camel had had enough, he started chasing the Professor and spitting! Shane and Shelly saw the mean camel coming, they jumped off the bicycle/time machine and started running after the caravan!
The caravan, followed by Shane and Shelly, got to the other side of the village, and saw that the star was over a house at the very edge of the village. The wise men got off their camels and went and knocked at the door. Mary opened the door and when they explained that they had traveled hundreds of miles to see the baby, she let them all in. Baby Jesus was asleep when they came in, Shane whispered to Shelly, “Look at how big he is! He has grown up a lot since we saw him in the stable!
The wise men bowed down on the floor and worshipped Baby Jesus. They told Mary how they had studied the Bible and saw the star and followed it. Then the wise men had their servants bring gifts from the camels. They were very expensive gifts, the kind of gifts that they would give to a king. They knew that this baby was God’s Son, the rightful King of the world! Shane and Shelly felt embarrassed because they did not have any expensive gifts to give to Baby Jesus, Shelly would have given Jesus her kitten, but she had lost the kitten somewhere during their adventures. Shane and Shelly knelt on the floor but all they could do was to say from their hearts, “I love you Jesus!”
After awhile Baby Jesus began to get fussy and Mary said, “It’s time for Baby Jesus to eat.” So, the wise men, Shane and Shelly got up and said goodbye and left.
When they went out into the peaceful night, one of the wise men’s servants came running up to them shaking with fear! He said, “I fell asleep and had a terrifying dream! An angel told me to not let you go back to Jerusalem to tell that mean King Herod about Baby Jesus. The angel said that mean King Herod wants to kill baby Jesus!” The wise men said, “Just as God guided us here, we will continue to follow God’s directions. We will not go back to Jerusalem; we will leave now and go directly to our own country!
The wise men and their caravan left immediately as fast as they could! Shane and Shelly were left standing outside the house in Bethlehem wondering what to do. They did not have to wonder long! Suddenly they heard the bicycle/time machine coming towards them and the sound of galloping camel hoofs! The professor came around the corner with the mean camel close behind him! The professor was soaking wet with camel spit! The professor almost ran over Shane and Shelly! The bicycle/time machine screeched to a stop and the Professor said, “Ooops!” Shane and Shelly jumped on the bicycle/time machine; Shelly reached down and turned the handle as they began pedaling as fast as they could. The camel was getting closer and was getting ready to spit again, only this time Shane and Shelly were in the way! Just then the Professor shifted the bicycle/time machine into high gear!
Then it happened… The bicycle began bouncing like a toad in a washing machine! There was a blinding flash of light and a loud noise like a turtle singing! Suddenly Bethlehem disappeared and….
Application:
Read the story of the visit of the wise men. It is found in the Bible in the book of Matthew chapter 2 verses 1-12.
Have you ever felt like Shane and Shelly, wishing you had a special gift to give to Jesus?
What do you think was the best gift that was given to Jesus that night?
The best gift that was given to Jesus was the love and worship that was given by the Wise Men, Shane, and Shelly. Jesus does not need fancy or expensive gifts, after all He made the whole world and everything in it! He does not need any type of gift except the love and worship from people who believe in Him.
All of us can give that gift of love and worship to Jesus. Have you given Jesus this gift?
Make a New Year’s resolution to look for ways to show more love and worship to Jesus in this next year!