Many years ago, a woman named Sarah Hale wrote one of the best-known and best-loved children's poems ever written. Most of you probably know that poem. It is "Mary Had a Little Lamb." It goes like this:

Mary had a little lamb,
Its fleece was white as snow.
And everywhere that Mary went
The lamb was sure to go.

Christmas will be here soon -- the day we celebrate the birthday of Jesus. In our Bible reading today, we read about an angel who appeared to Mary and told her that she would have a child and that she would name him Jesus. Sometimes, Jesus is called "The Lamb of God," and since Jesus' mother was named Mary, I thought I would read a new poem called "Mary Had a Little Lamb." It may never be as popular as the original poem, but it might help us to remember the true meaning of Christmas.

Mary had a little Lamb,
He was born on Christmas day.
She laid him in a manger bed
To Sleep upon the hay.

Angels filled the night-time sky
And they began to sing.
Shepherds heard them all proclaim
The birthday of a King.

Wise men saw a blazing star
Up in the sky that night.
They followed it until they found
The King of love and light.

Mary had a little Lamb,
But He wasn't hers, you know,
He was the very Son of God,
The One who loves us so.

The Father of this little Lamb
Loved the world so much
That He sent his only Son to earth
So we could feel His touch.

He came to give us joy and peace
And take away our sin.
So when He knocks on your heart's door,
Be sure to let Him in.

Why do I love this precious Lamb?
What can the reason be?
The answer is quite plain to see,
It's because He first loved me!

Dear Lord, thank you for sending your precious Lamb to take away our sin. Help us to remember as we celebrate His birthday, that He was the greatest gift of all. Amen.