A Finished Work

 

“All we ever wanted is found in You.” The entire ensemble sang this closing line in the dramatic musical, Two from Galilee, with script by Karla Worley and musical numbers from Robert Sterling. The finale included Mary and Joseph center stage, holding baby Jesus, with the entire cast worshiping the Christ child. The room went dark, and a light appeared, illuminating the holy family with the shape of a cross.

In 1996, the School of Music and Worship at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary premiered this musical for Word Music based on Marjorie Holmes’ successful book from the 1980s by the same name. Holmes’ work attempted to flesh out the Christmas story, making the characters seem quite human and exploring details the biblical text doe
sn’t cover. The musical production was a large, exciting event, and I immensely enjoyed participating. We double casted the main roles, and I had the fun of playing Joseph and another minor character.

Two from Galilee was a Broadway-type attempt at telling the ancient Christmas story. The musical numbers were grand and beautiful, dramatic and narrative. The set was large and costumes elaborate. We had a grand time preparing for that show my first year of seminary.

Playing the part of Joseph, I spent a semester delving into his character, trying to understand his perspective and role in the story. Since then, I’ve always considered him a tremendous model of discipleship in the New Testament.

During that winter, I found a beautiful nativity cross stitch pattern for sale at Michaels. I purchased it and slowly worked on the scene. The bright colors of the clothes contrasted with the dull hues of the barn and animals intrigued me. I worked on that project for several months, and it became a type of worship for me as I reflected on the birth of the Christ child and how it impacted the characters.

The sewing project was immense, and by the end of that semester, I had only gotten a portion done. I packed it away, and months turned into years. Too much work had been done, and it was too meaningful to me, to throw it away. Occasionally I got it out and looked at it. As the years passed, my eyes became too weak to do any more cross-stitching.

My daughter completed some stitching projects as she grew. So, a couple of years ago, I pulled out my old project and asked Anna-Frances if she would complete the needlework. She patiently and laboriously worked on it for more than a year. In 2024, she finished the work. And this year, waiting for a good Black Friday deal on framing, I went back to Michaels and had the project framed. My wife and I gladly hung it up in our kitchen this holiday season. The initials at the bottom read “RW 96 / AW 24.”

The finished object reminds me that many times, God’s activity in our lives takes longer than we anticipate, stretches across years, and forces us to depend on the  One “who began a good work in you [and] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6 NIV).

The magnificent colors and contrasts not only call to mind pageantry, drama, and artistry. But they remind me of the greatest story ever told – the most dramatic one in history. God the Creator chose to redeem sinful humanity by sending His Son to live a sinless life. On the cross, He received the punishment for our sin, died, and was resurrected back to life by God’s power.

He calls people to believe Him, repent of our sins, and open our life to Him. And He leads us in paths we would never plan by ourselves. Willing Mary, opening herself up to divine grace. Faithful Joseph, changing his plans for God’s, even through confusion, disruption, and difficulty. Shepherds, becoming the first eyewitnesses to a birth announced by angelic hosts. Magi who traveled from afar not just to see an earthly king, but the King of Kings. Mary and Joseph’s parents, who experienced enormous adjustments as God involved their children in His activity. And many more.

Yes, Jesus, You who “existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together” (Colossians 1:17 NLT), we worship You. All we ever wanted truly is found in You.

 

Excerpts from the original soundtrack can be heard here. Though I could not find video excerpts from our original performances, dozens of examples from churches can be found on YouTube, and I’m told you can still purchase the original videos from Word Music.