The Gift of the Nutcracker Streaming Video

The Nutcracker was first performed in 1892, and quickly became a holiday tradition, one that continues for many families to this day. In The Gift of The Nutcracker, Matt Rawle takes a look at this Christmas classic in a new way—through the lens of faith. In this four-week Advent study, Rawle uses the iconic tale to help us understand God’s greatest gift of the Christ child and of the kingdom Christ came to build.

In Session 1 titled Clara: Waiting for Christmas, Matt Rawle explores the Nutcracker story from Clara’s point of view. A young girl at the cusp of adulthood, she is caught in an “in between” time of life—much like the Advent wait for the coming Christ. She waits to grow up and to be invited to join the adults in their Christmas revelry. Unbeknownst to Clara and to many of us, it is precisely in these periods of waiting that we often see the most growth in our lives.

Running Time: 9:46

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The Nutcracker was first performed in 1892, and quickly became a holiday tradition, one that continues for many families to this day. In The Gift of The Nutcracker, Matt Rawle takes a look at this Christmas classic in a new way—through the lens of faith. In this four-week Advent study, Rawle uses the iconic tale to help us understand God’s greatest gift of the Christ child and of the kingdom Christ came to build.

In Session 2 titled Drosselmeir: A Godfather’s Love, Matt Rawle focuses on Clara’s godfather, Drosselmeir, who enters the story as a curious figure doling out odd gifts and acts peculiarly. Sometimes we humans need convincing that something is good, whether it be a Christmas gift under the tree or the gift of Christ himself. We ponder Drosselmeir’s puppet show and wonder how it might foreshadow the story to come. How often does God reveal to us that we need to look forward and navigate the world ahead of us? And how often do we look elsewhere for answers?

Running Time: 8:33

Instructions: To stream a purchased video, login with your cokesbury.com user account, click on My Cokesbury.com, and select Downloads/Subscriptions.

The Nutcracker was first performed in 1892, and quickly became a holiday tradition, one that continues for many families to this day. In The Gift of The Nutcracker, Matt Rawle takes a look at this Christmas classic in a new way—through the lens of faith. In this four-week Advent study, Rawle uses the iconic tale to help us understand God’s greatest gift of the Christ child and of the kingdom Christ came to build.

In Session 3 titled Drosselmeir: A Godfather’s Love, Matt Rawle examines the villain of the Nutcracker story and how much we are influenced by our perceptions. Worry and fear are certainly prevalent in our lives, but just as Clara was comforted with the Nutcracker by her side, we have hope because we know that God will never abandon us.

Running Time: 6:53

Instructions: To stream a purchased video, login with your cokesbury.com user account, click on My Cokesbury.com, and select Downloads/Subscriptions.

The Nutcracker was first performed in 1892, and quickly became a holiday tradition, one that continues for many families to this day. In The Gift of The Nutcracker, Matt Rawle takes a look at this Christmas classic in a new way—through the lens of faith. In this four-week Advent study, Rawle uses the iconic tale to help us understand God’s greatest gift of the Christ child and of the kingdom Christ came to build.

In Session 4 titled The Nutcracker: The Greatest Gift, Matt Rawle focuses on good news and seemingly unwanted gifts. The Nutcracker is slain but then resurrected by Clara’s godfather, who restores him to his princely form. The Nutcracker Prince then brings Clara back to his kingdom, where they are joyfully met by the masses who have been anticipating their return. It’s a joyful ending to a story that began with waiting, uncertainty, and a gift that Clara did not even know she wanted or needed.

Running Time: 7:56

Instructions: To stream a purchased video, login with your cokesbury.com user account, click on My Cokesbury.com, and select Downloads/Subscriptions.