For Family Home Evening the family acted out the story of the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. Each family member had a part in the play.
Below is the script we followed:
NARRATOR: Imagine
the stars in the sky, the countless constellations, the sprawling Solar System.
And among it a little planet called Earth. Just
over two thousand years ago, when we most needed him, Christ came down to be
with us, to save us and show us how life should be lived.
He could have chosen anywhere to be his home. He could have
built a palace for himself that would have made the grandeur of the Roman
Empire seem like nothing. But he didn’t. Christ chose to be born among the forgotten,
the overlooked and the poorest. This is the story of how Christ came to be with
us.
The story opens with a young woman in her home - Mary. (ENTER MARY) Unless you look a bit
deeper, there is nothing particularly remarkable about Mary. She was from a
town called Nazareth, and she was engaged to be married to Joseph. But, to God,
she was very important. (ENTER ANGEL)
So important that God sent an angel down from heaven with a message for her.
ANGEL (Luke v. 28,
30-32): Blessed art thou among women. Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found
favour with God. And thou shalt bring forth a son, and shalt call his name
Jesus. He shall be called the Son of the Highest.
Mary (v. 34): How
shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
Angel (v. 35, 37):
The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall
overshadow thee. For with God nothing shall be impossible.
Mary (v. 38, 46, 48):
Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. My soul
doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he
hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth
all generations shall call me blessed.
(MARY GETS READY TO
COME IN ON DONKEY WITH JOSEPH LEADING THEM. ENTER CAESAR (optional), WHO
UNROLLS A SCROLL)
SCENE 2:
NARRATOR: But the Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus, who ruled
over the land, sent an order saying he wanted to count every single person in
the country. So everyone – including Mary and Joseph – had to go back to their
home town to be registered. Joseph came from a faraway town called Bethlehem.
Because Mary was engaged to be his wife, she came with him to Bethlehem. (EXIT CAESAR [OPTIONAL]) To save her
aching legs, Mary rode on a donkey.
Song: O Little Town
of Bethlehem (Hymn #208)
NARRATOR: When
they arrived in Bethlehem, they knocked on every door in the town, looking for
a place to stay – but everywhere was full of people. (JOSEPH AND MARY PRETEND TO KNOCK ON DOORS) Each time they were
given the same answer. Lots of people had come down to be counted, so the whole
town was full – there were so many families to accommodate. Mary and Joseph
nearly gave up, but then they tried the very last guest house. (INNKEEPER ENTERS)
Joseph: Please, please
help! My wife is about to have a baby. Do you have a room?
Innkeeper: I’m so
sorry. All my rooms are full with guests from across the country. All I can
offer is my stable out the back, where we keep all the animals.
Joseph: Thank you
so much, we’ll take it.
Mary: Thank you.
At last we have somewhere!
Narrator (v. 6-7):
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she
should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him
in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for
them in the inn.
[Direction: Mary
should put a baby doll in a manger-like setup.]
Song: “Away in a
Manger” Hymns #206
(ENTER VARIOUS
ANIMALS – OXEN, CHICKENS, DONKEYS, SHEEP [OPTIONAL] – WHO GATHER AROUND MARY
AND JOSEPH BEHIND THE MANGER. )
SCENE 3:
ENTER SHEPERDS AND
SOME CHILDREN DRESSED AS SHEEP
Narrator (v. 8-9):
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping
watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them,
and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
[Direction: While
Narrator is speaking, Angel should appear, and Shepherds should show fear.]
Narrator (v. 10): And
the angel said unto them,
Angel (v. 10-12): Fear not, for, behold, I
bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you
is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And
this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling
clothes, lying in a manger.
Narrator (v. 13): And
suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising
God, and saying,
Narrator and Angel
(together) (v. 14): Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good
will toward men.
Song: “Angels We Have
Heard on High” (Hymns #203)
[Direction: Angels
exit]
Narrator (v. 15): And
it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the
shepherds said one to another,
Shepherds (v. 15): Let
us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which
the Lord hath made known unto us.
[Direction: Shepherds
“make haste” and approach manger.]
Narrator (v. 17-18,
20, 19): And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which
was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at
those things which were told them by the shepherds. And the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as
it was told unto them. [Direction:
Shepherds go away praising]
Narrator: But
Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
Song: “Silent Night”
(Hymns #204)
Scene 4: Narrator,
Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, Three Wise Men
[Direction: Wise Men
enter and wander around looking for Jesus. Mary, Joseph, and baby still in
place.]
Narrator (Matthew
2:1): Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judæa in the days of Herod
the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem.
Wise Men (v. 2): Where
is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and
are come to worship him.
Narrator (v. 9-11): And,
lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and
stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with
exceeding great joy.
And when they were come into the house, they saw the young
child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they
had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts.
Wise Man 1: Because
you are the King of Kings, I bring you gold.
Wise Man 2: Because
you are the Son of God, I bring you frankincense.
Wise Man 3:
Because you are the Saviour of the world, I bring you myrrh.
Narrator: And
they departed into their own country.
[Direction: Wise Men
exit.]
Narrator Luke 2:40: And
the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace
of God was upon him.
Closing Song: “Joy to
the World” (Hymns #201)
