Christmas short skits

Alien Visit at Christmas

CHARACTERS: 6, one is a child, as many extras as wanted

PROPS: Shopping bags, bag of cookies
COSTUMES: Street clothes for the Christmas season, “Alien” costume
SETTING: Christmas shopping.
RUN TIME: 1 minute

Several shoppers enter carrying lots of packages, chatting; secular holiday music
can be lightly played in the background. Alien enters looking and acting weird.

ALIEN: (Robot type voice) Hello earthlings. I am Boink from planet Zoink

ALL drop packages, gasp, one faints dead away. Mother pull child defensively into
her arms.

ALIEN: Fear not. Tell me. What is the meaning of all this? (Sweeps hand)

(Shoppers reply in fearful tones.)

1: Its Christmas.

ALIEN: Christmas?

1: You know, the holiday - Christmas. Shopping, giving presents.... (Alien keeps
looking confused)

2: We decorate trees and put out colored lights and hang up stockings

3: We sing Christmas songs (Starts a really weak rendition of jingle bells then
drops silent. Alien has to lean forward to hear which makes all the people shrink
back in fear)

4: (Who has picked up the dropped bag of cookies; offering it to alien) We eat
Christmas cookies.

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Child 5: (Assertively and cheerfully) We tell stories about the baby Jesus.

ALIEN: (Straightens up and dropping some of the robotic voice to sound

enthusiastic and joyful) Jesus! We had Jesus on my planet! We built a throne from
precious gems for Jesus. We brought presents to Jesus. We worshiped Jesus
with thousands of songs and crowned him King of kings and Lord of Lords. What
did you do for Jesus on planet earth?

1: (Ashamed, everyone else drops their head and looks ashamed) We crucified him.

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 Mary’s Choice

CHARACTERS: 10 (3F, 2M, 4 either)

COSTUMES: Biblical
PROPS: None specified
SETTING: Anywhere in Nazareth
RUN TIME: 6 minutes
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: Luke 1 & 2, Esther 4, Isaiah 49:6, Hebrews 11 & 12,
Psalms 23, 2 Corinthians 6:2

AT RISE: GABRIEL is center stage. MARY slightly to one side, busy, unaware of
GABRIEL’s presence until he speaks to her.

GABRIEL: (to the audience) In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent
me, the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin. (GABRIEL takes a
step toward and addresses MARY)

GABRIEL: Greetings, Mary, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.
(MARY starts in surprise, draws back a step and appears troubled at the rest of
his words but not frightened) Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with
God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.

MARY: How will this be since I am a virgin?

GABRIEL: The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will
overshadow you. (with delight) So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of
God. (DEMONS move stealthily toward MARY before they speak, seeming afraid
to draw GABRIEL’s notice. They speak at first, in hushed tones close to her ear,
and then back off as if being near MARY or GABRIEL is painful)

DEMON 1: Mary. You’re pledged to be married to a man named Joseph. Don’t do

anything to mess this up. (MARY can hear the voices of the demons but she can’t
actually see the demons. She should peer about as if in a dark room, able to tell
where the voices are coming from but not make eye contact with any of them. Her
face should be visible to the audience so they can see her reactions)

GABRIEL: Your son Jesus will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.
The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over
Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end

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DEMON 1: (backing off a bit, sounding like a kindly Jewish grandmother) This is
nonsense talk. You’re family’s not royalty; you’re not even Jewish nobility. How
could a son of yours become king?

MARY: Joseph is a descendant of David.

DEMON 1: He’s a nice man, maybe a bit poor, but a good catch. But royalty? No.
He’s a carpenter. He builds furniture, not kingdoms. This is too far-fetched.

DEMON 2: (more insidious but not threatening) If it sounds too good to be true, it
probably is. Tell this apparition to get lost. He’s talking nonsense. Utter nonsense.

GABRIEL: Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and
she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. (pause) For no
word from God will ever fail. (DEMONS draw back and huddle together for support
at those words. But they continue to try to influence MARY. A touch of
desperation creeps into their voices)

DEMON 2: What about your reputation? Do you think Joseph is going to believe
you’re carrying the king of the universe or that you have strayed?

DEMON 1: The law says to stone women for impurity.

DEMON 2: You could lose your life.

GABRIEL: Lord, open her eyes that she may see that she is surrounded by a great
cloud of witnesses. (DEMONS 1 & 2 withdraw. As good characters appear, Mary is
able to see them. Her face should be a canvas, showing her reactions to their
encouragement)

ESTHER: Mary, I once feared losing my life. Thank the Lord, Mordecai helped me
realize that I might have come to my royal position as queen to save my people.

MARY: Queen Esther?

ESTHER: Yes, Mary. God brought me where he needed me to be to serve him and
his people, not myself. If I had remained silent, refused to take the risk, God
would have delivered my people through another. However, I would have perished.

MARY: (remembering what she has been taught and finishing the story) So you
risked your life to save the Jews from Haman.

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ESTHER: (nodding in agreement and speaking with evident joy) And through Jesus,
the one of whom Gabriel speaks, not just the Jews will be saved, but the Gentiles
as well.

GABRIEL: (prophetically and expansive in his joy) It is too small a thing for Jesus
the servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel. He will
also be a light for the Gentiles that Jehovah’s salvation may reach to the ends of
the earth.

DEMON 3: (forceful, has a hard edge) Gentiles. Gentiles like these filthy Romans
who slaughter our people and blaspheme the name of the Lord. Who wants to save
Gentiles? Mary, this is crazy talk. You don’t want to do this. Risking one’s life is
fine for a queen, but you’re a – how do I say this nicely? – a nobody.

DAVID: (has entered quietly, behind GABRIEL and dramatically steps out to be
seen) They thought the same of me. The youngest son, a shepherd tending a few
sheep. Then when I said I would take on Goliath, they called me crazy too.

MARY: David? King David?

DAVID: Yes, Mary. (taking her hands and speaking with love and conviction) You
are of my line, my blood, royal blood. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you
are young …

RAHAB: (Stepping dramatically from behind GABRIEL and coming around to the
other side of MARY, forcing DEMON 3 to step back) Or female.

DAVID: (introducing them) This is my great-great grandmother, Rahab.

RAHAB: I too risked my life to save my family.

DEMON 3: She’s a prostitute, a filthy Gentile prostitute.

RAHAB: Yet even I was found righteous by placing my faith in God and acting on it
by protecting the spies.

DEMON 4: (cringing entry from the opposite side of the other demons; pleading)
Mary, you don’t want to do this. You’d be all alone.

DAVID: The Lord is my shepherd (RAHAB joins in) I shall not want. Yea, thought
I (MARY joins in) walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.

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DEMON 4: (last-ditch effort) Now isn’t a good time to make such a monumental
decision. Ask for a couple of days to think it over. There’s plenty of time.

GABRIEL: (proclaiming forcefully, letting his words push the demons back to the
farthest corners) Now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation

MARY: (bows in humility, lifts her face and answers confidently) I am the Lord’s
servant. May your word to me be fulfilled. (Demons and GABRIEL exit; other
characters pull MARY to her feet and hug her.)

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 Elizabeth

CHARACTERS: 1 F
PROPS: baby, cradle
COSTUMES: Biblical
SETTING: None specified

(Woman enters carrying a baby; she speaks softly and tenderly when talking to the
baby, almost in awe) John, child of my old age. Sleep well tonight. (places baby in
cradle). Until you came I was barren. (remembering with pain) A curse and shame
to any Israelite woman. I understood when Rachel cried out to her husband – give
me children or I die. Like Hannah, I was loved by my husband, but that could not
fill the empty, aching void within my heart.

(mood lightens) The day your father, Zachariah came home from serving at the
temple he could not speak. Still he managed to tell me he had spoken with the
angel Gabriel, that we would have a son, us in our old age. He said our son was to be
dedicated to God even from my womb. (looking at the baby) You, John, would turn
many of our people back to God. Our son would come in the spirit and power of
Elijah.

I laughed – not like Sarah, in disbelief, but for joy and knowing that if God
ordained it, he would make a way. I spent my months in seclusion, praying and
meditating on how we should bring you up. Then Mary, my young relative came.

She should have been home, preparing to be married. She had just been betrothed
to Joseph. When she walked through the door, you gave me such a kick. It was as
though you spoke, "Mother, what good is it for you to bear Messiah's forerunner
unless someone else bears Messiah?" (joyfully) The realization broke on me like a
wave of the sea and washed over me, bringing chills of joy. Mary's baby was the
Messiah!

We laughed and cried together. (remembering with laughter) I thought your

father would burst from not being able to speak. I’m sure he wanted to compare
notes with Mary about Gabriel’s visits.

She returned home and in due course I had you. I am a doubly blessed woman –
blessed with a son of my own and blessed to be alive when the Messiah will come.

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The Messiah – the hope and consolation of Israel. The counselor, Prince of Peace,
Mighty God. How wondrous. (picking up baby from cradle) Mary’s time is close.
The Messiah could come at any time (pause to cradle child closer) Maybe even
tonight.

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 Elizabeth and Zechariah

CHARACTERS: 1 M, 1 F
COSTUMES: Biblical
PROPS: Baby
SETTING: Israel, just before Christ is born

AT: Rise. A room in a Jewish home. A cradle is the central feature with a stool
beside it. Elizabeth enters carrying a baby.

ELIZ: John, child of my old age. Sleep well tonight. (Places baby in cradle). Until
you came, my life was one of longing and emptiness (She sits on the stool.
Remembering the shame and heartbreak) I understood when Rachel cried out to
her husband – give me children or I die. (Zechariah enters) But now, like it was
with Sarah it is with me, a child born to me in my old age. It is a time of gladness!

ZECHARIAH: (Laughing, playfully) Elizabeth, it is time to let our son get some
rest.

ELIZ: Yes, he has quite a task set before him. Tell me again what the scriptures
say.

ZECHARIAH: (Quoting) And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power
of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient
to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. (Pause) He
will be great in the sight of the Lord.

ELIZ: (Smiling) Yes, in time he will be. But he is such a tiny thing now. (With
pride) Our John, our joy and delight. As Gabriel said, many will rejoice because of
his birth. And they did. This house was filled to overflowing with singing and
praises to God. And you made up a song. Sing it for me. (Zechariah shakes his
head “No”) Then at least repeat the words. (Zechariah starts to decline;
mischievously) You never know when an angel may take the power of speech from
you again.

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ZECHARIAH: (Chuckles.) Very well. (Zechariah pauses to collect his thoughts.
He speaks to God using a commanding voice, yet not loud enough to disturb the
baby. Elizabeth keeps one hand on the baby but her eyes never leave her husband
as he speaks. She nods in affirmation of the words)
"Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come and has redeemed his people.
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David
(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us—
to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
and to enable us to serve him without fear
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

Zechariah pauses, steps closer to the cradle and places one hand upon the baby

And you, my child, (Elizabeth begins smiling broadly and steals a glimpse or two at
John) will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace."

ELIZ: We have a son, one ordained by El Shaddai himself! But I fear it will not be
so easy with Mary. Her time must be at hand and with her having to travel to
Bethlehem for the census…. If John were older I’d suggest we go meet them
ourselves.

ZECHARIAH: (Face becomes clouded) She is young, Elizabeth. God is with her.

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ELIZ: But the place is crowded with not only those registering from the house of
David but also all the Romans. The Romans are not kind to us Jews.

ZECHARIAH: I do not fear the Romans in this instance but King Herod himself.
Herod never hesitated to put anyone, including his own family, to death when they
threatened his throne. If word gets out of a Messiah – a future, rival king – Herod
might act violently to protect his throne.

ELIZABETH: Yes, Herod might do that. He had his brother in law the high priest
killed.

ZECHARIAH: And we both know who it is Herod will find and where he will be
found.

ELIZ: (Concerned) Then Mary, Joseph and the baby will all be at risk. (With
dawning horror) Do you think that puts our John in danger?

ZECHARIAH: (Far away) It could. (Snaps back to the present) My time of service
is over at the temple. Rather than stay here I thought we might move into a quiet
place in the desert….

ELIZ: (Quietly, no opposition evident in her voice) Move? Away from out home?
Our families? Before seeing Mary’s child?

ZECHARIAH: Yes. I think we might endanger them by even visiting them.

Everyone knows what a miracle John is.

ELIZ: When?

ZECHARIAH: I feel we must do so right away, Elizabeth, if you think you have
gained enough strength.

ELIZ: God has given me a son in my old age. He will give me whatever strength I
lack. (Not whiny, matter-of-fact) But Zachariah, it’s lonely and harsh in the
desert. It’s not a hospitable place.

ZECHARIAH: Exactly. A perfect place to raise our only son, Elizabeth. If Herod
comes looking for the Messiah it will not be to worship him. I fear for our son’s

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safety. We did not wait all these years to see harm come to him.

ELIZ: Of course we did not. Our son has a vital mission and no sacrifice is too
great to see that he fulfills his destiny.

ZECHARIAH: Moses, young David spent years in the wilderness. And Elijah.
Elijah hid from Ahab in the desert.

ELIZ: (Almost dreamy) Yes, Elijah. (In the present) And our John will come in the
spirit and power of Elijah

ZECHARIAH: We waited for years for him to be born. A few more years and
Herod will be dead. Is that too much?

ELIZ: No, nothing is too much. (Resolutely) Nothing is too much for either our son
or our God. I’ll start to gather a few things. (She rises, gives John a lingering
caress and exits. Zachariah smoothes the hair on John’s head tenderly then looks
upward)

ZECHARIAH: Thank you for John. Lord, make us the kind of parents he needs,
ones who will bring him up in the nurture and admonition of your name. And we ask
that you be with Mary and Joseph as you are with your son. Your son who was with
you from the beginning, by whom all things were created. Who is coming now in a
body of flesh and blood. (Drops his head to gaze at John)

(Toward the audience but not at the audience) The Messiah – the hope and
consolation of Israel. The counselor, Prince of Peace, Mighty God. (With awe) How
wondrous. (Picking up baby from cradle and looking at him intently) Our Messiah
will be here soon. (Pause to cradle child closer) Maybe even tonight. (Zechariah
bows his head until it gently rests against the John’s tiny forehead)

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 The Innkeeper’s Family (full version)

CHARACTERS: 1 F adult, 1 M adult, 3 children, ranging in age from 4-9

PROPS: Keep away object
COSTUMES: Biblical
SETTING: None specified
RUN TIME: Approximately 7 minutes

At rise. Children playing keep away with an object.

WIFE: (Offstage voice of innkeeper’s wife.) Boys! Jehosheba! Stop that playing!
You’ll break something and Jehovah be praised we need every pot, jar, bowl and
pitcher we have. (Entering) We haven’t had this many customers since ... since the
census 11 years age. We’re filled to overflowing. I won’t have a moment’s rest for
the next week. Work, work and more work. But I’m not complaining. We need the
business to keep you three fed and clothed. Have you done your chores?

Daniel, did you feed the animals?

DANIEL: Yes, I helped father mend the gate. (Husband enters)

HUSBAND: He did and he was very good help indeed.

WIFE: Jehosheba, Did you fill all the jars with water?

JEHOSHEBA: Yes, it took me over 50 trips to the well!

WIFE: Ehud? Did you clean the stable?

EHUD: Yes

WIFE: All of it this time?

EHUD: Yes, mother, all of it.

HUSBAND: Then off to bed. We had to give your room to a family from Jericho
so the three of you will have to sleep in the stable.

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ALL: (Ad lib with groaning) The stable! Not the stable.

EHUD: The stable smells.

HUSBAND: It smells does it? I thought you cleaned it. All of it?

EHUD: I did! It’s just...

WIFE: That stable was good enough for a king to sleep in so it will do for the
three of you.

JEHOSHEBA: Did a king really sleep there or did you and father just make that
up?

WIFE: Your father and I are not making it up. A king really slept there. He was
born there. On a night every bit as crowded as this one. Let me tell you, we were
so busy I didn’t sleep for a week. Thank God there is a Sabbath.

DANIEL: Tell us the story again.

WIFE: (Like they are making a ridiculous request) Do you see all the work your
father and I have to do? Does it look like we have time for stories?

ALL: (Adlibbing, pleading) Please, please

HUSBAND: I think we have time for one short story before bed.

ALL: Yeah!

WIFE: A story. Maybe I better sit down. (Raising a hand to heaven in a voice
resigned to hard work) Jehovah knows it might be the only rest I get for the next
3 days. If it weren’t for the Sabbath I would work myself to death. (Daniel gets a
chair; mother sits on chair and children around her.)

HUSBAND: Eleven years ago, Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census
should be taken of the entire Roman world.

WIFE: The Romans, they like to count everything.

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HUSBAND: Everyone had to go to his own town to register. So a man named
Joseph came from the town of Nazareth in Galilee because he belonged to the
house and line of David. He came to register with Mary, who was expecting a child.
We told them we had no room. But Mary was about to give birth on our doorstep.

WIFE: What could we do? I would have given her our bed but we had already
given it to another family.

HUSBAND: I told them they could stay in the stable. In no time at all the baby
was born. We wouldn’t have thought a lot about it, we were so busy with all the
customers!

WIFE: (Loudly protesting all the work) The laundry! The cooking! The cleaning!
Good thing we have a Sabbath or I would have worn my fingers to the bone during
the census. I wouldn’t have thought another thing about it except for the
shepherds.

HUSBAND: Your mother and I were trying to rest, not sleep, just rest.

WIFE: Then this knocking on the door, in the middle of the night. Your father
yelled “We’re full. Go away” but they just kept knocking. If we hadn’t been afraid
it was Romans we would not have answered the door. But it wasn’t the Romans. It
was shepherds.

HUSBAND: They told us they had been watching the sheep when an angel of the
Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they
were terrified. But the angel said to them, (Changes to an “angel voice”) "Do not be
afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in
the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be
a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

HUSBAND: In case they didn’t understand a great company of the heavenly host
appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and
on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

HUSBAND: When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds
said to one another, (Changes to shepherd voice) "Let's go to Bethlehem and see

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this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

WIFE: (Jehosheba begins tugging on her sleeve) So they went door to door and
inn to inn looking for this baby. And he was here. In out stable. In our manger.
Stop tugging. Already. What?

JEHOSHEBA: Aunt Eunice says no king was ever born in a stable. She says those
shepherds might have had wine in their water.

WIFE: (Mock outrage) What does your Aunt Eunice know? She wasn’t there. I
was. You think a Jewish king born in a stable is unbelievable. What about the
Romans? The Romans believe that Romulus and Remas, (Sarcastically) the founders
of the mighty Roman Empire (may God deliver us soon from their iron hand) they
believe that Romulus and Remas were raised by a she-wolf. Which is harder to
believe? A Jewish king born in a stable or a Roman emperor raised by wolves. Aunt
Eunice wasn’t there. Back to the story.

HUSBAND: I was a little curious so I went out to the stable with them. Your
mother went too. I thought the story ... questionable. Unbelievable. Why
announce the Messiah to a bunch of shepherds? Why not at the temple? But
there was something about it ... I believed them about the angels, about the baby.
Your mother too. The shepherds told everyone in town. I don’t know how many of
the citizens of Bethlehem believed but most of them came by to see for
themselves the next day.

WIFE: Cluttering up the courtyard, the stable, the entire street. I was never so
busy. The inn was full and then all those extra people coming in and going out. The
poor mother, Mary was her name, could get no rest. The comings! The goings! In
our stable.

DANIEL: But why would Jehovah want his son, the Messiah, a king of kings to sleep
in a hay trough?

WIFE: Your father may be an innkeeper, not be a rabbi but still he is a wise man.
Listen and learn.

HUSBAND: We talked about Moses. God chose a slave child to be raised in

Pharaoh’s palace so he would know how to lead. Perhaps God decided to have his

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son raised by poor people so he would know how to serve.

WIFE: A servant, you may ask? The Messiah – a servant? Yes!

HUSBAND: The prophet Isaiah said he would be. "Here is my servant, whom I
uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will
bring justice to the nations.
After the shepherds went back to their flocks we talked with this Joseph. He was
a good man, a humble man. A carpenter. He wondered why God chose him and Mary
to raise his son.

WIFE: And not just a king, although raising a king would be a job. But the son of
El Shaddai, the son of the living God.

HUSBAND: Joseph did not know why God picked him. He could have picked any
man in all of Israel. Why not a rabbi? Why not a priest? Why not the high priest
himself? Why a carpenter from Nazareth? It is not up to us to question God. It
is up to us to accept and do.

HUSBAND: Joseph was a humble man. He prayed that night. I could tell it was
not the first time he prayed for wisdom to raise the baby they named Jesus. I
would imagine it was not the last time either. Raising God’s own son would require
lots of prayer and hard work. (Thoughtfully, with wonder) God had chosen a
simple man of trade and an ordinary girl. We don’t ask why. We do as we are told.

WIFE: (Changing voice to one of motherly authority) Speaking of which. You need
your rest. There will be more work tomorrow with all these guests. Off to bed
and no more complaining about sleeping in the stable.

ALL (Ad libbing) Yes, mother, good night, father… (Children exit)

WIFE (Contemplating) How Joseph could have seen this: this road to Bethlehem, a
stable filled with hay,

HUSBAND: Yes, such a strange way to save the world.

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 Innkeeper’s Wife

CHARACTERS: One female adult as WIFE, 3 children, ranging in age from 4-9
PROPS: Keep away object
COSTUMES: Biblical
SETTING: None specified
RUN TIME: 6 minutes

At rise. Children playing keep away with an object.

WIFE: (Offstage voice of innkeeper’s wife.) Boys! Jehosheba! Stop that playing!
You’ll break something and Jehovah be praised we need every pot, jar, bowl and
pitcher we have. (Entering) We haven’t had this many customers since ... since the
census 11 years age. We’re filled to overflowing. I won’t have a moment’s rest for
the next week. Work, work and more work. But I’m not complaining. We need the
business to keep you three fed and clothed. Have you done your chores?

Daniel, Did you feed the animals?

DANIEL: Yes, helped father mend the gate.

WIFE: Jehosheba, Did you fill all the jars with water?

JEHOSHEBA: Yes, it took me over 50 trips to the well!

WIFE: Ehud? Did you clean the stable?

EHUD: Yes

WIFE: All of it this time?

EHUD: Yes, mother, all of it.

WIFE: Then off to bed. We had to give your room to a family from Jericho so the
three of you will have to sleep in the stable.

ALL: (Ad lib with groaning) The stable! Not the stable.

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EHUD: The stable smells.

WIFE: It smells does it? I thought you cleaned it. All of it?

EHUD: I did! It’s just...

WIFE: That stable was good enough for a king to sleep in so it will do for the
three of you.

JEHOSHEBA: Did a king really sleep there or did you and father just make that
up?

WIFE: Your father and I are not making it up. A king really slept there. He was
born there. On a night every bit as crowded as this one. Let me tell you, we were
so busy I didn’t sleep for a week. Thank God there is a Sabbath.

DANIEL: Tell us the story again, mother.

WIFE: (Like they are making a ridiculous request) Do you see all the work I have
to do? Does it look like I have time for stories?

ALL: (Adlibbing, pleading) Please, please

WIFE: A story. Maybe I better sit down and tell you the story again. (Raising a
hand to heaven in a voice resigned to hard work) Jehovah knows it might be the
only rest I get for the next 3 days. If it weren’t for the Sabbath I would work
myself to death. (Daniel gets a chair; mother sits on chair and children around
her.)

Eleven years ago, Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of
the entire Roman world. The Romans, they like to count everything. And everyone
went to his own town to register.

So a man named Joseph came from the town of Nazareth in Galilee because he
belonged to the house and line of David. He came to register with Mary, who was
expecting a child. We told them we had no room. But Mary was about to give birth
on our doorstep. What could I do? I would have given her our bed but we had
already given it to another family. Your father said they could stay in the stable.

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In no time at all the baby was born. I wouldn’t have thought a lot about it, we were
so busy with all the customers! (Loudly protesting all the work) The laundry! The
cooking! The cleaning! Good thing we have a Sabbath or I would have worn my
fingers to the bone during the census. I wouldn’t have thought another thing about
it except for the shepherds.

Your father and I were trying to rest, not sleep, just rest. Knocking on the door,
in the middle of the night. Your father yelled “We’re full. Go away” but they just
kept knocking. If we hadn’t been afraid it was Romans we would not have
answered the door. But it wasn’t the Romans. It was shepherds. They told us
they had been watching the sheep when an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and
the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel
said to them, (Changes to an “angel voice”) "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news
of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has
been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a
baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

In case they didn’t get it a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the
angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to
men on whom his favor rests."

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one
another, (Changes to shepherd voice) "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing
that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." (Jehosheba begins tugging
on her sleeve) So they went door to door and inn to inn looking for this baby. And
he was here. In our stable. In our manger. Stop tugging. Already. What?

JEHOSHEBA: Aunt Eunice says no king was ever born in a stable. She says those
shepherds might have had wine in their water.

WIFE: (Mock outrage) What does your Aunt Eunice know? She wasn’t there. I
was. You think a Jewish king born in a stable is unbelievable. What about the
Romans? The Romans believe that Romulus and Remas, (Sarcastically) the founders
of the mighty Roman Empire (may God deliver us soon from their iron hand) they
believe that Romulus and Remas were raised by a she-wolf. Which is harder to
believe? A Jewish king born in a stable or a Roman emperor raised by wolves. Aunt
Eunice wasn’t there. Back to the story.

20
I was a little curious so I went out to the stable with them. Your father went too;
he thought the story ... questionable. Unbelievable. Why announce the Messiah to
a bunch of shepherds? Why not at the temple? But there was something about it
... I believed them about the angels, about the baby. Your father too. The
shepherds told everyone in town. I don’t know how many of the citizens of
Bethlehem believed but most of them came by to see for themselves the next day.
Cluttering up the courtyard, the stable, the entire street. I was never so busy.
The inn was full and then all those extra people coming in and going out. The poor
mother, Mary was her name, could get no rest. The comings! The goings! In our
stable.

DANIEL: But why would Jehovah want his son, the Messiah, a king of kings to sleep
in a hay trough?

WIFE: Funny you should ask. Joseph asked himself that same question that night.
We talked, mostly your father. He may be an innkeeper, not a rabbi, but still he is
a wise man. We talked about Moses. God chose a slave child to be raised in
Pharaoh’s palace so he would know how to lead. Perhaps God decided to have his
son raised by poor people so he would know how to serve.

A servant, you may ask? The Messiah – a servant? Yes! The prophet Isaiah said
he would be. "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations.

After the shepherds went back to their flocks we talked with this Joseph. He was
a good man, a humble man. A carpenter. He wondered why God chose him and Mary
to raise his son. And not just a king, although raising a king would be a job. But
the son of El Shaddai, the son of the living God. Joseph did not know why God
picked him. He could have picked any man in all of Israel. Why not a rabbi? Why
not a priest? Why not the high priest himself? Why a carpenter from Nazareth?
It is not up to us to question God. It is up to us to accept and do.

Joseph was a humble man. He prayed that night. I could tell it was not the first
time he prayed for wisdom to raise the baby they named Jesus. I would imagine it
was not the last time either. Raising God’s own son would require lots of prayer and
hard work. (Thoughtfully, with wonder) God had chosen a simple man of trade and
an ordinary girl. We don’t ask why. We do as we are told. (Changing voice to one of

21
motherly authority) Speaking of which. You need your rest. There will be more
work tomorrow with all these guests. Off to bed and no more complaining about
sleeping in the stable.

ALL (Ad libbing) Yes, mother, good night… (Children exit)

WIFE (Contemplating to God) How could Joseph have seen this: this road to
Bethlehem, a stable filled with hay, such a strange way to save the world? Segue
into Strange Way to Save the World song

22
 The Innkeeper’s Wife (Condensed version)

CHARACTERS: One female adult, 3 children

PROPS: Keep away object
COSTUMES: Biblical
SETTING: None specified
RUN TIME: 5 minutes

At rise. Children playing keep away with an object.

WIFE: (Offstage voice of innkeeper’s wife.) Boys! Jehosheba! Stop that playing!
You’ll break something and Jehovah be praised we need every pot, jar, bowl and
pitcher we have. (Entering) We haven’t had this many customers since ... since the
census 11 years age. We’re filled to overflowing. I won’t have a moment’s rest for
the next week. Work, work and more work. But I’m not complaining. We need the
business to keep you three fed and clothed. Have you done your chores?

Daniel, did you feed the animals?

DANIEL: Yes, helped father mend the gate.

WIFE: Jehosheba, Did you fill all the jars with water?

JEHOSHEBA: Yes, it took me over 50 trips to the well!

WIFE: Ehud? Did you clean the stable?

EHUD: Yes

WIFE: All of it this time?

EHUD: Yes, mother, all of it.

WIFE: Then off to bed. We had to give your room to a family from Jericho so the
three of you will have to sleep in the stable.

ALL: (Ad lib with groaning) The stable! Not the stable.

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EHUD: The stable smells.

WIFE: It smells does it? I thought you cleaned it. All of it?

EHUD: I did! It’s just...

WIFE: That stable was good enough for a king to sleep in so it will do for the
three of you.

JEHOSHEBA: Did a king really sleep there or did you and father just make that
up?

WIFE: Your father and I are not making it up. A king really slept there. He was
born there. On a night every bit as crowded as this one. Let me tell you, we were
so busy I didn’t sleep for a week. Thank God there is a Sabbath.

DANIEL: Tell us the story again, mother.

WIFE: (Like they are making a ridiculous request) Do you see all the work I have
to do? Does it look like I have time for stories?

ALL: (Adlibbing, pleading) Please, please

WIFE: A story. Maybe I better sit down and tell you the story again. (Raising a
hand to heaven in a voice resigned to hard work) Jehovah knows it might be the
only rest I get for the next 3 days. If it weren’t for the Sabbath I would work
myself to death. (Daniel gets a chair; mother sits on chair and children around
her.)

Eleven years ago, Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of
the entire Roman world. The Romans, they like to count everything. And everyone
had to go to his own town to register.

So a man named Joseph came from the town of Nazareth in Galilee because he
belonged to the house and line of David. He came to register with Mary, who was
expecting a child. We told them we had no room. But Mary was about to give birth
on our doorstep. What could I do? I would have given her our bed but it was
already taken by a Roman centurion. Your father said they could stay in the stable.

24
In no time at all, the baby was born. I wouldn’t have thought a lot about it, we
were so busy with all the customers! The laundry! The cooking! The cleaning! I
wouldn’t have thought another thing about it except for the shepherds.

Your father and I were trying to rest, not sleep, just rest. Knocking on the door,
in the middle of the night. Your father yelled “we’re full. Go away” but they just
kept knocking. If we hadn’t been afraid it was Romans we would not have
answered the door. But it wasn’t the Romans. It was Eli and his sons and brother
Uzziah. They told us they had been watching their sheep when an angel of the
Lord appeared to them and said, " Christ the Lord will be found as a baby wrapped
in cloths and lying in a manger in Bethlehem" So they went door to door and inn to
inn looking for this baby. And he was here. In our stable. In our manger. Stop
tugging, already. What?

JEHOSHEBA: Aunt Eunice says no king was ever born in a stable

WIFE: (With mock outrage) What does your Aunt Eunice know? She wasn’t there.
I was. You think a Jewish king born in a stable is unbelievable. What about the
Romans? The Romans believe that Romulus and Remas, (Sarcastically) the founders
of the mighty Roman Empire (may God deliver us soon from their iron hand) they
believe that Romulus and Remas were raised by a she-wolf. (Ehud begins tugging on
her sleeve) Which is harder to believe? A Jewish king born in a stable or a Roman
emperor raised by wolves. Aunt Eunice wasn’t there. I was. Ehud, what is it?

EHUD: But why would Jehovah want his son, the Messiah, a king of kings to sleep in
a hay trough?

WIFE: Funny you should ask. Joseph asked himself that same question that night.
He wondered why God chose him and Mary to raise his son. And not just a king,
although raising a king would be a job. But the son of El Shaddai, the son of the
living God? Jehovah could have picked any man in all of Israel. Why not a rabbi?
Why not a priest? Why not the high priest himself? Why a carpenter from
Nazareth?

Your father may be an innkeeper, not a rabbi, but still he is a wise man. They
talked about Moses. God chose a slave child to be raised in Pharaoh’s palace so he
would know how to lead. Perhaps God decided to have his son raised by poor people

25
so he would know how to serve.

A servant, you may ask? The Messiah – a servant? Yes! The prophet Isaiah said
he would be. "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations.

Joseph was a humble man, a good man, an ordinary carpenter. He prayed that
night. I could tell it was not the first time he prayed for wisdom to raise the baby
they named Jesus. I would imagine it was not the last time either. Raising God’s
own son would require much prayer. God had chosen a simple man of trade and an
ordinary girl. We don’t ask why. We do the tasks God sets before us. (Changing
to a mother’s voice of authority) Speaking of tasks. There will be more work
tomorrow with all these guests so you need your rest. Off to bed and no more
complaining about sleeping in the stable.

ALL: Yes, mother, good night… (Children exit)

WIFE: (With contemplation, to God) Your plan, Oh God. This road to Bethlehem,
a stable filled with hay, such a strange way to save the world.

26