Sunday School Christmas Play
Each scene with two or three dividers set up with painted sheets for backdrop.
Set up:
scene one: neutral brown/tan/beige sheets for mary’s home.
Scene two: Brown sheets (can be different shades) for the innkeepers buildings painted on.
Manger part of this scene.. just add in a manger. I think we can keep it simple and not add animals.
(kids can just run it on.)
Scene three: dark blue sheets with stars on it and white sheep sewn on in a big cluster.
Scene 4: use scene two sheets. No animals to keep it simple.
PLAY:
Audience sing a song while scene one is being set up.
Song: “Joy to the World”
Scene One
Narrator: God sent Jesus to this world as a baby so he would die as a man for the sins of the world.
For thousands of years before He was born, men prophesied the coming of the Lord Jesus into the
world.
In Isaiah 6:9, the prophet Isaiah foretells of the birth of Jesus:
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder.
And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Mary sits on the floor folding laundry into her basket while Narrator speaks.
Narrator: The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin
betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgins name was Mary.
Mary looking down and humming as she continues to fold. Angel enters the scene.
Mary: Looks up, GASPS and drops the clothes when angel appears in front of her.
Angel: Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!
Mary looks around, worried.
Angel: Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in
your womb and bring forth a Son, and His name shall be called Jesus. He will be great, and will be
called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He
will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His Kingdom there will be no end.
Mary: How can this be, since I do not know a man?
Angel: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you;
therefore, also, that Holy one who is to be born will be called the Son of God. For with God nothing
will be impossible.
Mary: Behold the maid servant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.
Angel exits.
Mary, looking up: My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour.
Mary gathers up her laundry and exits.
Audience sing a song while scene two is set up.
Song: “Have you any room for Jesus”
Scene two:
Narrator: These days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be
registered. Everyone needed to go to the city they were born to register. Joseph went to be
registered with his betrothed, Mary into Judea, to the city of David, called Bethlehem because he
was of the house and lineage of David.
Have a sign up somewhere: Do you have room in your heart for Jesus?
2 doors set up somehow: 2 innkeepers behind the doors.
Joseph leading Mary, riding on a donkey, walking around the stage looking weary from their
Journey.
Joseph: How are you doing, Mary?
Mary: Holding her stomach; OHHHHH it is time for the baby to come!
Joseph: God is good! We are in Bethlehem now. He will help us to find place for you to rest.
Knocks on first door.
Innkeeper 1: opens door. What can I do for you?
Joseph: Please, we need a room. My wife is about to have a baby!
Innkeeper 1: Horrified. We are all full. Come back after the census.
Joseph: But….
Innkeeper 1 slams the door.
Mary: After the census! But my baby! Grabs her stomach.
Joseph: Maybe the next one? Knocks on second door.
Innkeeper 2: opens door. Yeeeees?
Joseph: Could we please get a room? My wife needs it!
Innkeeper 2: No room. Peeks at Mary. Especially for new babies! Starts to close the door.
Joseph pleads: Please! Do you have anything. We will take anything!
Innkeeper 2: well… opens the door wider. I have a stable in the back.
Joseph and Mary look at each other and smile.
Both together say: We’ll take it!
Mary: Smiles at Joseph. God is good!
Mary, Joseph and Innkeepers leave the stage.
(someone put manger onto the stage)
Narrator: So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.
And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a
manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
While Narrator is speaking, Mary comes back on the stage with baby and wraps up baby and lays
the baby in the manger.
Audience sing a song while scene three is being set up.
Song: “Away in a Manger”
Scene Three:
Narrator: Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch
over their flock by night.
Two shepherds, and backdrop of sheep and possible children to be sheep. Shepherds walking
around the sheep.
Angel enters. Shepherds startle and hold their arms over their heads.
(greatly afraid)
Angel: Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will e to all people.
For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. And this will
be the sign to you: You will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.
Group of angels come on stage and say together: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace,
goodwill toward men!
(shepherds watch, amazed.)
Angels leave stage.
Shepherd one: Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the
Lord has made known to us.
Shepherd two: Let’s go!
Shepherds get up and leave the stage with any sheep.
Narrator: The shepherds travel to Bethlehem to see the baby Jesus quickly.
Audience sing a song while scene four is being set up.
Song: “What Child is this”
Scene four:
Back to the manger scene. Mary and Joseph back on stage with the manger and baby.
Shepherds come running on stage.
Cry together: We found him! Praise God!
Shepherd 1: He is wrapped in swaddling cloths just like we were told!
Shepherd 2: We are looking at the Christ, the Son of God!
Shepherd 1: Praise God that he has chosen to show these things to us!
Shepherd 2: God is good!
All gather around the baby and sit still while narrator speaks.
Narrator: God’s word tells us that we are lost in our sins. Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and
come short of the glory of God.
There is nothing we can do on our own to be free from our sin. Because of God’s great love for us,
He had a plan to rescue us. Jesus says in John 3:16:
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him
should not perish but have everlasting life.
You can have this assurance and free gift from God through Jesus Christ tonight!
Everyone back on stage to bow.
Young people/adults/nonkids sing something? Possibility: by hocus pic: “If I had the voice of an
angel…”