Build a Pageant First Congregational Church Litchfield

Transcription

1 Build a Pageant 2016 First Congregational Church Litchfield

2 2 INTRODUCTIONS OF MAIN CHARACTERS AND GROUPS Animals: let me hear your animal sounds. (Pause for the animals to sound) Angels: let me see you dance and twirl a little bit. (Pause for everyone to look at the angels) Shepherds: are you looking over your sheep? And it s late at night, so maybe you re resting over there. (Pause for everyone to look at the shepherds) Wise Men: You re so wise! Let me see you stand tall and look smart.) (Pause for Wise men to stand tall) I love to share The Big God story... What is the Big God Story? It s the story of God s love for His people He created and His desire to be in relationship with them. He created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden so they could be in perfect relationship with Him. Sadly, they disobeyed God and had to leave the Garden. The rest of the Old Testament shows how God was using His people to point to His perfect plan to restore the lost relationship with His people. You see, God loved His creation, His people, so much, He didn t want to be apart from them, but desired to be with them. Throughout the Old Testament God was involved with the lives of His people, and was continuing to reveal His perfect plan to restore His creation. As we learned in Advent, God was preparing the way for us to receive His Son. He promised that one day He would send a Redeemer His Son to forgive sins and bring people back into relationship with Him.

3 3 LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM That s where we pick up the story tonight. We find Mary, a young woman, in Nazareth, a town of Galilee. Mary was pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. God sent the angel Gabriel to visit Mary. Let s see what happened. Mary & Joseph on opposite sides of stage sleeping. Gabriel comes from backstage, goes to Mary. GABRIEL Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you. Mary looks surprised & frightened. GABRIEL 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. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High! MARY I am the Lord s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled. Mary, how were you feeling when that angel appeared? (Allow for answers and interactions) Gabriel goes to Joseph, who also looks frightened GABRIEL Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins. When Joseph woke up, He did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. Joseph walk over and gets Mary, then takes her back to his home. Hey, young married couple, you re having a baby. How are you feeling? Are you doing okay keeping up on housework? How do you think God is going to use you? (Allow for answers and interactions) In those days, Caesar Augustus, the ruler of the Roman world, issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. So Joseph left Nazareth in Galilee and began the long walk to Bethlehem in Judea, where his family

4 4 was from. He took Mary with him, and it was a long walk. Congregation sings- "Oh Little Town of Bethlehem" v1 & v2 Joseph and Mary wander the stage during the song and end up on the first riser

5 5 WHAT CHILD IS THIS While they were in Bethlehem, it came time for the baby to be born. Joseph looked all over for a room for them to stay in. But the city was so full because of the census, they could find no place. Joseph asked one last inn keeper if there was a room. JOSEPH Kind sir, Do you have a room we can stay in? My wife is ready to have a baby and we need a warm place to stay. INNKEEPER I am sorry. I have no more rooms in my Inn. (thinks for a moment) But I do have a warm place you can stay. Follow me. Innkeeper leads Mary & Joseph down stairs and to the low central stage. The animals come in and gather around the stage, making all sorts of noises. They quiet and gather around the manager for the song The Inn Keeper has taken them to his stable, where the animals were kept. It was loud and noisy. It probably smelled in there too. Where are the sheep. Where are the goats, Where are the Congregation Sings- "What Child is This" v1 & v2

6 6 ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH At the same time there were shepherds living out the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. Now shepherds were out of town, they were kind of dirty people because they took care of sheep. It was night, they were probably tired and maybe laying down. Then suddenly a bright light appeared that scared the shepherds. Gabriel goes to the shepherds. Shepherds crouch down and look afraid. GABRIEL Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people! Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Before the shepherds could say or do anything, many more angels appeared and they all burst into song, singing, Glory to God in the highest Heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests. All of the angels rush around the manger scene to the shepherds, dancing around as they go and continuing to dance through the song. Congregation Sings- "Angels We Have Heard on High" v1, chorus, v3, chorus

7 7 GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN Shepherds! What were you feeling when that light appeared?! Were you surprised?! And angels, are you so excited that you get to dance and sing for God? Show me how you dance for him! The shepherds became very excited and decided to go into Bethlehem to see Jesus for themselves. Angels and Shepherds go to low stage and bow around Jesus. The shepherds found Jesus in the manager just as the angels had said. When they had seen him, they spread the word about everything they had seen. The shepherds were telling everyone, Did you hear about Jesus? Everyone can start asking Did you hear about Jesus? Did you hear about Jesus? (allow for answers and interaction) Congregation Sings- "Go Tell it on the Mountain" v1, v2

8 8 WE THREE KINGS All who heard it were amazed at what was told to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The angels returned to Heaven and the shepherds returned to their fields, all glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. On the eighth day, He was named Jesus, the name the angel had given Him before He was born. (Short Pause) After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked: WISEMAN Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star when it rose and have come to worship him. Congregation Sings- "We Three Kings" v1 & chorus

9 9 FINALE King Herod sent them to Bethlehem to find Jesus. The star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. When they saw the child with His mother they bowed down and worshiped Him. They opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. What kind of gifts did you bring for Jesus? Was that pretty amazing to worship Jesus? And it took you a long time to get here? All this we have seen and heard was to fulfill what the prophet Isaiah foretold, Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Which means God with us. And later, the Apostle John would describe the events of the first Christmas with these words, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." THE END. Audience Claps, Kids bow, and as the clapping dies down they can return to their seats or to give the borrowed costumes back.