Christmas Play with Baptism 2019
Baptism
Christmas Play
Angels from the realms of glory H 93
Angels, shepherds and wisemen are out in the congregation. Holy Family, Gabriel and Trinity are in the sacristy.
Stable has been set up, Herod’s court is set up over at piano. Globe is on the altar.
Scene 1
The Trinity comes out and stands behind the altar and they stay there throughout the play.
God reaches out and slowly and thoughtfully spins the globe.
God: “From a distance, this earth is still so stunningly beautiful. I still remember when I called it all into being, and everything that I called into being was good. Very good. And I bent down and took some of the dirt of the earth in my hands and shaped it into a person.”
Holy Spirit: “And my breath went into him.”
Jesus: “And I filled him with a deep longing for love.”
God: “And so from that person, I created another, so that they could share our love and together, lovingly care for all the good things that we made.”
Silence
God: “So how do we feel that things are going on Earth these days?”
Holy Spirit: “I’m having trouble getting through to people. They are barely able to catch their breaths, much less breathe deeply enough to take me in.”
Jesus: “And their hearts have turned to stone, impervious to love. They are busy hating on each other.”
God: “They seem so distant and lost from us, and they’ve made a mess of our good creation.”
Silence
God (thoughtfully) “But….many people are praying for rescue. Remember when they cried out in Egypt, and we heard their prayers? Those were exciting times. We enlisted Moses to help us lead those people out of Egypt into the Promised Land.”
Holy Spirit: “I’ve noticed too, as I blow where I will on the earth, that not all hearts have turned to stone. Take Mary, for instance. What a kind heart she has, overflowing with love.”
God says thoughtfully– “Mary.”
God and the Holy Spirit stare at Jesus. Jesus stares back at them and slowly opens his robe to show his t shirt that says, “I am the one.”
All three say together: “We will become one of them so that they can find their way back to us.”
Holy Spirit: Let’s call Gabriel to help us with our plan. Gabriel!
(Gabriel comes out of the sacristy door.)
Holy Spirit: So Gabriel, we need your help, and this plan is going to keep you busy for a while!
The first thing you need to do is to go to Mary, out in Nazareth in Galilee and tell her that she is going to become pregnant and bring us—-that is Jesus—- into the world.
Gabriel looks surprised and says: Well, that’s some plan! What on earth do you want me to tell her? And what if she says no?
God: We’re figuring that she’ll say yes because she loves us, and already knows that we are with her. Tell her that we favor her, and that she is going to bear a son named Jesus, the Son of God, and that we are going to give him the throne of his ancestor Jacob, and his kingdom will be forever.
Gabriel: Got it!
Scene 2
God: Mary, Mary—There you are! (Mary comes out of the sacristy door). Pay attention, something important is about to happen.
Mary is carrying a basket and walks in front of the altar. Gabriel comes around and greets her.
Gabriel: Greetings, favored one! I am the Lord’s messenger. The Lord is with you!
Don’t be afraid, Mary, God favors you! You are going to have a son! And his name will be Jesus. Jesus is the Son of God, and God will give him the throne of his ancestor Jacob, and his kingdom will be forever.
Mary: “But how can this be? How can I be the mother of the Son of God?”
Gabriel: Well, we are going to leave that to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will come upon you.
Mary says: Here I am, the servant of the Lord. OK.
Holy Spirit tosses gold tissue paper on Mary.
Mary goes back out through sacristy door.
God: Great job, Gabriel! Now for Joseph. You need to check in with him because this news about Mary has him upset.
Gabriel: No problem, I can handle that!
Joseph comes out through the sacristy door. He puts his head on a pillow that God places on the altar.
Gabriel: Joseph, I know that you are really upset about what to do about Mary. First of all, “Don’t be afraid.” Go ahead and take Mary as your wife. The child within her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son. Name him Jesus, because he will give his people hearts only for love.
Joseph: OK.
Joseph and Gabriel go out the sacristy door.
Choir sings Winds through the Olive Trees.
Shepherds go to side of the church opposite the piano and sit watching their sheep.
Holy Family comes out and goes to the Bethlehem set up. (Gabriel remains in the sacristy.)
Away in a manger H 101
When hymn is over, Holy Spirit calls Gabriel out of the sacristy.
Holy Spirit: Gabriel, here’s your big act with your cast of thousands! Go to the shepherds and tell them the good news!
Gabriel goes over the shepherds. They jump up and act afraid.
Gabriel: “Don’t be afraid! I’m here to bring you good news of great joy to all people! Tonight, a baby has been born in Bethlehem, and he is the Messiah, the Lord! You can go there and find him, lying in a manger in the stable where Mary and Joseph are.”
Angels come out and stand with Gabriel.
Angels, we have heard on high H 96
Shepherds go and stand around Bethlehem and the Holy Family, along with the angels
God and the Holy Spirit
God: So far our plan seems to be working!
Holy Spirit: We’ve forgotten something though. The astrologers in the East have been searching the heavens for years waiting for a sign that the King of the Jews is born. Shouldn’t we alert them?
God: Right! And they are in the habit of searching the heavens. They’ll be looking for his star at its rising! Let there be light!
Takes lit star and hands it to star holder.
What star is this that shines so bright H 124 (Herod and his “court” get into place)
Star holder holds star over Herod and his court, on the piano side.
Wisemen come down the aisle to Herod.
“Where is the child that is born King of the Jews? We saw the star rise and it’s led us to you.
Herod: What? This is news to me. Hold on and let me consult with my chief priests and scribes.
Whispered conversation.
Herod: Promise me that you’ll come back and tell me all about what you find. My chief priests and scribes say that the ruler will be born in Bethlehem.
Star holder takes star over to Bethlehem and holds it above Holy Family.
Herod: And when they come back and tell me what they know, I am going to have every baby in Bethlehem killed so I’ll make sure that this King of the Jews is destroyed before he ever grows up.
We three kings of Orient are H 128
Wisemen come over to Holy Family and bring their gifts.
Gabriel comes out and says to the wisemen: “Listen, if you are truly wise, don’t go back to Herod. Go home another way.”
Points down aisle to door and the wisemen leave.
Meanwhile, Holy Family are sleeping.
God and Holy Spirit call Gabriel over.
God: Gabriel, please go to Joseph and tell him that Herod’s jealousy has put the baby in danger, and that they must get out of the country as soon as possible!
Gabriel comes back to Holy Family, who are sleeping.
Gabriel: “Joseph, you all are in danger from Herod. He is coming to Bethlehem to kill Jesus, and he will kill all the children of this age in the town! The only way to be safe is to go to another country. Flee to Egypt!”
Joseph and Mary gather up their things, and go out the sacristy door. Shepherds and angels go back to their seats. The only people left up front are God, Holy Spirit and Jesus. Jesus goes into sacristy.
Lully, lullaby, thou little tiny child H 247 Choir can sing this
God and the Holy Spirit:
God: (holding globe) “Well, I see that people are still full of fear and resorting to violence to protect their power, even killing children! Their hearts are still hard as rock.”
Holy Spirit: “God, you know that patience is a virtue. This plan of ours is going to take some time. Let’s give Jesus a chance to do his thing and see what happens.”
(Tucker comes out from the sacristy door wearing the “I am the One shirt” and carrying the cross.)
God and the Holy Spirit look at each other sadly.
Holy Spirit:
“But even so, let’s rejoice and be glad. Look out there. Look at all those people who are shining with our light and love, thanks to Jesus in their midst—and we will be with them always, until the end of time and beyond.”
Everyone stands and sings Good Christian friends, rejoice H 107
During hymn, everyone comes up front for a bow.