Theme:
Youth tend to grow up too fast, dismissing the Christmas story as routine. Also, teens tend to stress more about school, which contributes to the trivialization of the Christmas story. This drama brings out this dynamic.
Style:
This drama is low-key. The most poignant parts might be where there is no dialog. The absence of speaking is a break from the rhythm we expect in the classic church Sunday School Christmas play, but in the silence teens are forced to think more. Emphasize the pauses.
Setup:
This is the church Sunday School Christmas play. There is a narrator, angel, shepherd who is the naysayer, other shepherds as your youth group dictates. There is no need for rehearsal, props or lighting. The lines don’t have to be memorized or done perfectly.
Print out the lines on 5X8 card stock as that allows actors to have the script while also freeing their hands.
Script:
Youthworker: Christmas, year 0. Action.
Narrator: And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.
This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.
So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.
So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.
She brought forth her firstborn Son, wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
Behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
Then the angel said to them…
Angel: Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, 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.
Narrator: Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!
So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another…
Shepherd: Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.
Narrator: And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the Babe lying in a manger.
(Tthe shepherds turn and walk out.)
Youthworker: Cut. That’s the Christmas story back then. This is the Christmas Story 2011:
Narrator: And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.
This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.
So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.
So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.
And she brought forth her firstborn Son, wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
Behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
Then the angel said to them…
Angel: Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, 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.
Narrator: Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!
So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another…
Shepherd: Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.
(Pause)
Naysayer: (Not in a pushy way, but asking a legitimate question) Uh…who’s going to watch the sheep?
(Pause. Consternation. Shepherds have no clue. The shepherds never thought of this.)
Naysayer: Well, some guy is paying us, not much, but paying us to watch these sheep. Are we going to run off and leave them here?
(Pause. Shepherds now nervous as they don’t have an answer.)
Naysayer: I don’t know about you guys, but I need this job.
(Pause. Look for reaction from those youth not participating. Are some taking this drama lightly and laughing? Some may be subdued, and this may indicate the teen is thinking more. Do some not know what to think?)
Shepherd: What if we send Mike (or insert any name here)? He can go down to Bethlehem, check it out, take a picture, send it back to us; and if it looks good, half of us can go while the other half stays here and keeps watch. Then we switch.
Naysayer: How does that sound? (Pause. Shepherds look at each other. Ambivalence mixed with reluctant compliance. Some shrug shoulders, some mildly nod. Teens should understand this body language.)
Naysayer: OK. That’s the plan.
Youthworker: Cut.
(End drama.)
You probably will do this twice as one of your teen actors probably will want a second take. It’s probable he or she won’t understand the intent of the drama until after doing it once, even after you’ve explained the intent. Schedule enough time to run this drama twice.
Questions:
Are you more like the shepherds of the Christmas Story year 0 or of the Christmas Story 2011?
(Refer to your observations of them during the pauses. Perhaps a teen recognizes his or her own worldly stresses diluting the Christmas story.)
Is there any part of the drama that spoke to you?
There will be different reasons why teens could be less enthusiastic about the Christmas story. Here are some texts that could help the youthworker minister to teens who know the Christmas story too well.
1. The Christmas story could be seen as a children’s holiday. Once we know Santa Claus is not real, the Christmas story also seems to be less meaningful. Only children of faith can receive the kingdom and enjoy Christmas as God the Father choreographed it.
2. Teens could have too much stress, as do we all. Sometimes the homework justification is just an excuse; sometimes it’s a stress that’s all too real.
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
3. The Christmas story isn’t edgy, not in 3D, too routine. The glory of the Lord shining around the shepherds isn’t on an app. To capture the interest of a teen, the message has to be more hip than the same story told last year. Teens already know the Christian faith.
In Hebrew, the original language of the Old Testament, the word wonderful also means “incomprehensible.” There is more to Christ and faith than we can ever know.
4. The Christmas story, and to some extent the Christian faith, is my parents’ thing. I only come to church and youth group because they make me come. I believe in Christ, but don’t try to make me dress up like a sheep.
We all have youth who fit into this category, and it would not be constructive to address family tensions in this youth group drama, but the apostle Paul still would rejoice over this faith.
The Christmas story is still for your youth group, even if we know the story too well. The Scripture text for the drama intentionally uses the New King James Version as the words sing the rhythm of the Christmas story we remember best, but the wording from the original Greek is more accurate in the New International Version for verse 14.
The more
It’s not that we have goodwill on our own, but God decides to put His favor on us. All of us, but maybe youth especially, hunger to hear the words of sincere affirmation. Here, in the Christmas story, God tells us He’s proud of us.
