ACTING OUT THE CHRISTMAS STORY

CHRISTMAS STORY AWANA

You will divide your clubbers into 3 teams - the Angel Team, the Manger Team and the Temple Team.  Print out the "script" below in a large font (size 24 works well) so it's easy to read.  Use the introduction and explanation below.  Before Council Time, set up 3 stations with very simple props, but have the stations far enough apart that you have to "travel" from one to another.  Note I have at times omitted parts of verses or whole sections to let the narrative flow a little better for the purpose of this "drama".  

Assign a leader to each team.  As you travel, have the team reading for the next station go first.  Have kids who are not part of the station team sit down while the team reads.  Let the Word of God be what is powerful as you do this together!

Scene 1 - Angel Team - Mary & Gabriel

Scene 2 - Manger Team - the birth of Jesus

Scene 3 - Temple Team – Simeon & Anna

Suggested Props and Locations:

Angel Scene - a corner works well  - with fake plants, pillow for Mary to pray on?

Manger – back of sanctuary - Straw?  Large basket with rough blanket inside?

Steps to the Temple – front of Sanctuary – large urns?  

INTRODUCTION:

It’s just few weeks before Christmas.  Advent is the countdown, and we’re almost there!  Today we are going to try to put ourselves into the story of what God did for the world, and for you and me, that wonderful day.

I want to I want to divide us into 3 teams – the Angel team, the Manger team, and the Temple team.  Our story will begin in the village of Nazareth, then will move to Jerusalem where Jesus is born, and finally to the Temple where Mary and Joseph bring the baby Jesus and meet two amazing people.  Follow me to each location.

Together, we’re going to piece together what happens next, and I am going to ask us to read the events from the Bible.  But to save us a bit of time, the passages we will read are on these pieces of paper.  Each team will have their script to read out loud.  We will begin with the Angel Team, then the Manger Team, then the Temple team.  Please read out loud just one section from the pages and stop when you see a big space.  Then pass the paper on to someone else on your team.  I may stop your reading at times to be sure we know what’s going on.  (Hand out scripts - you may want an AWANA leader to be connected with each group.)

(I did this last night and realized I needed to provide more context for each station - so once the kids are seated and the team is ready, introduce the "place" - Nazareth, Bethlehem, Jerusalem Temple - with a few important details and then have the team begin reading.)

                        

ANGEL TEAM:

God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David.

Gabriel appeared to her and said, "Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you! " Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.

"Don't be frightened, Mary," the angel told her, "for God has decided to bless you! You will become pregnant and have a son, and you are to name him Jesus.

He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David.  And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!"

Mary asked the angel, "But how can I have a baby? I am a virgin." The angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby born to you will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. For nothing is impossible with God."

Mary responded, "I am the Lord's servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true." And then the angel left.  Mary responded, "Oh, how I praise the Lord. How I rejoice in God my Savior!

For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and now generation after generation will call me blessed.  For he, the Mighty One, is holy, and he has done great things for me. His mercy goes on from generation to generation, to all who fear him.

His mighty arm does tremendous things! How he scatters the proud and haughty ones!  He has taken princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.  He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands.

And how he has helped his servant Israel! He has not forgotten his promise to be merciful.  For he promised our ancestors -- Abraham and his children -- to be merciful to them forever."

MANGER TEAM:

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. All returned to their own towns to register for this census.

And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee.

He took with him Mary, his fiancee, who was obviously pregnant by this time.  And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born.

She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.

That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened,

but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Savior -- yes, the Messiah, the Lord -- has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David!

And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!"

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others -- the armies of heaven -- praising God: "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors. "

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Come on, let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.

TEMPLE TEAM:

Now there was a man named Simeon who lived in Jerusalem. He was a righteous man and very devout. He was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he eagerly expected the Messiah to come and rescue Israel.

The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple.

So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,

"Lord, now I can die in peace! As you promised me, I have seen the Savior you have given to all people.

He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!"

Joseph and Mary were amazed at what was being said about Jesus. Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, "This child will be rejected by many in Israel, and it will be their undoing. But he will be the greatest joy to many others.

Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was very old. She was now eighty-four years old.

She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer.

She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God.

She talked about Jesus to everyone who had been waiting for the promised King to come and deliver Jerusalem.

End your time with a brief summary - perhaps one idea that struck you as you heard the Scriptures read - and a prayer.