Hackney Methodist Circuit

Sketch - The Birth of Jesus

Scene 1

• Joseph is having a conversation with his friend.
• Friend: So Joseph, what are you up to this evening?
• Joseph: (looking nervous) Nothing much …just go with the flow really.
• Friend: You are up to something Joseph, I know you too well to know when you are up to something. Your nose starts to twitch.
• Joseph: Does it?! (and sighs.) Ok, if you most know, i am meeting someone this evening. A woman.
• Friend: Aha! I knew it! I knew your were up to something! You old dog, put it here mate. (offers a handshake.) Haha..
• Joseph: Its not like that my old friend. This woman, Mary, was promised to me in marriage and I’m meeting with her this evening and I am a bit nervous.
• Friend: (putting his hand round Joseph) Don’t be silly Joseph, you’ll be fine. You have nothing to lose. Just go and meet her, have a chat, and take it from there. Simple.
• Joseph: Yeah you are right, I have nothing to lose, I am just being silly. Thank you very much my old friend. (shaking hands) You take care. Bye for now.
• Friend: Bye.
• Joseph walks away.
• Friend: Silly old fart!

Scene 2

• Mary is tidying the house humming to her favourite hymn when Angel Gabriel appears.
• Angel Gabriel: Greetings, you who are highly blessed. The lord is with you.
• Mary stands looking shocked.
• Angel Gabriel: Don’t be afraid Mary, you have found favor with God. He will make you pregnant and you will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, his kingdom will never end.
• Mary: You what?! How will this happen? I am a virgin!
• Angel Gabriel: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. Nothing is impossible with God.
• Mary: I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said.
• The angel disappears and Joseph arrives a moment later.
• Joseph: Hello Mary. (pecks her on the cheek) You are looking well. How are you?
• Mary: I am very well Joseph, thank you. You are not looking bad yourself.
• Joseph: Thanks. So Mary about the marriage, I will love you to be my wife.
• Mary: So will I Joseph, but before we go any further there is some thing I have to tell you. I don’t know how to say it.
• Joseph: Just say it Mary. Whatever it is we will deal with it together.
• Mary: I am pregnant.
• 
• Joseph bursts out laughing hysterically.
• Joseph: Mary you are so funny. I like that. That’s a good one. (Coughing.) Mary you’ll kill me. I like your sense of humour, for a minute there I thought you said you were pregnant. I was thinking an old virgin, pregnant?
• Joseph laughs. Mary looks angry.
• Mary: I am pregnant!
• Joseph looks serious.
• Joseph: Are you having have a laugh? Please tell me you are having a laugh? How on earth can you pregnant? It will take a miracle to get you pregnant.
• Mary: It did take a miracle indeed Joseph. This afternoon Angel Gabriel...
• Joseph: Angel Gabriel? This is got to be a first? You know, I’ve heard stories about the milkman, the postman and even the tax collector going round making women pregnant, but I have never in all my years heard stories of angels going round making women pregnant!
• Mary:I didn’t say the angel made me pregnant! The angel was sent by the Lord to tell me that he will be making me pregnant so that I will give birth to his son, our Lord, to come on earth and reign on his throne.
• Joseph: Oh, I see. Why didn’t you just say so?
• Mary: Well because you didn’t give me time to finish.
• Joseph: I am sorry Mary. Please forgive me. I will like you to come live with me.
• Joseph extends his hand to Mary. Mary pauses for a moment before taking Joseph's hand and they both set off.

Scene 3

• Wise Man 1: Where is the one who has been born king of the jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.
• A messenger comes up to the wise men.
• Messenger: Hello there, I come with a message.
• Wise Man 2: What is the message?
• Messenger: King Herod will like to see you at once.
• Wise Man 3: Ok, take us to him.
• The go off to meet King Herod. Herod is sitting with the chief priests and teachers of the law.
• Herod: Well I guess you are all wondering why I called you all here today? As chief priests and teachers of the law I think your you might know the answer to my concern. Is it true a child is to be born that will be king of the Jews? And if so where will he be born?
• Chief Priest: Yes my lord, it is true. He will be born in Bethlehem for this is what the prophet has written.
• Herod: Do you know the exact time and place he will be born?
• Chief Priest: No my Lord, but I heard the three wise men know.
• Herod: Oh ok. I have sent for them to be brought to me.
• The messenger and the wise men arrive at the palace of King Herod.
• Messenger: My lord sorry for the interruption, I have brought the three wise men to see you like you requested.
• Herod: Bring them in.
• King Herod gestures the chief priests and teachers of the law to leave.
• Herod: Please take a seat.
• The wise men all sit down.
• Herod: I have been informed that you know when and where the king of the Jews will be born. I demand to know at once!
• 
• Wise Man 3: He will be born in Bethlehem in Judea. The star we saw in the east will lead us to his place of birth. We will follow it till it stops over his place of birth.
• Herod: Excellent! I want you to go make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too can go and worship him.
• The three wise men nod and go on their way.
• Herod: No one will take my throne. I cant wait to get my hands on that child so I can kill him!

Scene 3

• Joseph: Oh Mary, he is so beautiful. You have made me a very happy man and proud father.
• Mary: Yeah he is beautiful. You will make a great father.
• The wise men arrive.
• Wise Man 2: We are the three wise men. We have come all the way from the east to worship the boy Jesus. We also brought him some gifts. We brought gold, frankincense and myrrh.
• They all bow their heads to worship Jesus.

The End

The Birth of Jesus sketch was performed in worship by the Hackney young people in worship on Sunday 23 December 2007. It was written by Mo Stevens who is a youth leader at Hackney church... Hackney