On This Dirt
A New-Age Christmas
Program
By Rev. Daniel Pugh Jr
Setting: The land of
Bethlehem.
Characters:
Luke: tour guide
Matthew: tour guide
Isaiah: Wise owner of
the land
14 kings
Samuel
Jesse
7 sons
David
Sheep
Angel
Mary
Joseph
Inkeeper
Shepherds
King 1
King 2
King 3
Luke: Travelers,
tourists and parents who are here to take video of their adorable children that
you will never watch again, everyone gather around. Welcome to Bethlehem. My
name Luke and I am an official tour guide to this dirt.
Matthew: I thought we
agreed to not call ourselves 'official'.
Luke: No, I agreed
that you are not official. I tell an orderly account of the facts, which makes
me official. You, Matthew, tell the story all wrong.
Matthew: There
are lots of people who prefer my version of this dirt better. Ever
heard of Godspell? If you get to be the official tour guide of this dirt,
then I'll ask that you kindly refer to me as Saint Matthew, the expert.
Luke: Yeah, like anybody
is ever going to call you a saint for what you stole from Mark. Saint Matthew,
patron saint of plagiarism.
Matthew: How about we
let these people decide.
Luke: Decide
what?
Matthew: Decide whose
story is better. My story about Kings, family, royalty, and attempted
murder.
Luke: Or my story,
about underdogs, Angels, shepherds and a star so bright
Matthew: It all
started with-
Luke: It all started
with-
Matthew and Luke: HEY!
Isaiah: What is going
on here? What are you two squabbling about on MY dirt?
Matthew: I’m sorry,
Mr. Isaiah, we didn’t mean to disturb you, we are grateful that you let us
bring tours to your dirt. We were just fighting because we were both giving a
tour at the same time.
Isaiah: Well, it’s
fine, kids, I’m not in it for the profit. Get it? Isaiah, not in it for the
profit?
Luke and Matthew stare
at each other.
Isaiah: You’re too
young. So, both of you are trying to tell the same story, but differently, is
that what I understand? Well, how’s this. I happen to know a lot about the
story of this dirt. It is, after all, my family’s dirt and I was writing about
this dirt for 300 years before you two were born. And I predicted what would
happen. So you, Matthew, you have a good Jewish name, I’ll let you go first.
Matthew: Well, the
story of this dirt begins with Abraham. Abraham begat Issac, and Isaac begat
Jacob, and Jacob begat Judah and his brothers. Judah begat Perez.
Luke: How long is this
going to take?
Matthew: The story
takes 28 generations. (14 kids line up wearing hats, then switch to crowns.)14
generations from Abraham to David, and 14 from David to Jesus.
Luke: Boring!
Matthew: These are
leaders and Kings, and it all happened here.. Abraham lived on this dirt and
Issac and David and Joseph and Mary. You see, Jesus was born here, too,
and he descended from Kings….
Sing “What Child is This” (2 verses)
Luke: Thanks for the
history lesson, Professor. Now here’s a story about David that you left out. David
started out with humble beginnings. Before he was a king he was a runt.
Matthew: A runt?
Luke: A runt, the
youngest of 8 sons of Jesse. One day the prophet Samuel came by Jesse’s house
to find the next King.
Isaiah: I know that
prophet Samuel, great guy. We play racketball together on Thursdays. He is a
good honest man who listens to God’s voice.
Luke: So Samuel comes
to visit Jesse because God told him to. And Jesse lines up his oldest 7 sons (7
kids line up in order of height, Jesse stands proudly by him. Samuel checks
them out) Samuel examined each one and determined that God was not calling any
of them. Samuel asks Jesse- Do you have any more sons?
Samuel: Jesse, do you
have any more sons.
Luke: And Jesse says,
not really. I have my son David, but he is outside with the sheep.
Jesse: Not really, I
have my son David, but he is outside with the sheep.
(David stands petting
someone dressed as a sheep)
Luke: He is the
smallest of my sons and he smells.
Jesse: He is the
smallest of my sons and he smells.
Matthew: Objection, King David did not smell.
Isaiah: If the boy slept with the sheep, he probably
smelled. I’ll allow it.
Luke: And Samuel called the boy over (David leaves the sheep
and goes over to Samuel) and looked him up and down. Then he took out his oil
and anointed the boy. And he said, the Lord expects great things from you.
Samuel: The Lord expects great things from you!
Luke: And that story took place on this same dirt. You see,
Mary and Joseph had to come back to this place because there was a census.
Matthew: A census? What is that?
Luke: A census is when all the people are counted from where
they are from. So everyone had to go back to their home town, including Joseph
and Mary. And their son, Jesus, was a decendent of David, the shepherd, so it
was actually perfect that he was born on the same dirt. It’s like the family
tree was underground and under this dirt it lie dormant. But some day, the
prophesy said that a new branch shall come out of the roots of Jesse.
Matthew: You’re making that up. Who said that?
Isaiah: I SAID THAT! A shoot
shall come out from the stock of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of
his roots.
2 The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
the spirit of wisdom and
understanding,
the spirit of counsel and
might,
the spirit of knowledge and
the fear of the Lord.
The young girl will give birth and he will be called, Emmanuel, God
with us.
Sing: “O COME, O COME, Emmanuel.”
(2 verses)
Matthew: You said all that? You mean, you predicted that a messiah
would come to save us?
Isaiah: You didn’t think yours is the only story of this dirt, did you?
Luke: I guess I hadn’t thought about it.
Isaiah: We Jews have been telling stories of this dirt for over a
thousand years. God has been faithful to our people Israel even though we
didn’t always listen to him or his messengers.
Luke: Like angels?
Isaiah: Yes, like his angels.
Matthew: So it’s my turn. When Mary and Joseph got to this dirt, an
Angel came to visit Joseph (An angel and Joseph come on stage, joseph sits in
the chair, the angel behind him.
Luke: What? The angel came to
Mary, not Joseph.
Matthew: You’re crazy.
Isaiah: Children, children, if it’s Gabriel we’re talking about, he
probably visited both. He leaves no stone unturned.
Luke: It was Gabriel! How did you know?
Isaiah: He is the one who was prophesied to herald in the Messiah, and
the one who will declare that the end of the world. Let me ask you this, did he
tell you to fear not?
Luke: Yes, like every time.
Isaiah: That’s because Daniel prophesied that he would show up at the
end of the world.
Matthew: Let me guess, Daniel is another prophet like you and Samuel?
Isaiah: Yes. Great guy, Daniel. We play in a band together on Fridays.
He can really blow that horn.
Matthew: So back to my story. Joseph was confused because he and Mary
weren’t married and he didn’t know if he was ready to be a dad. But the Angel said
to Joseph- You will be a great dad.
Angel: You will be a great dad.
Matthew: And he explained that his son will be the King of Kings, just
like his ancestor, KING David. And when Jesus was born, the angels sang, “Glory
to the Newborn King”
Sing “HARK, THE HEROLD ANGELS
SING” (2 verses)
Luke: I am beginning to see that our stories are very similar, but told
a different way. In my version of the story the angel doesn’t go to Joseph,
because the story is really about Mary. (Joseph gets out of the chair and Mary
sits down) And the angel Gabriel comes to tell her, “Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Angel: Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God
Luke: You shall bear a child, and his name shall be Jesus,
Angel: You shall bear a child, and his name shall be Jeuss.
Luke: And he will be called the son of the Most High.
Angel: And he will be called the son of the Most High.
Luke: And Mary wondered, How can this be?
Mary: How can this be?
Luke: And the Angel said- The spirit of the Lord is upon you
Angel: The spirit of the Lord is upon you
Isaiah: That sounds familiar.
Luke: Have you heard that before?
Isaiah: I should think so. I wrote it.
Luke: I had no idea!
Isaiah: It’s OK, it’s flattering.
Luke: And just like the angel
foretold, Mary did have a baby boy and named him Jesus. And the angels began
singing.
Sing “Angels we have heard on
High” (2 verses)
Luke: So, after the prophesy, Mary and Joseph headed to Bethlehem, they
need a place to sleep.
(Mary and Joseph not on the door and the innkeeper answers)
Joseph asks- Is there any room in the Inn?
Joseph: Is there any room in the inn?
(Innkeeper shakes head, points to a barn.)
Luke: But there was no room. So they settle into a barn, where the
animials sleep, because the animals were out in the fields, with the shepherds.
And while they were there, it came time for Mary to give birth. And on that
night, a star appeared over the stable where the baby was born. And guess who
saw it- the shepherds!
Matthew: SHEPHERDS! You’re going to let smelly old shepherds into the
story of the birth of a king! That night a star appeared so bright that KINGS
saw it from a long way off and it took two years for them to get there.
Luke: Shepherds saw the star because David was a shepherd.
Matthew: David was a king!
Isaiah: Children, children. Why do you insist on fighting? Can’t both
be there. In a 100 years, you watch, no one will care that Luke talks about
shepherds and Matthew talks about Kings. I bet in a 100 years, people will
forget which is which and just have a story of all of them together.
Matthew: All of them together? Kings and shepherds? No way!
Luke: That will never happen, Isaiah. People won’t want to just make up
another story of Christmas, like it’s a pageant. They will always remember who
wrote what.
Isaiah: This is coming from two children who have been using my words
in their stories without even knowing it! Children, it is ok if people put your
stories together sometimes. They are both good stories. Now, let me hear about
the shepherds from you, Luke, and then you, Matthew, can tell me about Kings.
Luke: So the Shepherds are watching their flock by night (Shepherds,
sheep, and angel take the stage opposite Mary and Joseph) when the angel
Gabriel comes to them. And when they see him, and the glory of the Lord shines
around them, and they are terrified.
Shepherds: We are Terrified!
Luke: But the angel Gabriel says- Fear not!
Angel: FEAR NOT!
Luke: For I bring you good tidings of great joy
Angel: For I bring you good tidings of great joy
Luke: For unto you, in the city of David, a savior is born, who is
Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you, you will find the baby wrapped in
strips of cloth and lying in a manger.
Angel: For unto you- what he said!
Luke: So the shepherds took
their sheep and went to see the baby, and sure enough, they found him in a
manger, which reminds us that Jesus will grow up to feed people by the
thousands, and his last supper will show us the way of communion, which reminds
us that our sins are forgiven. And after the shepherds meet the baby they go
out telling everyone- that Jesus Christ is born.
Sing “Go tell it on the
mountain” (2 verses)
Isaiah: That is a good story about this dirt, from David on down to
Mary, and Gabriel, and the Shepherds. Thank you, Luke, for telling it. You are
an excellent tour guide. Now Matthew, you have been waiting patiently. Tell me
about the kings.
Matthew: I’d be happy to. So there was an evil king named Herod, and he
wanted to hurt Jesus. So the three kings from the Orient came and followed the
star to Bethlehem, (the kings enter on the side opposite the shepherds and Mary
and Joseph) and they brought him gifts they had reserved for the king. They
said these are gifts for a king
King 1: These are gifts for a king
Matthew: We didn’t give them to Herod
King 2: We didn’t give to Herod.
Matthew: You are the true king, the one who was prophesied.
King 3: You are the true king, the one who was prophesied.
Matthew: We brought you gold
King 1: We brought you gold
Matthew: Frankincense
King 2: Frankincense
Matthew: And Myrrh
King 3: And Myrrh.
Matthew: Gold was a traditional gift for a king. Frankincense was for a
king to make his house smell nice, and myrrh was a gift that could be used as
medicine. All three gifts were the best gifts that could have been given for
that first Christmas. Gifts from kings to the King of Kings
Sing “WE THREE KINGS” (2 verses)
Isaiah: Matthew, thank you for your story of this dirt- of the family
line from Abraham to King David to Jesus. You told the story of how the Kings
from far away came to this place, and how they went past the bad king Herod in
order to find their one, true king. So this Jesus, does he ever become king?
Matthew: Yes, but in a new way, he is still the king of us all.
Isaiah: And does he ever become a shepherd?
Luke: Yes, but in a new way, he is the Good Shepherd of us all.
Isaiah: Well, let us celebrate the stories of this dirt, and the God of
us all. I am excited to see what God will do next. You all who are here today,
on this tour, bear witness to God’s great and abundant mercy. Let us all search
in our own lives, for the one whom I have prophesied will come,
For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the kingdom will
be on his shoulders. And he will be called wonderful counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. And all God’s people say, AMEN!
Sing “JOY TO THE WORLD” (2
verses)
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