Summary: A skit that explores promises. Our lives are filled with promises. We promise to this, we promise to do that. We promise to keep this a secret. We promise to be faithful to God, our spouse, our friends, We make a lot of promises. So many times, however, our promises come up against some opposition and often we break those promises. Join this cast of characters as they explore what it means to be truly faithful. Join with them as they learn about the faithfulness of God as they hear about the birth of Christ. Then be challenged to believe in the promise Jesus gives that he will come again. This is a group of Christmas sketches that has been used for Christmas but could be used at any point throughout the year.
Duration: 20-25 minutes
Actors: 12 (5M, 3F, 4M/F)
Characters:
Narrator - Male/Female
Doug – (waiting for his friend) - Male
Seth – Doug's friend – Male
Husband - Male
Wife – Female
Joseph - Male
Angel - Male/Female
Mary - Female
Irma – an elderly woman in a hospital bed – Female
Jake – the husband of Irma – Male
Doctor – Male/Female
Nurse – Male/Female
Scene 1
Characters:
Narrator - Male/Female
Doug – (waiting for his friend) - Male
Seth – Doug's friend – Male
(Scene opens with Doug sitting in the middle of the stage at a bus stop. Maybe on a bench or something else. A sign indicates that this is a bus stop.)
Narrator: Promises. Our lives are filled with promises. We promise to do this. We promise to do that. We promise to keep this a secret. We promise to be faithful to God, to our spouse, to our friends. We promise to be on time. We make a lot of promises. But, because of our earthly nature, and because we are finite human beings, we often don't keep those promises. Take for instance Doug (Doug walks on and has a seat on a bench mid-stage). Doug is waiting for his friend and is getting a little frustrated. Let's listen in... (Narrator steps off stage).
Doug (obviously annoyed he looks around as if to watch for someone): He should've been here by now. We are going to be really late for the companies Christmas party. I need to be at this party, and I need to be there on time. I'm really glad that Seth got me this job, but now is the time I need to make a good impression on my boss. And showing up late to the first big “non-work hours” event DOES NOT look good. I guess I should've known that this would happen. Seth has always had a little bit of a problem showing up on time. There was this time that he promised to be at my big volleyball game when we were playing in the league championship. He got there for the last point of the game and just in time to see my hit get blocked by the other team. And then there was the time when he promised to give me back the movie I had borrowed him and he brought it back like 2 days late. I felt like charging him rent for it.
To tell you the honest truth, Seth really hasn't kept very many promises that he has given to me. In grade one I remember that he once promised that he would let me have a turn on the swing at school. And then the bell rang, and it was too late and I didn't even get a turn. And then in grade 8 I really liked this one girl and he promised he wouldn't tell anyone about it, and a few days later the girl came up to me and said, “So I heard you liked me!” How did she find out if Seth didn't tell her? Oh, and this one takes the cake, you know when you have that friendship with someone and you kind of make that unspoken promise that you will always be that person’s friend, no matter what? Well, I'm almost positive that Seth made that promise to me. And now look at what he is making me do! Missing my first party as part of this new company. Some friend that is. I read a verse the other day that is totally fitting in this situation. Psalm 142:4 - “I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought! No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me.” You know what kind of friend Seth is? He is a friend that you can't count on. He's just someone who doesn't go the extra mile for another. If he would be someone that would go the extra mile, then he would've been here 5 minutes early, instead of 10 minutes late. He doesn't care a bit about what happens to me.
(Seth walks in, clutching a small bag)
Seth: (apologizing) I'm so sorry for being late. I hope you haven't been waiting long.
Doug: Yeah, you sure are late! I've been waiting for quite some time.
Seth: I'm sorry Doug, but I got held up with something else.
Doug: Something more important than being here for your friend. Or can we even call it a friendship?
Seth: What are you talking about Doug?
Doug: This is my first party with the new company. You knew how important this was to make a good impression. And you couldn't even get here on time.
Seth: Look, I'm sorry for being late. Here, this is for you. (hands him a bag)
Doug: (opens bag) Oh man, where did you find this?
Seth: I found it at the second street clothing shop. I knew how you were having a tough time making ends meet, and you had said that you really didn't have anything nice to wear for the party, so I decided to go and buy you the shirt.
Doug: But this must've cost you a pretty penny!
Seth: What's money when you're dealing with your best buddy? But it did cost me a bit of time. That's why I'm late. I knew you wanted it for the party tonight, so I had to stand in line to get it. Those Christmas lines are terrible. (Doug shows that he realizes he hasn't given Seth a chance) But we should be getting going. You want to make a good impression on your new boss right?
Doug: Sure do. Thanks Seth. I'll make sure to trust you next time.
(The two walk off stage)
Narrator: 2 Corinthians 1:20 says, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.” Isn't it amazing, that even though the Israelite's failed to recognize God's faithfulness to them, he remained faithful to them and sent His Son as a gift of grace to mankind. For every promise God made, he responded with a resounding “Yes” in that gift.
SCENE 2
Characters:
Husband - Male
Wife - Female
Narrator: When promises are broken, there is often a swath of destruction left in its wake. How does the faithfulness and love shown by God through Jesus change the way we view our marriage relationships? Let’s take a look.
(Husband and Wife are sitting on a couch. They have a lot of space between them. The wife is bent over, sobbing with a kleenex in her hand. The husband is looking guilty but is trying to get close enough to console his wife.)
Husband: Look honey, it was a night that I would take back if I could.
Wife: It’s easy to say now, isn't it?!
Husband: No, this whole thing has been the most difficult thing I've ever had to deal with.
Wife: And I should think there will be more difficulties you will need to deal with because of this. How about the kids? What are you going to tell them? How am I supposed to ever trust you again? I don't know how we are supposed to get over this!
Husband: Can't you just forgive me?
Wife: Look, you broke your promise to me. Do you remember what you said to me when we got married? You said, you would be faithful to me. And now, that trust has been broken. You can't just waltz in here and expect me to forgive you. The pain goes a lot deeper than all that.
Husband: So what are we supposed to do?
Wife: I don't know. But maybe you could start by packing up your things. I don't think we should be in the same house for a while.
Husband: But, honey...
Wife: Your unfaithfulness disgusts me...
(As she says this, the radio gets louder and on it is playing “Come Thou Long Expected Savior.” As the song plays, there is a noticeable change in the demeanor of the woman.)
(Husband turns music down)
Husband: I guess promises are meant to be kept. God's promise to deliver Israel, was a good one and one that he kept. I have been unfaithful, and I am so sorry. I don't expect you to forgive me, I can't possibly compare to the faithfulness of the Father.
Wife: You know what? You have been unfaithful to me, and it hurts more than anything I have ever experienced, but isn't that just what we did to God? We were unfaithful to Him and He still kept His promise. If I were to kick you out of the house, I think I'd be breaking my promise to you to be with you for better or for worse. And right now, everything in me is wanting to say, “It's over”, but I know that Christ laid down His life for us, and that he expects us to lay down our lives for others. That is what I'm choosing to do.
(The two sit next to each other and sink back into the couch. They are still not happy. In fact they are now both sobbing.)
Narrator: 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is FAITHFUL and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Script 3
Characters:
Joseph - Male
Angel - Male/Female
Mary - Female
(In this scene, Joseph is center stage; Mary is off to one side of the stage holding a baby. The angel is in between Joseph and Mary. Joseph starts out with a monologue. After the angel speaks, Joseph makes his way to the other side of the stage to join Mary.)
Joseph: So, here's how it all started. Mary and I were engaged to be married. I knew that Mary loved me and she knew that I loved her. That is why, when she came to me with the news, I was devastated. She seemed strangely excited. At the time, I figured it was probably just girls and their dreams of holding a little, perfect baby in their arms. But she was actually excited. She told me of the angel that had visited her. She assured me that she had slept with no man, but that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit. I had heard excuses from others of why they had become pregnant outside of marriage, but this one was one I had never heard. I figured she was just trying to “spiritualize” the whole situation to somehow make it better.
I mean, put yourself in my sandals; the person you love comes up to you and says that she is pregnant. You know that you haven't... you know. And suddenly your world is turned completely upside down. Now here was my dilemma; I knew I had done nothing wrong. I knew I had been completely faithful. But what would they (point to opposite side of stage that Mary is on) think of me? I could tell them it wasn't me, but then what would they think of Mary? And actually that wasn't the thing that scared me the most. What would they DO to Mary? The woman I love, would likely be stoned to death. And so I was faced with a choice. And I chose to divorce her quietly. It would be between me and her, and no one else. I was already making plans to travel down to Egypt, to escape any trouble that might be for me up in Nazareth. She planned to head over to her cousins place for the first few months of her pregnancy to avoid any big problems that might be for her in Nazareth. During this time, I planned to go down to Egypt but before I could leave, an angel appeared to me.
ANGEL: Joseph, son of David. Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.
JOSEPH: And as the angel spoke, I remembered the prophecy from Isaiah. The promise of God to our people. And it made sense. Of course, we were all expecting this Savior. And now the baby that my wife-to-be was expecting, was the Savior of the world. And if my world was turned upside down before, now, I was thoroughly a mess. I had talked with some of my buddies, and they just said it was a dream and if I knew what was good for me, I should still head out on the road to start a new life somewhere else. Call me crazy, but a peace came over me. It was almost as if God had sent his angels to assure me of His presence in this situation. And there was something in me that said, you promised to marry her. She has proven completely trustworthy up until this point, and the angel confirmed her story. So I decided to stay. Believe me, this was the hardest 9 months of my life. We received threat after threat. There were times when I had to jump in front of people who had already picked up the stones and were ready to throw them. There were many times when Mary was at the end of her rope. And maybe God put me in this position for a specific purpose. Maybe God chose me, so that even in the pregnancy of the Savior of the world, the message of His promise to be completely faithful to us, would have a real face and a real story. Promises are powerful tools, and God used my promise to Mary to protect the mother of His precious Son, and the Son who will someday save us from our oppression.
Scene 4
Characters:
Irma – an elderly woman in a hospital bed – Female
Jake – the husband of Irma – Male
Doctor – Male/Female
Nurse – Male/Female
(Scene starts with Irma lying on a bed at close to center stage, with Jake sitting in a chair beside the bed. Jake gets up to adjust some stuff on a shelf on the other side of the room.)
Irma: Jake, please, just stay with me.
Jake: All right, Irma.
Irma: You know Jake, I'm sick of this hospital room. I don't like the pink walls. It just feels too... I don't know, too pink.
Jake: (chuckles) Yeah I know what you mean. A nice picture of a John Deere tractor on the wall might be nice.
(they both laugh)
Irma: Or maybe a picture of that corn field we used to go to to have a little fun when we were newlyweds.
(once again they both laugh)
Jake: I miss those days.
Irma: I do, too, but I like this, too. Sitting in a pink hospital room with you is better than sitting in a pink hospital room alone.
(Doctor walks in)
Doctor: The tests have come back.
Irma: Oh, give us some good news doctor.
Doctor: I'm afraid there isn't much good news, Irma. The cancer has spread again. It's only a matter of time...
Jake: (interrupting) Please, don't say it.
Doctor: If there is anything I can do for you both, let me know.
(Doctor exits)
(Nurse comes in to administer medication)
Nurse: How are you Irma?
Irma: Ready to change these pink walls for a corn field, but God is good, and by His grace my soul is well.
Nurse: Irma, your outlook on life is so refreshing. Now, we have to give you another dose of medicine. This won't hurt, I promise.
(The nurse gives the medication and Irma is visibly in pain)
Nurse: There we go. All done.
Irma: Thank you nurse!
(Nurse exits)
Jake: (visibly angry) Irma, I tell you, if I wasn't a Christian, that nurse would hear a mouthful about making bad promises.
Irma: Calm down Jake. She does it to try to comfort me. Every time I know it’s going to hurt, but for a split second I actually have the thought that it won't. That is some temporary relief for me.
Jake: I'm sick of temporary relief. Every time they come to administer the pain medication, I know it will only provide temporary relief. Every time they have some good news, I know that the next set of bad news is just days away.
Irma: Jake, I long for permanent relief, too.
Jake: And Irma, as much as it pains me to say this, your permanent relief is coming closer. You heard the doctor. It's just a matter of time.
Irma: Oh, I long to see Jesus, Jake. Read me those verses that give me so much comfort.
Jake: (READS Revelation 21:3-7.)
Irma: What a promise! I find rest in that promise. Thank you, Jake. And thank you Lord for being 100% faithful to us. Thank you for sending your Son to earth as a baby. Thank you for the sacrifice on the cross as the atonement for my sins. And thank you for the promise to take us to be with you. I look forward to seeing you soon. Praise the Lord, oh my soul.
(lights go out)
NARRATOR: And so, throughout the Christmas story and throughout our lives, God's promises and the fulfillment of those promises bring us through. I guess that is what faith is all about, trusting the promises of the one that has, up til this point, been completely faithful to us. So today, we don't just celebrate Christmas, but we celebrate the promises of Easter and the promises of one day meeting our Savior face to face.
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© Copyright Blaine Dueck, all rights reserved. The script may not be reproduced, translated or copied in any medium, including books, CDs and on the Internet, without written permission of the author.
This play may be performed free of charge, on the condition that copies are not sold for profit in any medium, nor any entrance fee charged. In exchange for free performance, the author would appreciate being notified of when and for what purpose the play is performed. He may be contacted at: