Summary: Faithful: A Nativity Story retells the Christmas story by highlighting God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promise to send a Savior. After Mary reveals that she is miraculously pregnant through the Holy Spirit, Joseph struggles to believe her but chooses compassion, and later an angel confirms that the child is the promised Messiah. Despite rejection, hardship, and a difficult journey to Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph remain faithful to God and trust Him to provide. Their faith is rewarded with the birth of Jesus, whose arrival fulfills God's long-awaited promise of salvation and points forward to His death and resurrection for humanity's redemption.
Style: Dramatic Duration: 10-15 minutes
Characters: 3W, 3M, 2N, Shepherds (various ages, flexible number)
Cast:
NARRATOR 1
NARRATOR 2
MARY
JOSEPH
JACOB/SHEPHERD: Joseph’s dad
JOACHIM/SHEPHERD: Mary’s dad
SHIRA: Joseph’s mom – later a woman helping Sarah care for Mary and Joseph.
SARAH: Innkeeper’s wife
SHEPHERDS: bit parts for final tableau.
Setting: exterior of an inn, stable, the rest can be done on open stage with minimal props
Script
(Lights up on narrators.)
NARRATOR 1: It’s Christmas time!
NARRATOR 2: One of the best times of year!
NARRATOR 1: With one of the very best and most famous stories which we would love to share with you.
NARRATOR 2: So let’s start back at the beginning
(Video/pictures begin to play on the screens, showing some of what the narrators are talking about. Narrator music also plays.)
NARRATOR 1: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, including human beings like you and me.
NARRATOR 2: He called his creation good.
NARRATOR 1: But Adam and Eve were tempted and made the choice to disobey God.
NARRATOR 2: Because of their choice, sin entered the world.
NARRATOR 1: And humanity’s relationship with God was broken.
NARRATOR 2: Nothing we could ever do or say
NARRATOR 1: Could repair the damage that had been done.
NARRATOR 2: But even in that very moment, God made a promise.
NARRATOR 1: A Messiah would come.
NARRATOR 2: He would pay the price for sin.
NARRATOR 1: One for all.
NARRATOR 2: Once for all.
NARRATOR 1: And we could be restored to a relationship with God.
NARRATOR 2: Many long years passed.
NARRATOR 1: Thousands of years.
NARRATOR 2: It seemed like the savior would not come.
NARRATOR 1: People felt the consequences of sin.
NARRATOR 2: Sickness, anger, pain.
NARRATOR 1: Wars, death, tragedy
NARRATOR 2: But through it all, God was faithful.
NARRATOR 1: He chose a people and told a man named Abraham that the messiah would come from his family.
NARRATOR 2: Fourteen generations passed between Abraham and King David.
NARRATOR 1: God promised that the Savior would be one of David’s descendants.
NARRATOR 2: Fourteen more generations passed.
NARRATOR 1: The nation of Israel was conquered and went into exile.
NARRATOR 2: Again fourteen generations passed.
NARRATOR 1: The lineage was filled with slaves and kings.
NARRATOR 2: Heroes and adulterers.
NARRATOR 1: Prophets and prostitutes.
NARRATOR 2: Some honored God. They were faithful even when life was hard.
NARRATOR 1: Some scorned God. They abandoned him when things got hard.
NARRATOR 2: But God never forgot his promise.
NARRATOR 1: And one day, God sent a messenger to a young woman named Mary and told her that she would give birth to the one who would come to save us all.
NARRATOR 2: But that did not mean the path would be easy.
NARRATOR 1: For Mary’s family, Mary’s news must have been difficult to believe.
NARRATOR 2: And it probably left her betrothed husband, Joseph hurt and facing a difficult choice.
NARRATOR 1: In those days, marriages were arranged between the fathers. And being engaged was more like being legally married than what we think of today.
NARRATOR 2: We imagine that first conversation about the pregnancy must have gone something like this:
(Lights down on narrators and fade up on scene. Music fades. While Narrators are speaking, JACOB and JOSEPH enter from stage left. JOACHIM and MARY from stage right. All cross to downstage center. MARY and JOSEPH stand somewhat behind their respective parents)
JACOB: Joachim, this meeting is somewhat unusual.
JOACHIM: I know. Thank you for your time and for bringing your son Joseph with you.
JACOB: Is there something wrong? Something you noticed in the marriage contract or perhaps you wish to renegotiate the dowry or bride gift for Mary?
JOACHIM: None of those things, no. But ... there is ... something wrong. Something I needed to bring to your attention. Mary?
MARY: (Confidently) I’m pregnant.
(All pause)
JOSEPH and JACOB: What?!?!
MARY: (Telling the news with joy and pride) The Angel Gabriel visited me. He told me that I have found favor with God and that the Holy Spirit would come upon me and the power of the Most High would overshadow me.
JACOB: What is she trying to say? What are you saying?
JOACHIM: She believes the baby is the child of God.
JOSEPH: What? Mary, is this true?
MARY: Yes.
JACOB: Well, that’s at least a creative lie.
JOACHIM: I’ve been asking her who the real father is, but she won’t tell me. (Pause) Joseph, Are you-
JOSEPH: No! We never – I never –
JACOB: (Outraged) My son would never dishonor God in that way!
JOACHIM: (Apologetic) I thought not, but I had to ask. You understand.
JOSEPH: (To MARY) Then who?
MARY: I have been faithful to you, Joseph. This child is from God.
JOACHIM: Mary! I told you I won’t accept that kind of blasphemy.
MARY: It’s the truth.
JOSEPH: Mary...
MARY: (Insistent) It’s the truth.
JOACHIM: Well, we’ve told you.
JACOB: Joachim –
JOACHIM: I’m sending Mary away to a relative’s house. Elizabeth could use the help anyways. It should keep rumors quiet and give you and Joseph a chance to make a decision about what to do. I’ll wait for word from you. You know where to find me.
(JOACHIM gets up and leaves, MARY follows him.)
JOSEPH: Mary... wait.
(JOSEPH stands and crosses to MARY)
MARY: I haven’t betrayed you, Joseph. God is honoring us. And no matter what happens, I’m glad He chose me.
(MARY exits. JOSEPH stares after her.)
JACOB: The girl is delusional.
JOSEPH: I – she – she’s pregnant? (JOSEPH returns to his father. He’s still in shock.)
JACOB: (Shrugs, arms upheld) Apparently.
JOSEPH: What do I do?
JACOB: You can’t marry a woman like that.
JOSEPH: Damaged?!? Father -
JACOB: She’s pregnant, Joseph! (Beat) We have to report this. In the courts we can get back the dowry and bride gift. Let people know that you’re not responsible for her crimes. I won’t let this hurt your reputation.
JOSEPH: My reputation?
JACOB: Do you think Joachim is the only one who will ask if you fathered this child?
JOSEPH: (Outburst) I didn’t do anything!
JACOB: I know, son. That’s why you must divorce her.
JOSEPH: Wait. Just wait. (Long beat) So I divorce her on the grounds of adultery. We get the dowry and bride gift back. We tell everyone that it’s not my child. (Beat) What happens to her?
JACOB: (Misunderstanding JOSEPH’s meaning) If you want, we can press criminal charges. A woman like that needs to be punished.
JOSEPH: That’s not what I meant. Without criminal charges. Wouldn’t the divorce would mean that Mary would have no money? She’d face public scorn; she wouldn’t be able to find work.
JACOB: It’s no more than she deserves.
JOSEPH: That’s not what I want!
JACOB: What?
JOSEPH: Even if she-
JACOB: There’s is no if. She’s pregnant.
JOSEPH: Fine. Even though she committed ... she ...did... that. Even though this hurts me, I don’t want this for her. I don’t want to ruin her life.
JACOB: She already ruined her life.
JOSEPH: (Insistent) And I won’t make it worse. Is there another option?
JACOB: You can’t marry her.
JOSEPH: (Calming down) I know.
JACOB: (Conceding)In a divorce you don’t have to specify the cause. But everyone will assume that child is yours. Your reputation will be marked.
JOSEPH: Then so be it.
JACOB: You don’t understand what this will mean for you.
JOSEPH: No, I don’t. But it would make it better for her. This is the right thing to do.
JACOB: Think it over some more. We can talk about it in the morning.
JOSEPH: My answer won’t change by the morning.
JACOB: Just think about it.
(JACOB exits stage right. Lights down. Lights up on narrators. Narrator music fades in. JOSEPH grabs his bedding, lays it out center stage and goes to sleep.)
NARRATOR 1: Joseph’s choice shows that he was honorable and merciful. He was trying to be a godly man. He cared about Mary even if he probably didn’t know her well yet.
NARRATOR 2: But it also shows that like many of us, when he first heard about Jesus, he didn’t believe. He didn’t trust God.
NARRATOR 1: And yet God was still faithful.
(Music fades. Lights down on narrators. Dim lights up on JOSEPH on his bed asleep. He tosses and turns in his sleep. Suddenly, bright lights Even the projectors light up. JOSEPH stands and looks around as if for an intruder.)
ANGEL VOICEOVER: Joseph.
JOSEPH: (In fear) What?!? Who’s there?!?
(As the Angel speaks, JOSEPH drops to the ground and cowers)
ANGEL VOICEOVER: Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
(Bright lights fade to normal. JOSEPH sits for a moment on his bed in shock. Then gets up and runs off right shouting as he goes.)
JOSEPH: Father! She was telling the truth! Father! The Messiah! I’m going to marry MARY!
(Lights out. Narrator music fades in. Lights up on narrators.)
NARRATOR 2: Joseph now believed. He and Mary knew that God was fulfilling his promise.
NARRATOR 1: The messiah was coming.
NARRATOR 2: But they would still face judgement from neighbors,
NARRATOR 1: Loneliness,
NARRATOR 2: Stress,
NARRATOR 1: which left them with a crucial choice.
NARRATOR 2: Knowing that a faithful God was entrusting them with this great responsibility,
NARRATOR 1: Knowing that they would face difficult times,
NARRATOR 2: Would they be faithful?
NARRATOR 1: Or would they be faithless?
NARRATOR 2: This is what one of those trials may have looked like.
(Music fades. Lights down on narrators and fade up on scene. MARY and JOSEPH enter stage right carrying packs. JOSEPH’s pack is bigger. MARY is heavily pregnant. JACOB enters stage left and walks by carrying tools or a piece of wood, something carpentry related. He pointedly avoids JOSEPH.)
JOSEPH: Father, I have to go to Bethlehem. I need to register for the census.
(JACOB ignores him)
JOSEPH: Father, wait! (JOSEPH grabs JACOB’s arm. JACOB pauses, but doesn’t look at him) Matthan said you are leaving today too. Could we travel with you?
(JACOB starts walking again. JOSEPH grabs his arm.)
JOSEPH: (Frustrated, angry) The baby will be the Messiah. Why can’t you see that?
(JACOB shrugs him off and exits through the door. JOSEPH’s mother enters from another way)
JOSEPH: Mother, please.
SHIRA: I can’t help you, Joseph, your father says –
JOSEPH: Please, talk to father. Mary is pregnant. We’ll need help.
SHIRA: You made your choices. Now you live with the consequences.
JOSEPH: Mother-
(SHIRA exits to door. MARY goes to JOSEPH and lays a hand on his arm.)
MARY: Joseph.
JOSEPH: (Outraged) They’re so stubborn! God is fulfilling prophecy right now. A king of the house and lineage of David. In our family! And everyone refuses to see it. The neighbors judge us and gossip. My family will barely look at me. My own father refuses to speak to me. They all think that -
MARY: Joseph.
JOSEPH: What?!
MARY: I know. I wish they thought differently.
JOSEPH: (As if they’ve had this conversation before) We will obey God.
MARY: Yes. Even though it is hard.
JOSEPH: God is our refuge
MARY: Our very present help in trouble.
JOSEPH: (Takes a deep breath) Well, we have a long journey ahead of us.
MARY: All uphill.
JOSEPH: (Laughs) Don’t remind me.
(JOSEPH and MARY exit stage left. Narrator music fades in. Lights up on narrators. During this narration show their journey on the screen. Maybe a moving red line tracing their probable path. Show some of the elevation on the map.)
NARRATOR 2: They chose to trust God.
NARRATOR 1: They may have traveled with others, or they may have traveled alone.
NARRATOR 2: Their journey took them about 90 miles.
NARRATOR 1: They maneuvered through mountains and valleys.
NARRATOR 2: Though used to travel on foot, this trip would have been especially hard because Mary was pregnant.
NARRATOR 1: Yet in all of those places,
NARRATOR 2: In each one of those miles.
NARRATOR 1: God was with them.
(Music fades. Lights down on narrators and fade up on scene. MARY and JOSEPH enter center stage at some point during narration. JOSEPH is now carrying both packs. MARY is in labor; she is miserable at this point. JOSEPH is clearly exhausted and defeated. They’ve been at this for a while. JOSEPH knocks on the door as narration finishes. A woman answers.)
JOSEPH: Shalom. I am Joseph son of Jacob and this is my wife Mary.
SARAH: Are you a relative of Eleazor?
JOSEPH: Yes. We traveled to Bethlehem for the census. We need a place to stay.
SARAH: I’m sorry, we have no room. So many travelers have come. Have you checked at Mattias’s house?
JOSEPH: Yes. He said to check with you. (Desperate) Please my wife is in labor. We need a place to stay. Anything you can provide, we would be grateful for. Please.
SARAH: (Looks over at Mary.) I’ll check with my husband. Perhaps he can think of something. (To MARY) I think one of the women here has experience as a midwife. I’ll try to find her. (SARAH exits)
JOSEPH: Mary.
MARY: (At the point of complete breakdown) Joseph, I can’t go any farther.
JOSEPH: (Gently) I know. I don’t know what to do.
MARY: (Sobbing, in desperation.) This baby is the messiah. But I don’t even have a place to lie down. I’m so tired. Everything hurts. Why is this happening?
(JOSEPH is exhausted too. He’s supposed to provide. He feels frustrated and defeated that he hasn’t been able to.)
JOSEPH: I don’t know. (Beat) El Roi, God sees. I don’t know what He is doing, but The God Who Sees hasn’t forgotten us.
(SARAH enters through the house door.)
SARAH: I’m sorry. Our upper room is full.
(As soon as SARAH says I’m sorry. MARY looks crushed. JOSEPH supports her, and they turn to leave.)
SARAH: Wait, we do have room in the stables. It’s not ideal, I know. But you’ll have more privacy there than you would upstairs. A few of the women said they could help with the birth. Would that be okay?
(JOSEPH looks at MARY)
MARY: God sees.
JOSEPH: (To Sarah) Yes, thank you.
(All enter the house. Narrator music fades in. Lights up on narrators. During the following narration, SARAH, SHIRA and SHEPHERDS set up the stables center stage. Once it is ready, MARY and JOSEPH walk out holding the baby. SARAH and SHIRA stay, SHEPHERDS exit. Lights up on the stables. SARAH and SHIRA help MARY. They add more swaddling to the baby. They get her and JOSEPH food and drink. JOSEPH holds the baby. A SHEPHERD enters sees the baby and pantomimes exclamation and leaves. JOSEPH hands the baby to MARY and stands warily by the door as if to protect her and Jesus. SHEPHERDS come from around the auditorium and enter the stables. JOSEPH protests at first, and then gives way in awe. The SHEPHERDS fall down and worship. Scene freezes. When the tableau freezes, show the cross on the screen.)
NARRATOR 1: Yes, the God Who Sees.
NARRATOR 2: He knows our struggles.
NARRATOR 1: And He is faithful.
NARRATOR 2: That night Mary brought forth her first-born son.
NARRATOR 1: She wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them at the inn.
NARRATOR 2: That night there was great joy.
NARRATOR 1: Angels announced the birth of the Messiah to shepherds in a nearby field.
NARRATOR 2: They found the baby as the angels had foretold.
NARRATOR 1: They fell down and worshiped him.
NARRATOR 2: The Messiah that God had promised so long ago had finally come.
NARRATOR 1: For Mary and Joseph, the night was filled with joy.
NARRATOR 2: They had been faithful and got to see in-person how God used them to fulfil His promises.
NARRATOR 1: It didn’t mean that the hardships were over.
NARRATOR 2: In fact, years later, Mary would watch
NARRATOR 1: as the son that she held in her arms in this stable
NARRATOR 2: was beaten,
NARRATOR 1: was mocked,
BOTH: was crucified.
NARRATOR 1: But even in that moment,
NARRATOR 2: when all seemed lost,
BOTH: God was still faithful.
NARRATOR 1: Because through that cross,
NARRATOR 2: through Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection,
NARRATOR 1: we can finally be made right with God.
NARRATOR 2: Jesus paid the penalty for our sin that we never could.
NARRATOR 1: And if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus
NARRATOR 2: and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
BOTH: you will be saved.
NARRATOR 2: And that’s why we love the Christmas story so much.
NARRATOR 1: Because in this time, God sent his only Son.
NARRATOR 2: And we began to see his promise fulfilled.
NARRATOR 1: God is faithful.
NARRATOR 2: So now, you have a choice.
NARRATOR 1: Will you believe?
NARRATOR 2: Will you be faithful?
NARRATOR 1: What will Christmas mean to you?
…………………………….
© Kelly Nupson 2022, All rights reserved. This script may be used free of charge, on the condition that copies are not sold for profit in any medium, nor any entrance fee charged to a performance. In exchange, the author would appreciate being notified of any occasion the play is used in public performance.
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