Summary: The Lamb of God: A Christmas Story follows Jacob, a young shepherd boy who is frustrated with following his father Simon into the family shepherding business. As Simon teaches him about the importance of shepherds and the sacrificial lambs offered for the sins of God’s people, Jacob begins to understand the significance of their work. One night, after an angel announces the birth of the Savior, Simon and the other shepherds rush to Bethlehem to find the promised Messiah. There they discover the baby Jesus lying in a manger and realize that He is the true “Lamb of God” who will take away the sins of the world. Witnessing this miracle transforms Jacob’s perspective, filling him with pride in his calling and hope in God’s plan of redemption.
Style: Dramatic. Duration: 8-10 minutes
Actors: 2F, 4F (2 can be teens), 1 boy
Scriptures:
Genesis 3:1-24 (The Fall and entrance of sin)
Genesis 3:21 (God's provision through sacrifice)
Genesis 22:7-14 (Substitutionary sacrifice)
Exodus 12:1-13 (Passover lamb)
Leviticus 16:15-22 (Day of Atonement)
1 Samuel 16:11; 17:34-37 (David the shepherd)
Isaiah 53:6-7 (The suffering lamb)
Luke 2:7-20 (The shepherds and the Nativity story)
John 1:29 (Jesus as the Lamb of God)
Hebrews 9:11-14; 10:1-14 (Christ as the final sacrifice)
1 Peter 1:18-19 (The spotless Lamb)
A video of a performance of the script can be seen at https://vimeo.com/894708863?fl=pl&fe=sh
Characters
Simon – Young father. A shepherd in charge of the family business. Takes things seriously.
Jacob – Precocious kid. Wants to be important. Loves and admires his dad but is reaching for independence and adventure.
Sarah – Young mother. Caring and supportive. Excited to see her son take steps of independence, but nervous for his safety.
John – Fun-loving. Tends to over-exaggerate everything. Loves to tell a story and get attention. Not the most reliable of workers.
Zebedee – The down to earth one. He keeps John from floating off in the clouds. Much more responsible and realistic. But enjoys bantering with John just to see John’s reactions.
Joseph – Trying to be helpful. Doesn’t really know what he’s doing.
Mary – Tired, but proud mother.
Script
Setting: The fields around Bethlehem, a stable.
(Lights up outside a house. This will rotate to become the manger scene later)
Simon: Jacob! Jacob!
Jacob: Yes father?
Simon: (Annoyed/upset) Where have you been? (In a hurry) Never mind, we need to get out to the sheep. John and Zebedee will be waiting for us to take over the flock. Did you get the breakfast basket from your mother?
Jacob: Um….
Simon: (Disappointed) Jacob.
Sarah: Simon! Wait! You forgot- (Comes from inside the house holding food basket) … oh good you’re still here.
Simon: (Takes food basket) Thank you, Sarah. Jacob, come on.
Jacob: But I don’t want to go.
Sarah: We’ve talked about this already. It’s time you joined your father in the fields.
Jacob: But David doesn’t have to go. He gets to learn carpentry. Why can’t I do that?
Simon: I need you in the fields. (Hands Jacob the basket.)
Jacob: Being a shepherd is boring.
Sarah: Jacob. No complaining.
Simon: Let’s go. Goodbye Sarah.
Sarah: Goodbye Simon. Goodbye Jacob. Be safe. I love you.
Jacob: (Sullenly) Bye Mother (Turns and leaves his mom.)
(Lights down on house. Jacob and Simon walk around stage)
Simon: Jacob, what’s really going on? Last week. you couldn’t wait to join me in the fields. Now you don’t want to go. What’s going through your head?
Jacob: Nothing.
Simon: I don’t think it’s nothing.
Jacob: (Stops near center stage) It’s just… David said… I mean everyone thinks…
Simon: That shepherds are dirty and lying tricksters.
Jacob: …yeah. … I mean you’re not, but…
Simon: Listen, shepherding has a long and noble tradition in Israel. In fact, some of our greatest leaders were shepherds: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, even David.
Jacob: David wasn’t a shepherd. He was a king.
Simon: What do you think he did before he became king? How do you think he knew how to defeat the giant Goliath? He defended his sheep against wild animals of course.
Jacob: Really?
Simon: Yep. And shepherds are important for other reasons too. Our sheep provide wool, milk, and food for people. And the perfect, spotless lambs in my flock will be taken to the temple for sacrifice.
(Beat)
Jacob: Abba, why do we have to sacrifice lambs?
Simon: That’s a good question Jacob. (Considers) You see, in the scriptures it tells us that God created a perfect world. But when Adam and Eve disobeyed, sin - imperfection - entered the world. Their punishment was death, but God in his mercy, made a way so that something else could take the punishment on our behalf.
Jacob: That’s the sacrifice of atonement, right?
Simon: Yes, the lamb takes our punishment for us so that we can be right with God. So because of our sin, we deserve death, but the sacrifice takes our place, and we can have life.
Jacob: Woah… (remembers he’s supposed to be upset) Well, being a shepherd is still boring.
Simon: (Chuckles) I think you’ll find it more exciting than you expect
John: Shalom Simon!
Simon: Shal- John? What happened?
John: Just a lion.
Jacob: A lion!?!?
Zebedee: Barely. It was so skinny and small, you could hardly call it that.
John: It was not. It was huge! It almost ate the whole flock.
Jacob: Really?!?!?
Zebedee: You’re exaggerating again. Kid, don’t listen to anything your Uncle John says.
Simon: Zebedee. John. What. Happened? Are you okay? Are the sheep ok?
John: Yeah, boss we’re fine. But we almost weren’t. There I was sitting on the ledge carefully watching for threats.
Zebedee: You were nodding off.
John: Was not.
Zebedee: Was too.
John: Was not.
Zebedee: Was too.
Simon: The story.
John: Right. Well there I was on the ledge when I saw a lion creeping through the grass and rocks right next to me. I acted immediately, pulling out my sling and flinging a rock at its head. The lion dodged -
Zebedee: John missed … by a lot.
John: Hey, I’m telling the story here. Anyways, the lion spotted me and pounced on me. It nearly broke my leg, but I wrestled it with my bare hands, barely keeping the teeth from snapping at my throat.
Jacob: What happened next?
Zebedee: I killed it and pulled it off him.
John: Hey! I almost lost my arm. There was blood everywhere. And -
Jacob: Woah.
Zebedee: It was barely a scratch. I bandaged him up. He’s fine. He only just stopped crying.
John: I was not crying.
Zebedee: Were too.
John: Was not.
Zebedee: Were too.
Simon: Stop it. Both of you. So the sheep are all okay? (Simon counts the sheep)
John and Zebedee: Yep.
Jacob: There was really a lion?
John: Yep. (Self important) Our job’s pretty dangerous, but it’s nothing we can’t handle.
Simon: I only count 89. We’re missing 7.
Zebedee: They must have wandered off. I’ll go look.
Simon: Look in the east hills. John, check the caves to the south. Jacob, go with Zebedee. I’ll watch these sheep. Hurry! By my count two of those missing sheep are pregnant ewes. The priests will not be happy if we lose any lambs this year. Jacob. Watch your footing. It’s dark and I don’t want to have to look for you too.
Zebedee: I won’t lose him.
(Voice-over with bright stage lights. Some type of strobe like effect. All shepherds fall down and freeze. John especially cowers)
Angel: Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
(During the speech, some of the shepherds look up in awe and even get up into kneeling or standing position.)
Angel Host: Glory to God in the Highest and on earth Peace good will towards men.
(Lights black out then go back to normal. All the shepherds stand up. John stands slack jawed in awe. Zebedee dances around him. Simon picks up Jacob and spins him around).
Simon: (To Zebedee and John) We have to go to Bethlehem.
Jacob: But the sheep… You were just saying-
Simon: They’ll be fine. This is much more important. Don’t you get it? The Savior. THE lamb of God!! This will change everything!
Zebedee: Come on! Hurry!
(Shepherds run out. Manger scene turns. Lights up on manger scene)
Joseph: The innkeeper gave me these rags. I know they’re not the best, but he said they’re clean, and they should keep him warm.
Mary: It’s perfect, Joseph. Thank you.
Joseph: How are you feeling?
Mary: Tired.
(Jacob runs in from the back and pokes his head into the stable. He gasps when he sees Mary and Joseph)
Mary: Hello there.
Joseph: Hey!
Jacob: (Leaves and yells) I found them! Over here!
(Shepherds run from different parts of the auditorium into the manger. As they run, call out “Jacob! Where?” and such. All stop in awe when they see Mary, Joseph and baby.)
(Awkward pause)
Joseph: Um…
Zebedee: It’s really true.
John: The angels were right.
Mary: The angels?
(The next 4 lines are delivered almost tripping over each other.)
Zebedee: They said… a baby -
John: In a stable -
Jacob: The Messiah -
Simon: (gesturing at the baby) Is this?
(Mary nods.)
Simon: May I?
(Simon holds Jesus or looks at him depending on temperament of the baby.)
Simon: (Through tears) I never thought I’d see the day. Jacob look. This … baby . . . is the Messiah. The Lamb of God. He will take away the sins of the world.
Jacob: But father, if he is the Lamb of God. Aren’t lambs.. I mean, does that mean..?
Simon: I don’t know. I don’t know what is in store for this baby… our Messiah. But God has a plan to redeem his people.
(Beat)
Jacob: Abba. I guess being a shepherd is not so bad after all.
Simon: (Chuckles) God has indeed blessed us beyond measure. Thank you, God. Thank you!
Lights
…………………………….
© 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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