WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?- A Christmas Play

A short Christmas play for small churches and groups. Requires 3 actors. This can be the song service with tthe congregation singing the songs as they come in the play; or they may be sung by the choir. A Christmas Drama by Curtis Dean

Song: (by the congregation) JOY TO THE WORLD, HGP 80 D
Other songs may be by the choir, music group, or the congregation.
Actors: Michael, Joanne, and Curtis; (Names may be changed.)
Scriptures are from the King James Version
Length: Approximately 30 minutes including songs.

SCENE I
Michael is seated in his front room when Joanne comes in carrying packages.
Actors: M= Michael: J= Joanne; C= Curtis

J: Hi! I’m home!

M: Well, it’s about time, and I see you’ve been spending our money again!

J Just trying to get some of the last-minute shopping done.
(Gives M a hug & kiss) Merry Christmas, dear!

M Well, Merry Christmas to you, too, but I just fail to see why all this excitement about some man born centuries ago!

J : What do you mean? He came to be our Savior?

M Well, I don’t understand that part of it. I know he was a great teacher, but there were other great teachers and philosophers even before him; like the Greek philosophers Plato and Philo, and others, so what’s the difference?

J Well, I sure can’t answer those questions, but tell you what—let’s call Brother Curtis. He used to be a Bible School teacher, so maybe he can explain some of this.


M Sounds like a good idea. I’ll call and see if he can come.

M Bro. Curtis, this is Michael. Joanne and I have some questions about the Christmas story and wonder if you could come over and help explain things… OK, thanks, we’ll be looking for you

J What did he say?

M He’s on his way; will be just a few minutes.

J. Well, let’s listen to one of the carols while we wait.

J or M, turns on radio; Congregation sings:
SILENT NIGHT HGP 67 Bb

SCENE II

(C KNOCKS ON DOOR; M OPENS IT AND GREETS HIM)

M Hi, Curtis! Thanks for coming, though sorry to disturb you!
Come on in and have a seat.

They are seated at a table.
J Can I get you something to drink?

C Oh, some Coke or Dr. Pepper, or whatever you’ve got?

J serves the drinks, & then click glasses
C To your health!

MJ
And to yours!

C So, you say you have some questions about Christmas? What kind of questions?

M Well, I’ve studied about some of the ancient Greek philosophers and they were really smart people; you know, people like Plato and Philo. So what’s the difference between great teachers like them and Jesus?

C Well, that’s a good question. I’ll see if I can help answer it.
And I can show you the connection between Plato, Philo, and the writings of the apostle John

J Well, you two have already got me confused; I know who John is, but who were Plato and Philo?

C Well, it’s a deep subject, and goes back long before Christ was born, but I’ll try to explain. God used the circumstances happening in the world to prepare for the coming of Christ. Before the Romans came to power, Greece had conquered the then-known world and everywhere Greek was spoken. It was the language that the New Testament is written in. Plato was a Greek philosopher who lived three centuries before Christ, but we’ll find that even his teachings would later be used to spread the Gospel

M How’s that?

C. Plato took the Greek word LOGOS (L-0-G-0-S) and tried to define it. He somehow equated the Logos as being the very thought or essence of God. So the goal was to somehow find this Logos

M So his Logos was the thought or essence of God?

C Yes, so if you could find that Logos, you could know God.
Now that’s a very simple way of explaining it, but in essence that
was his idea, and it spread rapidly.

J So, what about the other one you mentioned, Philo?

C Philo was a Jewish philosopher, — He was known as Philo Judaeus, and he lived in Alexandria.

J Where’s that?

C Alexander was on the coast of North Africa, in Egypt. It was the greatest center of learning of the then-known world. Their library was huge as they wanted a copy of every book ever written in the world to be in their library, and their philosophers would study these books.

M Does it still exist?

C No, it was destroyed many centuries ago.

M But get back to this guy, Philo? What does he have to do with the story?

C Philo was a contemporary of Christ and the Apostles, but he did not know them since he lived in Alexandria.[1] Philo’s teaching would even strengthen the teaching of Plato. Philo said that the Logos was the “active, intelligent, world-principle, the thought in the divine mind, and a mediator between God and the matter of his creation.” [2]

M Wow! I’m beginning to see the connection!

C To the Greeks “The use of logos (was) the logical ordering of the universe, in the existence of a personal God.” [3] In other words, this LOGOS was divine reason that operates the world and it is the medium of communion between God and man.

J OK, but what does that have to do with the Apostle John

C Do you have a Bible here?

J Sure

J gets up to get a Bible
C Well, before we start reading, why don’t we sing one of the carols?

J How about, “Away in a Manger”

CONGREGATION SINGS: AWAY IN A MANGER HGP 74 F

SCENE III
J Here’s the Bible.

C OK, turn to John chapter 1 & read verses 1 & 2.

J Just a minute—here it is: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

C “In the beginning was the Word”—that’s our English translation,
but in the original Greek it says ‘LOGOS”! In the beginning was the Logos (the Word), and the Logos was with God, and the Logos was God, The same was in the beginning with God.”
What John is saying, is that this Logos that you’ve been talking about—that’s Jesus, He is the Word, He is the Logos!
So all this time, He is the One you’ve been looking for!

M So John was just defining something they already talked about?

C That’s right! He’s saying that this very One you’ve talked about, searched for, and wondered how to obtain, that’s Jesus, He is the Word, and He is God!

M Wait a minute! You said that Jesus is God. I thought the Father, Jehovah, was God.

C Yes, but let’s look at another verse, Joanne, would you read Genesis 1;1?

J OK, just a minute…. Here it is: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth

C The Hebrew word that we have translated “God” is the word “Elohim” and it is plural. And in chapter GE 1:26 And God said, “Let us make man in our image,” He didn’t say “Let me”, but “let us…” And many other verses are like that. Another important verse is Proverbs 30:4. Joanne can you read it?

J Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?

M That’s amazing, but why couldn’t the Jews see this?

C Many did later, but many had their eyes blinded to this truth, unless like Paul, their eyes were opened.

C One more Scripture will pretty well cinch it up: Phil 2:6-11

J Phil 2:6-11… Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11.And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

C This is what makes Jesus different from Plato, Philo, and anyone else. He is the Son of God, Who became incarnate—that is, took upon himself the very form of man—that he might pay the supreme sacrifice for our sins!
Michael, do you now see the difference?

M Yes, I see, and I believe! Now I know why He is my Savior, the Logos—the Word. Now I understand why I can believe and trust in Him!

J Me, too, I already believed, but that helps strengthen my faith just to know what John was talking about!

C That’s great! So let’s have a word of prayer

Curtis leads in a short prayer. Then Michel turns to Joanne and says:
M Joanne, see what’s going on outside; sounds like there’s people out there.

Joanne looks out over congregation and replies:
J It’s carolers, and they’re going to sing for us!

M & C get up, look towards the congregation.
M Oh, there’s a whole group of them—that’s really nice for them to do this!

C Well, let’s just sing along with them!

Barbara leads congregation in O COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL
Hymns of Glorious Praise 78; pefer Somg His Praise p. 420 G
M, J, & C THEN WAVE TO THE CONGREGATION
M-J- C (Waving) Thank you! Thank you very much! Merry Christmas!

Optional: M-J-C & Carolers all sing: WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS
© Curtis Dean 12/2009 Drama written by Curtis
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philo
[2] NIV Bible Dictionary
[3] The Expository Dictionary of Bible Word

YOU'VE ADDED ANOTHER YEAR!

YOU’VE ADDED ANOTHER YEAR!
by Curtis Dean

So now you’ve added another year,
There’s no need to shed a single tear;
But rejoice in the Lord, He cares for you,
That’s why He kept you the whole year through!

If He did it before, He can do it again,
He’s there to protect, to shield and defend;
So trust Him and keep Him as your dearest friend,
And ev’n when you’re ill, He can help you to mend!

Oh yes, times get rough and sometimes so tough,
But you’ll make it through, if you’ve got the right stuff,
And that comes from His love; it’s really enough,
So, don’t let the Devil succeed with his bluff!

Just keep on going and serving the Lord,
Rely on His Word, it’s your shield and your sword.
Until the day that He calls you home,
Don’t let your footsteps away from Him roam!

For someday in Glory we'll see His dear face,
And that's all because of His marvelous grace.
So, birthdays we count until that wonderful day,
When at last we'll be home with Him forever to stay!

© Curtis Dean, 10/9/10