Christmas Eve Puppet Skit/Children's Sermon
Based on the carol, The Friendly Beasts
Pastor
(Greet kids as they arrive, talk about Santa, etc., get them settled a little bit.) I want to ask you a question. "What is that behind you? (Looking for "a manger scene", etc.) That's right, it's a manger scene! Now, this manger scene has been up for a few weeks - ever since we started Advent. But someone is here tonight in that scene who hasn't been here until now - who is that? (Jesus).

That's right, and can you tell me why? (Jesus' birthday, etc.) 

That's right, Christmas is Jesus' birthday, and even though we get excited about Christmas because of Santa Claus, the parties and big meals, and all the presents, the thing that's most important about Christmas is what? (Look for the answer.) That it is Jesus' birthday. 

Do you think that a stable was a nice place to be born? (Field answers.) Well, why do you think Mary and Joseph picked, a stable? Do, you think they just liked the way it looked? (Field answers.) No ... they picked the stable because there wasn't any place else for them to stay in Bethlehem that night. The inn - the hotel was full and Mary was about to have baby Jesus. They needed to get inside somewhere, out of the cold for the birth of the baby, and the stable was where they ended up.

Were they alone in the stable? You can look if you need to. (Answers) Who else was there? Other than the angels? The animals! Thats, right. The animals were gathered all around on Christmas Eve to-see Jesus be born.

We have something special for you tonight. There are many stories about the animals in the stable on Christmas, Eve, and tonight, you're going to hear some of them straight from the horse's mouth ... well, sort of. If you'll help me, we will call some animals up here tonight, and they will tell us about the birthday of the baby Jesus.

Here's how we'll do it. We'll need everyone's help. In our worship booklets we have the carol, The Friendly Beasts. If we could all sing the first verse - just the first verse, our guests will come, one by one; the animals that were at the birth of Baby Jesus will come and tell us their stories. Let's sing the first verse together, and see what happens... (Music)

Verse 1
Jesus our brother, kind and good Was humbly born in a stable rude
And the friendly beasts around him stood Jesus, our brother, kind and good.'

 (As the verse ends, the donkey will appear.) 

Donkey: Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas everyone!

Pastor: Look, boys and girls, it's the donkey!

Donkey: Well, thank you for recognizing me!

Pastor: The donkey was one of the animals there on the night Jesus was born, but his story goes back even further.

Donkey: That's right, Pastor, my owner was Joseph, Mary's husband and Jesus' daddy on earth.

Pastor: And did you bring the family to Bethlehem?

Donkey: Well, I drew the line at Mary. Joseph tried to get on my back a couple of times - but I just sat down.

Pastor: Oh, yes, you donkeys are known to be stubborn.

Donkey: Look, buddy, she was pregnant and he was big. I ain't no mini van; I'm just a donkey.

Pastor: No offense...

Donkey: Besides, there's stuff about us donkeys that few people know. For example, we're very protective. I walked very carefully with Mary on my back - I didn't want to fall and hurt her or the baby.

Pastor: It must have been hard to be careful for such a long time, on such a long, rough journey.

Donkey; Not really, not for a donkey. Ya see, being protective is second nature to us. Even today, people all over the world use donkeys for protection!

Pastor: Now wait a minute, I've never come to a house that had a sign that read "Beware of Donkey".

Donkey: Not from prowlers, silly. People use donkeys to protect flocks of sheep from coyotes and wolves. We're strong, quick, and brave. What's more, we never leave the flock when there is danger nearby. In fact well, maybe I shouldn't say this –

Pastor: Go ahead...

Donkey: Well, our protective side, it makes us just a little bit like baby Jesus. Jesus came to this world to take care of us and protect us. And now, even if we die, we, know that we will live in happiness with him.

Pastor: That's wonderful, Mr. Donkey. Hey everyone, lets sing the second verse of our carol, the one that tells the story of this remarkable animal.

Donkey: I'd be honored. (Music)

I said the donkey, shaggy and brown , I carried his 'mother, up hill and down
I carried him safely to Bethlehem town, I said the donkey shaggy and brown!

J.J. Cool enters calling out: Hey, Hey! Pastor, Pastor! 

Pastor: Uh, kids, this is J.J. Cool J. (PAUSE) He's, a dog.

J. J.: The canine representative of the animals at Christmas!

Pastor: Yes, but J. J., dogs are not part of our manger scene.

J. J.: What? That's crazy!

Pastor: Well, we don't usually think of dogs living in a stable.

J. J.: But we love stablesl We love the hay, and ... and ... well, we love the hayl

Pastor: J. J., I'm sorry, but there's no dog in our manger scene, and no verse about the dog in the song we're singing, either.

J. J.: Then make one up! "I said the dog, with the floppy ears; I gave him my.... uh, my fleas ...uh, that's kind of weird...! Hey but it rhymes, though... 

Pastor: J. J., do you see a sheep behind you?

J. J.: Hey! What are you doing down there?

Pastor: He's trying to get up here, J.J., So let him.

J. J.: OK, but I'm warning you - I'll be back ... the dogs shall be heard from in this story.

(J. J. exits)

Pastor: Boys and girls, please forgive J. J., he gets a little excited this time of year.

Sheep: Hello, everyone ... isn't it'a beau.... tiful night!

Dave: Look! It's our sheep!

Sheep: White, warm, and wooly!

Pastor: Of all the animals in the stable, people think of the sheep the most when they think of baby Jesus!

Sheep: That's because we call Jesus the Baby Sheep - the Lamb of God. Sheep were important to the people of Jesus' time.

Pastor: For example, sheep were an important source of meat.

Sheep: Yeah, I was never too crazy about that part.

Pastor: You were also used in the worship of God.

Sheep: That's right, we were used in ceremonies that forgave the sin of- the people- and that's something the baby Jesus came to do - forgive people's sins once and for all. And let me tell you - we sheep appreciated it.

Pastor: So tell us about Christmas Eve...

Sheep: On Christmas Eve, we had a special honor. Jesus, the Son of God, was wrapped in blankets made of wool - the fur of a sheep.

Pastor: So the baby Jesus slept in your coat?

Sheep: That's what the song says it was actually the coat of my cousin Nicky in Nazareth.

Pastor: Why don't we sing for our sheep, and for sheep everywhere?

Sheep: If you didn't, I'd feel baaaaaad.

Pastor: Come on everyone ... let's sing the verse of the sheep ...
 
(MUSIC)
I said the sheep, with the curly horn I gave him my wool for a blanket warm
He wore my coat on Christmas morn I said the sheep with the curly horn.

Cow: Mooo...

Pastor: Boys and girls, the biggest member of the animal kingdom who witnessed Jesus' birth - the cow.

Cow: (THE COW CHEWS A LOT AND SPEAKS VERY SLOWLY) Yes... I ... am ... a ... cow.

Pastor: Now cows, boys and girls, have a lot of gifts they bring to us again..., just like the baby Jesus. Cow, tell us about yourself.

Cow: Well...cows are...deep. We ...like... to think.

Pastor: You mean, you like to think about things?

Cow: Yes ...we, well.... ruminate on things. Ha... Ha... moo! That's funny.

Pastor: As you can see, kids, cows don't speak very quickly...uh, cow, other than giving milk, what gift did you give the baby on Christmas morning?

Cow: My lunch.

Pastor: Don't be silly, babies don't eat hay.

Cow: He didn't eat. He slept in it.

Pastor: Oh so you gave him your manger!

Cow: Just like Jesus gives us food to eat, I gave him my food for sleep.

Pastor; That's wonderful. You're like the baby Jesus, too! Anything else?

Cow: Well...I'm also very warm... and because I chew hay.... my breath smells sweet.
Pastor: So, as the baby lay below you in the manger, you kept him warm with your breath?

Cow: Yes ...and now, because of me. ...people make their breath sweet and breathe on each other at Christmas.

Pastor: Uh...I'm sorry, but they don't do that.

Cow: They don't?

Pastor: No ... they don't.

Cow: (PAUSE) Well ... they should.

Pastor: Even so, we remember you, cow, and lets show her - let's sing our next verse for the cow! 

(MUSIC)
I said the cow, all white and red I gave him my manger for his bed
I gave him my hay, to pillow his head I said the cow all white and red!

(DOVE ENTERS)

Pastor: Look, everyone! It's the dove!

Dove: (COOS)

Pastor: So how are you, Mr. Dove? (Dove coos) Uh, can you say that so we understand it? (Dove coos again) I'm sorry boys and girls, it looks like our dove can't quite talk.

J. J.: Hey, hey! Did someone say they need a translator?

Pastor: J. J., I doubt if you can help, and I already asked you to...

J. J.: Now just a second, Pastor baby, let me dig this dove' rap. (Dove coos to J. J.)

Pastor: Are you saying you understand the dove?

J. J.: Why sure, he's just speaking another language.

Pastor: What language is that?

Dove: (COOS)

J. J.: French!

Pastor: Boys and girls, we think of many things when we think of the dove - but mostly, we think of peace.

Dove: (COOS)

J. J.: That's because the dove is so beautiful and has such a clear, lovely, voice.

Pastor: And Baby Jesus, the Prince of Peace, brought us peace with his birth. Peace between God and us. Because in Jesus, God and human beings were joined together forever, (PAUSE) J. J., on that night, long ago in the stable, did the dove realize how important Jesus' birth was?

J. J.: Let me see...

DOVE COOS AND COOS ITS STORY TO J. J. ; SEEMING T0 GO INTO GREAT DETAIL, FINALLY, IT STOPS AND J. J SAYS...

J. J.: Yes.

Pastor: Everyone, let's sing the song of the dove together, the song, that brought baby Jesus the gift of peaceful sleep ...

(MUSIC)
I said the dove, from the rafters high I cooed him to sleep, so he would not cry
We cooed him to sleep, my mate and I I said the dove from the rafters high.

As the music ends; J. J. REAPPEARS

J. J.: Pastor, baby. I gotta tell you, I think you got it all wrong.

Pastor: What's that, J. J?

J. J.: Maybe we dogs don't give milk or sing songs - maybe our coats don't make good blankets, maybe we're too small to ride on but we belong, brother we belong in the stable at the feet of the baby Jesus!

Pastor: OK, tell me how...

J .J.: All the things the animals gave Jesus that night - warmth, protection, peace - they're all things Jesus says we're supposed to give other people. And Jesus says, when you do it for the littlest brother or sister, you have done it for me.

Pastor: That's a good point.

J. J.: The point is, it's the gift of love and forgiveness that matters. And when anyone of us gives that gift, we show that we belong at the stable, gathered around the baby Jesus.

Pastor: J. J., you've convinced me. And in thanks, we will sing the last verse of our song in your honor, and in honor of all those who follow the baby Jesus. 

(MUSIC BEGINS)
Thus every beast by some good spell In a stable dark was glad to tell
Of the gift he gave Emmanuel! The gift he gave Emmanuel!

J. J.: Merry Christmas, everyone!

Pastor: Merry Christmas, J. J.