Merry (almost) Christmas, Friends! Here is an arrangement of passages from Isaiah, Luke, and Matthew interspersed with Christmas carols for a simple home Christmas pageant. (Click Here for a Printable Version)
Who doesn’t love babies in bathrobes with wrapping paper roll staffs?
But if your family is not up for using dictionary stands as a manger and pillowcases as veils, these songs and scriptures also work really just using the nativity scene to tell the Christmas story. Kids particularly like it if you walk the nativity pieces towards the manger from different parts of the room! Or just use it as a family lessons and carols service on Christmas morning or perhaps in the evening around the table while lighting the Christmas candle.
A Simple Home Christmas Pageant with Readings & Songs
Long ago the Prophet Isaiah Wrote (Isaiah 7:14)
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
O Come, O Come, Immanuel, and ransom captive Israel that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel shall come to you, O Israel.
(St.) Luke recorded in his Gospel (Luke 2:1-20) In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.
Oh little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by Yet in thy dark streets shineth, the everlasting light The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.
6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.
Silent Night, holy night All is calm, all is bright 'Round yon virgin Mother and Child Holy infant so tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace Sleep in heavenly peace
She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
Away in a Manger No crib for His bed The little Lord Jesus Lay down His sweet head The stars in the bright sky Look down where He lay The little Lord Jesus Asleep on the hay
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
The First Noel the Angels did say Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay In fields where they lay keeping their sheep On a cold winter's night that was so deep Noel Noel Noel Noel Born is the King of Israel!
10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Angels We Have Heard on High Sweetly singing o'er the plains And the mountains in reply Echoing their joyous strains Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo!
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Hark! The Herald-Angels Sing
"Glory to the newborn king;
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled"
Joyful all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim
"Christ is born in Bethlehem"
Hark! The herald-angels sing
"Glory to the new-born king"
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant O come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem O come and
behold Him, born the King of Angels O come, let us O adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him Christ the Lord
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Go, tell it on the mountain Over the hills and everywhere Go, tell it on the
mountain That Jesus Christ is born!
(St) Matthew recorded in his Gospel (Matthew 2: 2-12) After
Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King
Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been
born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to
worship him.”
We Three Kings of Orient are,
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain, Moor and mountain,
Following yonder Star.
O Star of Wonder, Star of Night,
tar with Royal Beauty bright,
Westward leading, Still proceeding,
Guide us to Thy perfect Light
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: 6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.
Born a King on Bethlehem plain, Gold I bring to crown Him again,
King for ever, Ceasing never Over us all to reign.
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume Breathes a life of gathering gloom;— Sorrowing, sighing, Bleeding, dying, Sealed in the stone-cold tomb.
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Frankincense to offer have I,
Incense owns a Deity nigh:
Prayer and praising
All men raising,
Worship Him God on High.
12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Glorious now behold Him arise, King, and God, and Sacrifice; Heav’n sings Hallelujah: Hallelujah the earth replies.
For as the Prophet Isaiah Foretold (Isaiah 9:6)
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Joy to the World,
the Lord has come
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing!
Do you have a favorite way to tell the Christmas story with your family?