Drama Ministry

Christmas Scripts Inspired by the Shepherds & Wise Men

Welcome to part two of our special four-part Christmas journey! The following devotional and script selections remind us of the shepherds and wise men, and their special place in the Christmas story. Shepherds and wise men are fixtures in our nativity sets, and it just wouldn't be Christmas without arranging those heirloom porcelain figures around the manger scene. But have you ever wondered about the shepherds and wise men? Why was it them that came to see Jesus following His birth? The shepherd and wise men accounts are each found in Luke 2:1–20 and Matthew 2:1–12.

Luke tells of the shepherds but never mentions the wise men. Matthew speaks of the wise men but not the shepherds. The Bible gives us two separate accounts of Jesus' birth and the picture that it paints is a composite of different stories and details.

The wise men travelled from far away. They were mysterious and wealthy. They captured the attention of kings and priests. They came bearing precious gifts for the Christ Child. By contrast, the shepherds lived in nearby fields outside of Bethlehem, they were simple folk who kept to themselves and tended their sheep. They had nothing to offer the baby Jesus but adoration and worship.

The shepherds and wise men could not have been more different, yet they are the only ones recorded in the gospels in the story of Jesus' birth. They did however have something in common: both understood and believed what was being revealed to them, and both trusted and followed. It wasn't something that they simply figured out or pieced together on their own. They were each led to Jesus in their own ways. An angel appeared to the shepherds, and for the wise men it was a star.

The shepherds were tending their sheep in the hills just outside of Bethlehem when angels descended from the night sky to announce the birth of Christ. After hearing the angel's announcement, the shepherds hurried to find Mary and Joseph, and the Baby lying in a manger. After they had seen Him, they shared the incredible news with others and everyone who heard was amazed! "The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told."

The wise men journeyed from the east and followed a star to find the coming King. They believed that Jesus was “King of the Jews” whose birth had been heralded by a star in the skies, and they wanted to honor Him. When they saw the signs of His coming, they set out to find Him. And when they did, they gave Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They acknowledged Him as King and they worshipped Him.

Some say that shepherds and wise men represent the spectrum of humanity. The shepherds symbolize the simple while the wise men represent the learned. When you set up your nativity this year, take a closer look. You'll notice different races, different classes, rich and poor, wise and simple. Look even closer at these depictions of the shepherds and wise men and you'll see that despite their differences, they shared a willingness to follow God, a longing to see Him, and a desire to worship Him. Let that be said of us today.

You can find more devotionals and scripts from our Christmas series in the links below:

The following script selections remind us of the shepherds and wise men, and the significance of their roles in the story of Jesus' birth. We hope you’ll consider these special scripts as you plan and prepare your dramas for the Christmas season.


COMEDY
We Three Kings
Christmas
The three wise men try to write a song worthy of the newborn Savior only to realize they need to be on their knees rather than caught up in their thoughts.

DRAMA
The Christmas Soldier
Christmas
A Roman soldier finishes his watch and wakes an innkeeper for some food and to tell him of an unusual experience he just had that involved some shepherds and a newborn baby in a manger.

COMEDY
A Quiet Night
Christmas
The shepherds are stunned when an angel appears to them in the field.

MONOLOGUE
The Shepherd (Christmas on Woodward, Part 3)
Christmas
Part Three (of Four) depicting a shepherd of a modern day Nativity story, chosen by an angel to "share the good news of great joy" to an underprivileged community.

DRAMA
The Weissmans (Christmas on Woodward, Part 4)
Christmas
Part Four (of Four) depicting the 3 wisemen of a modern day Nativity story, who are are delivering a meal to a young couple at the Sav-Mor Inn with a new baby. And that baby changes everyone in the Weissman family.

Jaymey Hardin

Jaymey Hardin

Jaymey Hardin has been a noteworthy leader in the Contemporary Christian Music market for more than 20 years. Known for his work in marketing, product development, and A&R, he is also credited for his contributions as a writer, videographer, and musician. He is the son of a preacher man and has a heart for the church. He and his wife, Lindsay live in Franklin, TN, and are expecting their very first... dog.

In Partnership With: Discover Worship

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