Christmas Scripts Inspired by the Infant & Manger

When we think about the birth of Christ, we think of the baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes. We think of Mary and Joseph lovingly gazing upon the holy Infant. We think of shepherds and wise men adoring the Baby in the manger. We often picture Jesus' birth through the lens of the Nativity scene.

Nativities take their inspiration from Luke's account of Jesus' birth. The familiar imagery of the Nativity often depicts the manger as a clean, straw-filled crib, when in actuality, mangers were simply feeding troughs for animals. The Gospel of Luke draws our attention to the manger three times:
 

“And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:7)

“And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:12)

“And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:16)

When Mary and Jospeh arrived in Bethlehem, there was no room at the inn, and they were forced to seek shelter elsewhere. Out of necessity, they spent the night of Jesus' birth in either a stable or a cave, and a manger was used for His crib. Though far from ideal, the manger was a makeshift substitute that held the Infant safely inside, with the straw providing some warmth for Him.

The first live Nativity scene was originally created by St. Francis of Assisi in 1223. He wanted people to have a visual reminder of the importance of Christ's birth. Today, Nativity scenes have become fixtures in our Christmas traditions. Whether simple or elaborate, we love Nativities and what they represent. We place them prominently in our homes, we see them in people's front yards and at churches throughout the Christmas season. Some are made of wood, glass, or porcelain, some are plastic and glow with light, and some consist of real people and animals. Whatever the case, at the center of the Nativity is an infant and a manger representing the baby Jesus and the lowly place where He was born.

More than 2,000 years ago, the greatest gift of all came in the form of a precious Baby wrapped in swaddling clothes; the very Son of God came wrapped in flesh and blood when He took the form of man. He came from the highest place of power and majesty to be born in a lowly manger, and to later die on a rugged cross. And He did it all for us.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." (John 3:16-17)

That is a love beyond words. We are so thankful for Jesus, and as we celebrate Christmas, let's remember the events surrounding His birth and the humble circumstances in which He was born. Let's remember the life He lived, the lessons He taught, and the sacrifices He made for us. God gave us the greatest gift of all when He gave us His Son, Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas!

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

• Christmas Scripts Inspired by Mary
• Christmas Scripts Inspired by the Shepherds & Wise Men
• Christmas Scripts Inspired by Angels & Stars
• Christmas Scripts Inspired by the Infant & Manger

The following scripts focus on the Infant and manger, and they remind us of the humble and holy night of Jesus' birth. We hope you’ll consider these meaningful scripts as you plan your drama events for the Christmas season.

DRAMA
What Child Is This?
Christmas
Mary and Joseph reflect on their lives since the announcement of Jesus' birth and come to see God's sovereignty in all circumstances.

COMEDY
No Room at Inn World
Christmas
An entrepreneur from modern times goes back to the inn at Bethlehem and strikes a deal to turn it into a tourist attraction, ironically forcing Joseph and Mary to have the baby Jesus in the stable.

COMEDY
The Innkeeper
Christmas
To take a new look at the familiar story of Mary and Joseph finding no room in the inn.

LIGHT DRAMA
One Small Child
Christmas
A mini-pageant that relates the Nativity narratives found in the Gospels of Matthew & Luke as a bedtime story.

READER'S THEATRE
Prepare the Way
Christmas
Readings from the book of Isaiah and the Gospel according to Mark combine to form a beautiful dramatic reading of the nativity story. A wonderful text for the Advent season.
 

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.