Tell me the Old Old Story is a play about a man who knows about Jesus but is not faithful to go to church nor teach his family about Jesus. He has a dream about his future and sees how awful the future is for his family and others because he failed to live for Jesus and teach his family about Jesus. He wakes up on Christmas morning and realizes it is not too late for him to get his life right with Jesus and he is excited to take his family to church and celebrate the Wonderful Birth of Our Living Savior!
Mr. Jones Present
Ms. Jones Present
Child Present 1
Child Present 2
Angel(Mr Jones)
Mr. Jones Future
Ms. Jones Future
Michelle
Marci
Carolers
Old Woman
Pastor
Adam
Eve
Voice of God
Mary
Angel (Mary)
Joseph
Shepherd that speaks
Shepherds that do not speak
children dressed like sheeps
Group of singing angels
angel (shepherds)
3 wise men(one will speak and all will sing)
group of disciples
Angel speaking(disciples)
Angel no speaking(disciples)
Costumes / Helps / Props :
Traffic Coordinator:
Lights: Sound:
When curtain closes: All in next scene, go to stage or assigned place
All not in next scene, go to assigned seat
Scene 1
Characters: Mr. Jones Present, Ms. Jones Present,
Child Present 1, Child Present 2,
Costumes: Normal clothes. Ms. Jones with apron and broom.
Props. Cover Baptistry with (sheet? Or other)
Backdrop scene with windows showing snow on window panes and fireplace behind the living room scene with some type of sofa, small table with lamp & Christmas tree.
Backdrop scene of windows with curtains behind a small bedroom scene on other side of stage with 2 cots together fixed as bed, small nightstand with telephone) (if possible simulate outside street lamp(s))
(Scene opens with Mr. Jones Present reading news paper, Ms. Jones Present sweeping, and children playing a game in the floor.)
(Ms. Jones Present props on the broom and speaks to the children )
Ms. Jones Present: Children, you need to get to bed early tonight. Tomorrow is Christmas, you know. I just love this festive time of year! All the food and gifts, getting together with friends and family, Christmas is the most wonderful time of year.
(Child Present #1): But, Mom, can’t we stay up a little longer? We’re not sleepy.
(Child Present #2): Yes, Mom! We’re in the middle of this game.
(both children ) Can we? Please?
(Ms. Jones Present): You’d better not pout and your better not cry, Santa knows when you are sleeping, he knows when you are awake, he knows when you’ve been are good or bad, so be good for goodness sakes!
Off to bed now!
(Child Present #1 & #2) Yes mam.
(the children get up and go through bedrooms scene, leave stage on organ side and go thru door to hall area)
Mr. Jones Present: Dear, I met the pastor from the Baptist church today and he invited us to church.
Ms. Jones Present: Church. We don’t have time for church. Why this is Christmas, Doesn’t he know how busy we are! We have gifts to buy, cooking to do, and friends to see. This is just not the time for church.
Mr. Jones Present: I guess your right.
(Mr. & Mrs. Jones goes to bedroom scene and sit on bed. )
(Close Curtains)
Scene 2
Characters: Mr. Jones Present, Angel #1, Mr. Jones
Future, Ms. Jones Future, Michelle, Marci, Carolers, Old Lady
(Donnie, David, Stevie, Sara, Krystal, Callie, Jamie, Cathy, Christen, Kayla, Christina, Jessica, Brittany J., Angie)
Props: Same Bedroom /living room as Scene 1
Costumes: Mr. Jones Present -long night gown with night cap
Angel – Angel costume
Marci and Michelle – modern toboggans/head wrap, coats,
gloves, and neck wraps.
Carolers – modern toboggans/head wrap, coats, gloves/mittens,
and neck wraps, need a couple of lanterns.
Old Lady – head wrap, gloves, coat, neck wrap, walking cane
(Scene opens with Mr. Jones Present in bed asleep, and Future Jones Family in the living room. Mr. Jones future reading newspaper, Ms. Jones reading a book, & children playing a game in floor. Angel standing in corner in choir loft; Others waiting in hall behind organ)
(Angel Shakes Mr. Jones Present and says,)
Angel(Mr Jones): Mr. Jones, Mr. Jones, Wake up.
( Mr. Jones Present sits up in bed squinting eyes with hand shading eyes)
Mr Jones Present: Huh? What? Uh? Who are you?
Angel(Mr Jones): Mr. Jones, I have come to show you your future. Follow me.
(Mr. Jones Present, looking confused gets up on side of bed)
Mr Jones Present: What? My future? What are you talking about?
(Angel takes hold of Mr. Jones arm and leads him into the living room)
(Child 1 Future and Child 2 Future and Mr. & Mrs. Jones Future are in living room scene. Mr. Jones Future reading paper.)
Angel(Mr Jones): Mr. Jones, I have been given the assignment to take you on a tour of your future. You will see your children and grandchildren in the future.
Mr. Jones Present: My Future? Who are these people in my living room?
Angel(Mr Jones): This is not your living room. We are in your future. These are your children in the future. They are grown and have children of their own. Since you failed to teach your children the true meaning of Christmas, they know nothing of Christ. Your grandchildren know nothing of the true meaning of Christmas. Mr. Jones, they may never hear the Gospel and they may never be saved. It they are not saved, they will spend eternity in Hell.
Mr. Jones Present: My future? Lost? My children and
grandchildren? This cannot be!
Angel(Mr Jones): You knew the wonderful gospel of Jesus Christ, but you never shared it. You never took your family to church. You never read the Bible with them.
Mr. Jones Present: I planned to go to church, but, well, I just didn’t have time. I knew about the Bible. I know the gospel of Jesus. I just assumed they would know too. Lost? O, My! They MUST know about Jesus! I don’t want them to go to hell. I must tell them now.
(Mr. Jones Present Turns to the Mr. Jones Future who is sitting in the chair)
Mr. Jones Present: Son, let me tell you about Jesus. Son, Son, (waves his arms) Can’t you hear me?
Angel(Mr Jones): He cannot hear you. You are invisible to them. Must I remind you that this is your future. You can see and hear them, but they cannot hear you.
Michelle: Dad, why do we have Christmas?
Mr. Jones future: Well, it’s a holiday where everyone has parties and takes time off work and school. It’s a time when the children get toys and gifts (pause and smile) that is, if they have been good all year.
Marci: Have I been Good? I have haven’t I?
Mr. Jones Future: Well, I think you have.
Ms. Jones Future: Yes, Christmas is a fun time of year where people get together and share gifts, food and fun times. It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
(Mr. Jones Present walks over to his grandchild)
Mr. Jones Present: Let me tell you what Christmas Really means. It is …
Angel(Mr Jones): Don’t bother speaking to them, they can’t hear you and they can’t see you.
Mr. Jones Present(ignores instruction of angel and yells to son): Son, tell your children the true meaning of Christmas... tell them! Listen to me!… Tell them the Gospel of Jesus!
(Carolers come from hall behind organ and walk up street singing Jingle Bells)
(Ms. Jones future ) Listen, I hear carolers!
( They all go to the door to listen until the Carolers finish the song)
Caroler #1(yells to Michelle and Marci) : Hi Michelle and Marci. Why don’t you join us in our caroling? We have so much fun!
Michelle: I’m not sure I’ll know the songs. What kind of songs do you sing?
Caroler #2: O, we sing all the Christmas Carols, like Frosty the Snowman, Jolly Old Saint Nicholas.
Mr. Jones Present: What?! Those are not Carols. Sing Silent Night, Away in a Manger, sing o little town of Bethlehem. Christmas Carols are about Bethlehem and the birth of Jesus. (walks away in disgust and sits with face in hands)
Marci: You think we could sing Grandma got ran over by a Reindeer?
Caroler #3: Yes! And my favorite is Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer!
Caroler #3: We’d better get going.
Marci: We’ll get our coats.
(As Michelle & Marci put on coats , an old lady who is singing softly “O how I love Jesus” walks down street.)
Mr. Jones Present: (comes out of house, goes to lady & puts his hand to ear) You’re singing about Jesus.
(old lady keeps walking, he runs to the door and yells to son) Come and hear this lady sing about Jesus!
(runs back to lady and yells) Hey, lady, sing louder! tell my children the True meaning of Christmas! Tell them about Jesus.
(Carolers leave house and meet old lady)
Old Lady: Merry Christmas, young ladies. I hope you have a white Christmas this year!
(Michelle & Marci joining Carolers and waving) Merry Christmas, Mam!
(Old lady walks on, carolers walk away)
(Mr. Jones Present shakes his head in disgust. sits down and puts head in his hands)
No one in my family knows the TRUE meaning of Christmas.
What have I done! I have failed to tell my family the most wonderful story of Jesus. How I wish I had another chance.
(Curtains close as the song is sung)
Song:(Tell me the Old Old Story)
Scene 3:
Characters: Mr. Jones Present, Ms. Jones Present, Child 1 Present,
Child 2 Present, Pastor
(Donnie, Lisa, Rebecca, Chase, Jackie)
Costumes: All normal clothes
Props(Same as Scene 1 and 2)
(scene opens with Mr. Jones Present, in regular clothes,sitting on side in bed.)
Ms. Jones Present (walks into the bedroom): Merry Christmas, Honey!
Mr. Jones Present : Merry Christmas!? Is it Christmas?
You CAN hear me!
Mrs. Jones Present: Of course I can hear you, dear. (she looks at him funny) You must have been having a bad dream.
Mr. Jones Present: A bad dream? Yes, it WAS a dream! Yes! It’s not too
late! It’s Christmas and I KNOW the TRUE meaning of Christmas! It’s NOT TOO LATE! We’re going to have the greatest Christmas ever!
Mr. Jones Present: That’s great, honey. (she looks at him funny and shrugs her shoulders, then walks into the living room and sits down)
(He picks up the phone and calls the Pastor. )
Mr. Jones Present: Pastor, I’d like to invite you to come and share Christmas with our family. I had the most horrible dream last night that none of my family knew anything about Jesus. I dreamed that an angel took me into my future to see what happened to my family and no one knew about the True meaning of Christmas. My family was lost and no one would share the gospel with them. I just woke and realized that today is Christmas and I want to celebrate by sharing the True meaning of Christmas with those I love most.
(He hangs up the phone, then walks into the living room where
Ms. Jones Present is sitting)
Mr. Jones Present: Merry Christmas! Merry Merry Christmas.
This is the Birthday of the King. Christmas is about the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ! We are going to have the most Wonderful Christmas this year.
(The children come into the living room from hall thru bedroom. Mr. Jones Present says merrily to them:) Merry Christmas to you all. Jesus was born in Bethlehem!
Child Present #2: Merry Christmas, Dad.
( Knock @ the door. Mr. Jones moving to answer the door.) That must be the pastor from the church. I have invited him to share the true meaning of Christmas with us.
(Pastor enters with his Bible.) Pastor: Merry Christmas everyone!
(the family together) Merry Christmas!
Mr Jones Present: Pastor, please have a seat. We’re excited you are here.
We want you to share the Christmas Story with us.
(Everyone takes a seat and Pastor opens His Bible)
Pastor: Let’s look into God’s Word. I want us to look long ago
and see the most beautiful and wonderful story ever told. The best part is that the Story is True! The story of Jesus Christ.
(Curtains Close)
Song: Or Our Christmas Song
Scene 4:
(living room scene)
Costumes: Regular clothes
Characters: Pastor, Mr. Jones Present, Ms. Jones Present, Child 1 Present, Child 2 Present
(Scene opens with Jones Family Present and Pastor in living room scene, mary scene on right side)
Costumes: Mary
Angel
Characters: Pastor and Mr. Jones Present Family, Angel(Mary), Mary
(Scene opens with Mary sitting and an angel appearing.)
Pastor: First, I want to share with you how the great problem of sin entered into this world. Let’s Look way back into time, and look at the day that sin entered into the world.
Thus sin entered into the world that day in the Garden of Eden,
and death and sin passed upon all men.
The shedding of innocent Blood began and continued until that great day when the Lamb of God would come to shed His perfect blood to pay for the sins of the world.
Jesus, the Son of God, came into the world. His birth was announced by and Angel sent from God.
Angel(Mary): Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee:
blessed art thou among women. Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
Mary: How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
Angel(Mary): The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the
Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
Mary: Behold the handmaid of t
he Lord; be it unto me according to
thy word.
(the angel leaves the stage. Mary remains during the song. (This scene will take place outside the curtain.)
Song: Mary did you Know?
Scene 6:
Props: (add Bethlehem and manger scene on front right)
Costumes: Mary, Joseph, shepherds, Angels, Wise Men
Characters: Pastor, Mr. Jones Present Family, Mary, Joseph, Shepherds, Sheep, Host of Angels, Wise Men
(opens / lights on Mary and Joseph And the manger: others in hall behind organ)
Pastor: The Bible tells us in Matthew:
Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the
angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
Matt 1:25
And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
Luke 2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped
him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
Song: The Greatest Christmas Tree
Pastor: And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
(shepherds and sheep enter from back of church)
(Angel enter and stand near shepherds)
Angel(Shepherd): Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great
joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
(Angels enter and sing to shepherds saying in unison)
Host of Angels: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Host of Angels Sing: Joy to the World (sing to shepherds, then go to manger scene)
Shepherd: Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is
come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
(Shepherds and sheep go to manger scene)
Pastor: Matt 2:1-2 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea
in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem
Wise Men: (enter from back of church)
Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his
star in the east, and are come to worship him.
(wise men go to manger scene and bow at manger scene, then sing
Scene 7:
Props: (Remove curtain from Baptistery and turn on lights to highlight cross)
Costumes: Disciples Bible Days Costumes
Angel costumes
Characters: Pastor, Mr. Jones Present Family, group of disciples, Angel speaking (disciples), Angel no speaking(disciples)
(Scene opens with disciples standing facing baptistery in Choir loft looking up to heaven)
Pastor: The story did not end with the manger. Jesus came into the world to die on the cross to pay for the sins of the world.
We read in John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Pastor: We read in Acts 1:9 And when he (Jesus) had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
(Angel (disciples) and Angel (Mary) come from hall behind organ to the group of disciples)
Angel (disciples) : Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Song: (lights on cross)
Pastor: Today we celebrate the True meaning of Christmas; the Birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World.
This same Jesus is very much alive today and offers salvation to each and every one who will repent from his sins and accept the free gift of salvation.
Ms. Jones Present: Preacher, that is the most beautiful story I’ve ever heard. What can I do to receive salvation.
Pastor: Salvation is a free gift.
The Bible tells us in Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
In Romans 10:9-10 we read:
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
If you are willing to repent from your sins and call upon Jesus, you can be saved today. The Bible says Today is the day of salvation.
Ms. Jones Present: I am willing, Pastor. I now realize that I am a sinner and I need a Savior. I want to be saved today.
Pastor: Lets’ bow right now.
(They Bow to pray and the lights are turned off and curtains close)
(Everyone but Jones Family Present & Pastor take assigned seats)
Scene 8:
(open curtain Pastor & Jones family sitting in living room)
ALL Cast
Pastor: The True Meaning of Christmas is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God was born of a virgin, died on the cross to pay for our sins, and rose again the 3rd day. He ascended back to heaven and right now HE invites every man, woman, boy and girl to accept the free gift of Salvation. If you’re not saved, I pray you will be saved today. If you are saved, I pray you will tell the Good News to others that they might be saved.
When song ends, all turn around and sing “we wish you a merry Christmas)