This is a monolog that I have written and performed at my church. It is original with me. You have my permission to use it free of charge at your own church, if you wish. I only ask that you give me credit for the original script. It was written to be performed by a women 40 + years old. It takes about 6 1/2 minutes to perform.
Life goes by so quickly. Here I am now--a grandmother. But still, it seems like just a few days ago when my brother, Josiah, came running into the house talking about the angels he and his friends had seen. Abba was so angry with Josiah for leaving the flock and coming into town. My father owned one of the flocks that was kept on the outskirts of town and used for the temple sacrifices. It was Josiah’s job to watch the flocks and protect them from the wild animals in the area. My usually calm father raised his voiced and shouted at Josiah. In this day of increased taxes, we could not afford to lose any sheep to wolves or lions while my brother was traipsing around town with his friends. But no, Josiah insisted that was not what he had done. Abba wouldn’t listen. He just stormed off to see about his precious sheep.
Later when all was quiet, Josiah told me about the angels and the baby. He said that he was with the other shepherds out on the hillside watching the sheep. Micah was softly playing his lyre to lull the sheep to sleep when suddenly a bright light appeared in the heaven. They looked up and there was a magnificent angel in the sky above them. They were so afraid. What would the angel do? Had they done something so terrible that Jehovah would send an angel to strike them all dead? Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
Josiah looked at the others. Had they heard the same thing he had? Then suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “ Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Again, Josiah looked at his friends. Elkanah, who was the oldest of the shepherds there said “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”
My brother followed Elkanah, Micah and the others and they went immediately and found the baby. He told me that it was just as the angel had told them. There was this tiny, newborn baby lying in the manger. As Josiah looked at Him, he could tell that this was a very special baby. I remember how excited my brother was that night knowing that he had seen the messiah.
Now, it’s been over 30 years. Not long ago, I was with a group on the hillside listening to his man from Galilee. They said his name is Jesus. He’s so inspiring. He speaks with such wisdom and authority. At the time, I thought surely this man was the same precious baby that my brother, Josiah, had seen, the messiah. But now…so much has happened. Our Jewish leaders have been so opposed to Him. They say He blasphemes, that He is just an ordinary man, not our messiah. And then there was that trial! Humph! Some trial. The witnesses are known liars. They’ll say anything for a few coins. But He was convicted. He was beaten and then forced to carry his cross up the hill. I stood in the crowd and watched as he fell from the weight of it. I know I should have done something but I was so afraid of the Roman guards. I just stood and watched as they crucified this innocent man.
What hope do we have now? The man who we thought would save us from the Romans is dead. The Pharisees and Sadducees have won with all their legalistic rules and laws. There’s no one… (speaker turns head to listen to someone off stage)
What? What are you saying? He lives? How is that possible? I saw him die? (listens again) Yes, yes I know who Mary Magdalene is. She’s one of Jesus’ followers. Mary says Jesus is alive? (pause) He’s risen from the grave? (face slowly turns to joy) How is that possible? (pause) Hundreds have seen him and talked to Him? (softly) He lives. (louder) He lives. (Raise hands and shout) He lives!
Scripture from Luke 2:9-20 NKJ
Life goes by so quickly. Here I am now--a grandmother. But still, it seems like just a few days ago when my brother, Josiah, came running into the house talking about the angels he and his friends had seen. Abba was so angry with Josiah for leaving the flock and coming into town. My father owned one of the flocks that was kept on the outskirts of town and used for the temple sacrifices. It was Josiah’s job to watch the flocks and protect them from the wild animals in the area. My usually calm father raised his voiced and shouted at Josiah. In this day of increased taxes, we could not afford to lose any sheep to wolves or lions while my brother was traipsing around town with his friends. But no, Josiah insisted that was not what he had done. Abba wouldn’t listen. He just stormed off to see about his precious sheep.
Later when all was quiet, Josiah told me about the angels and the baby. He said that he was with the other shepherds out on the hillside watching the sheep. Micah was softly playing his lyre to lull the sheep to sleep when suddenly a bright light appeared in the heaven. They looked up and there was a magnificent angel in the sky above them. They were so afraid. What would the angel do? Had they done something so terrible that Jehovah would send an angel to strike them all dead? Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
Josiah looked at the others. Had they heard the same thing he had? Then suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “ Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Again, Josiah looked at his friends. Elkanah, who was the oldest of the shepherds there said “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”
My brother followed Elkanah, Micah and the others and they went immediately and found the baby. He told me that it was just as the angel had told them. There was this tiny, newborn baby lying in the manger. As Josiah looked at Him, he could tell that this was a very special baby. I remember how excited my brother was that night knowing that he had seen the messiah.
Now, it’s been over 30 years. Not long ago, I was with a group on the hillside listening to his man from Galilee. They said his name is Jesus. He’s so inspiring. He speaks with such wisdom and authority. At the time, I thought surely this man was the same precious baby that my brother, Josiah, had seen, the messiah. But now…so much has happened. Our Jewish leaders have been so opposed to Him. They say He blasphemes, that He is just an ordinary man, not our messiah. And then there was that trial! Humph! Some trial. The witnesses are known liars. They’ll say anything for a few coins. But He was convicted. He was beaten and then forced to carry his cross up the hill. I stood in the crowd and watched as he fell from the weight of it. I know I should have done something but I was so afraid of the Roman guards. I just stood and watched as they crucified this innocent man.
What hope do we have now? The man who we thought would save us from the Romans is dead. The Pharisees and Sadducees have won with all their legalistic rules and laws. There’s no one… (speaker turns head to listen to someone off stage)
What? What are you saying? He lives? How is that possible? I saw him die? (listens again) Yes, yes I know who Mary Magdalene is. She’s one of Jesus’ followers. Mary says Jesus is alive? (pause) He’s risen from the grave? (face slowly turns to joy) How is that possible? (pause) Hundreds have seen him and talked to Him? (softly) He lives. (louder) He lives. (Raise hands and shout) He lives!
Scripture from Luke 2:9-20 NKJ
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