What Child Is This? A Simple Yet Powerful Christmas Eve Service

This Christmas Eve service combines dramatic readings from characters surrounding the Christmas story and the wonderful carols of the season. A slide presentation is suggested to go with the service, although it is not necessary. The presentation ends with a candlelight service and the singing of Silent Night.

Anyone who purchases the Kindle version is given permission to make twenty copies of the service to distribute to the readers and others involved.

Characters included in this Christmas Eve service—Elizabeth, Zachariah, Anna, Simeon, a shepherd, an angel, three wise men, the innkeeper’s wife, Joseph, and Mary.

Carols included in this Christmas Eve service--1. What Child Is This? 2. O Come, O Come Emmanuel 3. O Come, All Ye Faithful 4. O Little Town of Bethlehem 5. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear 6. Angels from the Realms of Glory 7. While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks 8. We Three Kings 9. O Holy Night 10. The Birthday of a King 11. Silent Night 12. Joy to the World.

If you would like a copy of the PowerPoint slide presentation, please contact Pastor Joe Ellis at joecellis@comast.net. 

Here is the link to purchase the Kindle version for only $3.99:
What Child Is This -- A Powerful Christmas Eve Service

Below you will find the first three pages of the service and optional slides that may be included in your service:

CHRISTMAS EVE PROGRAM – WHAT CHILD IS THIS?

 

Sanctuary dark with light on front of church

 

Slide 1 -- Bethlehem Sky at Night

 

Open with solo or duet:  What Child Is This?

 

 

Enter Elizabeth:

Slide 2 -- Mary Greeting Elizabeth

What child is this indeed? My name is Elizabeth. Months ago my cousin Mary visited me. She was with child . . . and so was I. When Mary entered the room my baby within me leaped for joy. Six months ago my son, John, was born. Ever since Mary greeted me that day, I have known the answer to that question—What child is this?

 

Slide 3 - Creation

God Almighty who created the heavens and the earth revealed the answer to me. We human beings were given life by our Creator. God wanted fellowship with us, to love and be loved.

 But love is a choice. You cannot love without the freedom to choose not to love. God granted us this power of choice.

 

Slide 4 – Adam and Eve and Serpent

However, this human nature we all share is a rebellious nature. God gave life to those first human beings, but they chose to go in their own direction. Instead of loving and seeking God, they pursued a serpent’s sales pitch, one that promised illumination and life but instead led them to darkness and death.

Slide 5 – Expulsion from the Garden

 

Despite our defiance and disobedience, God promised humankind that one day the seed of a woman would rise up to defeat the evil one who has led us astray.

 

Slide 6 – Jesus praying

The serpent would strike this Messiah’s heel, but the Savior would crush the serpent’s head. What child is this? He is the promised seed.

Scripture Reading – Genesis 3:14-15 -- ¹⁴ So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,

“Cursed are you above all livestock  and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.¹⁵ And I will put enmity between you and the woman,
 and between your offspring^[a] and hers; he will crush^[b] your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Carol: 123       O Come, O Come Emmanuel.

Slide 7 – Jerusalem at night

 

Enter Zachariah:

Slide 8 – Zachariah and Angel

I confirm those words: O come, O come Emmanuel. My name is Zachariah, the husband of Elizabeth. For months I could not speak because I doubted God’s power. I questioned whether or not an older couple like Elizabeth and me could conceive a child. Impossible, I thought. But what is impossible with man is possible with God. When I hold my son, John, in my arms I am reminded of God’s power.

 

And now I can speak. I cannot keep quiet about another child soon to be born. He will not only impact the nation of Israel, but he will change the history of the world. How do I know this? I am a priest of Israel. I know our history and the covenants God made with us.

 

Slide 9 – Abraham and Sarah

 

How would this Emmanuel arrive? It started with a promise to Abraham and Sarah. Like Elizabeth and me, they were an older couple, but God’s power worked through them too. They had a son named Isaac. They eventually became great-grandparents to twelve boys whose families would be the basis of a new nation, God’s people, the nation of Israel. Through this nation the entire world would be blessed. Emmanuel would open the door for every nation, every race, every culture, every person to know God and the eternal life God offers.

 

Slide 10 – 12 Sons of Jacob

Scripture Reading – Genesis 12:1-3 -- The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.² “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you. I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.^[a]
3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

Through this child soon to be born all nations of the earth will be blessed.

Slide 11 – God blessing the world

Carol: 145       O Come All Ye Faithful

Slide 12 – Bethlehem bathed in starlight (verse 1)

 

Enter Anna:

Yes, O come all ye faithful. I understand those words. I have come to the temple and I have been waiting faithfully.

 

Slide 13 – Anna standing in the temple court

My name is Anna. I am a prophetess. Ever since my husband died years ago I have been spending night and day here at the temple. I am waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

 

Moses delivered my people from Egypt and gave us the law. Joshua led my people into the Promised Land. We saw God’s covenant with Abraham fulfilled as Israel became a mighty nation under the leadership of the judges and our early kings.

 

Slide 14 – King David

 

But then God made another covenant with our greatest king, King David. God promised David that through one of his descendants an eternal kingdom would be established. This special Son would have an everlasting throne and God would be his father.

 

The prophet Micah spoke about this coming king:

 

Slide 15 – But you, Bethlehem . . .

 

 Micah 5:2 --  "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."

 

As I wait for the redemption of Israel, I wonder how near the day of my Savior’s birth will be. Will I live to see that day? Could it be tonight?

End of sample

I hope you enjoyed the beginning of What Child Is This--A Simple Yet Powerful Christmas Eve Service. Again, here is the link to the Kindle version:
What Child Is This?

If you buy the Kindle version and would like to receive the PowerPoint slide presentation, please email me at joecellis@comcast.net and I will send you the file.