Peace On Earth?

A powerful and moving Christmas presentation for all ages—blending drama, original music, and Scripture to answer a timeless question: Can there really be peace in a world filled with fear?

This full-length play begins with two skeptical friends attending a church Christmas program. Through humor, honesty, and deeply personal monologues from biblical characters like Zechariah, Herod, Mary, and Joseph, audiences are invited to see how the message of Christ still brings peace in troubled times.

Featuring:

• Roles for adults, teens, and children—including Preschool and Sunday School segments
• Monologues, nativity reenactment, and audience participation
• A bold reminder: peace doesn’t come from perfect circumstances, but from the presence of Jesus.

Whether you’re planning a church-wide Christmas service or a community outreach, Peace on Earth? delivers a message that’s more relevant than ever.

Cast: 20 m or f

• Marv (singer)
• Tim - middle age
• Narrator
• Pastor
• Zachariah
• Herod
• Shepherd 1
• Simon (shepherd)
• Matthew (shepherd)
• any number of shepherds for crowd
• Mary
• Joseph
• Five readers
• Senior Sunday School group
• Primary Sunday School group

Bible Reference: Luke 2

Set: standard

Sound: wireless mics if available

Lighting: standard

SFX: none

Props:

• chairs beside stage for Tim and Marv

Costumes:

• shepherds in traditional attire, Herod in a rich robe befitting king

Special Instructions: none

• Since Sunday School segments are self-standing there could be any number in the cast.
• Parts for each class can be added or trimmed back, contact DramaShare with exact requirements and we can custom write these for your church.

Time: 90

Peace on Earth? – Sample Script 

[Scene opens: Tim and Marv enter from the rear of the sanctuary.]

Marv: Come on in, Tim, you will enjoy this.

Tim: Haven’t been to a church Christmas concert in years.

Marv: Here, over here, Tim. Two chairs, just for us—let’s sit here.

Tim: Whoa, hey, time out there, big fella, I don’t do church front rows!

Marv: Sorry, somewhere you would rather sit, Tim?

Tim: Yeh, matter of fact, in front of my TV watching the Chargers annihilate the Rams.

Marv: Football can wait for this one week—come on, sit down, it’s about to start.

Tim: Good, that should give us time to find decent seats at the back. Like I said, I don’t do front row church seats.

Marv: Sorry, but I’ve got a little part in the concert, I need to be at the front. If you go back there, you’ll be all alone.

Tim: Is this why you offered to bring me? So that if I didn’t enjoy it—which, may I mention, I am not—but since you drove me here, I have no way to get home?

Marv: No, I offered to bring you because I wanted you to hear the message today. It’s all about the joy and peace of Christmas.

Tim: Surprise, surprise! Now that’s a new one! As if there’s ever any other message in church at Christmas!
“Joy to the world!” Yeh right.
“Peace on earth, goodwill to men!”
Up to our ears in peace this year, aren’t we?
The churchy Christmas message never was significant—and it’s taken another major tumble this Christmas.

Marv: What happened, Tim? You used to be so committed to the Lord. What made you turn away?

Tim: OK, that did it! Marv, all you brought me here for was to get another notch on your Christian six-gun.
Well, I tell you, I’m not interested. Should’ve never let you talk me into this anyhow.

Marv: It’s about to start. Let’s sit down here, OK?

Tim: Fine. I stay here until half-time, then I leave.

Marv: Half-time? This is a church service, not football.

Tim: Whatever. Why did I ever let myself get talked into this foolishness?

Marv: Just sit. I have this song to sing right now.

[Marv moves to center stage. Project images of NY/WTO attack, terrorism, famine.]

Song Cue:  Even If – MercyMe

Tim: Some song.

Marv: Tough time for everyone, seems like.

Tim: Thought that you people who had the—(emphasize)—joy of the Lord were above all this.

Marv: Nope. Christians hurt the same as anyone else.
Here comes Pastor Nelson.

[Lights down on Marv & Tim. Lights up center stage. Pastor enters from audience.]

Pastor: Good morning. It’s good to welcome you to (name of church)’s Christmas program—glad to have you with us.

Our message this morning is old but ever new: the story of peace and joy, the peace and joy that came that first Christmas.

Yes, that’s what I said—peace and joy.

I’m sure there are those this morning who are questioning the relevance of that message this year. The word “peace” seems sadly out of place, doesn’t it? And recent happenings around the world, and close at hand, seem to have done a number on the joy in our lives.

[Tim mimes agreement. Marv motions him to be quiet.]

Pastor: Trial and conflict come our way, but the message never changes.
The message of the birth of Jesus has always been a message of joy—and so it still is today.
Jesus said, I have come that your joy may be complete.

Perhaps we need to rethink our perception of peace and joy.

We tend to equate peace with the absence of war and strife, and joy with the euphoric feeling that comes from peaceful exterior circumstances.

We associate the story of the first Christmas with peace and joy—and so it was.
Today we are going to revisit the circumstances involved in that first Christmas—both the overall climate and the personal experiences of those involved.

What we’ll find may surprise us.

[Pastor exits. Lights fade. In near darkness, Narrator speaks.]

Narrator: In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah.
He had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years...

Monologue: “Speechless with Fear” – Zechariah enters from upstage as lights rise

Zechariah:
Yes, I was! I was gripped by fear!
I, Zechariah, at the pinnacle of my career as a temple elder, had just received the most prestigious, once-in-a-lifetime honor—the right to serve in the temple.
Most men go their whole lives without that honor. Truly, Jehovah had blessed me!

(continues with full monologue...)

[Lights fade on center stage. Zechariah exits to nativity scene. Lights up on Tim & Marv.]

Tim: I have been scared like that. Reminds me of how I felt when my son was killed.

Marv: How long ago was it that Corey was killed in the car accident?

Tim: It was a long time ago.

Marv: Care to talk about it?

Tim: I don’t need counselling.

Marv: Good! I didn’t plan to counsel you.

Tim: Soon as a guy mentions problems, churchers break loose into—(emphasize)—“being a blessing” to the unsaved.

Marv: Are you unsaved, Tim?

Tim: That’s none of your business.

Marv: That’s how I see it too—but you brought it up.

Tim: I brought it up?

Marv: There’s only two of us here, and it wasn’t me.

Tim: You baited me to bring it up.

Marv: I think I missed that.

Tim: Look, I know what you guys try… there’s no use in… (pause)

Marv: …in?

Tim: Oh, forget it… look, someone is coming on stage.

Want to see how the story unfolds? DramaShare members get this complete script— and access to our entire library—free! Not a member? You can still grab this individual script and bring it to life.