Order of “Born To
Die” Cantata
Every person
entering will get a bulletin describing the Cantata, as well as upcoming events,
etc.
Lights dim
in auditorium
Baby is
placed into the manger
The Narrator
moves to the front
Background
music lightly playing as the Narrator speaks
Narrator:
Good
morning!
Today we
want to go back in time, to a well known event. To that first Christmas, to the
very first Christmas. And we are going to ask some questions as we view the
manger scene; some questions that will go beyond the animals, the barn, the
gifts, the trees, and the family.
We will
simply ask Why? Was there more to Christmas than this manger setting? Could this
baby be more than just an icon for the Christmas season?
Let’s let
the events of Christmas unfold and show us the answer. Let’s take a good look at
this beautiful, gentle, sweet baby that was born so humbly, and let’s discover
one of the greatest contradictions of all time!
Let's learn
that Christmas is all about a little baby, who was miraculously born... to die.
Platform
Lights come on, on the platform stage
Music fades
Choir moves
into view
Conductor
faces the congregation and leads everyone to sing:
SONG: Joy To
The World (Congregation)
Platform
lights go dark, only one light on the Narrator
Narrator:
Jesus’ birth
was a long expected event that was to change the whole world!
In those
days, there was expectancy in the air for such a birth – just like it is still
today
Everybody
knows about the baby in the manger.
But the
story of the birth of Jesus doesn’t begin in a manger, or even in
It starts
much, much earlier. Way back before
Back to a
time when a prophet saw the coming of a special baby, 750 years before the first
Christmas...
This baby
who would be born was going to be different than any other baby who would ever
be born …
This special
baby, precious and sweet, so miraculously born ... was Born to Die!
Several
Choir members will read out prophecies and their fulfillment. The scriptures and
words will fade onto the projector screen as they read.
READER #1:
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:
READER #2:
and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called
Wonderful. Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of
Peace.
READER #1:
Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, ... The zeal
of the LORD of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6,7)
READER #2:
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God
shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
READER #1:
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there
shall be no end. (Luke 1:32,33)
READER #2:
But, he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry
ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no
beauty that we should desire him.
READER #1: He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted
with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we
esteemed him not.
READER #2: Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did
esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
READER #1: But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we
are healed.
READER #2: All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his
own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:2-6)
SONG: Come,
Thou Long Expected Jesus (Choir)
Narrator:
The story
you are hearing is about the First Christmas... the very first Christmas Ever!
There were
no Christmas trees then, or lights. There were no decorations, no turkey or ham,
no Santa, no stockings, no elves, and no shopping malls!
And yet,
with none of what we have come to expect at Christmas, (EMPHATICALLY) this was
the very best Christmas ever.
And what do
we call it?
The entire
choir responds with emphasis, "The First Noel!"
SONG: The
First Noel (Kids + Guitar, or maybe Piano)
Choir
Members do the following Narration:
READER #3:
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar
Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea,
unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; … to be taxed with Mary his
espoused wife, being great with child.
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she
should be delivered. 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.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch
over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone
round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them,
READER #4:
“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
READER #3: And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly
host praising God, and saying,
ALL THE CHOIR: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will
toward men.”
READER #3: And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into
heaven, the shepherds said one to another,
READER #4: “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come
to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.”
READER #3: And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe
lying in a manger.
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them
concerning this child.
And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the
shepherds.
But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that
they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his
name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived
in the womb.
SONG: Lo,
How A Rose E’er Blooming (Choir)
During
interlude of the song, the following prophecies will be read out
READER #1:
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall
conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)
READER #2: I shall see him, ... I shall behold him, ... there shall come a Star
out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of
READER #1:
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall
grow out of his roots:
READER #2: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom
and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and
of the fear of the LORD; (Isaiah 11:1,2)
SONG: How
Should a King Come (Choir)
Children
move to the front
SONG: What
Child Is This? (Kids + Guitar, or maybe Piano)
Narrator:
But all this
brings us back to the question... Why?
Why did He
have to come? Why was He born in such a humiliating manger?
Why was He
so rejected and misunderstood even then?
If He truly
was the Son of God, why wasn't He more powerful and assertive?
Why wasn't
He raised in a palace, and followed by an army?
Why did He
end up allowing sinful men to bind His hands and His feet, spit upon Him, beat
Him, and whip Him beyond recognition?
WHY did He
let them crucify Him on a rugged cross?
Why didn't
He fight back?
WHY was that
baby born to die?
Well, to the
surprise of this whole world, and especially to
He came to
save us!
You see, it
was our sins and our trespasses against Almighty God that brought such a perfect
and sinless Lamb to die in our place.
There is
none righteous, no not one. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of
God.
Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
So... It was not Roman soldiers who crucified Jesus. It was not a Jewish crowd who cried out, "Crucify Him!"
It was the
awful sins of every man, woman, and child on this earth that drove those nails
into His loving hands!
It was the
lusts and hatred and bitterness and cruelties of every human heart that cried
out "Crucify Him!"
Thankfully,
Jesus didn't fight it!
Jesus knew
WHY He had come, ...
and though
it would cost Him everything, He came gladly!
On that
first Christmas morn, God had became just like us, so that He could fully
forgive us, by dying for us.
The cute
baby in the manger had come as the greatest of all contradictions...
He had come,
to die, so that we, could LIVE!
SONG: Born
To Die (Choir)
The children
move to the front to sing the next song
SONG: Tiny
Little Hands (Kids and Guitar)
Lights go
dark on the platform
The Choir
move into the audience.
Preaching –
Pastor Ledbetter
Conductor
rises, to lead the congregation in the following songs
SONG: Good
Christian Men, Rejoice (Congregation)
Final Words
by Pastor
Final prayer
by __________________
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