What is a One Liner Skit?

One Liner Skits are some of the most fun skits you can do with your children. Adults and children love watching them! The skits do not require any rehearsal. They don’t require expensive costumes, props or scenery. Each child is given only one line to say just prior to their turn. Use funny props you find in thrift stores, your closet, dollar stores or make them yourself.

The children have no idea what they are going to do or say in advance. The children you choose to be in the skit are just given a piece of paper with a number on it during the program or class.

This requires two adults, the teacher who leads the program, and an assistant who gets the child ready off stage and tells him his line.

The teacher announces the skit is about to begin and sends Child Number 1 off stage. The assistant puts funny props on the child and tells the child their line. She encourages the child to speak loudly and “ham it up.” The child is to speak the line every time the teacher cues the child (generally, by squeezing his shoulder).

When Child Number 1 enters the stage, the teacher sends Child Number 2 off stage to be instructed and so on.

Birth of Jesus

At the end of this skit, there is an account of the first Christmas written to share with the audience. We strongly suggest you read that to the audience before doing the skit, so they have a better understanding of the meaning of the skit.

Characters:

1 - Joseph – headdress, beard

When teacher squeezes his shoulder, he should reach his hands out like he’s begging and say, “Won’t you make room for Him?”.

2 - Innkeeper – towel over his arm, headdress, beard

When teacher squeezes his shoulder, he should wave his arms and say, “I have no room for him.”

3 - Mary – Doll wrapped in a blanket, headdress or some type of veil on her head When the teacher squeezes her shoulder, she should look at the baby and say, “He’s so precious.”

4 - Angel – Wings, halo (purchased or cardboard wings and garland)

When the teacher squeezes his shoulder, he should reach his hand out and say, “I have good news.”

5 - Shepherd – Stuffed sheep, headdress, beard

When teacher squeezes his shoulder, he should point and excitedly say, “I will hurry to him.”

6 - Herod – Crown, beard

When teacher squeezes his shoulder, he should point to himself and with anger says “I’m the only king around here.”

7 – Wiseman – Gift (can be a box in gold paper/aluminum foil) headdress, beard When teacher squeezes his shoulder, he should say “I left a different way.”

The props listed are just suggestions, use your imagination and have fun!

The Skit

(Teacher is on stage. Child number 1 (Joseph) is being prepared.)

We just heard the account of how Jesus was born. The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her she was going to have a very special baby.

An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said the baby would save people from their sins and that he should take Mary as his wife. The governor made a law that everyone had to go to their hometown to be taxed, so Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem.

(Joseph enters) Oh look, it’s Joseph. While I’m talking to Joseph, whoever has the paper with the 2 written on it, go see _________ to get ready.

Mary and Joseph traveled a long way to Bethlehem. When it was time for Jesus to born there was no place where they could go inside. (Squeeze shoulder)

We learned in our lesson that there was no room in the inn for Jesus to be born. (Squeeze shoulder)

Joseph probably went from door to door trying to find a place to stay. (Squeeze shoulder)

I’m sure he wanted a safe warm place for Jesus to be born. (Squeeze shoulder)

I imagine he asked everyone he saw. (Squeeze shoulder)

No one would take them in, so Jesus was born outside in a stable. (Squeeze shoulder)

What do you think you would have done if you were there? (Squeeze shoulder)

Just like Joseph was trying to find a place for Jesus, way back then, Jesus wants a place in our lives today. (Squeeze shoulder)

Jesus wants us to talk to Him in prayer. (Squeeze shoulder)

Jesus wants us to read His word, the bible. (Squeeze shoulder)

Jesus wants us to trust Him. (Squeeze shoulder)

We should invite Jesus into our lives. (Squeeze shoulder)

Everyone give Joseph a big hand. Thank you, Joseph. Now the person with number 3 go see _____ to get ready.

(Child Number 1 (Joseph exits, Child Number 2 (Innkeeper) enters)

Here’s the Innkeeper. (Squeeze shoulder)

Joseph wanted Jesus to be born in a nice warm place. (Squeeze shoulder)

Joseph tried to get a room at the inn. (Squeeze shoulder)

The innkeeper wouldn’t make room for them. (Squeeze shoulder)

Joseph probably asked others for a place to stay. (Squeeze shoulder)

Everyone Joseph asked, the answer was the same. (Squeeze shoulder)

Sweet little baby Jesus was born outside with animals. (Squeeze shoulder)

Nobody had room for Jesus when He was born. (Squeeze shoulder)

Today there are people who still say the same thing. (Squeeze shoulder)

They don’t have room for Jesus in their lives. (Squeeze shoulder)

They don’t want to take time to talk to Jesus in prayer. (Squeeze shoulder)

They don’t want to take time to read their bible. (Squeeze shoulder)

Some people don’t even care that Jesus loves them. (Squeeze shoulder)

Everyone give the innkeeper a big hand. Thank you, innkeeper. Now the person with number 4 go see _____ to get ready.

(Child Number 2 (Innkeeper) exits, Child Number 3 (Mary) enters)

Oh look, it’s Mary. (Squeeze shoulder)

The Angel Gabriel told Mary she was going to have a baby. (Squeeze shoulder)

Gabriel said the baby would save people from their sins. (Squeeze shoulder)

Mary loved baby Jesus. (Squeeze shoulder)

Mary thought Jesus was precious. (Squeeze shoulder)

Jesus is precious. (Squeeze shoulder)

Jesus didn’t stay a baby. He grew to be a perfect man. (Squeeze shoulder)

Jesus had compassion for people. He healed the sick. He fed the hungry. He loved everybody. (Squeeze shoulder)

Jesus loved us so much that He died on the cross as the punishment for our sins so that someday we can go to heaven. (Squeeze shoulder)

Jesus loves everyone of us. (Squeeze shoulder)

Everyone give Mary a big hand. Thank you, Mary. Now the person with number 5 go see _____ to get ready.

(Child Number 3 (Mary) exits, Child Number 4 (Angel) enters)

Oh look, it’s an angel. (Squeeze shoulder)

The angel, Gabriel, told Mary she would have a special baby. (Squeeze shoulder)

An angel told Joseph he should take Mary for his wife. (Squeeze shoulder)

The angel said Jesus would save people from their sins. (Squeeze shoulder)

An angel told the shepherds about the birth of Jesus the Savior. (Squeeze shoulder)

When the angel told the shepherds about the birth of Jesus a host of angels filled the sky praising God. (Squeeze shoulder)

The shepherds hurried to Bethlehem to see Jesus. (Squeeze shoulder)

The birth of Jesus is very good news. (Squeeze shoulder)

Just like the angel told the shepherds about Jesus, we should tell others about Jesus. (Squeeze shoulder)

Everyone needs to know Jesus. (Squeeze shoulder)

Everyone give the angel a big hand. Thank you, Angel. Now the person with number 6 go see _____ to get ready.

(Child Number 4 (Angel) exits, Child Number 5 (Shepherd) enters)

Oh look, it’s a shepherd. (Squeeze shoulder)

The angel told the shepherds about Jesus. (Squeeze shoulder)

The shepherds hurried to Bethlehem to worship Jesus, the Savior. (Squeeze shoulder)

The shepherds worshiped the newborn king. (Squeeze shoulder)

We should hurry to Jesus too. (Squeeze shoulder)

We can talk to Jesus in prayer. (Squeeze shoulder)

Jesus loves us. (Squeeze shoulder)

Jesus wants to help us. (Squeeze shoulder)

Jesus wants to forgive our sins. (Squeeze shoulder)

If you don’t know Jesus, please hurry to Him today. (Squeeze shoulder)

Everyone give the shepherd a big hand. Thank you, Shepherd. Now the person with number 7 go see _____ to get ready.

(Child Number 5 (Shepherd) exits, Child Number 6 (Herod) enters)

Oh look, it’s Herod. (Squeeze shoulder)

The wise men followed the star to see Jesus, but Herod stopped them on the way. (Squeeze shoulder)

Herod asked the wise men where Jesus was so he could worship Him, but he really wanted to kill Him. (Squeeze shoulder)

Herod didn’t want any other king around. (Squeeze shoulder)

Herod wanted all the glory for himself. (Squeeze shoulder)

Herod wanted total rule. (Squeeze shoulder)

Herod didn’t want to obey anyone. (Squeeze shoulder)

Jesus wants to be the Lord and King in our lives, but some people won’t let Him. (Squeeze shoulder)

The bible tells us what is right and what is wrong, but some people won’t obey it. (Squeeze shoulder)

Some people just want to do their own thing. (Squeeze shoulder)

Some people don’t care what God says. (Squeeze shoulder)

Everyone give the shepherd a big hand.

(Child Number 6 (Herod) exits, Child Number 7 (Wise man) enters)

This is a wise man. (Squeeze shoulder)

The wise men came to see Jesus and they were warned in a dream to go home a different way. (Squeeze shoulder)

The wise men didn’t go back to the evil King Herod. (Squeeze shoulder)

The wise men came to Jesus one way and left a different way. (Squeeze shoulder)

We can come to Jesus one way and leave a different way too. (Squeeze shoulder)

We can come to Jesus will a life full of sin and leave forgiven. (Squeeze shoulder)

We can come to Jesus full of sorrow and leave full of joy. (Squeeze shoulder)

We can come to Jesus bound with bad habits and leave free. (Squeeze shoulder)

We can come to Jesus full of hate and leave full of love. (Squeeze shoulder)

Jesus wants to make our lives better. (Squeeze shoulder)

Jesus wants to save us. (Squeeze shoulder)

Everyone give the wise man a big hand. Thank you, Wise man. (Wise man exits)

We’ve learned with the help of our friends about the birth of Jesus. We’ve also learned that Jesus loves us and wants to save us. If you don’t know Him, please come to Jesus today.

The Christmas Account

We suggest you read this to the audience before the skit to make it more understandable to everyone.

About two thousand years ago in the city of Nazareth, an angel named Gabriel appeared to Mary. Mary was afraid when she saw the angel, but the angel said “Don’t be afraid. I have good news for you. You’re going to have a baby.”

Mary didn’t understand, because she didn’t even have a husband, and asked how this could be. The Angel told Mary it would be a miracle. He said the Holy Spirit would plant a seed in her, and she would have a very special baby.

Mary was engaged to a man named Joseph. Imagine how Joseph must have felt when Mary told him she had seen an angel that said she was going to have a baby. While Joseph was thinking about those things he went to sleep. An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him to take Mary for his wife. The angel told Joseph to name the baby Jesus, for He would save people from their sins.

Caesar Augustus was the governor. He made a law that everyone had to go to their hometown to pay taxes. Mary and Joseph had to travel all the way to Bethlehem. When they arrived at the inn, there was no room for them. Mary and Joseph had to stay in a stable with animals. That’s where Baby Jesus was born.

The night Jesus was born, there were shepherds in the field watching their flocks. An angel appeared to the shepherds and a light filled the night sky. The shepherds were afraid, but the angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I have good news. A savior has been born in Bethlehem.”

Then the sky was filled with angels praising God. When the angels went back to heaven, the shepherds hurry to Bethlehem to worship Jesus.

Some wise men came from the east following a star seeking the Savior. The wise men came through Jerusalem asking, “Where is He that is born King of the Jews?”

When King Herod asked the religious leaders where the Christ should be born, they told him Bethlehem. King Herod told the wise men when they found the baby to come back and tell him, so that he could worship Him too. Herod didn’t really want to worship Jesus. He wanted to kill him.

The wise men found Jesus and worshiped Him. They brought Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. God warned the wise men in a dream not to go back to Herod. The wise men went back home a different way.

Now we are going to have some of our friends help teach us more about the birth of Jesus.