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Ages: Older Teens - Adult
Focus: What would be man's fate if Christ came to earth not to
die in our place, but rather out of selfish ambition?
The actors pantomime their parts while the narrator speaks slowly
(optional: Jesus can speak his lines or the narrator
can speak his lines too, except for Jesus' last line, this one should
be spoken by him). Jesus
moves from one scene to the next with the actors remaining "frozen" until it is their
scene. You may want to darken the room and
use a spot light to focus on each scene while it's being acted out.
Characters: Narrator, Jesus, Bartimaeus the blind beggar,
Disciples, a few Townspeople, Woman caught in adultery, Pharisees,
Judas, Roman Guards.
Set Up: On your stage or chancel area set up vignettes of the
following Bible stories:
Scene One: Jesus and Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-51),
Scene Two: Jesus with his disciples (Mark 6:32-33),
Scene Three: Woman caught
in adultery (John 8:3-6),
Scene Four: Jesus arrested (Luke 22:47-50)
(If possible, at the back of the stage area, drape a thin curtain or
large, thin white sheets with back lighting to create a silhouette of
the crucifixion scene.)
Narrator: What if Jesus didn't come to earth to seek and
save those who are lost? What if he didn't come to die in our place?
What would be our fate? Maybe it would look like this:
(Spot light focuses on scene one.)
Scene One: Jesus and Bartimaeus (adapted from Mark 10:46-51)
Narrator: As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."
Jesus (optional to speak part or narrator can read these
lines too): "You want to see?" Why should I heal you?
You're just a beggar and I really don't have time for you!" Leave
me alone."
Narrator: So Jesus left and went on his way. (Jesus
proceeds to next scene)
(Spot light dims and focuses on the next scene.)
Scene Two: Jesus with his disciples (adapted from Mark 6:32-33)
Narrator: The disciples gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught.
Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat,
Jesus said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."
So they went away by themselves to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and
arrived ahead of them.
Then the disciples said, "The people have come all this way to
be taught by you. And now it is very late and they have nothing to
eat."
Jesus (optional to speak part or narrator can read these lines
too): "I'm tired. I don't feel like teaching today. Go
home and feed yourselves!"
Narrator: So the crowds left hungry and tired. (Jesus
proceeds to next scene)
(Spot light dims and focuses on the next scene.)
Scene Three: Woman caught
in adultery (John 8:3-6)
Narrator: The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group
and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.
In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.
Jesus (optional to speak part or narrator can read these lines
too): (stands up) "I say, 'She's an adulterer...stone
her!' " (Jesus proceeds to next scene, back to the disciples)
(Spot light dims and focuses on the next scene.)
Scene Four: Jesus arrested (adapted from Luke 22:47-50)
Narrator: While Jesus was speaking to his disciples a
crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him,
but Jesus asked him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"
When Jesus' followers saw what was going to happen, they said, "Lord, should we strike with our swords?"
And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.
Jesus (optional to speak part or narrator can read these
lines too): They have no power over me. I have no intention of
dying!
(Spot light dims and focuses on the narrator.)
Narrator: This gives us a small glimpse of what it would be
like had Jesus come to earth out of selfish ambition. But the Bible
tells us that Jesus came to earth to seek and to save those who are
lost. He performed miracles to fulfill the Scriptures concerning
himself. He healed and taught people because of his compassion for them. And he forgave sin by going to the cross to die in the place of all those who trust in him.
Optional: Set up crucifixion scene behind the curtain with
back lighting to create a silhouette. (Bring up lights behind the crucifixion scene. Roman Guards lead
Jesus to the cross and nail him to it. Hit hammer against a hard
surface to make the sound of the nails being driven into Jesus' hands
and feet. As the crucifixion is depicted, narrator reads the
following:)
Narrator: The Bible tells us that Jesus went to the cross
for the joy that was set before him (Hebrews 12:2).
"Jesus was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows...he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all....For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."
(adapted from Isaiah 53)
(Light goes out on the crucifixion scene. Remove cross. Have Jesus
in white robe, ready and standing behind the curtain for the end
scene.)
Narrator: This is not the end of the story! Because, if there is no resurrection of the
dead...our faith is futile; we are still in our sins. And those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.
(adapted from 1 Corinthians 15:12-20)
Jesus bore our sin and rose from the grave so we can live eternally
with God in heaven!
(Raise curtain. Have Jesus facing congregation with open arms.)
Jesus: "Follow Me." (play Hallelujah Chorus or
choir sings it)
The End.
Copyright 2005 Sarah A. Keith
info@sundayschoolnetwork.com
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