Description

Reverence in the sanctuary house of God, and when talking to, or thinking of, God.
Although most people “believe in religion” there is a habit to secularize or humanize religion. Ecclesiastes warned about this, and how we tend to treat Him as a “hip pocket” insurance policy, there if needed.
Man-centred religion shows through in wordiness, but this kind of shallow religion urges us to talk rather than to listen for the word of God. The word of God is not the echo of our words, it is His own word of judgment and grace. Before it we must be still, silent and listen. God is not “man in another form,” or a super-human, but different in every way from man.

Cast: 4 m or f

• Mary
• Bobbie
• Norm
• Tracy

Bible Reference: Matthew 5:14

Set: bare

Sound: wireless mics if available

Song: none

Lighting: standard

SFX: none

Props:

• brochures and tickets, a hat for Norm
• cell phones

Costumes: standard

Special Instructions: none

Time: 15

Sample of script:

Mary and Bobbie come on stage from opposite sides

Mary: Hi Bobbie, what’s happenin’?

Bobbie: Hey Mary! Nothing much, just thought I would come to the church, see if anyone’s around? What about you?

Mary: I am here for a ticket!

Bobbie: A ticket?

Mary: Didn’t you hear the news Bobbie? Pastor Todd arranged for tickets for us guys to go to the NASCAR races on the weekend.

Bobbie: NASCAR tickets? You are not serious!

Mary: Yes, for the weekend races, and man, am I looking forward to that!

Bobbie: No way! I thought the tickets were sold out months ago.

Mary: No idea how Pastor Todd swung it, but he got some tickets.

Bobbie: Those tickets are like gold!

Mary: Well he has like 50 tickets, real good seats too!

Bobbie: Wow, Mary, I mean like, I would totally like to go, do you think he still would have some tickets left?

Mary: I was just talking to Pastor Todd like five minutes ago and there was still a few tickets left.

Bobbie: Listen, I am gonna phone my friend Tracy, see if she might want to go. I know she is crazy about NASCAR!

Mary: I invited this new guy from my class, he’s supposed to meet me down here to pick up his ticket. I told him he has to get here before all the tickets are gone.

Bobbie: Hold on, I’ll phone Tracy right now, she lives just down the block a bit. (dials cell phone) Hey Tracy, Bobbie here. I . . (pauses, listening) Wait, listen Tracy, (pauses, listening, tries to interrupt) I gotta tell you, Tracy, listen . . (pauses, listening, tries to interrupt) I said . . . Listen . . . I am over at the church, Pastor Todd has NASCAR tickets for this weekend and thought maybe you . . . . (pauses, listening, laughs) Well I figured you would want to go, and there’s just a few tickets left, best get over here on the run before they are all gone!
(pauses, listening)
See you in a minute then! Stop off at Pastor Todd’s office, pick up your
ticket, and pick up one for me too, then meet us here in the church gym,
we’ll wait for you.
(closes phone, says to Mary)
I think Tracy was out the door before she hung up the phone, she’ll be here
in a minute.

Mary: This is gonna be some weekend, I can hardly wait. And I am excited about bringing my friend Norm along. I don’t think Norm goes to church, so I thought this would be a good chance for him to get to know some people here in the youth group.

Bobbie: Tracy is really enjoying being part of the group.

Norm comes on stage

Mary: Here’s Norm now. Hey Norm, how are you?

Norm: Doin’ good, now what’s this about NASCAR tickets, just about my favourite sport is what!

Mary: Glad you could come Norm. Like you to meet my friend Bobbie. Bobbie this is Norm.

Bobbie: Hey Norm, isn’t this awesome, going to NASCAR?

Norm: Alright, awesome cool! So, where’s my ticket?

Mary: Norm, you’ve got to go to Pastor Todd’s office to pick up your ticket, just down the hall to your left there.

Norm: Yeh, I will wander over there in a bit.

Mary: Well don’t leave it too late, there is only a few tickets left.

Norm: It’s OK, I will go in a minute. (looks around) So, this is your church?

Bobbie: Haven’t seen you at Ebenezer Church before, Norm. I think you will like the guys in the youth group, and Pastor Todd is way cool! Wednesday night is teen drop-in. And on Sunday there is the Sunday’s Kool and everything!

Norm: Sounds good, but me and my family we don’t go to church all that much really. I mean, we are into religion and all; it’s just that like my Pop always says, guy doesn’t need to go overboard just to be religious.

Bobbie: So you are a Christian?

Norm: Oh yeh, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Shinto, Confucianism, whatever there is out there, we are for it. Like Pop says, best sign up for it all, it’s not wise to take a chance, could end up on the outside looking in.

Mary: Speaking about being on the outside looking in, Norm you had better go see Pastor Todd, get your NASCAR ticket while there are still some left. Like I told you, it’s first come first served.