About 5 minutes, from Matthew 3
Participants (No need to memorize lines; the aim is simply to relive sacred events, not to perform)
- John the Baptist
- Voice (of Jesus)
- Pharisee Prompter Shout a brief line, and Echoes repeat it. Echoes
- Children and all adults who want to take part. Echoes need no script.
John the Baptist | I am John the Baptizer. The prophet Isaiah foretold what I would do way out here by the Jordan River: I am “The voice crying in the desert.” |
Prompter & Echoes | Prepare the way of the Lord! |
Pharisee | What is going on? We Pharisees had better find out. That fanatic out at the Jordan River is attracting huge crowds. |
John the Baptist | Oh, look! Many are coming from Jerusalem and Judea. They want to confess their sins and have me baptize them. Oh, Oh! Here come those religious Pharisees and Sadducees. There’ll be trouble! They’re not coming for the right reason. |
Pharisee | We Pharisees came for you to baptize us, John, because we live holy lives. |
John the Baptist | Listen, you must repent first. Turn from your sins, because the kingdom of heaven is at hand. |
Pharisee | Who are you to tell us Pharisees to repent? What kind of a prophet are you? Look at you! Wearing camel’s skins, and living like a wild man, eating grasshoppers and wild honey! |
John the Baptist | You vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? If you want me to baptize you, bear fruit that shows your repentance. |
Pharisee | We have no need to repent, John. Abraham is our father! |
Prompter & Echoes | Blessed Father Abraham! |
John the Baptist | God can raise up children of Abraham from these stones! The axe is applied to the trees; those that bear no fruit are cut down and thrown into the fire. |
Pharisee | Are you threatening us? Just what do you mean? |
John the Baptist | I baptize with water to show repentance, but He who comes after me is greater than I. I am not fit to untie His sandals; He’ll baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire! |
Prompter & Echoes | What kind of fire? |
John | The Messiah is holding His winnowing fan; He will blow the worthless chaff from the wheat on His threshing floor; and gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with fire that you cannot put out. |
Pharisee | Just who is this Messiah that will do all this? You, John? |
Prompter & Echoes | Turn around and see who is coming. Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! |
Prompter & Echoes | Lamb of God! |
Pharisee | What is all this about? Why do you call that man the Lamb of God? |
John the Baptist | Listen to Him. |
Voice | I have come to you, John, for you to baptize me. |
John the Baptist | Lord! This is backwards! My baptism is for bad people who confess their wrongs and repent. You are righteous. I need to be baptized by You! Why do You come to me? |
Voice | Permit it for now; it is fitting for us, in order to fulfill all that is right. |
John the Baptist | I do as Jesus said. I baptize Him. When He comes up out of the water, the heavens open! (Look up) Oh! The Spirit of God is descending on Him like a dove! I hear a voice from heaven. Listen! It announces, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” |
Prompter & Echoes | Son of God! |