Clear The Way!
Drama
SUNDAY MORNING READERS' THEATER
Cast: JOHN the BAPTIST, USHER, FIRST CHURCH OFFICIAL, SECOND CHURCH OFFICIAL
Length:
6 minutes
There are three stools placed at the front of the sanctuary. JOHN the BAPTIST, wearing clothing made of camel's hair or animal skins with a leather belt around his waist, his hair wild and unruly, comes into the sanctuary through the back door. His first speech should be memorized and his script could be waiting for him on his stool. The USHER must also memorize his few lines.
JOHN: (In a loud voice) Prepare the way of the Lord! Make straight his path! Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!
He comes down the center aisle toward the front, repeating these lines as often as necessary, and takes his seat on the center stool. An USHER hurries after him.
USHER: Wait! Sir!
JOHN: (To the audience, with great authority and power) I have come here today to preach repentance from sins.
USHER: Wait! Sir! You can't sit there. There's a service going on.
JOHN: (Ignoring him and pointing at various people in the audience) Do you repent? Do you? Repent and be baptized and your sins will be washed away.
The FIRST OFFICIAL comes in from the side and takes his stool.
USHER: (To JOHN) Sir! I must ask you to leave. You're being disruptive.
FIRST OFFICIAL: (To USHER) Never mind! I'll handle this.
The USHER walks back up the aisle.
JOHN: (To audience) Repent! Before it is too late!
FIRST: Now, listen! I want you to stop this immediately! What is your authority here? Who are you, anyway?
JOHN: (Wildly) I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness. I have come so that the prophecies may be fulfilled.
FIRST: Which prophecies?
JOHN: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God. (Pause, reasonably) That prophecy.
During this speech the SECOND CHURCH OFFICIAL has entered and taken his seat.
FIRST: Are you the Messiah, the Christ, that we have been waiting for?
JOHN: No, I am not the Christ.
SECOND:
Are you Elijah, who was to come before the end times?
JOHN: No, I am not Elijah.
FIRST: Are you Moses, the great prophet?
JOHN: No, I am not the Prophet.
SECOND:
Well, then who are you? Give us an answer to give to these people. (Indicating the audience) What do you have to say about yourself?
JOHN: I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, "Prepare the way of the Lord!"
The CHURCH OFFICIALS nod to each other and step away from their stools a little way to confer in whispers. JOHN sits smiling out at the audience in an off-duty way. The OFFICIALS return.
FIRST: Then why do you say you can baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet? Who are you to think you can remove sins?
JOHN: I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.
FIRST: (To SECOND) What shall we do with this crazy person? Do you understand any of what he's saying?
SECOND:
He thinks he's been sent by God to tell us about our sins. I'm not sure I like that idea.
FIRST: Let's humor him and maybe he'll go away.
SECOND:
Humor him? What do you mean?
FIRST: We'll do whatever he asks. Then he'll be happy and leave us alone. That's what you're supposed to do with crazy people.
SECOND:
Really? Well, it can't hurt. And we have to make some kind of a good showing in front of our congregation. (To JOHN) All right. We've decided to give you a chance. We're ready to repent. Baptize us. (Winks at the audience)
JOHN: (Turning on them furiously) You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, "Our parents were Christians and they raised us to be Christians so we're already saved." If God simply wanted bodies to fill up the house of worship, he could have made the stones in the ground into believers. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire!
SECOND:
(To FIRST) Whew! I think he really means it. Maybe we'd better not fool around any more.
FIRST: We're sorry, John. We weren't taking you seriously, but we are now. What must we do to be saved?
JOHN: You must truly repent and act properly toward one another. Whoever has two coins must share with anyone who has none, and whoever has food must do likewise. Do not cheat in business and be content with the life God has made for you.
SECOND:
We will, John. We will!
JOHN: Good! And the most important thing of all: Be ready to receive him when he comes. (To the audience) The Lord is coming! (He starts up the aisle) The Lord is coming! Prepare your hearts to receive him! Make yourselves ready. He is coming! Soon!
He leaves through the rear of the hall. The CHURCH OFFICIALS bow to him and the audience and leave as they came.
Length:
6 minutes
There are three stools placed at the front of the sanctuary. JOHN the BAPTIST, wearing clothing made of camel's hair or animal skins with a leather belt around his waist, his hair wild and unruly, comes into the sanctuary through the back door. His first speech should be memorized and his script could be waiting for him on his stool. The USHER must also memorize his few lines.
JOHN: (In a loud voice) Prepare the way of the Lord! Make straight his path! Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!
He comes down the center aisle toward the front, repeating these lines as often as necessary, and takes his seat on the center stool. An USHER hurries after him.
USHER: Wait! Sir!
JOHN: (To the audience, with great authority and power) I have come here today to preach repentance from sins.
USHER: Wait! Sir! You can't sit there. There's a service going on.
JOHN: (Ignoring him and pointing at various people in the audience) Do you repent? Do you? Repent and be baptized and your sins will be washed away.
The FIRST OFFICIAL comes in from the side and takes his stool.
USHER: (To JOHN) Sir! I must ask you to leave. You're being disruptive.
FIRST OFFICIAL: (To USHER) Never mind! I'll handle this.
The USHER walks back up the aisle.
JOHN: (To audience) Repent! Before it is too late!
FIRST: Now, listen! I want you to stop this immediately! What is your authority here? Who are you, anyway?
JOHN: (Wildly) I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness. I have come so that the prophecies may be fulfilled.
FIRST: Which prophecies?
JOHN: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God. (Pause, reasonably) That prophecy.
During this speech the SECOND CHURCH OFFICIAL has entered and taken his seat.
FIRST: Are you the Messiah, the Christ, that we have been waiting for?
JOHN: No, I am not the Christ.
SECOND:
Are you Elijah, who was to come before the end times?
JOHN: No, I am not Elijah.
FIRST: Are you Moses, the great prophet?
JOHN: No, I am not the Prophet.
SECOND:
Well, then who are you? Give us an answer to give to these people. (Indicating the audience) What do you have to say about yourself?
JOHN: I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, "Prepare the way of the Lord!"
The CHURCH OFFICIALS nod to each other and step away from their stools a little way to confer in whispers. JOHN sits smiling out at the audience in an off-duty way. The OFFICIALS return.
FIRST: Then why do you say you can baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet? Who are you to think you can remove sins?
JOHN: I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.
FIRST: (To SECOND) What shall we do with this crazy person? Do you understand any of what he's saying?
SECOND:
He thinks he's been sent by God to tell us about our sins. I'm not sure I like that idea.
FIRST: Let's humor him and maybe he'll go away.
SECOND:
Humor him? What do you mean?
FIRST: We'll do whatever he asks. Then he'll be happy and leave us alone. That's what you're supposed to do with crazy people.
SECOND:
Really? Well, it can't hurt. And we have to make some kind of a good showing in front of our congregation. (To JOHN) All right. We've decided to give you a chance. We're ready to repent. Baptize us. (Winks at the audience)
JOHN: (Turning on them furiously) You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, "Our parents were Christians and they raised us to be Christians so we're already saved." If God simply wanted bodies to fill up the house of worship, he could have made the stones in the ground into believers. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire!
SECOND:
(To FIRST) Whew! I think he really means it. Maybe we'd better not fool around any more.
FIRST: We're sorry, John. We weren't taking you seriously, but we are now. What must we do to be saved?
JOHN: You must truly repent and act properly toward one another. Whoever has two coins must share with anyone who has none, and whoever has food must do likewise. Do not cheat in business and be content with the life God has made for you.
SECOND:
We will, John. We will!
JOHN: Good! And the most important thing of all: Be ready to receive him when he comes. (To the audience) The Lord is coming! (He starts up the aisle) The Lord is coming! Prepare your hearts to receive him! Make yourselves ready. He is coming! Soon!
He leaves through the rear of the hall. The CHURCH OFFICIALS bow to him and the audience and leave as they came.
