Of Sheep And Shepherds
Drama
VOICES
Six Dialogues And Orders Of Service For Lent
Prelude
Introit: "Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us" verse 1
Call To Worship: Isaiah 40:11
L: He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall
gather the lambs with his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and
shall gently lead those that are with young.
P: Thanks be to God!
Hymn: "He Leadeth Me"
Call To Prayer
L: The Lord be with you.
P: And also with you.
L: Let us pray.
Prayer Of Confession (In Unison)
Good Shepherd, we confess that we, like foolish sheep, have
gone astray. All too often we have forsaken your ways. We have
listened to the voices of the world, and followed after false
shepherds like wealth and social status.
Forgive us, gracious Lord! Draw us to you. Give us the
strength to turn our backs on false shepherds. Make us truly
yours forever and ever. We pray, trusting in your steadfast love,
as our Savior taught us ... The Lord's Prayer (In Unison)
The Psalter: Psalm 23
L: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
P: The Lord makes me lie down in green pastures,
L: Leads me beside still waters, restores my life,
P: Leads me in right paths for the sake of the Lord's
name.
L: Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear
no evil;
P: For you are with me; your rod and your staff, they
comfort me.
L: You prepare a table before me in the presence of my
enemies;
P: You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.
L: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days
of my life;
P: And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord as long as
I live.
Gloria Patri
Old Testament Lesson: Isaiah 53:4-6
Anthem
Offering
Doxology
Hymn: "Jesus Calls Us"
Gospel Lesson: John 10:11-18
Witness To The Word: "Of Sheep And Shepherds"
Pastoral Prayer
Silent Prayer
Hymn: "O Jesus I Have Promised"
Benediction
Postlude
Dialogue 4
Of Sheep And Shepherds
CAST
Everyperson -- Male or female, modern dress, may be played by the
liturgist
Amos -- A shepherd of ancient Galilee, period dress
NOTES
As this dialogue begins, Everyperson stands at the pulpit as
though about to give a sermon. Amos is seated in the choir loft
or the congregation. At his first line, Amos stands and then
proceeds to the lectern. Again, it is best if Amos' first few
lines are memorized, but once he gets to the lectern, he may read
them.
This dialogue should directly follow the reading of the Gospel
Lesson, John 10:11-18.
Production time for this dialogue is approximately seven
minutes.
Everyperson: You know, the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd is
one of my favorites! It always makes me feel warm and safe. It
reminds me that God loves me, and is looking after me like a
loving father.
I'm a city girl (boy), and I don't know too much about
shepherds or sheep, except for the basics, that is. I mean I know
that shepherds look over the sheep and protect them, and I know
that sheep eat grass, are usually white or black, and that their
wool gives us nice warm clothing. Beyond that I ...
Amos: (Standing) Excuse me. I hate to interrupt, but I think that
I can help you.
Everyperson: (Surprised) Who are you?
Amos: My name is Amos. I'm a shepherd from Galilee. You won't
find me in your Bible. I wasn't fortunate enough to have known
Jesus during his earthly ministry, but I do know about sheep. I
think that I can tell you some things that might help deepen your
understanding of the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd.
Everyperson: Well, I guess it would be all right. (Amos proceeds
to the lectern.) I mean, all through the Bible, in both the Old
and the New Testaments, we are referred to as the sheep of God's
pasture. I'm sure you know a lot more about sheep and shepherds
than I do! It is true that the people of Jesus' time were more
familiar with the animals than we are today. Perhaps knowing more
about sheep will help us understand the image of the Good
Shepherd more clearly. Please Amos, tell us what you know.
Amos: Well, to begin with, sheep are among the most foolish of
creatures. They lack even the basic instinct of self
preservation. They are the ultimate followers of the animal
kingdom. Sheep will follow anything and anybody anywhere. We
shepherds have used this trait of theirs for centuries to get
them
to the butcher. You see, the sheep will follow a goat, some
people call it a "Judas Goat," right to the butcher's door
without so much as a thought of the danger that they are in!
Another example of this trait is that in a stampede, sheep
will follow their brethren right off the edge of a cliff. Even
cattle will turn away to save themselves in this situation, but
not sheep! A friend of mine lost his whole flock that way. It was
a terrible sight! One after another they plunged blindly over the
edge!
Everyperson: How horrible! Not one of them turned away?
Amos: Not one. My friend lost everything that day. It was
horrible.
Sheep are also not able to adapt to new situations. After a
snowstorm, cattle will eat snow in place of water, and scratch
through the snow to find the grass underneath it. A sheep will
stand knee deep in snow, and die of thirst. It will never even
consider eating the snow, or looking beneath it to find grass to
eat!
Everyperson: That's amazing! Can't they smell the moisture in the
snow?
Amos: I don't know whether they can't smell it or whether they're
too stubborn to try something new. I suppose that it is possible
that their noses aren't very sensitive. I know that their eyes
don't work very well. Sheep are terribly nearsighted. This makes
them easy prey to wolves and the like. They cannot see the danger
that they are in until it's too late. Shepherds have to be on
constant vigil in order to fight off animals that would kill the
members of their flocks.
Sheep's shortsightedness also means that they frequently
wander away from the safety of the fold. Looking for a lost sheep
is a common part of any shepherd's day.
Quite simply, sheep are their own worst enemies. Without a
diligent and faithful shepherd to guide and protect them,
they cannot survive! It is not unusual for a shepherd to risk his
life for the safety of his sheep.
Everyperson: Just like Jesus gave his life to save us from our
sins! I see!
Amos: Yes! Exactly! But the comparison goes much farther than
that. People are a lot like sheep in many ways. We too are
natural followers. Throughout history, men have followed blindly
after incompetent and unscrupulous leaders, sometimes to the
point of fighting wars. How many times have we been willing to
kill and to be killed for some vain or foolish cause? And on a
daily basis we are all slaves to social fads like fashion.
Sometimes it seems as though we are willing to do or to say
anything in order to be accepted by our peers, even if we know
it's wrong or dangerous.
Everyperson: That's so true! We are so concerned about wearing
the right clothes, driving the right car, even about having the
right friends! How many of us have failed to reach out to someone
who's from a different race or religion or social class because
we're afraid of ridicule? And we have all heard stories about
people who drink too much at a party in order to fit in, and then
get in an accident driving home. How many drug addicts do you
suppose first tried drugs in order to be accepted by their peers?
Amos: Yes! We also follow after worldly goals like wealth, power
and fame, not seeing the dangers that lie upon that path. All too
often we live our lives according to the world's rules, ignoring
the voice of our Good Shepherd.
Everyperson: Jesus calls us to live our lives according to his
example, but the world rejects his teachings. It's very hard for
us to ignore the pressures and the temptations of modern society
and listen to Jesus' call!
Amos: We are also like sheep when we are unable or unwilling to
adapt to new situations and new people. We condemn the faith and
the cultures of others simply because they are different from
what we are used to, instead of trying to understand and
appreciate them.
Everyperson: We look down upon people of different races and
religions instead of rejoicing in the vast variety of God's
creation,and using our differences to enrich our own
understanding of God's Word.
Amos: We reject or deny new scientific discoveries instead of
using them to expand our understanding of, and our appreciation
for the wonderful complexity of creation.
Everyperson: We stand knee deep in new ideas and inspiration,
while our minds and our faith stagnate from lack of use!
Amos: Finally, and tragically, we are too nearsighted to see the
danger that we are in. We concern ourselves with the here and
now, while we ignore the hereafter. We fret and fume over earthly
matters, laying up, as Jesus said, treasure on earth; while our
eternal coffers remain empty.
Everyperson: Thank God we have a Good Shepherd to guide, to
protect, to teach, and sometimes to prod his foolish sheep!
Amos: A loving shepherd, who did not hestate to lay down his life
for our salvation!
Everyperson: A shepherd who calls us and guides us daily in the
path to eternal life!
Amos: We know that if we heed his call, and follow his example,
we will be saved. Yet, all too often, we still behave like
willful and foolish sheep!
Everyperson: Thank God that we have a faithful and patient
shepherd in Jesus Christ our Lord!
Amos: Amen and amen!
Introit: "Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us" verse 1
Call To Worship: Isaiah 40:11
L: He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall
gather the lambs with his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and
shall gently lead those that are with young.
P: Thanks be to God!
Hymn: "He Leadeth Me"
Call To Prayer
L: The Lord be with you.
P: And also with you.
L: Let us pray.
Prayer Of Confession (In Unison)
Good Shepherd, we confess that we, like foolish sheep, have
gone astray. All too often we have forsaken your ways. We have
listened to the voices of the world, and followed after false
shepherds like wealth and social status.
Forgive us, gracious Lord! Draw us to you. Give us the
strength to turn our backs on false shepherds. Make us truly
yours forever and ever. We pray, trusting in your steadfast love,
as our Savior taught us ... The Lord's Prayer (In Unison)
The Psalter: Psalm 23
L: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
P: The Lord makes me lie down in green pastures,
L: Leads me beside still waters, restores my life,
P: Leads me in right paths for the sake of the Lord's
name.
L: Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear
no evil;
P: For you are with me; your rod and your staff, they
comfort me.
L: You prepare a table before me in the presence of my
enemies;
P: You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.
L: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days
of my life;
P: And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord as long as
I live.
Gloria Patri
Old Testament Lesson: Isaiah 53:4-6
Anthem
Offering
Doxology
Hymn: "Jesus Calls Us"
Gospel Lesson: John 10:11-18
Witness To The Word: "Of Sheep And Shepherds"
Pastoral Prayer
Silent Prayer
Hymn: "O Jesus I Have Promised"
Benediction
Postlude
Dialogue 4
Of Sheep And Shepherds
CAST
Everyperson -- Male or female, modern dress, may be played by the
liturgist
Amos -- A shepherd of ancient Galilee, period dress
NOTES
As this dialogue begins, Everyperson stands at the pulpit as
though about to give a sermon. Amos is seated in the choir loft
or the congregation. At his first line, Amos stands and then
proceeds to the lectern. Again, it is best if Amos' first few
lines are memorized, but once he gets to the lectern, he may read
them.
This dialogue should directly follow the reading of the Gospel
Lesson, John 10:11-18.
Production time for this dialogue is approximately seven
minutes.
Everyperson: You know, the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd is
one of my favorites! It always makes me feel warm and safe. It
reminds me that God loves me, and is looking after me like a
loving father.
I'm a city girl (boy), and I don't know too much about
shepherds or sheep, except for the basics, that is. I mean I know
that shepherds look over the sheep and protect them, and I know
that sheep eat grass, are usually white or black, and that their
wool gives us nice warm clothing. Beyond that I ...
Amos: (Standing) Excuse me. I hate to interrupt, but I think that
I can help you.
Everyperson: (Surprised) Who are you?
Amos: My name is Amos. I'm a shepherd from Galilee. You won't
find me in your Bible. I wasn't fortunate enough to have known
Jesus during his earthly ministry, but I do know about sheep. I
think that I can tell you some things that might help deepen your
understanding of the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd.
Everyperson: Well, I guess it would be all right. (Amos proceeds
to the lectern.) I mean, all through the Bible, in both the Old
and the New Testaments, we are referred to as the sheep of God's
pasture. I'm sure you know a lot more about sheep and shepherds
than I do! It is true that the people of Jesus' time were more
familiar with the animals than we are today. Perhaps knowing more
about sheep will help us understand the image of the Good
Shepherd more clearly. Please Amos, tell us what you know.
Amos: Well, to begin with, sheep are among the most foolish of
creatures. They lack even the basic instinct of self
preservation. They are the ultimate followers of the animal
kingdom. Sheep will follow anything and anybody anywhere. We
shepherds have used this trait of theirs for centuries to get
them
to the butcher. You see, the sheep will follow a goat, some
people call it a "Judas Goat," right to the butcher's door
without so much as a thought of the danger that they are in!
Another example of this trait is that in a stampede, sheep
will follow their brethren right off the edge of a cliff. Even
cattle will turn away to save themselves in this situation, but
not sheep! A friend of mine lost his whole flock that way. It was
a terrible sight! One after another they plunged blindly over the
edge!
Everyperson: How horrible! Not one of them turned away?
Amos: Not one. My friend lost everything that day. It was
horrible.
Sheep are also not able to adapt to new situations. After a
snowstorm, cattle will eat snow in place of water, and scratch
through the snow to find the grass underneath it. A sheep will
stand knee deep in snow, and die of thirst. It will never even
consider eating the snow, or looking beneath it to find grass to
eat!
Everyperson: That's amazing! Can't they smell the moisture in the
snow?
Amos: I don't know whether they can't smell it or whether they're
too stubborn to try something new. I suppose that it is possible
that their noses aren't very sensitive. I know that their eyes
don't work very well. Sheep are terribly nearsighted. This makes
them easy prey to wolves and the like. They cannot see the danger
that they are in until it's too late. Shepherds have to be on
constant vigil in order to fight off animals that would kill the
members of their flocks.
Sheep's shortsightedness also means that they frequently
wander away from the safety of the fold. Looking for a lost sheep
is a common part of any shepherd's day.
Quite simply, sheep are their own worst enemies. Without a
diligent and faithful shepherd to guide and protect them,
they cannot survive! It is not unusual for a shepherd to risk his
life for the safety of his sheep.
Everyperson: Just like Jesus gave his life to save us from our
sins! I see!
Amos: Yes! Exactly! But the comparison goes much farther than
that. People are a lot like sheep in many ways. We too are
natural followers. Throughout history, men have followed blindly
after incompetent and unscrupulous leaders, sometimes to the
point of fighting wars. How many times have we been willing to
kill and to be killed for some vain or foolish cause? And on a
daily basis we are all slaves to social fads like fashion.
Sometimes it seems as though we are willing to do or to say
anything in order to be accepted by our peers, even if we know
it's wrong or dangerous.
Everyperson: That's so true! We are so concerned about wearing
the right clothes, driving the right car, even about having the
right friends! How many of us have failed to reach out to someone
who's from a different race or religion or social class because
we're afraid of ridicule? And we have all heard stories about
people who drink too much at a party in order to fit in, and then
get in an accident driving home. How many drug addicts do you
suppose first tried drugs in order to be accepted by their peers?
Amos: Yes! We also follow after worldly goals like wealth, power
and fame, not seeing the dangers that lie upon that path. All too
often we live our lives according to the world's rules, ignoring
the voice of our Good Shepherd.
Everyperson: Jesus calls us to live our lives according to his
example, but the world rejects his teachings. It's very hard for
us to ignore the pressures and the temptations of modern society
and listen to Jesus' call!
Amos: We are also like sheep when we are unable or unwilling to
adapt to new situations and new people. We condemn the faith and
the cultures of others simply because they are different from
what we are used to, instead of trying to understand and
appreciate them.
Everyperson: We look down upon people of different races and
religions instead of rejoicing in the vast variety of God's
creation,and using our differences to enrich our own
understanding of God's Word.
Amos: We reject or deny new scientific discoveries instead of
using them to expand our understanding of, and our appreciation
for the wonderful complexity of creation.
Everyperson: We stand knee deep in new ideas and inspiration,
while our minds and our faith stagnate from lack of use!
Amos: Finally, and tragically, we are too nearsighted to see the
danger that we are in. We concern ourselves with the here and
now, while we ignore the hereafter. We fret and fume over earthly
matters, laying up, as Jesus said, treasure on earth; while our
eternal coffers remain empty.
Everyperson: Thank God we have a Good Shepherd to guide, to
protect, to teach, and sometimes to prod his foolish sheep!
Amos: A loving shepherd, who did not hestate to lay down his life
for our salvation!
Everyperson: A shepherd who calls us and guides us daily in the
path to eternal life!
Amos: We know that if we heed his call, and follow his example,
we will be saved. Yet, all too often, we still behave like
willful and foolish sheep!
Everyperson: Thank God that we have a faithful and patient
shepherd in Jesus Christ our Lord!
Amos: Amen and amen!
