Temptation
Drama
Lectionary Scenes
56 Vignettes For Cycle C
Theme
The evil one always is ready to tempt the Christian just as Jesus was tempted.
Summary
A modern retelling of the temptation of Christ.
Playing Time
4 minutes
Setting
A lonely place
Props
A knapsack with bread and wine
Costumes
Hiking clothes
Time
The present
Cast
GUY
ANGELA
ANGELA: (CARRYING A KNAPSACK. SEES GUY) Hi there. This is kind of a lonely place, isn't it?
GUY: It suits me. I'm kind of a lonely guy.
ANGELA: Oh, that sounds disturbing.
GUY: Well, it shouldn't. I mean, I didn't mean it to be. I guess I'm just lonely out here. That's all.
ANGELA: Been out here awhile, then?
GUY: I've lost track of time, really. Yes, quite a while.
ANGELA: Have you lost track of where you are, too?
GUY: It doesn't really matter. I'm supposed to be here, I know that. I came here to get away from people. I thought it would be great to get away from everyone, and it was for a while, but now, I really miss some of my friends.
ANGELA: Well, now, I'm here. You can talk to me.
GUY: Yes, it will be nice to talk to someone. By the way, what brings you out here? I don't imagine it's a normal place for you, out here miles from civilization.
ANGELA: (EXTRACTING BREAD AND WINE FROM HER KNAPSACK) I had to get away from the rat race, too, you know. Hey, are you hungry? You want something to eat? We could share my lunch. I packed some bread and wine. There's enough for both of us. I'm glad I found you. I was getting lonely, too. Do you want some?
GUY: No, thanks.
ANGELA: Got your own, eh? Well, we can share the time. Get your lunch out and we'll eat together.
GUY: I don't have any.
ANGELA: You don't have any food? Why not?
GUY: I'm going without food.
ANGELA: You're not eating food? I don't understand.
GUY: It's just something I have to do.
ANGELA: Why?
GUY: I'm doing this because I feel God told me to.
ANGELA: Oh. I see. I think that's great. I admire you for that. I've been on several fasts, myself. It really helps me to concentrate on spiritual things. I thought you might be a spiritual type. I can always tell. Well, I suppose I shouldn't be eating in front of you. My mother would say it was bad manners.
GUY: No, it's all right, really. I don't mind. Go right ahead.
ANGELA: All right. I was getting pretty stressed. I've got a lot of worries right now. I just had to take a hike and be by myself for a while. Are you sure you don't want something?
GUY: No, I'm fine, really.
ANGELA: I've got plenty.
GUY: You were saying you were pretty stressed.
ANGELA: Well, it's my mother and father. I take care of them and it just gets to me sometimes.
GUY: I can understand that. Do you have any brothers or sisters who could help you out once in a while?
ANGELA: No. I'm an only child.
GUY: That is difficult. What are you going to do?
ANGELA: Just keep going as I have, I guess. There's not much else I can do. But, that's enough about me. What about you? It must be something pretty weighty on your mind to bring you out here and for you to give up food, for how long?
GUY: I don't really know. I lost track of the days.
ANGELA: Oh, yeah, that's right. Well, what's your problem?
GUY: Me, oh, just the weight of the whole world, that's all.
ANGELA: You have some strong shoulders.
GUY: Not that strong. I'm out here to be strengthened.
ANGELA: Strengthened, you say.
GUY: God will strengthen me.
ANGELA: I know what you mean. Sure you won't have some wine? That'll strengthen you, too.
GUY: No.
ANGELA: It's really good.
GUY: No.
ANGELA: You need the strength. You said so yourself. It will help you make it through the rest of the fast.
GUY: Do you know what I've learned?
ANGELA: No, what?
GUY: I've learned that there's more to living than eating and drinking.
ANGELA: Of course. I know that.
GUY: I've learned that God will provide everything we need if we let Him.
ANGELA: Of course, He will, but you need some refreshment now.
GUY: I'll wait.
ANGELA: Great. I can understand that. Are you a minister?
GUY: I'm an evangelist.
ANGELA: Do you have a television show yet?
GUY: No.
I don't. I'm not really interested in that. I just want to work with the street people -- to bring them to God.
ANGELA: I knew there was some reason I bumped into you. I just happen to be working for a telemarketing firm that can contact thousands of people for you and your ministry. It's wonderful. Your name could be big in no time. All you need is to let us use your name and you would get 95 percent of the return from the campaign.
GUY: I'd rather trust God to guide me.
ANGELA: Of course. We expect you to depend on God, but telemarketing is the way to get His message to more people in a week than you can contact on the street in a year. Now, you want to get to as many people as possible, right? You said you had the weight of the whole world on your shoulders.
GUY: But I must do it God's way. He will give me the ministry he wants to. I must wait on Him.
ANGELA: No, you don't want to wait. You want to be as effective as possible, now.
GUY: I will only be effective as long as I do what God tells me to do.
ANGELA: But, I don't think you understand.
GUY: No. I'm not interested.
ANGELA: Right. I can accept that. It's not for you at this time. But, listen, do you know what? I'm just thinking about starting my own business on the side and I think I could help you. I have a lot of experience with public relations and what you need is some good publicity. If you could do some spectacular preaching on some hot topic, let's say, the homeless, I bet you have a definite opinion on that, if you can speak out on that issue and call for a protest so we could get some television coverage, I can guarantee you some guest shots on the best talk shows. I could make you a household name in a month.
GUY:
No. I'm supposed to work with the street people.
ANGELA: I know that. But, look, if you can make a name for yourself then you can have some clout to help the street people. When people get to know you then the officials will listen to you when you need some government assistance for your ministry.
GUY: Don't try that on me. I belong to God.
ANGELA: Hey, I'm just trying to help you. Everyone needs a helping hand.
GUY: Yes, from God.
ANGELA: I'm a Christian, too, you know.
GUY: Yes, I thought you would say that.
ANGELA: Well, what do you say?
GUY: I say, I want to be alone now.
ANGELA: I thought you'd had enough of being alone.
GUY: I thought I had, too. Now, I find I've had enough of you.
ANGELA: Well, you don't have to get nasty.
GUY: I don't mean to be nasty, just firm. I want to be left alone, now.
ANGELA: Great. I can do that. Boy, what kind of a Christian are you?
GUY: What kind are you?
ANGELA: I'll see you later.
GUY: Yeah, right.
The evil one always is ready to tempt the Christian just as Jesus was tempted.
Summary
A modern retelling of the temptation of Christ.
Playing Time
4 minutes
Setting
A lonely place
Props
A knapsack with bread and wine
Costumes
Hiking clothes
Time
The present
Cast
GUY
ANGELA
ANGELA: (CARRYING A KNAPSACK. SEES GUY) Hi there. This is kind of a lonely place, isn't it?
GUY: It suits me. I'm kind of a lonely guy.
ANGELA: Oh, that sounds disturbing.
GUY: Well, it shouldn't. I mean, I didn't mean it to be. I guess I'm just lonely out here. That's all.
ANGELA: Been out here awhile, then?
GUY: I've lost track of time, really. Yes, quite a while.
ANGELA: Have you lost track of where you are, too?
GUY: It doesn't really matter. I'm supposed to be here, I know that. I came here to get away from people. I thought it would be great to get away from everyone, and it was for a while, but now, I really miss some of my friends.
ANGELA: Well, now, I'm here. You can talk to me.
GUY: Yes, it will be nice to talk to someone. By the way, what brings you out here? I don't imagine it's a normal place for you, out here miles from civilization.
ANGELA: (EXTRACTING BREAD AND WINE FROM HER KNAPSACK) I had to get away from the rat race, too, you know. Hey, are you hungry? You want something to eat? We could share my lunch. I packed some bread and wine. There's enough for both of us. I'm glad I found you. I was getting lonely, too. Do you want some?
GUY: No, thanks.
ANGELA: Got your own, eh? Well, we can share the time. Get your lunch out and we'll eat together.
GUY: I don't have any.
ANGELA: You don't have any food? Why not?
GUY: I'm going without food.
ANGELA: You're not eating food? I don't understand.
GUY: It's just something I have to do.
ANGELA: Why?
GUY: I'm doing this because I feel God told me to.
ANGELA: Oh. I see. I think that's great. I admire you for that. I've been on several fasts, myself. It really helps me to concentrate on spiritual things. I thought you might be a spiritual type. I can always tell. Well, I suppose I shouldn't be eating in front of you. My mother would say it was bad manners.
GUY: No, it's all right, really. I don't mind. Go right ahead.
ANGELA: All right. I was getting pretty stressed. I've got a lot of worries right now. I just had to take a hike and be by myself for a while. Are you sure you don't want something?
GUY: No, I'm fine, really.
ANGELA: I've got plenty.
GUY: You were saying you were pretty stressed.
ANGELA: Well, it's my mother and father. I take care of them and it just gets to me sometimes.
GUY: I can understand that. Do you have any brothers or sisters who could help you out once in a while?
ANGELA: No. I'm an only child.
GUY: That is difficult. What are you going to do?
ANGELA: Just keep going as I have, I guess. There's not much else I can do. But, that's enough about me. What about you? It must be something pretty weighty on your mind to bring you out here and for you to give up food, for how long?
GUY: I don't really know. I lost track of the days.
ANGELA: Oh, yeah, that's right. Well, what's your problem?
GUY: Me, oh, just the weight of the whole world, that's all.
ANGELA: You have some strong shoulders.
GUY: Not that strong. I'm out here to be strengthened.
ANGELA: Strengthened, you say.
GUY: God will strengthen me.
ANGELA: I know what you mean. Sure you won't have some wine? That'll strengthen you, too.
GUY: No.
ANGELA: It's really good.
GUY: No.
ANGELA: You need the strength. You said so yourself. It will help you make it through the rest of the fast.
GUY: Do you know what I've learned?
ANGELA: No, what?
GUY: I've learned that there's more to living than eating and drinking.
ANGELA: Of course. I know that.
GUY: I've learned that God will provide everything we need if we let Him.
ANGELA: Of course, He will, but you need some refreshment now.
GUY: I'll wait.
ANGELA: Great. I can understand that. Are you a minister?
GUY: I'm an evangelist.
ANGELA: Do you have a television show yet?
GUY: No.
I don't. I'm not really interested in that. I just want to work with the street people -- to bring them to God.
ANGELA: I knew there was some reason I bumped into you. I just happen to be working for a telemarketing firm that can contact thousands of people for you and your ministry. It's wonderful. Your name could be big in no time. All you need is to let us use your name and you would get 95 percent of the return from the campaign.
GUY: I'd rather trust God to guide me.
ANGELA: Of course. We expect you to depend on God, but telemarketing is the way to get His message to more people in a week than you can contact on the street in a year. Now, you want to get to as many people as possible, right? You said you had the weight of the whole world on your shoulders.
GUY: But I must do it God's way. He will give me the ministry he wants to. I must wait on Him.
ANGELA: No, you don't want to wait. You want to be as effective as possible, now.
GUY: I will only be effective as long as I do what God tells me to do.
ANGELA: But, I don't think you understand.
GUY: No. I'm not interested.
ANGELA: Right. I can accept that. It's not for you at this time. But, listen, do you know what? I'm just thinking about starting my own business on the side and I think I could help you. I have a lot of experience with public relations and what you need is some good publicity. If you could do some spectacular preaching on some hot topic, let's say, the homeless, I bet you have a definite opinion on that, if you can speak out on that issue and call for a protest so we could get some television coverage, I can guarantee you some guest shots on the best talk shows. I could make you a household name in a month.
GUY:
No. I'm supposed to work with the street people.
ANGELA: I know that. But, look, if you can make a name for yourself then you can have some clout to help the street people. When people get to know you then the officials will listen to you when you need some government assistance for your ministry.
GUY: Don't try that on me. I belong to God.
ANGELA: Hey, I'm just trying to help you. Everyone needs a helping hand.
GUY: Yes, from God.
ANGELA: I'm a Christian, too, you know.
GUY: Yes, I thought you would say that.
ANGELA: Well, what do you say?
GUY: I say, I want to be alone now.
ANGELA: I thought you'd had enough of being alone.
GUY: I thought I had, too. Now, I find I've had enough of you.
ANGELA: Well, you don't have to get nasty.
GUY: I don't mean to be nasty, just firm. I want to be left alone, now.
ANGELA: Great. I can do that. Boy, what kind of a Christian are you?
GUY: What kind are you?
ANGELA: I'll see you later.
GUY: Yeah, right.
