Walter And Francesca
Drama
Thespian Theology
Lent/Easter
Thespian Theological Thoughts
Grace. It can be a tough concept for us. "God's Riches At Christ's Expense"Êis a nice acronym, but what does it really mean?
In his book Wishful Thinking, Frederick Buechner says:
Grace is something you can never get but can only be given. There is no way to earn it or deserve it or bring it about any more than you can deserve the taste of raspberries and cream or earn good looks or bring about your own birth.... A crucial eccentricity of the Christian faith is the assertion that people are saved by grace. There's nothing you have to do ...
There's only one catch. Like any other gift, the gift of grace can be yours only if you'll reach out and take it. Maybe being able to reach out and take it is a gift, too.
Cast
Narrator
Walter
Francesca
Poor
Oppressed
Props/Costumes
Poor -- double-sided sign: Poor/Jesus
Oppressed -- double-sided sign: Oppressed/Jesus
(Narrator is at podium, stage left)
Narrator: Once-upon-a-time, a long time ago, an amazing thing happened in the town of Tiberias, on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. An itinerant Preacher-and-Carpenter from Nazareth took five small barley loaves and two little fish, and he fed 5,000 people! That's a lot of McFish McSandwiches from five loaves and two fish! (Walter and Francesca enter stage left and move slowly stage right)
It is now a few hours after the McFish Miracle, and two of the 5,000 are walking home together. It sounds as if they are having a little theological disagreement. (Walter and Francesca stop center stage, and pantomime an argument)
Let me introduce our two theologians here. First we have Walter Works. (Walter takes a bow and resumes pantomime arguing) Walter is a righteous man, and he works very hard to please God and man. Walter takes it very seriously when Jesus says: (Walter mouths the words as Narrator speaks them) "Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me."
On the other side of the issue, we have Francesca Faith. (Francesca takes a bow, and resumes pantomime arguing) Francesca believes that Jesus set her free, because Jesus said, (Francesca mouths the words as Narrator speaks them) "You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." Francesca knows that she is free ... but for her, that means she is free to do whatever she feels like doing.
Walter: (To audience) Which is nothing, most of the time! (To Francesca) Fer-Pete's-sake, Francesca, Jesus didn't set you free to sit back and do nothing!
Francesca: Well, I know one thing for sure: Jesus wouldn't love me any more if I spent all my time running around doing good deeds like Goody-Two-Shoes!
Walter: Goody-Two-Shoes, huh? Well, if I'm Goody-Two-Shoes, you are Linda Lazy Lout, I'll tell you that!
(Walter and Francesca make faces at each other. Walter exits stage right; Francesca exits stage left)
Narrator: Hmmm, it seems that these two have a serious theological controversy goin' on here! Which of them has got it right, I wonder. Let's see if some life experiences would be informative for these two amateur theologians. (Walter enters stage right) Here comes Walter, fresh from his good works amongst the poor and oppressed.
(Poor enters stage left, wearing a sign: "Poor." Oppressed enters stage right, wearing a sign: "Oppressed")
Poor: Thank you, Walter, for feeding and clothing us. You're the greatest!
Walter: Aw, shucks, 'tweren't nothin'!
Oppressed: Thank you, Walter, for opening a homeless shelter for us so we can have a place to sleep. You're the best!
Walter: Aw, shucks, 'tweren't nothin'!
Poor: Walter, I have two questions for you: Are you a Christian, and did Jesus save you?
Walter: Uh-huh ... and uh-huh.
Oppressed: Well, then, Walter, did Jesus save you because you do all these good things for us poor and oppressed folks?
Walter: Uh-huh.
Oppressed: (To Poor) Gee, I don't think I want to be a Christian, do you?
Poor: Not really.
Walter: But why not, fer-Pete's-sake?
Oppressed: Because there's no way we can measure up to a standard like that, Walter. I mean, if your God only loves me and saves me because I do my daily good deeds, I don't think I want to have anything to do with him. (Exits stage right with Poor)
Walter: But, but, but ... (Walter follows them, exits stage right)
(Francesca enters stage left)
Narrator: And now, here comes Francesca, on her way home from another Bible study.
(Poor and Oppressed enter stage right)
Poor: Hey, lady, can you spare a buck for a cup of coffee?
Oppressed: I don't have any place to stay tonight, lady. Can you help me?
Francesca: God bless you, my brothers. Go in peace; be warmed and be filled. (Exits stage left)
Poor/Oppressed: (Together, toward audience) That is a Christian? (Exit together, stage left)
(Francesca enters stage left; Walter enters stage right)
Narrator: So ... you two were part of the 5,000 folks Jesus fed today, huh? Did you get anything more than a McFish McSandwich out of it?
Walter/Francesca: (Together) Say what?
Narrator: Do you understand about faith and works?
Francesca: I understand that my faith is what saved me, and that's all I need to know!
Walter: I understand that faith without works is dead, so I'm just gonna keep on keepin' on!
(Poor and Oppressed enter stage left)
Poor/Oppressed: (Together) You guys don't get it, do you?
Walter/Francesca: (Together) And who might you be?
Poor/Oppressed: (Together) We be Jesus! (Flip their signs to reveal "Jesus" side)
Walter/Francesca: (Together) Say what?
Poor: We are Jesus. "Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me."
Walter: Aha! See, I told ya so, Linda Lazy Lout. My "Goody-Two-Shoes" works are what makes me right with Jesus.
Oppressed: (Makes a "phbtt!" noise) Wrong!
Walter: Huh? Whattaya mean?
Oppressed: Walter, it's not your good works that make you right with me. It's faith!
Francesca: (Punches Walter in the chest) See, dummy, I told ya so! It's my faith that saves me, Goody!
Poor: And where did that faith come from, Francesca?
Francesca: Why, it came from me. I made the decision to ask Jesus into my heart when he fed me, and my decision saved me!
Poor: (Makes a "phbtt" noise) Wrong!
Francesca: Huh? Whattaya mean?
Poor: Francesca, your decision didn't save you. God, in Jesus Christ, is the One who saved you. Your saving faith is a gift from God, and you have no reason to boast about it.
Walter: (Sticks his tongue out at Francesca) Neener-neener-neener!
Narrator: Man, oh man! You two just never learn, do you?
Walter/Francesca: (Together) Huh?
Narrator: Walter (Walter moves to center stage), while it is true that "faith without works is dead" it is not your works that put you right with God. It is God's grace. His action in human history is what saves you ... so you can't boast of anything.
Walter: Oh.
Narrator: In fact, when you receive praise for your good works, you need to give credit where credit is due.
Walter: Huh?
Narrator: "Aw-shucks-'tweren't-nothin' " just doesn't cut it, Walter. You need to acknowledge that Jesus is the source of all the good in you. In that way, others will be drawn to the Lord. Okay?
Walter: Okay, I'll try.
Narrator: That's all he asks. Now, Francesca (Francesca moves to center stage, next to Walter), while it is true that you are saved by grace through faith (Francesca smiles) it is also true that faith without works is dead. (Francesca frowns)
Francesca: Oh.
Narrator: You see, Walter's works don't save him -- but they are his natural response to God's saving grace. "For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life."
Francesca: Oh, I see.
(Walter turns to exit stage left; Francesca turns to exit stage right)
Narrator: Wait a minute, you two!
Walter/Francesca: Huh?
Narrator: One last thing: Stop judging each other, and recognize that you are, both of you, sinners redeemed by grace.
(Walter and Francesca turn back to each other; they look at each other, and then they hug)
Walter/Francesca: Okay, Lord, we're trying!
Poor/Oppressed: You sure are -- very trying! But I love you anyway.
Grace. It can be a tough concept for us. "God's Riches At Christ's Expense"Êis a nice acronym, but what does it really mean?
In his book Wishful Thinking, Frederick Buechner says:
Grace is something you can never get but can only be given. There is no way to earn it or deserve it or bring it about any more than you can deserve the taste of raspberries and cream or earn good looks or bring about your own birth.... A crucial eccentricity of the Christian faith is the assertion that people are saved by grace. There's nothing you have to do ...
There's only one catch. Like any other gift, the gift of grace can be yours only if you'll reach out and take it. Maybe being able to reach out and take it is a gift, too.
Cast
Narrator
Walter
Francesca
Poor
Oppressed
Props/Costumes
Poor -- double-sided sign: Poor/Jesus
Oppressed -- double-sided sign: Oppressed/Jesus
(Narrator is at podium, stage left)
Narrator: Once-upon-a-time, a long time ago, an amazing thing happened in the town of Tiberias, on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. An itinerant Preacher-and-Carpenter from Nazareth took five small barley loaves and two little fish, and he fed 5,000 people! That's a lot of McFish McSandwiches from five loaves and two fish! (Walter and Francesca enter stage left and move slowly stage right)
It is now a few hours after the McFish Miracle, and two of the 5,000 are walking home together. It sounds as if they are having a little theological disagreement. (Walter and Francesca stop center stage, and pantomime an argument)
Let me introduce our two theologians here. First we have Walter Works. (Walter takes a bow and resumes pantomime arguing) Walter is a righteous man, and he works very hard to please God and man. Walter takes it very seriously when Jesus says: (Walter mouths the words as Narrator speaks them) "Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me."
On the other side of the issue, we have Francesca Faith. (Francesca takes a bow, and resumes pantomime arguing) Francesca believes that Jesus set her free, because Jesus said, (Francesca mouths the words as Narrator speaks them) "You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." Francesca knows that she is free ... but for her, that means she is free to do whatever she feels like doing.
Walter: (To audience) Which is nothing, most of the time! (To Francesca) Fer-Pete's-sake, Francesca, Jesus didn't set you free to sit back and do nothing!
Francesca: Well, I know one thing for sure: Jesus wouldn't love me any more if I spent all my time running around doing good deeds like Goody-Two-Shoes!
Walter: Goody-Two-Shoes, huh? Well, if I'm Goody-Two-Shoes, you are Linda Lazy Lout, I'll tell you that!
(Walter and Francesca make faces at each other. Walter exits stage right; Francesca exits stage left)
Narrator: Hmmm, it seems that these two have a serious theological controversy goin' on here! Which of them has got it right, I wonder. Let's see if some life experiences would be informative for these two amateur theologians. (Walter enters stage right) Here comes Walter, fresh from his good works amongst the poor and oppressed.
(Poor enters stage left, wearing a sign: "Poor." Oppressed enters stage right, wearing a sign: "Oppressed")
Poor: Thank you, Walter, for feeding and clothing us. You're the greatest!
Walter: Aw, shucks, 'tweren't nothin'!
Oppressed: Thank you, Walter, for opening a homeless shelter for us so we can have a place to sleep. You're the best!
Walter: Aw, shucks, 'tweren't nothin'!
Poor: Walter, I have two questions for you: Are you a Christian, and did Jesus save you?
Walter: Uh-huh ... and uh-huh.
Oppressed: Well, then, Walter, did Jesus save you because you do all these good things for us poor and oppressed folks?
Walter: Uh-huh.
Oppressed: (To Poor) Gee, I don't think I want to be a Christian, do you?
Poor: Not really.
Walter: But why not, fer-Pete's-sake?
Oppressed: Because there's no way we can measure up to a standard like that, Walter. I mean, if your God only loves me and saves me because I do my daily good deeds, I don't think I want to have anything to do with him. (Exits stage right with Poor)
Walter: But, but, but ... (Walter follows them, exits stage right)
(Francesca enters stage left)
Narrator: And now, here comes Francesca, on her way home from another Bible study.
(Poor and Oppressed enter stage right)
Poor: Hey, lady, can you spare a buck for a cup of coffee?
Oppressed: I don't have any place to stay tonight, lady. Can you help me?
Francesca: God bless you, my brothers. Go in peace; be warmed and be filled. (Exits stage left)
Poor/Oppressed: (Together, toward audience) That is a Christian? (Exit together, stage left)
(Francesca enters stage left; Walter enters stage right)
Narrator: So ... you two were part of the 5,000 folks Jesus fed today, huh? Did you get anything more than a McFish McSandwich out of it?
Walter/Francesca: (Together) Say what?
Narrator: Do you understand about faith and works?
Francesca: I understand that my faith is what saved me, and that's all I need to know!
Walter: I understand that faith without works is dead, so I'm just gonna keep on keepin' on!
(Poor and Oppressed enter stage left)
Poor/Oppressed: (Together) You guys don't get it, do you?
Walter/Francesca: (Together) And who might you be?
Poor/Oppressed: (Together) We be Jesus! (Flip their signs to reveal "Jesus" side)
Walter/Francesca: (Together) Say what?
Poor: We are Jesus. "Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me."
Walter: Aha! See, I told ya so, Linda Lazy Lout. My "Goody-Two-Shoes" works are what makes me right with Jesus.
Oppressed: (Makes a "phbtt!" noise) Wrong!
Walter: Huh? Whattaya mean?
Oppressed: Walter, it's not your good works that make you right with me. It's faith!
Francesca: (Punches Walter in the chest) See, dummy, I told ya so! It's my faith that saves me, Goody!
Poor: And where did that faith come from, Francesca?
Francesca: Why, it came from me. I made the decision to ask Jesus into my heart when he fed me, and my decision saved me!
Poor: (Makes a "phbtt" noise) Wrong!
Francesca: Huh? Whattaya mean?
Poor: Francesca, your decision didn't save you. God, in Jesus Christ, is the One who saved you. Your saving faith is a gift from God, and you have no reason to boast about it.
Walter: (Sticks his tongue out at Francesca) Neener-neener-neener!
Narrator: Man, oh man! You two just never learn, do you?
Walter/Francesca: (Together) Huh?
Narrator: Walter (Walter moves to center stage), while it is true that "faith without works is dead" it is not your works that put you right with God. It is God's grace. His action in human history is what saves you ... so you can't boast of anything.
Walter: Oh.
Narrator: In fact, when you receive praise for your good works, you need to give credit where credit is due.
Walter: Huh?
Narrator: "Aw-shucks-'tweren't-nothin' " just doesn't cut it, Walter. You need to acknowledge that Jesus is the source of all the good in you. In that way, others will be drawn to the Lord. Okay?
Walter: Okay, I'll try.
Narrator: That's all he asks. Now, Francesca (Francesca moves to center stage, next to Walter), while it is true that you are saved by grace through faith (Francesca smiles) it is also true that faith without works is dead. (Francesca frowns)
Francesca: Oh.
Narrator: You see, Walter's works don't save him -- but they are his natural response to God's saving grace. "For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life."
Francesca: Oh, I see.
(Walter turns to exit stage left; Francesca turns to exit stage right)
Narrator: Wait a minute, you two!
Walter/Francesca: Huh?
Narrator: One last thing: Stop judging each other, and recognize that you are, both of you, sinners redeemed by grace.
(Walter and Francesca turn back to each other; they look at each other, and then they hug)
Walter/Francesca: Okay, Lord, we're trying!
Poor/Oppressed: You sure are -- very trying! But I love you anyway.
