You Shall <i>(OUCH!)</i> Be Perfect <i>(BRRR!)</i> As Your Heavenly Father <i>(OOOF!)</i> Is Perfect
Drama
Thespian Theology
Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Cycle A
Object:
Thespian Theological Thoughts
Be holy ... be perfect.
Lord, I can't do that!
Of course you can't. But take refuge in me, and I will be to you a rock (Psalm 71).
When I think of perfection, of course, I think of Jesus. And although Jesus was God incarnate, he "did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited ... and being found in human form, he humbled himself" (Philippians 2:6, 7).
It encourages me to know that Jesus was a man: a human being like me, with physical, mental, and emotional strengths and limitations like mine. Jesus' betrayal and arrest, the abandonment by his friends, and his trial and execution caused devastating physical, emotional, and mental anguish.
But Jesus wasn't devastated. Why? Because he trusted and obeyed God the Father, and he relied on the guidance and comfort of God the Holy Spirit. The same God who is still available to you and me, so that we may become "perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Cast
Narrator
Chris Chun
Private Enemy #1
Private Enemy #2
Private Enemy #3
Jesus
Props/Costumes
Private Enemies -- t-shirt (or sign): "Private Enemy #1, #2, #3
Narrator -- three signs: OUCH!, BRRR!, OOOF!; masking tape Chris
Chun -- coat and sweater
Private Enemy #3 -- suitcase, uniform and/or military hat
_________
(Narrator is at podium, stage left. Chris Chun enters stage left)
Narrator: "You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy." (Chris looks up at the sky, bewildered) "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Chris wrings his hands) Behold my man Chris. (Chris bows) Chris Chun. Christ has just asked Jesus into his life, and now it appears he's a little confused about how Jesus wants him to live.
Chris: I'm not confused, I'm scared!
Narrator: Scared?
Chris: Yeah. How'm I gonna be "holy" and "perfect"? And what does that mean?
Narrator: Well, let's see ...
(Private Enemy #1 enters stage left and approaches Chris)
P.E. #1: Hey, dirt-ball, take this! (Slaps Chris, backhand, across the right cheek)
Chris: Why, you ...
Voice of Jesus: (Offstage) Ah-ah! Turn the other cheek, Chris Chun!
Chris: Huh? (Looks around, confused) Oh, yeah! (Offers his other cheek; Enemy #1 slaps it, and exits stage left)
Chris: Ouch!
(Narrator takes sign: OUCH! and tapes it on front of podium. Private Enemy #2 enters stage right)
P.E. #2: Hey, scum-bag! Gimme your coat, I'm cold.
Chris: Well, that's just tough ...
Voice of Jesus: Give him your cloak as well, Chris Chun!
Chris: Huh? (Takes off coat and sweater) Oh, yeah! (Hands coat and sweater to Enemy #2, who exits) Brrr! (Narrator takes sign: BRRR! and tapes it on front of podium. Private Enemy #3 enters stage left, carrying a suitcase. He wears a military uniform and/or a hat which signifies that he is a soldier)
P.E. #3: Hey, doofus! Come with me a mile, and carry my luggage.
Chris: (Looks skyward) I know, I know: Go also the second mile. (Picks up suitcase; it is very heavy, and he reacts to its weight) Ooof!
(Chris and Enemy #3 move stage right. Narrator takes sign: OOOF! and tapes it on front of podium)
P.E. #3:Thanks, sucker. Adios! (Exits stage right)
Chris: (Moves downstage left) Man, this is hard! I gave my life to Jesus, and (Points to podium) look what it got me: OUCH! (P.E. #1 enters and goes to center stage; Chris pantomimes being hit on cheek) BRRR! (P.E. #2 enters and goes to center stage; Chris pantomimes being cold) OOOF! (P.E. #3 enters and goes to center stage; Chris pantomimes lugging the heavy suitcase) Look at what these scum-bags (Points at Private Enemies) have done to me! Yo, what's up with this Christian life, anyway?
Voice of Jesus: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.
Chris: Oh, maaaan! I can't do that.
(Jesus enters stage right and moves to center stage. He puts his arms out as if being crucified. Private Enemies pantomime throwing dice for his clothes)
Jesus: Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.
Chris: Yeah, yeah, I know, but, Lord, you were different from me.
Jesus: How so, Chris?
Chris: Well, you were the Son of God, the Messiah, the Chosen One.
Jesus: I am all that, Chris. But on the earth, I was also a man: a human being, just like you, with all the physical, mental, and emotional strengths and limitations that you have.
Chris: Huh?
Jesus: When they drove those nails into my hands and feet, that was a big OUCH! (Takes down the OUCH! sign) When Peter and my other friends deserted and denied me, there was a huge BRRR! in my heart. (Takes down the BRRR! sign) And when I carried that cross the second mile -- for you, Chris -- that was an enormous OOOF! (Takes down the OOOF! sign)
Chris: Gee, Lord, I never thought about it that way. How did you do it?
Jesus: Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Chris.
Chris: See? I told you so: You are different from me. You've got the Holy Spirit goin' for you.
Jesus: Oh ... and you don't?
Chris: Huh?
Jesus: Chris, the Holy Spirit has always been there for you: the same Holy Spirit who comforted and strengthened me is yours for the asking. (Hands the three signs to Chris) And if you ask the Holy Spirit for help, you can overcome every OUCH! and BRRR! and OOOF! in your life.
Chris: I can?
Jesus: For sure. Give it a try!
Chris: Well, okay. Here goes: Come, Holy Spirit, and help me overcome the OUCH! in my life. (Tears up the OUCH! sign, and hugs Enemy #1) I forgive you, brother! Come, Holy Spirit, and help me overcome the BRRR! in my life. (Tears up the BRRR! sign, and hugs Enemy #2) I forgive you, brother! Come, Holy Spirit, and help me overcome the OOOF! in my life. (Tears up the OOOF! sign, and hugs Enemy #3) I forgive you, brother!
Jesus: Good for you, Chris! Now, keep working with us, and we'll make you:
Entire Cast: (Together) Perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect!
Be holy ... be perfect.
Lord, I can't do that!
Of course you can't. But take refuge in me, and I will be to you a rock (Psalm 71).
When I think of perfection, of course, I think of Jesus. And although Jesus was God incarnate, he "did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited ... and being found in human form, he humbled himself" (Philippians 2:6, 7).
It encourages me to know that Jesus was a man: a human being like me, with physical, mental, and emotional strengths and limitations like mine. Jesus' betrayal and arrest, the abandonment by his friends, and his trial and execution caused devastating physical, emotional, and mental anguish.
But Jesus wasn't devastated. Why? Because he trusted and obeyed God the Father, and he relied on the guidance and comfort of God the Holy Spirit. The same God who is still available to you and me, so that we may become "perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Cast
Narrator
Chris Chun
Private Enemy #1
Private Enemy #2
Private Enemy #3
Jesus
Props/Costumes
Private Enemies -- t-shirt (or sign): "Private Enemy #1, #2, #3
Narrator -- three signs: OUCH!, BRRR!, OOOF!; masking tape Chris
Chun -- coat and sweater
Private Enemy #3 -- suitcase, uniform and/or military hat
_________
(Narrator is at podium, stage left. Chris Chun enters stage left)
Narrator: "You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy." (Chris looks up at the sky, bewildered) "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Chris wrings his hands) Behold my man Chris. (Chris bows) Chris Chun. Christ has just asked Jesus into his life, and now it appears he's a little confused about how Jesus wants him to live.
Chris: I'm not confused, I'm scared!
Narrator: Scared?
Chris: Yeah. How'm I gonna be "holy" and "perfect"? And what does that mean?
Narrator: Well, let's see ...
(Private Enemy #1 enters stage left and approaches Chris)
P.E. #1: Hey, dirt-ball, take this! (Slaps Chris, backhand, across the right cheek)
Chris: Why, you ...
Voice of Jesus: (Offstage) Ah-ah! Turn the other cheek, Chris Chun!
Chris: Huh? (Looks around, confused) Oh, yeah! (Offers his other cheek; Enemy #1 slaps it, and exits stage left)
Chris: Ouch!
(Narrator takes sign: OUCH! and tapes it on front of podium. Private Enemy #2 enters stage right)
P.E. #2: Hey, scum-bag! Gimme your coat, I'm cold.
Chris: Well, that's just tough ...
Voice of Jesus: Give him your cloak as well, Chris Chun!
Chris: Huh? (Takes off coat and sweater) Oh, yeah! (Hands coat and sweater to Enemy #2, who exits) Brrr! (Narrator takes sign: BRRR! and tapes it on front of podium. Private Enemy #3 enters stage left, carrying a suitcase. He wears a military uniform and/or a hat which signifies that he is a soldier)
P.E. #3: Hey, doofus! Come with me a mile, and carry my luggage.
Chris: (Looks skyward) I know, I know: Go also the second mile. (Picks up suitcase; it is very heavy, and he reacts to its weight) Ooof!
(Chris and Enemy #3 move stage right. Narrator takes sign: OOOF! and tapes it on front of podium)
P.E. #3:Thanks, sucker. Adios! (Exits stage right)
Chris: (Moves downstage left) Man, this is hard! I gave my life to Jesus, and (Points to podium) look what it got me: OUCH! (P.E. #1 enters and goes to center stage; Chris pantomimes being hit on cheek) BRRR! (P.E. #2 enters and goes to center stage; Chris pantomimes being cold) OOOF! (P.E. #3 enters and goes to center stage; Chris pantomimes lugging the heavy suitcase) Look at what these scum-bags (Points at Private Enemies) have done to me! Yo, what's up with this Christian life, anyway?
Voice of Jesus: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.
Chris: Oh, maaaan! I can't do that.
(Jesus enters stage right and moves to center stage. He puts his arms out as if being crucified. Private Enemies pantomime throwing dice for his clothes)
Jesus: Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.
Chris: Yeah, yeah, I know, but, Lord, you were different from me.
Jesus: How so, Chris?
Chris: Well, you were the Son of God, the Messiah, the Chosen One.
Jesus: I am all that, Chris. But on the earth, I was also a man: a human being, just like you, with all the physical, mental, and emotional strengths and limitations that you have.
Chris: Huh?
Jesus: When they drove those nails into my hands and feet, that was a big OUCH! (Takes down the OUCH! sign) When Peter and my other friends deserted and denied me, there was a huge BRRR! in my heart. (Takes down the BRRR! sign) And when I carried that cross the second mile -- for you, Chris -- that was an enormous OOOF! (Takes down the OOOF! sign)
Chris: Gee, Lord, I never thought about it that way. How did you do it?
Jesus: Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Chris.
Chris: See? I told you so: You are different from me. You've got the Holy Spirit goin' for you.
Jesus: Oh ... and you don't?
Chris: Huh?
Jesus: Chris, the Holy Spirit has always been there for you: the same Holy Spirit who comforted and strengthened me is yours for the asking. (Hands the three signs to Chris) And if you ask the Holy Spirit for help, you can overcome every OUCH! and BRRR! and OOOF! in your life.
Chris: I can?
Jesus: For sure. Give it a try!
Chris: Well, okay. Here goes: Come, Holy Spirit, and help me overcome the OUCH! in my life. (Tears up the OUCH! sign, and hugs Enemy #1) I forgive you, brother! Come, Holy Spirit, and help me overcome the BRRR! in my life. (Tears up the BRRR! sign, and hugs Enemy #2) I forgive you, brother! Come, Holy Spirit, and help me overcome the OOOF! in my life. (Tears up the OOOF! sign, and hugs Enemy #3) I forgive you, brother!
Jesus: Good for you, Chris! Now, keep working with us, and we'll make you:
Entire Cast: (Together) Perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect!