What is Freedom?”

                                                        by Stan Pencak  

 Scripture: “This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from my Father, I have made known to you. You did not choose me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear much fruit, and that you fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in my name He may give to you. This I command you, that you love one another.” John 15:12-17

Theme: In this passage, Jesus tells us that we have no greater love than to lay our life down for a friend. This skit reminds us of the cost Jesus paid and the soldiers that we remember in Memorial Day, 4^th of July, and Veterans Day or however your country honors it’s soldiers. Jesus paid the ultimate price for his friends.

Scene: This is a game show where contestants guess what people would say. If they are correct, they earn points. For those who have overheads and multimedia, you may use that to pre-film some stuff. For others, the interviews may be live on stage. It opens just like a real live game show with a warm-up man or director speaking to the audience. Lights up on Stage.

Director/Warm-Up Man: “Hi! My name is INSERT YOUR REAL NAME HERE. I am your director. What you are about to see is a game show. If you were truly live at a Hollywood filming, I would be your warm-up man. Just as Pastor Eddie likes you to listen actively and participate, a game show wants you to participate. Your job in this game show is to listen, watch, and act. First you get to watch the overhead and as in all game shows when you see the Applause Light Up, you clap. So let’s try it (Try it once or twice). Jesus told his stories as parables. This game show, like all game shows has a theme. It tells a story of a message Jesus told his disciples. As you watch the show, see if you can discover the message. 

Lights Down momentarily as warm-up man leaves. Lights Up as Applause on overhead flashes and Game Show Host Jogs Out.

Host: “Thank you ladies and gentleman, I am Sunny Day - your host of Bible Church Scenes. In this game, contestants guess whether people interviewed at church will really know the Bible and in particular what Jesus said. Now let’s introduce our contestants, First from Santa Monica, California where she spends all of her day meditating on Jesus at her oceanfront multi-million dollar home, here is Megan Wealth. “

Applause on Overhead Flashing or on a Poster.

Host: “Megan, what is your favorite scripture?”

Megan: My favorite scripture is about God’s abundance. It is John 15:8 which says: “My Father is glorified by this that they bear much fruit.”

Host: Next, there is Professor Georgia Knowledge from Harvard University.

Applause Flashes or on a Poster.

Host: “Welcome Professor. Are you ready to play?”

Professor: “Thank you. Let’s do it!”

Host: “Here is how our game is played. There are three people who we interviewed about whether Jesus said something or not. You guess what they say and you win points. At the end of the game, the person with the most points wins. Our interviewees are: Billy who is a cool church goer. Johnny who is a church member who is a divorcee. He says he lost his married friends in the custody battle. And finally there is Mary, a classy lady who says she was saved at the age of 3. Now our first round is called: Who got it right? Question 1 for 100 points is” What did Jesus say to do unto others? Megan, who got it right.”

Megan: “Mary-because classy ladies always know what Jesus said.”

Host: “What do you think, Professor?”

Professor: “I am going to go with Johnny. After his experiences, I think he knows how to treat others.”

Host: “Let’s see how everyone answered: “What did Jesus say to do unto others?”

Mary: “I’m Mary and Jesus said to do unto others before they do it unto you.”

Johnny: “I’m Johnny and Jesus said Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

Billy: “I’m Billy and Jesus said that He would die on the cross for our sins.”

Host: “Professor you were right, Johnny got it right for 100 points. It was do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Mary and Billy weren’t quite right. We will return for Round 2 after a message from our sponsors.

On Overhead: Try Jesus, He loves you and laid down his life for you: his friend” LOUD APPLAUSE FOR JESUS! Lights off overhead and back up on stage.

Host: “Welcome back. Round 2 which is called: “Who got it wrong? The score at the end of the first round is Professor 100 points and Megan 0. Megan is still in the hunt as this round is worth 300 points. The question for round 2 is True or False: In John 15:15, Jesus said that we are no longer slaves.” Professor, who got it wrong?”

Professor: “ I am going with Billy, He was a bit off on that last question so I think he will continue to be wrong.”

Host: “Ok, Megan, how about you?”

Megan: “I am going with Johnny because no man can get it right twice!”

Host: “OK. Let’s see how the three answered!”

Mary: “ Yes, Jesus said that we were no longer slaves. That was just before he called us his friends!”:

Billy: “ Jesus did call us slaves. I guess he said that just before he told us to obey the government and pay taxes!”

Johnny: “Slaves, are you kidding me? He called us friends and brothers!”

Host: “Yes, Megan, it was Johnny who got it wrong. You get 300 points. So let’s pause for a message from our sponsor before we have our final round!”

Lights Down and displays this on the overhead: Let’s thank Craig for being our friend and leading our worship! Thank you Craig for making a skit team a part of that! VERY LOUD APPLAUSE! Lights up and off overhead. Note-Craig is our music minister.

Host: “ Thank you very much for that applause. The score at the end of Round Two is Megan 300 and Professor 100. The last round is called the Wager of Life. You can wager up to 500 points, choose a person, and guess whether they got it right or wrong. Your choice: Life or Death? The question is: True or False: In John 15, Jesus taught us to love, live, and die for Christians and mon-Christians both alike. So let’s see how our trio answered. ” 

Billy: “ That sounds cool dude and Jesus is cool, so He did say it. “

Johnny: “ If Jesus said that, why do I feel so alone in the world and ostracized at church? Aren’t they my friends? No, He didn’t say that. It’s false.”

Mary: “ Simply preposterous, lay down our lives? ...next thing you are going to say is give up my expensive fashions. He didn’t say that did, He? It’s false.”

Host: “Billy got it right and Johnny and Mary got it wrong. Jesus did say that. It is true. Professor, you have 100, how much did you wager, who did you pick and what did you guess?”

Professor: “ I picked Billy because I try to learn from my mistakes. That is called empirical studies at Harvard. I choose him to get it right and I wagered 500 points.”

Host: “ Congratulations, you were right. You now have 600 points and are in first place.”

Lights Down and Applause Flashes on Overhead. Lights Up and Overhead off.

Host: “Now Let’s see how Megan did!”

Megan: “ I choose Mary and I guessed that she would get it wrong and I wagered 300 points!”

Host: “Wow! You too have it right and your total is 600 points. It is a tie so you both win!”

Lights Down and APPLAUSE up and flashing on overhead.

Host: “Thank you being a part of our show. And now here is Pastor Eddie with today’s message!”

ON Overhead in flashing multi-colors : LET’s ALL STAND UP AND GIVE PASTOR EDDIE A LOUD ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR BEING OUR FRIEND, TEACHER, and PASTOR.

YOU MAY STOP THERE OR OPTIONALLY ON OVERHEAD FLASH IN SEQUENCE AS MANY AS YOU WISH DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH FUN YOU WISH TO HAVE OR YOUR CONGREGATION IS HAVING:

SAY THANK YOU JESUS!

SAY PRAISE GOD!

SAY THAT A BOY PASTOR EDDIE!

THE END!

Bible Study

Did Jesus really mean that we were slaves at one time? To whom?

Jesus said that He choose us. What did He choose you to do?

How difficult would it be to die for a friend?

How difficult would it be to die for someone who was a non-Christian?

Can you really love everyone? Why or why not?

                                                         

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