With Palms or With Praise© Theme:
Palm Sunday, the King is coming. Will we be worshipping him or simply going through another symbolic palm waving experience?
Bible Reference:
Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-40; John 12:12-19
Keywords:
Palm Sunday Triumphal Entry
Cast:
monologue
Costumes:
In the first section it could be a traditional costume, and for second section the costume is removed to show regular clothing
Sound:
Wireless mic would be useful
Lighting:
standard
Time:
10 minutes
Script: actor comes on stage, excited, looking off to off-stage location as though watching a group coming He is on His way. I heard He has passed the outer gates already. He will be here in a few short minutes, come with me, let’s find a good spot where we can watch as He comes by. I am so glad you are here, isn’t it exciting? looks into audience as though greeting a single person Good morning, I am (stage name), it is so good that you came, did you hear the good news, Jesus is coming into town. I hear he is riding on a young colt! Let’s get ready, come with me please! Can you see him? Look, here he comes! Hail, Son of David! He is coming down the hill from the Mount of Olives! See his disciples coming behind Him. What I would give to be one of them! Let’s find a good vantage point so we can see what happens. Come, quickly! Here He is! Finally, someone to free us from the Roman butchers. shouts out Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. The prophet of Nazareth! thinks Oh, what a great day this is for Israel! The Romans will be crushed; we will be free once more. shouts out Hosanna, Jesus is the King. With palms ort With Praise© ©Copyright DramaShare® 2005
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Look, over there, look at them, straining to see Jesus. frowns, unhappy But look, Jesus is riding on a common donkey! I am beginning to wonder at His style of kingship. I am starting to wonder . . . would the long awaited Messiah ride a donkey? Oh I know, throughout the centuries heroes and kings have entered Jerusalem riding donkeys. Just 200 years ago, Simon Macabbees, (mik-eb-Es), rode a donkey down this very street, to the delight of a crowd equally exuberant. annoyed with someone in audience I am aware of history, and I do not need to be reminded! But that was then, this is now! People don’t want history, we want release from Roman oppression! It is that kind of king which He must be! annoyed Yes, I am aware, He is not simply king, He is the King of Kings. He is the coming king prophesied throughout the ages, the mighty one spoken of by the prophets. I am aware of that. looks up as though seeing Jesus right before him, waves, bows We will follow you and serve you King Jesus, be the King in our lives! thinks But our Messiah must also be the arrows in our bows, the swords in our hands if we are to overturn the Romans. Our window of opportunity is small and brief, we must seize it now, or it shall be lost forever. bows Hosanna! thinks Yes, truly Hosanna, “he who is able”! Able to deliver the nation Israel. Listen, he is going to speak again. Maybe this time he'll outline his plan of attack. listens, pause, shock What kind of statement is that? “The kingdom that is coming is the kingdom of God”? Surely, not that kingdom of God business again! Look Jesus, here was a perfect opportunity to capture the hearts and minds of all Israel! And you choose to speak on, (emphasize acidly), “the kingdom of God?”! actor removes costume, “becomes present day” Today is Palm Sunday Hosanna! which means “He who is able”. He who is able, the king, is coming. A king coming to comfort the disturbed, and to disturb the comfortable. The king is coming and it will not be possible to remain neutral. To be neutral about Jesus is to be without any belief at all. Many people today spend their lives in the middle of the road the front of the bus the back of the church the upper level With Palms or With Praise© ©Copyright DramaShare® 2005
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lower profile outer edge of the inner group, preferring to be lukewarm rather than warm-hearted, contented rather than committed. We cannot live in neutral gear, no one in neutral gear ever moved forward, or had a dream or caught a vision. Palm Sunday reminds us that Jesus confronted Jerusalem with a decision, the same decision which confronts us today. We are a part of the parade. Are we in the large crowd of watchers or the small crowd who marched with Jesus? Come, join the parade. Palm Sunday is a great divider, putting people in two distinct camps. One group believes Jesus was a nice fellow the other that He is the Saviour, who we must follow. One, the group who follow public opinion and go along with the crowd, the other are those willing to risk leaving the safety of the crowd and walking through the gates of the city with Jesus. The king is coming and you must decide. The king is coming and you can no longer remain the same. The king is coming and you must make up your mind about him. I guess you could say, "there has to be a change". There has to be a change in our way of thinking. There has to be a change in our loyalties. There has to be a change, a renewing in our commitment. There has to be a change in our priorities. We have to make some choices from all those things vying for our attention. Today is Palm Sunday, and it will not let us rest until decisions are made. Palm Sunday confronts us with a choice, for there is this king who is coming to our city, right now, in our place and time, today, right here, we are in our own private Jerusalem. So on this Palm Sunday, we need to understand who is our King. Money Power. Pleasure. Or Jesus Christ of Nazareth. We need to be aware of that which is uppermost in our hearts. All human kings are fickle unreliable fleeting. We should give ourselves only to the highest heavenly King. If we want to be bystanders parade watchers With Palms or With Praise© ©Copyright DramaShare® 2005
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palm wavers who go home after the parade and forget it, then we can do just that. But, be warned. Jesus is coming down the road to your Jerusalem. Perhaps soon. His coming demands an answer. What will that answer be? actor off stage
With Palms or With Praise© ©Copyright DramaShare® 2005
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