Anyway, another leader and myself did a little comic-drama-skit...a little like a twist on "Pilgrim's Progress"- incorporating a number of the Bible verses we'd gone through over the past year, and a lead into the passage for that evening- being Hebrews 12:1-3
"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us , and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter, of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."So picture my friend and I- who are both ladies born of the late nineteen-fifties, coming in while our Youth Director is talking to the youth about this verse... Both she and I are loaded down with all kinds of luggage, we are dressed in running gear- however she is wearing high heels and some other glam accessories, we have medals draped about our necks, I am sending/receiving multiple text-messages on my obnoxiously-ringing cell phone, I am juggling a trophy, we both have ear buds, I am wearing a lampshade decked out in ribbon curls with 'party-party-party' on it, she is carrying a case of 'beer'- of the 'root kind', I've got a bag of snack food, she has white powder around her nose, I have a mouth smeared with chocolate.......the luggage is marked with signage: Entertainment, Stars, Abuse, Promiscuous Sex, Difficult Family Issues, Loneliness, Rejection.... Got the picture?
Little by little, as the Youth Director goes through different verses we've studied, we slowly, and reluctantly, begin to disengage from the things we have been carrying... At the very end, the last thing we try to hide, and cling to- are our 'blankies' (everyone has a 'blankie' of some kind in their life).... We are being encouraged to let everything go- except for Christ, because He will provide EVERYTHING we need to live a godly life... (1 Peter 1:3 "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.")
As we stood up in front of the group, and began to lay down all the stuff we'd brought in with us... in the midst of trying to demonstrate these truths to the youth- I am struck with how 'exposed' I felt up there, as I got rid of more and more 'stuff. I was hoping the youth would get this lesson- but didn't expect to 'feel it' like I did up there--- And I realized how 'scary' it can be to be to change... to let go of the stuff that I think makes me who-I-am... and let go of all the things the 'entangle/encumber'... even when I let them go willingly.... With each letting go, I needed Him more...and I needed to look to other Believers there to encourage me to keep letting go, and go on....
His love and sacrifice can be scary- at least it was to me late one night in the spring of 1982- when I knew I needed to acknowledge that Jesus had taken my sin upon Himself....died on the cross as a penalty for my sin... And the most wonderful news: He arose on the third day- Resurrection Day! I had been Redeemed! And that was the beginning point of Transformation by the Holy Spirit in my life. Perfection has not yet come for this Redeemed soul- but God continues to gently ask me hand over to Him more and more of the stuff in my life to Him.... Each time He gently removes something, He doesn't leave me empty-instead, He fills that space in my life, my being, with Himself and His gifts-- leaving a greater fullness to my life; and, instead of feeling more weighed down (like with my worldly stuff) I am even lighter, and freer that I could have imagined back when I was carrying around all 'my stuff'.
Well, my friend and I were certainly 'fools for Christ' that evening- and our prayer was for the youth to learn of Truth through the presentation- And through it, God chose to show Himself to me in a deeper way as well. Reminding me of how tender a moment it is when someone He loves chooses to lay down the things of this world, and trade them in for His love... it can be scary, intimidating, exposing, freeing, rewarding, amazing...!
Mark 8: 34-37
"If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it. but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's shall save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"
~Here is a sketch of our skit~ Much of it is adlib, and this isn't written in full-script- mainly just gives a framework:
YGSKIT4.20.2011
Review of lessons from ‘Choose’
Key verse this eve: Hebrews 12:1 “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
Players and Props: 1 ‘straight man’ 1-2 “runners”
Runner(s): dress in warm-up/running wear, but have these props as well:
‘dirty mouth’- (chocolate smeared around)
Powdered nostril- representing drugs
Party hat- rep. partying
case of root beer – partying/alcohol
High heels, medals, trophies…—rep. status/achievements
Cell phone for texting- one of the runners keeps texting friends about EVERYTHING!
Blankie(s)- rep. security (each Runner has one)
Luggage- different ones marked with signage: hurts, wounds, fears, abuse, promiscuous sex, difficult family stuff, fear, entertainment, rejection loneliness, awards, status..…
Ear plugs, on a string- rep. not respect authority
……..
[Jarrod will be the straight-man, basically ad lib based on theme….btw info on Nero is taken from Beth Moore study “To Live Is Christ”]
Jarrod: Give background on key verse for tonight- Hebrews written by Apostle Paul, who has lived the “Roman Empire Dream”, including witnessing many of the sporting events- including the very popular running events, and the ruler, Nero’s antics. In the year A.D. 67, the year of Paul’s death, the ‘soft-bellied’, thirty-nine year old emperor Nero, had the nerve to enter himself into the Olympics. The true Olympians had been training for years for these games…Nero was in pitiful shape and not prepared, but who would speak up and tell him, “Dude- if you try this, people will be using terms like “EPIC FAIL” a couple thousand years from now! Don’t do it.”..but no one dared speak up to Nero, so he entered the foot race…in a chariot! With a ten-horse team no less! During the race, he actually fell out of the chariot and needed help getting back in- he got off track- and never finished----Yah, he was still awarded the prize- a stunning wreath placed on his head, and he was hailed victor! He ‘thanked’ the citizens by giving them some tax relief… Paul doesn’t want any Christ Followers to run life’s race like Nero, which was pretty lame! So now listen to what Paul writes- as a warning, as an encouragement: (screen 1) Hebrews 12:1 “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (during this verse, the Runners jog toward Jarrod…..Jarrod gives Runners a classic Jarrod look of WHAT? And asks, what Runners what doing?---
Runners: We have a marathon we want to run in-
Jarrod- what’s up with all your gear?
Runners: We don’t go anywhere without all this stuff…it’s ‘who we are’..
Runners:- (one of you be txting the ‘whole’ time, someone off stage should keep send txts during first part)
Jarrod- isn't it hard to run with all that stuff on?
Runners: Maybe….kinda…(shift baggage)….well, yah….
Jarrod- you know you really don’t have to run the race with all that extra stuff-?
Runners: Like how?
Jarrod: Think about the Bible lessons we’ve had this past year- Like, you don’t have to be weighed down by those trophies and medals- and you don’t have to try to run in high heels- remember Lesson 5 , we talked about Titus 3:4-5 (put up on screen 2 *Have STUDENTS read these aloud with Jarrod?) “ But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”
And in Lesson 6, we looked at Titus 2: 11-12 (screen 3) “ For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self- controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.”
Runners: Yah, guess I won’t be needing these (medals, trophies, high heels, powered nose, root beer, promiscuity bag, dirty mouth…………….take these ‘off’ and set aside- Runners note becoming ‘freerer’)
Runners: That actually feels pretty good to be rid of those things in my life- [pick luggage back up, look ready to go..]
Jarrod: Wait…there’s more, how about Lesson 2, from Psalm 1:1-2 (screen 4) “Blessed are those who do not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but who delight in the law of the Lord and meditate on the law day and night”…?
Runners: (looking over themselves- then remove party hat, put cell phone away,)“Nice!” this is really feeling good-
Jarrod: so what are those bags you’re still hanging on to?
Runners: oh, these- well, they’re really hard to leave behind…
Jarrod: would you like some help with them?
Runners: yah…
Jarrod: (while helping-taking from Runners and setting aside) “You know, when you give these up to the Lord, and ask God to help, He will give you something much better- like in Lesson 8, we talked about the verses in Galatians 5:22-23 (screen 5) “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control…”
Runners: I’m fine with trading those bags in and having those gifts instead!
Jarrod: Isn't it kinda hard to hear your Coach’s instructions with those earplugs in?
Runners: yah, but I don’t like hearing all those rules the Coach is always telling me!
Jarrod: but don’t you have to follow rules to be able to run in the race?
Runners: probably would do better, staying on that path, even though it is narrow- at least I know I’m on the right track…
Jarrod: (screen 6) Romans 13:1 says “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities”, that was in Lesson 17 and Psalm 19:7 says “ The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul”- that was in Lesson 3
Runners: Guess we could use some more refreshment! Okay- these [ear plugs] can go…. Hey, Wow, this will make it a lot better now to run in this race! [Tuck in/try to ‘hide’ blankies]
Jarrod: uh..you know.. you don’t need that ‘blankie’ anymore-
Runner: WHAT??? Not my blankie!
Jarrod: Remember Lesson 7, 2 Peter 1:3 (screen 7) “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”
Runner : “How much did His diving power give us, to live a godly life?”
Jarrod: (turn to STUDENTS…ask students) How much?
STUDENTS with Jarrod lead: (screen 8) Everything!
Runner 1: Ok- guess with the verse and all these people here to help (us) and cheer us on…I can leave my blankie…. [Runner 2, reluctantly agree to leave blankie if Runner 1 will]
Jarrod: That’s awesome, because James 1:22 says (screen 9) “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” [Runners, High-Five each other]
Runner: And, don’t forget, (screen 10) Philippians 3:13-14 “One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (with this, Runners jog off stage….Jarrod lead students in ‘cheering on’ the Runners…)
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