THE JUDGE JESUS SHOW
--A One Act play by
the Rev. John Donnelly-
Presented AT Christ Church
Quaker Farms, November 3, 2014
Scene begins with the judge sitting in the Bishop’s
chair, before the altar. Plea-bargain Patti
is in the lectern. Mrs. Good
is in prison clothes, sitting on a chair just in front of the altar rail,
stage left. Judge Jesus is seated in
chair at the altar crossing, behind the altar rail. Fr. John is standing on standing in the
witness box.. J Narrator begins reading from the pulpit.
Narrator: We welcome
you today to another exciting episode of "The Judge Jesus Show", the reality show that makes
you pay for your sins, right in the
courtroom of heaven. Today, we are
hearing a criminal case against one Mrs. Good. Mrs. Good suddenly died just a short time ago. When she was met by St. Peter at the Pearly Gates, she was arrested for gross violations of the HRS
Code (the Heavenly Revenue Service Code), for not being a cheerful and generous giver.
Choir & People: BOO
Narrator: This trial is to determine if the defendant is
guilty. For the defense, Mrs. Good’s
lawyer is Plea-bargain Patti, an angelic, sweet, and prodigious defense
attorney. She just recently earned her wings. (
Choir & People: YEA!!!!!!
Narrator: She’s
brilliant, but has not had much experience.
The prosecutor today is Sam Saytan,
perhaps the best legal mind in the universe.
His spell binding rhetoric, his contempt for his opponents, and his down
right dirty tricks, have made him the
most forceful of accusers. Let’s hear it
for Attorney Sam Saytan.
Choir& People:
Boo.
Narrator: As our scene opens up today, Attorney Plea-bargain
Patti is cross-examining a character
witness.
Plea-bargain Patti: So, Fr. John, is it your testimony that
Mrs. Good is a woman of good
character?
Fr. John: She has been a pillar of the church for
years. She also always volunteered to
help out whenever needed. In her time, before she became old and cranky, she
was one of the major leaders of Christ Church Quaker Farms.
Plea-bargain Patti: Would you say that she is an honest woman?
Fr. John: Most certainly.
She is honored and respected by our entire parish.
Plea-bargain Patti: Thank you, your honor. No more questions.
Judge: Mr. Saytan, do you have questions?
Satan: Yes, your
honor. Fr. John, are you saying that Ms. Goodwoman is honest, or does she just appear to be
honest?
Fr. John: I believe
her to be one of the most honest people I have ever met.
Saytan: Did she
ever cheat the church in her finances? Was she negligent in paying her debts?
Fr. John: Well, to
the best of my knowledge, no.
Saytan: Fr. John, if
hard evidence could be produced to demonstrate that she cheated the church and
knowingly did not pay her debts, would you still call her honest?
Fr. John: Well, yes, if such evidence could be could be produced to
demonstrate that she cheated the church and did not pay debts, then, No, I
could not say that she was honest.
Saytan: (Evil laugh) . Good is going to hang herself
with her own words. No further questions, your honor.
Judge: The witness may step down. (Fr. John goes and sits
in the front pew)
Plea-bargain: Your
honor, as our last witness, my client would like to make a statement to the
court.
Judge: Mrs. Good, you may take the stand. (Mrs. Good stands up and walks over to
the lectern, where she stays until the
end of the skit).
Plea-bargain: Well, Mrs. Good, what do you have to say for
yourself?
Good: I want to thank the court for this opportunity to set
things straight. You see, my parents
never gave me a sufficient allowance. I
always worked for jobs where I was under paid and over worked. I slowly worked my way up the ladder in my profession. Then, I finally made something of
myself. In thanksgiving, each Sunday k I
would put all my loose change in the offering plate. In addition, once or twice a year, I even donated
a dollar or two.. We all should
do our part. (PAUSE, WITH FLIRTY
SMILE, BATTING EYES)
At church, I also took on the jobs nobody else wanted, like
telling Fr. John that his sermons were too long, when no one else would. I don’t understand how a nice girl like me could end up in court. (Big
frown, rub eyes with hands. Quiet sobs)
(LOUDLY) Plea-bargain Patti:. I am sure that everyone can see that you are a
model Christian. That will be all, your
honor.
Judge: Okay, Mr. Saytan. Your witness.
Saytan: Mrs. Good, I
have hear a list of prayer requests that you submitted to heaven over the
course of your lifetime. These are
things that you prayed to God for, and that he gave you. Is it true that you applied for a new job in
2010, that you received one? And that
that resulted in a 50% salary increase, plus appropriate benefits?
Good: Why, yes, and I told God that I was grateful.
Saytan: After God
gave you your new job, with the salary increase. Did you increase your annual
financial giving to God through the church? go up?
Good: Well of course,
I was grateful to God.
Saytan: Your honor,
I would like to submit to exhibit A. In
the year that Mrs. Good received a $40,000 raise, she contributed an additional
$15 to the church. (PAUSE) Mrs. Good, (sarcasm) your lavish
display of gratitude is a model to us all.
Now tell the truth, Mrs. Good.
God’s word commands His people to give cheerfully and generously to the
Lord. YOU, Mrs. Good take everything God gives you, and you give practically
nothing back to Him.
Good: Well, I, ugh,
tried……. (Saytan interrupts).
Saytan: Is it true
that over your life time, you prayed for and received these gifts from God:
a home; children; good health; financial security;
comfort when you were in trouble; joy in your heart; protection from evil; lots
and lots of daily bread; forgiveness of sin; protection for your loved ones; a good church; a new boat; fantastic
vacations; a fat IRA and pension; Isn’t it true that God gave you all these
things? Was God generous in his attitude
to you?
Good: Well. Yes. God
has been very generous . But, actually, I owe God a debt of gratitude.
Saytan: Okay, Ms.
Goodwoman. Tell the truth. ( Anger tone) You can’t hide from God. Do you honestly believe that you showed your
debt of gratitude to God by the measly pocket change that you put in the offering plate? Did you really put your heart into what you
gave?
Good: (Pause) No. I guess I was too selfish.
Saytan: Now that you
are dead, Ms. Goodwoman, answer this question: As you look back, would
you have been any less happy if you had been more generous to God?
Good: No. if I had been more generous to God, I would
not have been so afraid of not having enough.
The Bible says, “Where your money is, your heart will be also.” ” If I had shown God more love by giving
more, I would have been happier.
Saytan: If you had
shown God that you are grateful, by being generous in your financial giving, as
God had been generous to you, would that have changed the quality of your life
style?
Good: (Silent pause, looking down. Then look up to speak). It would have. My life would have been happier. My life
would have been happier if I had given more…because it really is more blessed
to give, than to receive. God. If I had
it to do all over again, I wish I had been more generous to God.
Satan: Let me be clear, Mrs. Good. Are you now
ready to confess that in regard to the Heavenly Revenue Service Code (LOUDLY) that you (SHORT PAUSE) cheated ( SHORT PAUSE) God?
Goodwoman: I guess I did.
Saytan: You cheated
the Lord God, King of the Universe, who gave you life and happiness and the
forgiveness of sin?
Good: Yes, I did. I
am sorry.
Saytan: Your honor,
the defendant has just confessed to the crime. She never tried to repay his
debts, and cheated God. She is guilty,
guilty, guilty.
Judge: (Strokes his
beard) In light of the evidence produced
by the prosecution, and the confession of the defendant, I pronounce that you,
Mrs. Good , are (LOUDLY) GUILTY AS CHARGED.!!!!!!!!!
Satan: (Evil laugh). Oh boy, was that easy. The dame
just hung herself with her own words. But I was able to squeeze it out
of her. Three cheers for me. Let’s hear it for me.
Choir & People: (Booooooo)
Judge: Mrs. Good, you have been found guilty of the crime. Had
you been more generous in your life, and …you would have had so many more
blessings than you ever imagined possible. However, Justice demands that you now be known as a
sinner. The normal punishment is death.
Saytan: Yes, yes,
yes, she’s mine, baby. All mine.
Judge: But, I choose
to show mercy. I died for your sins. So,
I will put it to the jury. To you, the
people in our studio audience, Mrs. Good confessed her sins. Should she be forgiven and be set free? All those in favor, please say “Aye?”
Choir & people: AYE.
Judge: The ayes have it.
Saytan: (Crying) No,
no, no. I object, your honor.
Judge: Over ruled.
Case dismissed. (Judge hits gavel on altar rail) As the Chief Justice of Heaven, I have
ruled in favor of mercy. There is power
in my blood. My blood has set you free.
Mrs. Good: Isn’t he
fantastic? He’s set me free? Let’s all stand up and hear it for Jesus.
Choir& People:
YEA. With applause.
[Characters come to
the center stage , bow]
Narrator: Now, our skit has ended. Let us hear for all of our
actors---
Choir & People: YEA.
With applause.
Narrator: So friends,
remember the Words of Jesus, who said, “Give and it will be given to you:
extravagant gifts, over flowing, straight from the Hand of God.”
This is His promise to us, the saints of God. AMEN. AMEN.
ACTORS RETURN TO THEIR SEATS IN CONGREGATION.
No comments:
Post a Comment