peter

this piece was a joint effort and i cannot accept full credit for it. thanks for all the hands that contributed to this one.

my name means rock.

And for a good long while I actually thought I earned it!

I knew why I got the name.  I grew up a fisherman, which will make a man out of anybody.  It was nothing for me to take the lead, to speak my mind, to be bold.  Sure, I sometimes stuck my foot in my mouth. I’ll even admit that there were times I didn’t have a clue what was going on!  But my motto stayed the same; speak first, act first, be first.

There was one BIG time I got it right, though.  And that time, Jesus named me Rock. Clearly, this was an affirmation of my leadership capabilities, wasn't it?

The ironic thing is that shortly after I had "earned" my name, I crumbled like a boat on the rocks.

Full of pride and in front of everybody I declared that I would follow Jesus anywhere He went: to the ends of the earth…I even said to death.  I would be His right hand man, come what may.  Right away He told me to check myself...but I didn't listen.  I was arrogant and full of holy zeal.

You know how it works whenever we make promises too big for our britches.

It seemed like just the next day we were completely surrounded by Roman soldiers.  Without thinking I took out my sword and tried to lead the fight; I was THE ROCK, I would hold the fort till Jesus had a chance to get away, dying for him if I had to.  I didn’t notice that Jesus showed absolutely no interest in defending himself.  Instead of following His lead, I was trying to lead Him!

I was so disgusted to see how easily he gave in, like some weak fish caught in one of my nets?  I couldn't follow Him to this kind of death!  I wanted glory, not jail-time!!  So I ran.  Suddenly I had no interest in being associated with Jesus whatsoever.

But I didn’t just run and hide, like some of the others.  The change that came over me was more than that…it was like I became a different person.  I actually went out of my way to convince people I had nothing to do with Him.  Point blank people asked me and I said, "No!  I'm not one of His!"

You know, in the end there is no real difference between what I did and what…Judas did.

Have you ever crushed somebody like I crushed Jesus?

Have you ever lied to save your skin....?

Have you ever been so disgusted with yourself that you couldn't look someone in the eye?

Yes!  I had to say Yes!  Me.  The Rock!   It was over!  It should have been over; my part in the story should have ended there.

But it didn't!  A couple of days later, all of a sudden there was Jesus.  JESUS!!  He spread his hands to show us the marks of death, then he flashed His smile to show us the mark of LIFE!  He was alive!  No, more than that!  He had beat back death!  We all rushed Him… but it seemed more like He was reaching out to us.  He looked me in the eye and took hold of my hand, and said to me, “Rock”.  He used THAT name.  After all I had done, He still used that name.  And with one swift move he pulled me out of my pit of shame. 

That was the moment that I really surrendered to Him.  Right there, in my heart I declared Him Lord and Leader, Captain and King.

Rock.  Hmm.  You know I like hearing my name called, because it reminds me that He is my rock and I can stand firm only when I stand on Him.

i am peter

and i am second

this piece was performed at my church 5/10.
i was very impressed with this performance and the joint effort that went into making this script and drama a success.

zaccheaeus

i had a lot of money. i mean A LOT of money. there wasn’t anything i didn’t have or couldn’t get.

and i was secure. i had a government job. i was chief tax collector.

admittedly, i was corrupt. but what did i need integrity for when i had all this money? i could BUY integrity and still be rich.

i had it all. i wanted for nothing.

actually, that wasn’t true. there was one thing i wanted.

you see, there was all this talk about Jesus coming into town. he couldn’t have been more my opposite. as far as i knew he owned nothing, claimed no property, the very government i worked for did not like him... so why was i so interested when there was obviously no material gain by knowing him?

maybe that was just it. maybe i could tell that he did have something. and it was something i didn’t have and i couldn’t buy. there was something in the way he carried himself that spoke of... authority.

some people even claimed that this Jesus was Messiah himself. how else could he perform miracles and act the way he did – out of love and kindness? something in that gentle yet authoritative way of his made me wonder if what they said was true.

i had to get a look. i wanted to see for myself who Jesus was.

but when he came nearer it was obvious i wasn’t going to be able to see him. there were way too many people crowding around him, blocking my view. i’m used to that – i’m not a tall man. but i was a shrewd man and i was used to finding other ways to get what i wanted.

so i ran ahead in the direction he was walking, found a tree with low branches that i could get onto, and climbed. i was perched and ready for him by the time he arrived. i had the perfect spot to see him!

i just sat and watched him approach. closer.. closer.. and i got a really good look.

and then he looked up at me, and with that gentle authority of his he called me down out of the tree and join him – bring him into my home.

moment of truth right there. he laid it out - i could stay on that branch, watching... watching everything and everyone go by and amass my riches and collect my dues. and say i wanted for nothing but really... i had no integrity. behind all that money was a life that was empty and corrupt.

or i could climb down, take this man into my house, into my life, and get to know Jesus. i want whatever this man of authority – of God’s authority – could give me. yes, God’s authority! for this was the man Jesus they talked about. this was God who created and owned everything! my fortune was puny compared to all the heavens and the earth! and life! and truth! and integrity.

all of that flashed through my mind in an instant – and that was all i needed! i climbed down and welcomed him with complete joy!

and he accepted me. right where i was. right in that moment.

the joy in me overflowed. it was pouring out of me and i had to do something. i cried out – take it all! take it all!

and i meant it. the money that i thought was everything – i immediately gave half to the poor and the rest i used to pay back to anyone i had cheated

and when i righted the wrongs i had done – paid back everything i owed, reversed my corrupt ways, my word was finally my word. i was a man of integrity. i was a man of God.

i stood very tall that day.

my name is zaccheaeus
and i am second

this piece was performed at my church 5/3.
brucie was zaccheaeus. i was awed by his performance. well done. very - very!.. well done.

a samaritan woman

i am a samaritan woman. do you have any idea what that means?

being from samaria is bad, at least according to jewish people. they won’t deal with us. period. we are a hated race.

but being a woman is even worse. our own men won’t even talk to us, at least not publicly.

so i’m a woman – an outcast to men, and a samaritan – an outcast to jews. you’d think i couldn’t sink any lower. but i did. i became an outcast to women, too.

i just wanted to be loved. i wanted to matter. i had no station in life, that was clear very early on, and so what else could i have? i just.. i wanted to be loved.

i went through five husbands trying to find love. and i was with yet another man.

the women in town talked about me, i knew that. and i hated it. but this thirst inside of me was bigger than they were. i let it drag me away from everyone except for whatever man i thought would love me.

i was so lonely but being out in public was.. hard. i didn’t like imagining what was being said about me. i was empty.

until i met him.

i would wait till noon to go out for water, knowing full well everyone had already come and gone, just so i wouldn’t have to see anyone else. and so they wouldn’t see me. wouldn’t talk about me. i wouldn’t have to be reminded that i was a disgrace.

i didn’t expect to find anyone there so you can imagine my surprise when i saw a man – a jewish man – sitting at a samaritan well. and he spoke to me.

he wanted me to get him some water. who was this man?

i even pointed out to him – you know, i’m a samaritan woman. it didn’t faze him. instead he tells me about some living water. water that he can provide even though it is clear he has no jug with which to draw anything.

he says the water he is offering is the kind that will quench once for all. i would never be thirsty again.

and then he did the most surprising thing. he told me everything i had ever done. he knew my life, he knew my failures, my junk. he knew everything! and he still offered me this “living water.”

do you have any idea how good that sounded? he wasn’t talking about water anymore. he was talking about that.. that thirst i had carried around with me my whole life. the one i called ‘needing to be loved’. he was offering to satisfy that. but this was love with a capital “L”. he was offering God’s love. the kind that lasts forever.

i wanted it!

i had heard that a man who was God would come.. and that he would know all things.. this had to be him. he told me everything i had ever done! this was HIM!! this man was God. and He wanted to love me.

oh, yes, i definitely wanted that.

i felt like i had just drank the clearest, purest, most quenching water. i was.. i wasn’t thirsty. i wasn’t desperate to be loved. i was.. he loved me.

every bad decision, every ruined relationship i have ever had, i left behind me and i ran into town and told everyone – i told those men, those people, that would have nothing to do with me. i could hardly get the words out fast enough. but i had to tell anyone who would listen!!

they must have seen it all over me – i must have looked as changed as i felt because not only did they listen to me, but they believed! they listened to me! they believed me!

i had been tormented with a thirst i couldn’t understand and i couldn’t satisfy. but this man gave me what no other man could: love. real love. eternally quenching love.

God’s love.

and it fills me to overflowing. and instead of hiding away and avoiding people like i had for so long, i run to them and tell them they can have it, too. i have set everything i used to be aside and have put him first, to share with others about him, to know him, to love him.

i am no longer an outcast. i am no longer a disgrace. i am loved. i am accepted. my thirst is satisfied.

i am a samaritan woman
and i am second

this piece was performed at my church 4/26.
my friend davette played a samaritan woman.
i cried.
i watched all three services.
and cried all three services.
she... moved me!