SCRIPT SUMMARY

Authorship

Characters

Blue Beard and LaFeet, two notorious pirates

Costumes

Traditional pirate garb, Blue Beard wears an eye patch

Props

Two treasure maps, two sheets of burlap with red Xs on them, two treasure chests. One chest is dirty, tarnished and contains a rag with holes ripped in it and a rusty brass pot half-filled with dirt or sand. The other chest is bright and clean, and contains a piece of paper with the words: “Congratulations! Your treasure awaits you, safe and sound, in the castle where the King is found!”

Setting

An uninhabited tropical island

Summary

When we live right for God, He keeps our reward safe in heaven. When we live for ourselves, our earthly treasures are destroyed.

Bible Basis

Matthew 6:19-24; 1 Peter 2:13-25

Key Verse

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever been swimming at the beach or playing at a park when someone walked by with a metal detector? When that person swept the metal detector back and forth over the ground, did he or she find anything of value? (Allow for a couple answers.) It kind of makes you wonder what kind of treasure might be buried in the sand, doesn’t it?

Well, Jesus knows how exciting it can be to find buried treasure! But, Jesus wants us to seek out a different kind of treasure, the kind that lasts forever. And, that’s what today’s drama is all about!

DRAMA

The stage is set to suggest an uninhabited tropical island.  Near center stage are two treasure chests, hidden under sheets of burlap.  Each burlap sheet is marked with a red X.

BLUE BEARD and LAFEET enter simultaneously from opposite sides of the stage.  They are each so engrossed in reading their treasure maps that they don’t notice each other.

BB:	(reading from map)  …forty-seven, forty-eight, forty-nine, fifty!  Fifty paces north.

LAFEET:	… forty-seven, forty-eight, forty-nine, fifty!  Fifty paces south.

BB and LAFEET:  (in unison, still reading from maps)  Circle to your left five paces.  (They circle left five paces as they count.)  One, two, three, four, five.  (They read again from maps in unison.)  Turn 180 degrees.  (They turn until they are facing each other, with the burlap-covered treasure chests between them.  They read again in unison.)  X marks the spot!  (For the first time they take their eyes off the map and look up, looking each other in the eye and startle each other.)  AHHHHHH!

BB:	(recognizing LAFEET)  Argh!  Why, bless me soul.  If it isn’t ol’ LaFeet!

LAFEET:	Blue Beard?  Is that really you?

BB:	Argh!  Of course it’s me, you scally wag!  What do you be doin’ here, LaFeet?

LAFEET:	Looking for buried treasure, of course!  (holding up his map)  Don’t you remember the day the Captain gave His entire crew these treasure maps?

BB:	(holding up his map)  Argh!  Of course I remember!  “Boys,” He says, “It’s time for me to leave the sea, and return to My Father’s castle.  But, before I leave, I want you to know where My greatest treasure lies.  She’s all yours, if you seek her with all your heart!”  Then He gave us all these maps.  Here’s mine.  (surveying the island)  And, by the looks of it, we’re the first ones to make it here.

They both step back to survey the red Xs on the burlap behind them.

LAFEET:	You could always trust the Captain to spell things out.  The map says, “X marks the spot” and, sure enough, there’s a giant red X right here, right where it should be.

BB:	Argh!  He was a crafty one, he was.  Still, I didn’t expect to find two of them red X’s.  Did you?

LAFEET:	(scratching head)  No.  What do you make of it?

BB:	Argh.  Could be there was so much treasure, He had to dig two holes to hold it all.

LAFEET:	Maybe.

BB:	Argh!  More likely, it’s some kind of a test.  One of them X’s is probably covering a booby trap.  One false move, and we’ll be blown to smithereens!

LAFEET:	(consulting his map)  Well, like I say, you can always trust the Captain to spell things out.  There must be some clue on the map.

BLUE BEARD and LAFEET consult their maps.

LAFEET:	Wait a minute!  What’s this?  Do you see the fine print at the bottom of your map?

BB:	Argh!  It’s as foggy as the mists off the coast of Nova Scotia!  What’s it say?

LAFEET:	(reading off map)  It says, “When the red X you finally reach, sit yourself upon the beach….”  (they look at each other and, after a pause, both sit down.  LAFEET continues reading)  “To learn which X covers your treasure, answer these riddles with good measure.”

BB:	Argh!  “With good measure”?  What do you suppose He meant by that?

LAFEET:	Well, you know how the Captain was always telling us to do good to others.  I expect it has something to do with that.

BB:	Argh!  What are we waiting for?  What’s the first riddle?

LAFEET:	(reading off map)  “If you obey teachers and parents without a fight, then choose the treasure on the right.”

BB:	Argh!  Obey without a fight?!?  That’s not the pirate way.

LAFEET:	Wait!  There’s more.  (reading off map)  “If obedience is too much for you, then the treasure on the left’s for you.”

BB:	Argh!  That settles it.  The treasure on the left is the one I want!

BLUE BEARD starts to stand up, but LAFEET pulls him back down.

LAFEET:	Not so fast, my hasty friend!  There are two more riddles to answer!

BB:	(sitting back down)  Argh!  What’s the next riddle?

LAFEET:	(reading off map)  “If you show respect to all in sight, then choose the treasure on the right.”

BB:	Argh!  Show respect?!?  The only thing a pirate respects is the sea!

LAFEET:	Blue Beard!  Would you let me finish the riddle, please?

BB:	Argh!  All right.

LAFEET:	(reading off map)  “If respecting others you cannot do, then the treasure on the left’s for you.”

BB:	Argh!  Once again, the treasure of the left is calling my name.

BLUE BEARD starts to stand up again, but LAFEET pulls him back down.

LAFEET:	Would you please be patient!  There’s one more riddle to answer!

BB:	Argh!  Why bother?  I’ve already decided to choose the treasure on the left.

LAFEET:	Are you sure?  Remember, there could be a booby trap under the wrong X!

BB:	Argh!  A booby prize, more likely.  All right, all right.  Read the last riddle!

LAFEET:	(reading off map)  “If your steps are in God’s light, then choose the treasure on the right.”

BB:	Argh!  “If your steps are in God’s light”?  What’s that mean?

LAFEET:	Remember how the Captain always told us we should follow His example, always do the right thing, always choose the right path?

BB:	Argh!  I still don’t get it.

LAFEET:	Well, let me read the rest of the riddle.  Maybe it will explain it.  (reading off map)  “If God’s ways are not for you, the treasure on the left’s for you.”

BB:	Argh!  I’m tired of waiting.  Let’s open the treasures.  I want the one on the left!

LAFEET:	Well, that’s fine with me, because I want the treasure on the right.  I remember all that the Captain taught us before He returned to His Father’s castle.  I’m sure the Captain wants us to obey those in authority over us, to show respect to everyone, and to follow in His steps.  The real treasure has to be the one on the right.

BB:	Argh!  Well, matey, if you’re so all-fired sure, why don’t you open your treasure first?

LAFEET removes the burlap on the right, revealing a beautiful, shiny treasure chest.  He opens it so that the audience can see it contains a piece of paper.  He removes the paper from the treasure chest.

LAFEET:	(reading the paper)  “Congratulations!  Your treasure awaits you, safe and sound, in the castle where the King is found!”

BB:	(laughing)  Argh!  Argh!  Argh!  Looks like you got the booby prize, LaFeet!  You have to return to the king’s castle!  And, even if you survive the voyage there, you have no guarantee that the treasure will be there when you arrive!

LAFEET:	It will be there, Blue Beard.  I know the Captain.  He is worthy of my complete trust.  In fact, I’m starting my journey to His Father’s castle this very minute.  Farewell, my friend!

LAFEET exits.

BB:	(calling after LAFEET)  Argh!  You don’t want to watch me open the real treasure, eh?  Sore loser!

BLUE BEARD removes the burlap on the left, revealing a dirty, tarnished treasure chest.  He opens it so that the audience cannot see its contents.  One by one, he removes the contents of the treasure chest: a moth-eaten rag and a rusty brass pot.  He holds the rag up to the light, looking through its holes toward the audience.  He turns the brass pot upside down, and lets the dirt pour into the treasure chest.  He throws the pot and rag into the chest and storms off stage.

BB:	(holding his head as he exits)  ARGH!!!!

CONCLUSION

Jesus knows a lot about treasure. In fact, in the Bible He tells us, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” If we seek after treasures on earth – being rich or popular or important – we can’t be sure that those treasures will last. In fact, Jesus tells us that earthly treasures are sure to be destroyed or stolen. But, if we seek to please God – by obeying those in authority over us like teachers and parents, by treating others with respect and by following in His footsteps -- then we store up treasures in heaven. And, Jesus promises us that heavenly treasure will never be destroyed or stolen. It awaits us in heaven!

Prayer Points

· Pray that we would all live to please God and store up heavenly treasure.

· Pray that our hearts would be focused on heavenly rewards rather than earthly ones.

· Pray that our lives would be pleasing to God.

Copyright 2002 by Nina Wallestad.  All rights reserved.