Who Is Jesus?

SCRIPT TITLE:

Who Is Jesus?

AUTHORSHIP:

BIBLE BASIS:

Isaiah 53:5-6; Matthew 16:13-16; 1 John 4:14-15

SCRIPT THEME:

Although people's opinions may vary, the Bible is very clear that Jesus is God's Son and our Savior.

KEY VERSE:

"If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God." (1 John 4:15)

CHARACTERS:

Sam/Samantha, a grade school student

Chris/Christina, Sam's older sibling

PROPS:

Cards and Envelopes: Write each of the following words or phrases on a separate index card -- HOCKEY STICK, SPAGHETTI WITH MEATBALLS, POLAR BEAR. Seal the HOCKEY STICK card in an envelope labeled "Question Number 1," seal the SPAGHETTI card in an envelope labeled "Question Number 2," and seal the POLAR BEAR card in an envelope labeled "Question Number 3."

VIDEO:

Allow time before the performance to conduct video interviews of people of various ages, genders and walks of life, asking the question: "Who is Jesus?" Edit the footage to a 2-3 minute video that demonstrates a variety of Responses. This can be done with actors or with passersby at a mall or other public place.

COSTUMES:

Casual, modern day dress

SETTING:

A living room with television and VCR (with video cued up and ready to play)

INTRODUCTION
Have you ever wondered what it would be like if you could read minds? If you could hear what other people were thinking? It might be kind of fun, but then again, it might be kind of scary too! Well, I'm really thankful that God didn't give us that ability! But, someone in our drama today is wishing he could do it!

DRAMA

Sam is sitting on the couch, shuffling the numbered envelopes as CHRIS enters.

SAM: Hey, Chris! Wait a minute! I need to practice my talent show act. Will you help me?

CHRIS: Okay. What do you want me to do?

SAM: Just sit back, relax, and (grandly) prepare to be amazed by . . . me! Sam the Magnificent! Yes! My superior powers of intellect allow me to read your mind! So, prepare to be amazed! First, I will need a volunteer from the audience. (mimes surveying the audience, then selects the Chris) Yes, yes. You, my young friend. Come, come up here.

CHRIS: (playing along, sarcastically) Oh, wow! This is so exciting! I never get picked for anything!

SAM: Yes, well today is your lucky day. Now, please assure the audience that we have never met or talked to each other before this very moment.

CHRIS: Why, no. Until five minutes ago, I didn't have the slightest idea of who you were.

SAM: (offended) What! You mean to tell me you have never heard of Sam the Magnificent?

CHRIS: No. I'm sorry. We don't even get cable.

SAM: All right, all right. Enough with the introductions. Now, prepare to be amazed. (He fans out the four envelopes before the CHRIS's eyes.) In these envelopes are the answers to the three questions that you are about to ask me.

CHRIS: Three questions?

SAM: Yes. Please ask me three questions about yourself, your life, things that are important to you. I assure you, the answers are right here in these envelopes.

CHRIS: All right. Hmm. Okay. Here's a good one. What did I have for dinner last night?

SAM: Prepare to be amazed! My superior powers of intellect tell me that you had (reading the card) A HOCKEY STICK for dinner last night!

CHRIS: (laughing) Sam! You can't even remember what Mom made for dinner last night? This is a comedy act, right?

SAM: (embarrassed, confused) No, it's not a comedy! I'm serious. Maybe we should just jump to Question Number 2, huh? I promise you, the answer is right here inside this envelope. Now, you tell me the question.

CHRIS: Okay. I'll make it easy on you. What is my favorite animal?

SAM: (opening the envelope) Prepare to be amazed! Your favorite animal is (reading the card) SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS.

CHRIS: Are you sure this isn't a comedy?

SAM: (becoming angry) Not funny! What's your next question?

CHRIS: Okay, then. There's no way you can miss this one. What did my brother Sam give me for my birthday?

SAM: (not so confident now) Prepare to be amazed. For your birthday, your brother Sam, also known as Sam the Magnificent, gave you (opening the envelope and reading it, defeatedly) A POLAR BEAR. (He throws down the card in disgust.) Oh! I give up! I didn't get one question right! I'll never make it into the talent show!

CHRIS: Hey, don't give up! C'mon. Why don't you try one more? I promise you'll know the answer.

SAM: But I'm all out of envelopes.

CHRIS: You won't need an envelope for this one.

SAM: Well, okay.

CHRIS: Alright now, Sam the Magnificent. Here's my question. Who is Jesus?

SAM: Well, Jesus is God's Son and our Savior, of course.

CHRIS: See! I told you you could get one right!

SAM: Yeah, but that's too easy! Everyone knows that.

CHRIS: Not necessarily.

SAM: Huh?

CHRIS: You and I know who Jesus is. Mom and Dad are always telling us about Him, and we learn about Him in church every Sunday. But, there are lots of people who don't have a clue who Jesus is.

SAM: Really?

CHRIS: Yeah. Here, take a look at this. I made this tape for my TV Production class.

CHRIS turns on television and plays video. After the video is over, CHRIS turns television off.

SAM: You're right. Lots of people do know who Jesus is, but there are also a lot of people who don't have a clue.

CHRIS: Yeah, and you don't have to be a mind reader to figure it out, either. It's all right there in the Bible! I mean, God made sure the prophets wrote it all down 700 years before Jesus was even born.

SAM: Wow! But if the truth's been out for all that time, how come more people don't know who Jesus really is?

CHRIS: Well, they can't read our minds, Sam! We're gonna have to tell them.

SAM: Oh!

CONCLUSION
Isn't it amazing that God shared the future with prophets like Isaiah 700 years before Jesus was born! But even in Jesus' time, people didn't understand that He was God's Son and our Savior. Some thought He was John the Baptist, others thought he was an Old Testament prophet, like Elijah or Jeremiah, come back from the dead. And today, it's no different. Lots of people have lots of different ideas about who Jesus is. But, if you want to know the truth, check out what the Bible has to say! There you will discover that Jesus is the Son of God, and the promised Messiah, the one and only Savior of the world!

Prayer Points

Thank you, God, for promising to send Jesus to the world so many years ago.
Thank you that we have learned that Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior of the world.
Please help us tell others who Jesus really is.