More information about

LOVE STRUCK

MAIN POINT
God commands us to love one another. That's a simple statement, yet so difficult to do. It can be especially difficult to love those who are strangers and those who irritate us or do something offensive to us. Yet God's command stands, "Love one another." Jesus is the perfect example of someone who loved the imperfect people around him. During the Christmas season, we are especially reminded of his example. Be looking, be ready, to be struck by his love for those around you ... those you may least expect.

CHARACTERIZATION
One man (or woman): An everyday-type Christian, for the monologue.
Woman 1: A likable mom, a Christian.
Woman 2: A struggling single mom.
All the characters should be likable and have high identification with the audience. Avoid stereotyping the poor single mother or having any of them become "dramatic." They are three very sincere individuals who want to tell their stories ... as if they were sitting across from you in their living room.

DIRECTOR'S NOTES
1) These sketches can be performed together in the same service or each can stand by itself. When doing both of them, it may work well to space them separately, during the sermon, highlighting two different examples of being struck with the Savior's love.
2) For the monologue, choose an activity for the man (or woman) to be doing while speaking: something simple such as wrapping a Christmas present or unwinding a string of Christmas lights or trimming a tree. The activity should not distract attention from the dialogue, but rather help it to look natural. He can stop the activity for a while during a profound thought or particularly emotional statement and then go right back to it. Avoid letting the monologue drag. Keep it moving, and have the lines be very quick in the third paragraph where he is describing finding a parking spot and then losing it.
3) For "Christmas in a Grocery Bag," place the two women on either side of the stage or altar. Face both forward and have them remain engaged in the conversation even when they aren't speaking. Remember that they are not speaking to each other, but be sure that the underlined portions of their lines overlap. They can refer to their grocery bags when appropriate; otherwise let the audience paint their own picture of what the scene looks like. Both characters should save most of their emotion for the end. When Woman 2 is pulling out the items from her grocery bag there are tears of joy, and when Woman 1 says her last line there are tears of conviction and joy.
4) If possible, each character should be in her own pool of light. Since movement is limited, spots could be used for each of them.

RELATED SCRIPTURES
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 provides an opportunity to consider what it means to "abound" in love for others. Other appropriate passages, all highlighting God's love for us as the motivation for our love for others include John 13:34-35, John 15:12-13, 1 John 4:7-12, Matthew 5:43-48 and Ephesians 5:1-2.

RELATED THEMES
These sketches can be used in a sermon about giving or about listening when God calls or on any message related to living the Christian life - being different from the world.

RELATED SERMON
See "An Advent Attitude" in Homiletics, October-December 1997. To order, call 1-800-992-2144.
.