Luke
Luke 1
MISCONCEPTIONS
Someone around you is affected by infertility. You
may not realize it because those who are are hesitant to bring it up.
As a result, they suffer not only from infertility but from the loneliness
that accompanies it. This sketch is designed to open the topic, to encourage
those in the cycles of depression and hope, and to help people know how
to approach the topic with sensitivity.
Luke 1:5-25
EXPECTING
FATHERS
Joseph
visits the mute Zechariah to discuss the visit he had from an angel
telling about the coming birth of Jesus.
Luke 1:11-20, 26-38, 39-45
HOPE, FAITH, JOY, LOVE
These monologues are built around the Advent tradition of lighting a candle each week. Throughout the weeks of Advent, we hear from the Angel Gabriel, a shepherd, Elizabeth, Jesus' grandmother, Simeon and Anna the Prophetess. Each brings a fresh perspective to the season, relating their stories to the themes in the title. If your church doesn't normally use an Advent wreath, look at the Pastor's Notes for more on this worthwhile tradition.
Luke 1:26-38
ARE YOU WORTHY?
An angelic game show host questions his next contestant: Mary, the future mother of the Savior.
Luke 1:30–33
CHRISTMAS BABY
Four people give their views on how they see Christmas and view the baby.”
Luke 1:46-55
AFTER THE PAGEANT
This script is designed to enhance a Christmas Eve service
or any service during the Advent season.
The message is one of focusing on Jesus during the holiday crunch.
Luke
2
LAST-MINUTE RUSH
This farce brings
us the Christmas rush in all its materialistic wrappings. Too busy to
shop himself, a father sends his business associates out to shop on Christmas
morning for his family's presents. But as the new possessions fail to
satisfy the spoiled children, the father is left to wonder if there is
anything more to Christmas than presents.
Luke 2
CHRISTMAS WITH STRANGERS
This script helps viewers to visualize what it was
like for Mary and Joseph to have Jesus born while they were so far from
home, far from the comfort and support of family and friends. It also
shows that just as Jesus' first visitors were strangers, so he came to
preach his gospel to the ends of the earth, an earth full of strangers
who need to know him. The couple in this drama receive a similar calling
one Christmas.
Luke
2
EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR
RICHARD
and CAROL argue over the placement of the nativity characters until their
friend SANDY reminds them that the spirit of love and giving should last
the whole year, not just for the Christmas season.
Luke 2:1–7
MAKING ROOM
The innkeeper who turned away Mary and Joseph reflects on his decision many years later.
Luke
2:1–20
THE CHRISTMAS SOLDIER
A
Roman soldier finishes his watch and wakes an innkeeper for some food and
to tell him of an unusual experience he just had that involved some
shepherds and a newborn baby in a manger.
Luke 2:1–20
THE GIFT
A theatre team struggles to mount a production of the traditional Christmas story, with humorous consequences. At the last moment, however, they pull themselves together and recount the tale with reverence and poise.
Luke
2:1-20
TOY WARS
A single mom and a rabid Star Wars fan face off over an action
figure at Christmas time
Luke
2:1–20
THE FORGOTTEN CHRISTMAS STORY
Mark Stilman and his wife get a lesson in the true meaning of Christmas
from their pastor, a group of carolers and their own children.
Luke 2:6
WHERE'S JESUS?
Dad
searches for a missing Jesus from the Nativity scene while his family
falls apart.
Luke 2:6-16
A mini-pageant that relates the Nativity narratives found in the Gospels of Matthew & Luke as a bedtime story.
Luke
2:7
TWO VIEWS OF CHRISTMAS
While preparing for the busy Christmas season, Ron and Kathy try to remind
June and Mike of what the reason for the season really is.
Luke 2:7
THE INNKEEPER
In this comic look at the original Christmas
story, we meet Amos, an enterprising innkeeper, out to make a buck during
the census. We also meet several travelers looking for lodging, among
them, Mary and Joseph. The twist to the familiar story comes in the way
Mary and Joseph are "invited" to stay at the inn. (Note: While
this may seem like a large cast, the parts are short and don't require
much memorizing.).
Luke
2:8-14
THE CHRISTMAS WISH
Two shepherds on the hills close to Bethlehem on are about to find out
that wishes really do come true.
Luke
2:8-20
AS SILENT STARS GO BY
Two cowboys exchange their outlooks on life. The older cowboy tries to
help the younger one see that he is scared of living life to its fullest.
There is the sense that something is about to happen that may change them
dramatically.
Luke 2:10-11
GOD REST YE MERRY
Mark, a recent divorcee,
is riding the commuter train home after a day of Christmas shopping for
his children. His ride is interrupted by Lady, a well-meaning, chatty
grandmother. As their encounter unfolds, we feel Mark's pain and witness
love in action as Lady opens her heart and home to Mark.
Luke
2:13–20
THE GREATEST GIFT
Paul and Shelley demonstrate the gift of kindness by inviting a suffering
couple to Christmas dinner.
Luke 2:17-20
THE CHRISTMAS PARTY
To
demonstrate how we often forget to honor Jesus at Christmas
Luke 2:21-24
LICENSE TO PARENT
A young couple, brand-new parents,
are ready to take their newborn child home from the hospital. But before
they leave, an official agent arrives and tells them that they must first
pass a parenting competency test. They take it but bungle through it.
Finally, they demand their rights as parents and leave, taking their child
with them.
Luke 2:30
MARY AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS
When we think
of Jesus' mother, it's often in the glowing Nativity scene: a radiant
young woman holding a swaddled baby. This script shows us quite another
Mary: a mother torn by agony as she watches her son die a horrible, demeaning
death. We get a chance to see both Jesus and Mary as "people" rather than
"biblical figures."
Luke 3:4
THE WHISPER OF ADVENT
How do we prepare for Christmas? Is it
all about hustle and bustle or is there something we’re missing? Have we
stopped to listen to the whisper of Advent?
Luke 3:11 & 12:13-21, 33-34
BIGGER AND BETTER
A husband and wife worry about how affluence heightens both their own and their teenage son's materialist expectations.
Luke 4:1-12
DESTRUCTION INSTRUCTION
When we choose to ignore directions, disaster usually results! Why do
we find it so difficult to take instruction? Perhaps we think we can do
life on our own. This sketch pokes fun at the idea that any of us can
go it alone. We all need help and guidance. Fortunately, we have God's
word to show us the way.
Luke
4:18
TRAPPED
Three believers struggle with feelings of bondage to material
concerns, obsessive thoughts and Internet pornography.
Luke 5:16
ALONE
To
open a discussion about loneliness
Luke
5:17–26
BRINGING DOWN THEE HOUSE
Seeking despite the obstacles brings us onto unexpected
paths and brings results beyond our expectations.
Luke
6:27-38
LOVE YOUR ENEMIES
At a rehearsal
for a “reader’s theater” presentation of Luke 6:27 –38,
Brenda doesn’t like the tone of the verses she’s been assigned
— especially as they call one to “love your enemies.” It’
up to the rest of the cast to show Brenda the depth of those words.
Luke 6:28
PRAYER MENU
An elderly woman does "people
watching" at a McDonald's and explains what she learns by praying
for the people she sees.
Luke
6: 31-35
CHORUS LINE LADIES
Three
elderly former chorus line dancers decide to go to church but are afraid
of how they might be received.
Luke 6:38 & 19:11-27
A CRACK IN THE NEST EGG
Retirement is a dangerous concept. In pursuit of
a comfortable post-work life, many people forget that planning "expire-ment"
is important, too. This sketch illustrates the need to focus more on the
perspectives from eternity than on the myopic distortions of this life
alone.
Luke 6:46-49
FAULTY FOUNDATIONS
Talk show format with three legendary guests whose fame or success
is revealed to be built on faulty foundations.
Luke 7
MARY'S GIFT
This sketch seeks to breathe
new life into the ancient story of Mary Magdalene's devotion to Jesus
by fleshing out Mary's personality. It also invites the audience to identify
with her experience of God's grace through the person of Jesus.
Luke 7:34–35
DON’T YOU SEE?
A young woman whose blindness was healed by Jesus is interrogated by the elders of the day.
Luke 7:36–50
LAY IT DOWN
An addict is led to Christ by a friend, but he must battle his fears of rejection to lay his last sins before Jesus.
Luke 7:36-50
GIVING ALL YOU'VE GOT
It's pretty often that we find ourselves in a situation
that is far from what God wants for us ... and, unfortunately, we sometimes
get into these situations with the best of intentions. This sketch tackles
the issues of giving, forgiveness, and financial debt ... and why it is
unwise to try to cover your guilt with acts of kindness.
Luke 7:36–50
RETREAT! RETREAT!
Emma finds that leaving town to relax and get spiritual is nearly more trouble than it’s worth. Nearly.
Luke 8:4-15
HOW TO HEAR GOD SPEAK
TO YOU
To
bring personal application to Jesus’ parable of the seeds
Luke
2:8-20
QUIET NIGHT
The shepherds are stunned when an angel appears to them in the field.
Luke 8:22–25
WAVES
A woman tells the story of being saved from drowning by her sister, who then led her to salvation.
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Luke
8:22-25
JESUS
AND THE STORM
This reader’s theatre parallels the passage from Luke 8:22 –
25 but in a modern day context. The scenarios cover a multitude of situations
and there is bound to be something that most everyone can relate to.
Luke 8:43-48
THE PRESCRIPTION
Sometimes we seek help from secular
sources when our real problem is a sick spirit. When that is the case,
we need the prescription that directs us to the Source of spiritual healing.
In this sketch, a man has difficulty believing that such a simple prescription
can really help him. This script helps viewers to think about the kind
of help that only God can give.
Luke 9:23-27 & 14:28-33
SALE-ING TAKES ME AWAY
Getting something for nothing, or at least for as
little as possible, has become an American way of life. But that mindset
can blind us to the actual intent of our Creator, that the most valuable
things, eternal things, are worth whatever price they might carry. This
script, which portrays a group of women discussing how to make the best
deals, invites us to think about the things that really matter and what
we should be willing to invest to get them.
Luke 9:46-48 & 17:7-10
BACK-STAGE ARGUMENT
While setting
up for a drama, the two stage crew members actually perform a drama as
they argue and complain over their work, illustrating the common occurrence
of conflict and tension between friends.
Luke
9:57-62
QUITTIN’ TIME
A department
store Santa sits down on a bench and begins to complain about his woes
of the season to the young stranger next to him.Soon Santa shows himself
to be something other than the kind old Kris Kringle one would expect.
Luke 10:40 - 42
HOME FOR DINNER
A man comes home for dinner only to find that his family is going out.
Luke 10:25-37
GOOD SAMAR1TAN
Upon meeting a homeless man in a fast food restaurant, a theology student
is challenged by God's most basic command, "Love one another as I
have loved you." A retelling of the Good Samaritan story.
Luke 10:27
THE
VOLUNTEER
A naïve and somewhat arrogant student
learns that helping others should not be about getting credit for oneself.
Luke
10:30–37
RENEWAL
Three
characters— a Christian, a terrorist and a homosexual woman—reflect
on September 11 and how it has and hasn’t changed their world.
Luke 10:30-37
THE INKEEPER'S ENCOUNTER
The Jewish proprietor of an inn along the Jericho road has no idea what's
in store for him tonight. As he is cleaning up at the end of a long day,
the door swings open to reveal a dreaded Samaritan bearing the near-dead
body of a Jew. What begins as anger and confusion at the sight of this
outsider in his inn quickly turns into admiration and respect for the
amazing display of unconditional love he witnesses.
Luke 10 & 21
THE INTROSPECTIVE SAMARITAN
A
well-meaning Samaritan finds every reason not to actually stop and help.
Afraid that assistance would attract too much sinful attention,
the man decides to be humble and move on down the road.
Luke 10:29-37 & 15:11-32
I WISH WE COULD TALK
When they first marry, most people picture a perfect
relationship. They expect to know and be known on the deepest levels by
the partner. They expect to share thoughts, fears, hopes, dreams, ideas,
struggles. Too often, however, the grind of life and the perversity of
the human heart become barriers to that intimate communication. This sketch
illustrates the longing we all have for deeply satisfying relationships
- with our spouse - and also with our Creator.
Luke 10:30–37
SAINT NICK
A man flying home for the Christmas holiday strikes up a conversation with a fellow traveler in a Santa suit, and in the process learns a lesson on charity.
Luke10:30–37
NEIGHBORS
Monologues by four "undesirable" neighbors addressed
to Christians
Luke 10:38 -42
A BIG FAMILY CHRISTMAS
An overworked and underappreciated woman searches
for peace in the midst of the holiday festivities.
Luke 10:38 -42
YOU AND ME, JESUS
Every morning, Lucy wakes up intending to spend time with Jesus, but she always puts it off ... until life gets so bad she finally turns to Jesus only to blame him for her troubles.
Luke 10:38–42
LOVING THE GAME
Katie and Mike try to understand their friend David, whose intense love for baseball drives him to spend as much time as he can practicing and playing the game.
Luke 11:1-13 & 18:1-8
SAY SOMETHING
While attending church, a woman talks to God and expresses her frustration with his apparent silence.
Luke 11:1-4
COMPLETE HONESTY
A man is confronted
about his lack of prayer by his laptop computer.
Luke
11:1-13
LEARNING
TO PRAY
A
woman looks back on her life of prayer. As she progresses from the simple
prayers of childhood to the sophisticated prayers of adulthood, she ponders
whether she missed the most important aspect of prayer: relationship.
Luke 12:12-19; Luke 19:35-38
CLEANUP CREW
After Jesus'
triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the streets are littered with palm branches
and cast-off garments. The two guys responsible for cleaning up the mess
discuss what all the fuss was about.
Luke 12:13-21
BLIND INVESTMENTS
Joe is trying
to balance the family checkbook and chides Shelly for her extravagance
— she bought two loaves of bread for the week when the family clearly
only needs one. Shelly, at her wits’ end with Joe’s “financial
savvy” and what it’s doing to their checking account, has called
a Christian financial consultant to help out. This humorous script is
a good discussion starter on financial responsibility.
Luke 12:16-21
THE EASTER PARADE
As
Paul and Connie prepare to host an Easter egg hunt, they debate the meaning
of the holy day. But the meaning of their debate takes a radical shift
when tragedy strikes.
Luke 12:32
THAT WAS A CLOSE ONE
A man recording his “bio” for a video dating service reveals his inner insecurities.
Luke 12:33-34
WRECK ROOM
Jack
has decided to surprise his wife, Renee, by building a rec room onto their
house. But this latest purchase is the last straw for Renee, who is tired
of the trappings of their yuppie lifestyle and yearns for days gone by
when the pair had committed to living a radical life of faith and trusting
in God.
Luke 14:10-12
THE QUIET MAN
To
get the audience thinking about humility and grace.
THE BIG SHOCKING NEWS
Parents brace themselves for bad news when their daughter comes home, and react in shock when their child wants to enter full-time ministry.
Luke 15:4-7
THE CALL
To open a discussion on our personal relationship with God
Luke
15:11-32
THE PRODIGAL SON'S DAD
Though
the narrator is trying to tell the story of the Prodigal Son, the man
playing the father can't quite get a handle on the perfect love shown
to the son.
Luke15:11-32
THANKSGIVING
It’s
Thanksgiving, and the family’s all together to celebrate. But Brian
is out on the deck, sulking. His brother, Jonathan, is getting on his
nerves. This drama takes a realistic look at siblings — each of whom
thinks the other is the “favorite son.”
Luke15:11-32
THE NINTH INNING
This sketch shows two fathers, both accepting their
sons, despite an obvious difference in the sons' performance abilities.
It provides opportunity for consideration of both human parenting and
the unconditional love of God.
Luke 15
MARY'S GIFT
This sketch seeks to breathe new life into the ancient
story of Mary Magdalene's devotion to Jesus by fleshing out Mary's personality.
It also invites the audience to identify with her experience of God's
grace through the person of Jesus.
Luke
17:11–19
WHAT DOES THANKSGIVING MEAN TO YOU?
Three families enter into Thanksgiving day with three different
plans to enjoy it.
Luke 18:1–8
BOTTOMLESS CEREAL
A young woman prays to God, frustrated by her circumstances and asking God to intervene and change things for her. In the end, an answer comes unexpectedly from a Christian friend.
Luke 18:9-14
FILLING-IN-THE-BLANK
Keith and Teri discuss the Sunday sermon
in a fast-food restaurant after church. But their discussion avoids mention
of any particular sermon topic and substitutes the generic phrase, "fill-in-the-blank"
whenever the topic comes up. Keith sees only the weaknesses of others
and can't conceive of himself as ever "filling-in-the-blank."
Teri tries to break down his resistance.
Luke 18
TOGETHER ALL ALONE
Why do we tend to pull away from others
when we need them the most? Why is it hard to admit need? What's the difference
between self-sufficiency and good old determination? This sketch examines
a father's tendency to suppress the pain of a bad situation and pull away
from both those he needs and those who need him.
Luke 18:9-18
MY BURDEN HAS BEEN LIFTED
This script can be performed easily by two actors
(with one playing seven parts), or by a cast of eight. In this sketch
we meet Joe, a new Christian. He is confronted by a barrage of well-meaning
Christians who each have their own take on what Joe has to do to "really"
be a Christian. This humorous sketch gets the audience laughing while
making an important point..
Luke 18:11
COMPLETE HONESTY
A man is confronted
about his lack of prayer by his laptop computer.
Luke 19:28-38
TRIUMPHAL ENTRY
The man
searches for the donkey that was taken for Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem.
By following the donkey, the man finds a teacher, king and savior.
Luke
19:28–38
61112
WELCOMING THE KING
A group of children discover that the family donkey is carrying Jesus
into Jerusalem, so they and their friends get palm branches to welcome
him.
Luke 22
A CELEBRATION OF COMMUNION
To unite the celebration of the communion table with
the return of Jesus Christ.
Luke 22:47 -53;
WHO ARE YOU?
Two young men, one from the first century and one from modern time, describe their life-changing encounters with Jesus.
Luke
23:26-49
WHY ME?
Simon
gives an eyewitness account of Jesus' final walk to the cross. What troubles
Simon is the irony of his own rage at the Romans for how they treated
Jesus, juxtaposed with Jesus' own love and forgiveness of those very tormentors.
Luke 24
HE'S GONNA BE MAD
To help the audience understand the power and reality
of the Resurrection.
Luke 24:45-49
WORD ASSOCIATION
In this poignant
monologue we meet Josh, who is trying to figure out what Easter has to
do with his life. He says, "See, I don 't see any .how this .this 'Resurrection
' has anything to do with my day. You know? What does it mean in relation
to my getting up at 5:30 every morning and making coffee? In relation
to my fax machine not working at the office? What does it mean in relation
to my autistic son?" Follow Josh's personal game of "word association"
to the cross and the empty tomb.
