Jesus and the Storm

JESUS AND THE STORM (61072)
by Bill McNeil

GENRE: Reader’s Theatre
TIME: Five minutes
CAST BREAKDOWN: 1 Narrator, 2F, 3M
THEME: Peace
SUGGESTED USE: Bible Study, Worship Service
CHURCH YEAR SEASON: Any

SYNOPSIS: 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.

CHARACTERS:
NARRATOR, WILLIAM, SUZANNE, PASTOR JONES, BETTY, JESUS

PROPS: None
COSTUMES: Modern clothing
SOUND: Five cordless microphones
LIGHTING: General stage
SETTING: Stage
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE: Luke 8:22-25

NARRATOR: Jesus and his followers were out in the midst of life. And as they went, a terrible whirlwind came up around them, threatening to overcome them.

WILLIAM: If I don’t get this report in by tomorrow, the team will really get on my case. I could work on it tonight, but it’s Parent’s Night at school, Katie is getting an award and I promised to go. I guess I can get up early and work on the report. Oh, I can’t. I have to meet Jim for our prayer time and coffee. I guess I won’t sleep tonight. What’s that dear? The washer is doing what? The water is how deep? Arggh. (Turns upstage)

SUZANNE: (To child) Just a minute, Honey. I’ll go over that with you when I get your brother to bed. (Phone rings) Hello? Oh, hi, Mary. Yes, I remember tomorrow night is potluck. Foods from other cultures? Well, I guess I could find something from Finland. Oh, no problem. Bye. (Hangs up) Great, when am I supposed to get that done? Just a minute, Honey. Son, I told you, no story tonight, I have a lot to do. (Turns upstage)

PASTOR JONES: (With a dayplanner in hand) Mow lawn on Monday, prayer breakfast on Tuesday morning early (Groans), few hours of sermon preparation, then lunch with the city pastors group, (As one word) Wednesday night teachers meeting, Bible study, prayer, men’s group, being caught by whomever in the hallway to talk about whatever is troubling them which they could take care of if only they tried, little more sermon prep, check the lights, lock the doors. (Turns upstage)

BETTY: If I can just get this packing done, we’ll be ready for the trip. Romania seems so far away, but if that is where God needs us, then so be it. I wonder what is taking Jim so long to get home. (Phone rings) Hello, Yes, this is Mrs. Reynolds. The State Police! Oh no. What is it? An accident… O Lord please, no. Jim has been hurt. How badly? Yes, I can come to the hospital. I’ll leave now. (Hangs up and turns upstage)

NARRATOR: All this while it seemed that Jesus was asleep, unaware, tuned-out, disinterested. Nearby, but not connected. The followers cried out to Jesus…

WILLIAM: Lord, I can’t make it. I’m overwhelmed. I can’t do everything that everyone needs me to do. Worker, father, husband, handyman, spiritual brother, disciple. I’m tired, burned out, I don’t care. Don’t you care that I’m in crisis? (Freeze)

SUZANNE: Oh, Lord. I can’t remember the last time I was just still…when I could just hold my children and enjoy who they are instead of handling them as another task on my list. I have a garden with nothing in it, piles of papers to work through and very little time to let my husband know how much I love him. Lord, even you seem so distant. I know I don’t look for you each day, but when I do find a moment, often in the midst of crisis, you are not there. (Freeze)

PASTOR JONES: I hate this, Lord. I have to be “on” all the time. The put together, professional, polished, prepared, perfect pastor.
I long to study and pray, to really meet some needs, but it seems all I do is put out brush fires. I run here, run there, get ready for this program, that meeting, meet every crisis. I can’t do it. (Freeze)

BETTY: Dear Lord, I can’t believe he’s gone. All the plans we had, our future, are now just broken and twisted. I hurt and I hate. I am left with no sense of direction or purpose. Everything is just madness and pain. Why weren’t you there? Where are you now? (Freeze)

UNISON: Work, plan, run, give, smile. (Repeat three times to crescendo)

JESUS: (Appearing in their midst) Be still! (They freeze. He speaks to everyone in a tone of loving rebuke.) Where is your faith? I said I will never leave you nor forsake you. You need to ask me to help you with who you are. You are my children. Be that first. I love you. You are my dependents, my workmanship, my poem. I will help you to fulfill all the different roles you need to plan, but master that one role first. Seek first my rule in your life and world, and all the other things will I add to your life. Rest in me, for I will lift you up. Be still and know that I am God.

NARRATOR: In amazement they asked one another…

UNISON: This must be God. He can command my life and still
my heart and mind.

Lights out.

DIRECTING JESUS AND THE STORM
This sketch gives us three modern-day disciples facing storms of everyday life: isolated, then crying out for Jesus, then being stilled by his presence. Because this is a story that moves from isolation to community, and it isn’t a realistic “slice of life” drama set in someone’s living room, you have a lot of creative room to breathe and imagine. Two keys are: keeping things active and thinking about how stage pictures (see definition) tell the story

ACTING EXERCISE : Tug of War
For the three “disciples” the temptation will be to internalize, especially the men since their first speeches involve talking to themselves. To keep things active and to keep the characters’ frustration as intense as it should be, have all five actors play a game of tug of war while they run their lines. It doesn’t matter who is on which side, as long as they experience that tension while they’re rehearsing. The point is not to replicate that sensation, or even that level of frustration, in the final product. The point is to move them away from reflection and toward action—in other words, the actor’s task of fighting to get something they desperately need…like you do in a tug of war!

STAGING NOTES:
A similar challenge faces the director in this piece: keeping things active in a scene where all the characters are isolated from each other until the end. To combat reflection and inactivity, stage this piece with some carefully selected, yet very active, blocking. Don’t let your characters just stand still in a spotlight, in other words. You want the blocking in the first part of the scene to tell a story of isolation, so try putting the characters as far apart from each other as they can be. In their first round of speeches, are the three disciples free or are they stuck? They’re stuck, so don’t have them move far from where they are. In the second round however, they cry out to Jesus. They’re moving away from their isolated state. Try moving your disciples around during those speeches so they’re literally not in the same place they used to be! Then incorporate more intense movement during the “work, plan, run, give, smile” line. What story are they telling here? They are literally in the storm so let their blocking show that. The more tempestuous they are, the more powerful it will be when Jesus stops the storm. Then the author gives you a final unison line—a nice reflection of how they’ve moved from isolation to community. They’re speaking to one another at the end, so experiment with stage pictures that will tell that story of connection in the final moment. Also, where is Jesus before and after he speaks? Does he suddenly appear? Does he have his back turned then pivot? Or is he watching all along then steps into the scene? Afterwards does he speak and then withdraw to where he was before? Or is he still there at the end, silently watching?

CHARACTERIZATION NOTES:
Again, the “reflective” tendencies in a piece like this will kill it if the actors don’t play their characters with very active needs which they’re fighting to get. If the three disciples just sort of reflectively whine about their busy lives, the audience will tune them out instantly. But, if they’re honestly frustrated, actively searching for a solution to the turmoil inside them, the audience will relate. Also, encourage them to find the humor in their first round of speeches.

DEFINITION: STAGE PICTURE
A Stage Picture is just what it sounds like: the visual picture created by the arrangement of set pieces, actors, and lighting. As with all blocking, your stage pictures help tell the story. You might think, “well, they’re isolated at the beginning so I just put them far apart.” That’s one possibility. You can also use levels to vary people’s heights. You can use lighting to isolate them. Their movement in the crying out/storm section near the end would be a very different picture, with opportunities for them to literally whirl around each other. And your stage picture of the final moment can’t be just three characters chatting. The actors’ placement will show us how they’re relating to each other, how they’ve been changed. The stage picture tells the story.

A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. Mark 4:37-39

THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR
If you had a chance to look at the world with God’s vision to see everything, all at once, with no constraints of time, would you do it? If all you received was his “view” without his wisdom, power, knowledge, and justice, would you do it? I imagine seeing what he sees without any ability to control or interpret it would be amazingly scary. Now matter how broad we think our “vision” is, when compared to God we all suffer from nearsightedness.
One of the powerful points of this sketch is the tendency humans have to question whether God cares about our plight—and if he does care, why doesn’t he do more to help us. We often make assumptions when evaluating the “fairness” of life. The first assumption is that we know what is fair for others. The second is that we know what is fair for ourselves. The way to overcome these assumptions is abandonment. Faith invites us to call on Jesus, listen in stillness, and be open to abandon our assumptions, trusting that God will work all things together for good—his first, ours second.

STUDY/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Looking back at your life, share something that appeared to be an overwhelming problem that you saw God deal with over time.
2. Read Psalm 46:10. How has “stillness” aided you in difficult times?
3. What is your biggest obstacle in finding stillness?
4. Ask God to give you one practical step to take in your circumstances. Ask him to give you the grace to take that step.

WORSHIP THEME:
Finding peace in the midst of the storm

WORSHIP IDEA:
Take a moment for silent prayer at the end of this performance. Challenge your congregation to close their eyes and think about what is causing them distress in their lives. Then corporately sing “It Is Well With My Soul” as a way of releasing to the Lord all that may be causing them unrest.

WORSHIP LINKS

Performance Songs

“All I Need”
(Deliverance, Devotion, Provision)
Worship Today Music Service
www.worshiptoday.com
Tempo: Slow

“He Whispers Sweet Peace”
(Peace)
Worship Today Music Service
www.worshiptoday.com
Tempo: Slow (Instrumental)

Choruses

“The Heart of Worship”
(Renewal)
as performed by John Tesh
off A Deeper Faith,
Garden City Music
Tempo: Slow

“I’m Trading My Sorrows”
(Renewal)
as performed on America’s
Newest Praise & Worship Favorites
Brentwood Records
Tempo: Fast

“In the Presence of Jehovah”
(Peace)
as performed on America’s
Newest Praise & Worship Favorites
Brentwood Records
Tempo: Slow

Hymns

“It Is Well with My Soul”
(Inner peace and joy)
Horation G. Spafford
and Philip P. Bliss
Tempo: Slow

“I Need Thee Every Hour”
(Need)
Annie S. Hawks and Robert Lowry
Tempo: Slow

“Precious Lord, Take My Hand”
(Fellowship with God)
Thomas A. Dorsey and
George N. Allen
Tempo: Slow

Performance and photocopying rights:
Your purchase of this script grants your church unlimited use of these sketches within your programs and worship services. You may photocopy the script for each cast member in your church. Scripts and performance rights are not transferable between churches and cannot be resold. You may not use the sketches for any commercial or fundraising purpose, and usage rights do not extend to video, radio, television or film.

Directors Notes by Paul Maley, Lamb’s Players Theatre. Copyright © 2002 by Nan Allen