001. I Am Sends Moses to Free the Enslaved Children of Israel

About 5 minutes, from Exodus 3; 12 – 14

Participants (No need to memorize lines; the aim is to relive sacred events, not to perform.)

Moses
Miriam
Voice (of God)
Prompter: Shout a brief line, and Echoes repeat it.
Echoes: Children and all adults who want to take part. Echoes need no script.

Miriam	I am Miriam, Moses’ sister. Pharaoh has enslaved us in Egypt. Hear those painful whips!
Prompter & Echoes	Crack! Crack!
Miriam	Pharaoh’s cruel officers force the Israelites to work even harder to build his grand city of Rameses. We groan under our burdens.
Prompter & Echoes	Lord, deliver us!
Miriam	By a miracle of God’s mercy and a bit of scheming on my part, my brother Moses is raised in Pharaoh’s palace. But now he gets in trouble!
Moses	Oh! What’s this? That Egyptian is beating an Israelite slave mercilessly! I look around to see if anyone is watching; I kill the cruel Egyptian, and hide him in the sand.
Prompter & Echoes	But someone was watching!
Moses	Oh no! I flee from Egypt, to where Pharaoh cannot find me.
Prompter & Echoes	Run, Moses, run!
Moses	Here I am now, tending sheep in this lonely land of Midian. Oh! That bush over there is on fire; it keeps burning, but it is not consumed. I must go see why.
Voice	Moses! Remove your sandals; you are standing on holy ground. I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I have seen the suffering of my people in Egypt. Go and tell Pharaoh to free my people from their slavery.
Prompter & Echoes	Let my people go!
Miriam	Pharaoh listens to Moses, but hardens his heart. God sends many plagues to make Pharaoh relent and free us, but the cruel monarch makes our burdens even heavier. Hear what Moses tells Israel’s elders.
Moses	God’s death angel will pass over Egypt tonight, and slay every family’s older son, unless he sees the Passover Lamb’s blood on the doorposts. Go warn your people.
Prompter & Echoes	Blood on the doorposts!
Moses	So much death alarms Pharaoh. He calls my brother Aaron and me, and tells us to take the Israelites out of Egypt. Our Egyptian neighbors readily give us the needed supplies.
Miriam	Hurry! Join the thousands that are leaving in haste, before Pharaoh changes his mind. Look! That pillar of cloud is leading us by day!
Prompter & Echoes	And a pillar of fire by night.
Miriam	Now we’ve stopped; the Red Sea is blocking our way. What can we do?
Prompter & Echoes	Pharaoh changes his mind!
Miriam	Pharaoh is furious! He mobilizes his whole army!
Prompter & Echoes	Rumble, rumble!
Miriam	What is this that I hear? It’s getting louder!
Miriam	It’s the sound of horses and chariots! Oh, no! Look!
Prompter & Echoes	Thousands of them!
Miriam	They’re getting closer.
Prompter & Echoes	Lord, save us!
Miriam	Moses, the people are asking if there are no graves in Egypt’s land of pyramid tombs that you’ve brought them out to die in this wasteland.
Moses	My people, do not fear. The Lord will fight for you!
Voice	Moses, lift up your staff and stretch it out over the sea. The children of Israel will go through it on dry land.
Moses	A strong east wind blows all night and turns the sea into dry land. God’s children all pass through it; the waters are like a wall on each side.
Prompter & Echoes	Hurry!
Miriam	Oh no! Pharaoh’s chariots and horsemen are pursuing us! They’re halfway across the sea! Look! Their chariot wheels are swerving! They are in confusion!
Voice	Moses, stretch out your hand again over the sea. Now!
Moses	I reach out my hand, and the sea returns. Pharaoh’s army has drowned. Freedom at last!
Prompter & Echoes	Our God is all-powerful!
Moses	Now, everyone, let’s all discuss this. God used Moses to free his people from slavery and death. Mention ways in which Jesus has likewise saved his people from death and slavery, spiritually.