005. Jesus Forgives a Paralytic’s Sins Because of his Friends’ Faith

About 3 minutes, from Mark 21-12

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

Levi
Voice (of Jesus)
Scholar
Prompter: Shout a brief line and Echoes repeat it.
Echoes: Children and all adults who want to take part. Echoes need no script.

Levi	I am Levi, one of Jesus’ twelve disciples. We are in Capernaum now.
Prompter & Echoes	By the beautiful Sea of Galilee.
Levi	Oh, hello sir. I’m a bit surprised that you’ve come to hear Jesus; you scholars normally oppose his teaching.
Scholar	I’m investigating it. Just look at this mob rushing to hear Him!
Prompter & Echoes	Hurry! Hurry!
Levi	Look! Four men are bringing a paralytic on a mat! The door is too crowded to get in. They’re climbing up on the roof!
Scholar	(Look up) Hey! Stop tearing up the roof! (Shield your face from falling debris) Debris is falling on us! Quit that!
Prompter & Echoes	What is going on?
Levi	They made a hole! They’re lowering the paralytic in front of Jesus. Wow! That’s an unspoken prayer of faith.
Prompter & Echoes	Audacious faith!
Scholar	You up there! Stop disturbing our meeting! Pull that guy back up!
Levi	Jesus is looking with compassion on the paralytic. Listen!
Voice	Son, your sins are forgiven.
Scholar	What? This deluded rabbi is blaspheming! Only God can forgive sins.
Voice	Why do you question these things? Which is easier to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or, ‘Get up, and pick up your mat and walk?’
Scholar	Oh, any fool could simply tell a sinner his sins are forgiven!
Voice	I will prove to you that I, the Son of Man, have power to forgive sins. My paralyzed friend, get up, pick up your mat, and go home.
Levi	The paraplegic is getting up! He’s picking up his mat!
Prompter & Echoes	He is walking!
Scholar	I have never seen anything like it. Jesus really can forgive sins, after all!
Prompter & Echoes	Amazing grace!