BACK PROPHECY 6'2m0f John the Baptist asks Jesus, "Are you the One?" (optional light cue: dim to dark) (optional sound cue: iron door opens) ZEKE -- (enters carrying candle) (optional light cue: lights up 50%) ZEKE -- (begins crossing cautiously) I don't think he's going to like the answer. I think YOU should tell him. (optional sound cue: iron door clanks shut) (turns) Where did he go? The coward. (deep breath, turns) Well, alright, I'll tell him myself. (shouts) John? John the Baptist. JOHN -- (enters opposite wearing heavy chains) Yes? I'm over here. ZEKE -- (crosses slowly to John) I... I saw him. And I asked him the question just as you instructed. JOHN -- Well, what did he say? ZEKE -- Well, he didn't really answer the question. JOHN -- Just tell me what he said. ZEKE -- Well, I asked him, I said "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" That was the right question, wasn't it? JOHN -- (impatient) Yes. Just tell me what he said. ZEKE -- He said, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard." JOHN -- That's all he said? ZEKE -- Yes. JOHN -- Are you sure it was Jesus? ZEKE -- I'm not THAT stupid. He's the same guy we saw at the Jordan River, remember? You called him "the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." There weren't that many people who had the Holy Spirit descend on them like a dove. JOHN -- And all he said was, "Go..." ZEKE -- "...Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard." So, what do you think? JOHN -- I think he expected you to tell me what you saw and heard. ZEKE -- Oh. JOHN -- So? ZEKE -- So, what? JOHN -- What did you see and hear? ZEKE -- Oh! You should have seen it! (shivers) It made my skin crawl. I mean, he reached out at touched this guy with leprosy. (demonstrates, shivers) He had all these open sores. I personally wouldn't have touched that guy with a ten-foot pole. Jesus may be the lamb of God and all, but I think he's a few bails short of a full load. Nobody touches a leper! JOHN -- Just tell me what else he did. ZEKE -- What else do you have to know?! Jesus is obviously not the one who is to come. Can you imagine a lunatic like that sitting on the throne of David? JOHN -- He HEALED the leper, didn't he? ZEKE -- Well, yes. But... JOHN -- What else did he do? ZEKE -- You can't possibly think that a guy who would touch a leper would.... JOHN -- (impatient) Just tell me what else he did! ZEKE -- Oh, well, let's see, he made a blind man see again. He made a lame man walk again. He made a deaf man hear again... JOHN -- ....Miracles. ZEKE -- Well, yes, but that doesn't mean he's got what it takes to sit on the throne of King David. I mean, you called him the lamb of God. That just means he's qualified to die for the sins of his people. The poor guy is probably going to die of leprosy. JOHN -- What else did he do? ZEKE -- Well, he preached the good news of God to the poor. But, hey, YOU do that! And nobody ever said that YOU would become King of Israel. JOHN -- What else did he do? ZEKE -- Well, I guess that's about it... Oh, yeah, he also raised a guy from the dead. JOHN -- He what?! ZEKE -- He brought a dead guy back to life again. JOHN -- He did?! ZEKE -- Yeah, but it was almost an anticlimax. I mean, he didn't perform any ritual or say "abra kadabra" or anything. He just told the guy to stand up and he stood up. JOHN -- How long had the man been dead? ZEKE -- Well, let's see, they were carrying the body to the tomb. So, that means they probably already did the day of mourning and everything... He was all wrapped up in linens and spices and all. I'd say he'd been dead at least a day and half. JOHN -- Well! That's it then! ZEKE -- What's it? JOHN -- Jesus is the one who is to come. ZEKE -- Did I miss something? JOHN -- Yes, apparently you did. Jesus just told you that he is both the lamb of God and the one who is to come, the one who will reign on the throne of David forever. ZEKE -- He did? I didn't hear him say that. JOHN -- Yes, and he told you how he was going to do it. ZEKE -- He did? JOHN -- Yes. We all thought that if Jesus were to die for the sins of the world there is no way he could also be the one who sits on the throne of David forever. ZEKE -- See that's what I've been trying to tell you. There is no way.... JOHN -- Unless he raises from the dead. ZEKE -- He can do that?! JOHN -- He already showed you that he has power over death itself. I guess that's why God allowed me to locked up here in Herod's prison. ZEKE -- Huh? JOHN -- Praise the Lord. (turns away) ZEKE -- (scratches head) Listen, John, I know I'm a little slow on the uptake, but can you please explain to me WHY I should praise the Lord (looks around, motions) for this!? JOHN -- (turns) My work is finished. I'm ready to die. Pray for me. ZEKE -- Die?! You... I... Listen, rather than pray for you... since Jesus has so much power, why don't I have him come over and get you out of jail. JOHN -- (turns) You don't understand. I must decrease so that Jesus may increase. He is both messiah the redeemer and messiah the king. (turns away) Go now. Tell the others. And tell them to pray that my death may be quick and painless. ZEKE -- (turns, crosses scratching head) Pray for a quick and painless death?! JOHN -- Yes. That's it. (exits) ZEKE -- (mumbles) I think John has lost his head. (exits) (optional light cue: dim to dark) (optional sound cue: iron door opens, closes) ©2013 Bob Snook. Conditions for use: Do not sell any part of this script, even if you rewrite it. Pay no royalties, even if you make money from performances. You may reproduce and distribute this script freely, but all copies must contain this copyright statement. http://www.bobsnook.org email: [email protected] BACK |