Life Story #2

Scripture Reference: 1 Corinthians 12:18

A lesson in being useful.

Cast:
CALEB – Smallest monkey; feels he is inadequate to serve God.
MAX – Biggest and strongest monkey; works hard but tends to be prideful.
BOOGER – Big and strong; does not take good care of himself.
MR. WISEMAN – Wise man of the jungle; helps monkeys carry out the Creator's plan.
ROSIE – A very small, pink monkey who loves to swing.

Props:
A stick and a string from which to dangle ROSIE.

(The scene opens, ROSIE is dangling above the stage calling for help when CALEB enters.)

ROSIE: Help! Help! Somebody help me!

CALEB: (Looking around.) Rosie, is that you? Where are you?

ROSIE: Up here.

CALEB: (Looking up.) Rosie! How in the world did you get up there?

ROSIE: I was swinging through the trees like I always do when I got stuck. Oh, please help me, Caleb!

CALEB: (Jumping) I'm trying, but I can't reach you.

MR. WISEMAN: (Enters; watches Caleb jumping.) What's going on, Caleb?

CALEB: Rosie's stuck, and I can't reach her.

MR. WISEMAN: This job is too big for just one monkey. Max! Booger! We need your help!

(Max and Booger enter.)

MR. WISEMAN: Gentleman, Caleb needs your help reaching Rosie.

(Immediately, Booger jumps on Caleb, and Max jumps on Booger. Max reaches up and pulls ROSIE down with his mouth. They dismount.)

ROSIE: Thank you so much, Max. I'd still be up there if it weren't for you.

BOOGER: You're the best monkey, Max.

MAX: (Swelling with pride.) Aw shucks. It was nothing.

(ROSIE, BOOGER, and MAX go their separate ways. CALEB looks very sad.)

MR. WISEMAN: Why the long face, Caleb? Aren't you happy Rosie is okay?

CALEB: Sure, I am, but… I mean… I wish I was like Max and important to God's plans. Even when we get together to do something big and important, I always feel like the most useless piece!

MR. WISEMAN: Nobody is useless to God. You think that because you were on the bottom of the stack, you weren't important. But without you to hold Max steady, he'd topple over, and you would have all crashed — then you would have all been useless! You may not have been the one who grabbed Rosie, but without you, she wouldn't have been saved.

CALEB: Really?

MR. WISEMAN: Of course. Remember the Bible says that God put everyone where He wants them. He has a place for all of us.

CALEB: Gee, I guess you're right. No matter how small or big a monkey might be, we all are important to God's plan. And without each other, we can't do nearly as much for others.

MR. WISEMAN: You've got it. Now lets go check on Rosie.

(MR. WISEMAN and CALEB exit.)

Life Story #1

Scripture Reference: Ephesians 2:10

A lesson about God's purpose for us.

(We were doing a curriculum about service which called for a series of five stories about robots. At the same time, we had a gentleman in our church who really wanted to do puppet skits with his monkey puppets. My wife said I could turn the robot stories into monkey skits. (I can?!?) Since robots and monkeys don't have much in common, I took the main idea of each story and wrote a corresponding skits. I used his three monkey puppets, a boxing rabbi puppet I had, and my daughter's pink stuffed monkey. Below is the first of five skits that resulted.)

Cast:
CALEB – Smallest monkey; feels he is inadequate to serve God.
MAX – Biggest and strongest monkey; works hard but tends to be prideful.
BOOGER – Big and strong; does not take good care of himself.
MR. WISEMAN – Wise man of the jungle; helps monkeys carry out the Creator's plan.
ROSIE – A very small, pink monkey who loves to swing.

Props:
Something heavy looking for one of the monkeys to lift.
A stick and a string to swing ROSIE overhead.

(CALEB is on stage alone looking dejected.)

CALEB: Why did God even bother to create me? I want to serve God, but how? All of the other monkeys are bigger and stronger than I am. I so small and unimportant.
(MAX crosses the stage carrying a heavy object.) Max is stronger than I am.
(ROSIE swings overhead.) Rosie can swing better than I can.
I can't fly like those monkeys in the Wizard of Oz. What can I do? What possible good can I be to God?

(MR. WISEMAN enters.)

MR. WISEMAN: What's wrong, Caleb. Why are you looking so sad?

CALEB: I'm sad, because I'm useless. God can't possibly use me for anything. I'm not big or strong or fast.

MR. WISEMAN: I'm not any of those things either, Caleb.

CALEB: Yeah, but you're really smart.

MR. WISEMAN: Caleb, it's not being smart that makes me useful to God. And it's not being big or strong or fast that makes someone else useful to God. It is having a willing heart and an obedient spirit.

CALEB: Really?

MR. WISEMAN: Yes, Caleb. God's plan works out the way it should. Just because you don’t see how you fit in today, doesn't mean there isn't a place for you. God wouldn't have made you if He didn't have a special job just for you.

CALEB: Hmmm. I just don't know.

MR. WISEMAN: We all have doubts sometimes. But if you'll wait patiently and listen to God's Word with all our heart, you'll find the special mission God has for you. Remember, the Bible says that we are God's workmanship, and we were created to do good works. God planned this for you, Caleb, a long, long time ago.

CALEB: I suppose you're right. I'll be patient and wait on God to show me what it is.

MR. WISEMAN: Good boy, Caleb. (Pats CALEB on back/head.)

(CALEB and MR. WISEMAN exit, talking quietly to one another.)

Make a Scene:Elijah vs. the Prophets of Baal

Scripture Reference: 1 Kings 18:16-39, Proverbs 15:8

(Note: Kids love to be in the skits, and the "Make a Scene" framework is an easy and fun way to tell a Bible story that has good action in it. Below is a paraphrase of the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal. The bolded parts are the bit that the kids act out or say. You can include as many kids that want to participate by casting them as the prophets or the people. You can include the whole class if they are game.)

Cast:
Director - the teacher telling the story
Select kids to play Elijah, Ahab, the prophets of Baal, the people

Props:
None

SETTING: Mount Carmel (near Haifa, Israel)

DIRECTOR: King Ahab went to meet Elijah. When he saw Elijah, he said to him, "Is that you, you troubler of Israel?"

Elijah replied, "I have not made trouble for Israel. But you and your father's family have. You have abandoned the Lord's commands and have followed the Baals."

Elijah had Ahab summon the people from all over Israel to meet him on Mount Carmel and bring the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah.

So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him."

But the people said nothing.

Then Elijah offered a challenge. Each would prepare a sacrifice. He would call upon the Lord, and the prophets of Baal would call upon Baal. The one who answers by fire—he is God.

Then all the people said, "What you say is good."

Elijah let the prophets of Baal go first. When they were ready, they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. they shouted, "O Baal, answer us!" But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.

At noon Elijah began to taunt them. "Shout louder! Maybe he is thinking about it. Maybe he is traveling. Maybe he is in the bathroom. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened."

So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.

Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come here to me." Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, and he built an altar in the name of the Lord He dug a trench around it large enough to hold about 2 gallons of water. He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces, and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, "Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood."

And the people poured water over the altar and the wood.

Then Elijah said, "Do it again."

And the people poured water over the altar and the wood.

Then Elijah ordered, "Do it a third time."

And they did it the third time. The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.

At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed, "O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again."

Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the soil, and even the water in the trench.

When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The Lord -he is God! The Lord -he is God!"

Lord, Lord

Scripture Reference: Matthew 7:21-23

I saw onetimeblind at a drama & worship conference a few years ago. They are amazing, and their skits will really make you think. Take a look at the one below. For more information about them, check the Drama Resources links in the sidebar.