DRAMA—FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT, YEAR B
Bible reference: Hebrews 5:7-10
JAMES TELLS THE STORY
(James enters and talks to the audience. He could be in biblical costume)
Yes, it was night when Jesus went to the garden called Gethsemane. (Goes to front of stage area) I guess you want to know what happened that night.
Well, I can tell you because I (Points to self), James, the son of Zebedee, the brother of John, went with him.
It was late but Jesus wanted to pray. That wasn't at all unusual. He often prayed late at night, but this particular night he asked us to go with him. And so we went. All twelve of us, except Judas, who had already disappeared.
And so we came to Gethsemane, the garden.
Jesus, Peter, John my brother, and I went a little further on than the others (Walks over to one side) and then Jesus went on alone. 'Stay here and keep watch with me', he told us. 'Watch and pray.'
And there (Indicates other side of stage area), among the rocks and trees, Jesus fell down on the earth and prayed. We could hear him from where we were. It wasn't far from where he'd left us.
I remember so clearly what he said (With anguish, looking upwards): 'Father, my father! Anything is possible for you. If there is any way at all, take this cup away from me.' (Sadly to audience) It was a prayer filled with sorrow and anguish. He knew already what awaited him and he cried out against it.
He knew already what we were only to realise later, that he was facing death and separation from God head-on. Everything in him screamed out against it.
Yet we heard too that even in that darkest hour of temptation he still turned back to his Father. 'Not my will, but yours, Father', he said.
'Not my will but yours.'
(Shaking head) We didn't understand what we heard. Disturbed by his distress and agony we didn't know what to do. Something made us powerless to help him.
And so we waited.
'Watch and pray', he'd said. I tried. But my eyes were heavy. My mind wandered.
(Yawns) ) I was tired after the long day. The celebration of the feast had left me full with wine and food. It was late. I wanted to sleep.
There were many excuses, many things I could have said in my defence. But behind it all I failed him. When he had warned us to watch and pray, to prepare ourselves for the temptation that lay close ahead... (Guilty) I failed and fell asleep.
The devil whispered his lies in my ears, lulling me to sleep, turning me away from the prayers I needed to say.
As Jesus prayed in anguish and struggled with desperate temptation, I slept.
Jesus alone stood firm in the hour of tempting. He alone faced the events of the next day firm in the Father's will. He alone obeyed. And so by no coincidence at all it was he alone who went to that cross the next day.
Not I, not John, not Peter.
He faced it alone.
It's a bitter night in our memories. Filled with pain, anguish, temptation, betrayal and sin. But now is a time for you (Points to audience) to watch and pray. Time to keep yourselves safe from temptation.
If my experience of Gethsemane has taught me anything, it's this: I know you too will fail.
In the watching you will not be vigilant. In the praying you will not be constant. Despite your best intentions you too will listen to the devil's whispers.
You will fall asleep and leave our Lord to face the cross alone.
You may protest as Peter did. You may begin with good intentions as I did, and yet you know in your heart of hearts (Indicates heart) that you will fail him. As we did, as you have done many times before.
But let me comfort you with this. That, strangely enough, is how it must be.
For he alone can follow the Father's will. He alone can be constant, he alone can withstand temptation. He alone can face the cross.
And that is the beauty of it all.
In all that bitter night, in that web of intrigue and betrayal, in the pain and the horror, God's will was still accomplished. Jesus fulfilled the Father's great plan as we slept.
What then is left for us?
What can I, James, the brother of John, disciple of Jesus, tell you? Simply this:
Trust in the mercy of the Lord.
Trust in Jesus alone to watch and pray for you.
(Points up) For he alone can do it. (Exits)
© Mike Fulwood 1997
Permission is given for the owner of this disk to make sufficient copies of this script for their group or congregation, for rehearsal and performance purposes only.
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