Style: Light-hearted. Duration: 7min
Scripture: Luke 4
Actors: 1N
Script
(Preamble) Narrator: Whenever I say the word "fish". You go [wiggle wiggle swish swish].
Whenever I say the name Simon, you go "Yo Simon!" [and raise a fist].
Whenever I mention Jesus, you wave both hands and say "Go For It, Jesus!"
Narrator: Well, blow me down with a feather in wet weather !
This guy Jesus ["Go for it, Jesus"] came to our church the other day and cast a demon out of the local madman. Not just that - he also strode up the front and started talking like he was the Son o f God.
Well, then. This Jesus ["Go for it, Jesus"] was looking a mite unpopular, with the congregation looking like they might just lynch him. Nice people - just a bit conservative!
So up jumps Simon ["Yo, Simon! '- raise a fist] You know him - for a living he catches fish [wiggle wiggle swish swish].
He grabs Jesus [ "Go for it, Jesus" ] and takes him home, but his mother in law, who's meant to have made the lunch, is in bed, claiming to have a headache – again. So there' s nothing to eat. What a disaster ! Here he is with some sort of holy man for a guest, and no food to eat.
But Jesus [ ], he' s perfectly calm - just walks up to the bed where the In-Law is lying, and touches her,
and the colour returns to her face, and up she gets. and in a jiffy the dinner's on the table. Bread and fish [ ].
Then that night, the word had got around, see? And people came from all over to ask for healing - sick ones, paralysed ones, mad ones, demonised ones - even foreigners - and they got healed by Jesus [ ].
But that was just for starters. That was Saturday!
Come Monday morning Simon [ ] and his employees had been out netting for fish [ ].
But it has been a useless night, they were all back on shore for breakfast when along came the crowd again. And they were all gabbling and panting…
Listen to this! -
A holy man's in town ! -
He's upset the church -
Turned the Bible upside down !
They say that he's a stirrer -
They say that he's a lout
But He says he's come from God
To let the prisoners out
He cast out a demon -
To show us God's power
He healed an old woman -|
Whose son is here now!
And guess who's in the middle of the crowd? Jesus [ ]. He goes: "Hi guys, Mind if I use your boat for a pulpit, Simon?" [ ]
Stone the crows, off he goes ! Preaching from the boat !
Explaining the Scriptures like a vicar in full flight!
Then he sends the people away, turns to the guys in the boat, tells them to up anchor and go catch some fish [ ].
Now Simon [ ], he' s been catching fish [ ] since he was a nipper, so he quietly says to Jesus:
"Reverend, with respect, there ain't no fish [ ] in this bay here!"
But Jesus [ ] he looks straight at Simon [ ], who begins to feel about as tall as a flounder, and he waves to the boys, and out go the nets.
Fifteen seconds later, who's the one looking silly, because the boys are yelling that the nets are full up, so they' re nearly breaking !
They all haul away, and the boat fills up with sparkling bouncing fish, [ ]
Lots of lovely fish [ ]
Heaps of jumping fish [ ]
fish[ ] fish [ ] fish [ ]…
…and Simon [ ] and the boys they all sit back, panting, and then realise something TOTALLY AMAZING has happened.
That was the big moment for Simon [ ]. The instant when he had to admit that this guy might be who he said in church - the Son of God.
He says to the man: "Jesus, [ ] "I don't understand, but you're something to do with God, and I'm a sinful catcher of fish![ ] I can't handle this holiness stuff. You'd better leave now.
But Jesus[ ], he takes him by the shoulder, and says, "Simon [ ], be cool. You've got nothing to fear from me.
See what we just caught? Well, from now on, you'll be netting for men and women instead of minnows and salmon - you'll be coming with me, matey.
And that's what happened that day, sure as I'm standing here today.
And you guys have to answer the same question as he did:
Who is this man from Nazareth?
Anyone who says they're the Son of God is either a crazy man .... or he's a liar. Or he really IS the Son of God like he said.
And if he is - what are YOU going to do about him? This man Jesus, [ ] who helped Simon [ ] catch heaps of fish [ ].
Song: Peter Was a Fisherman [Robert Evans - © 1982 Integritys Hosanna ! Music]
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© Peter & Mary Minson 1997
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