Held By Love

Young people discuss the Easter story.

Why didn't Jesus do what whatever it took to save himself from death.

Cast:     4

• Marcus
• Damon
• Betty
• Mitzi, Damon’s sister

Bible Reference:    Luke 23

Set:      bare

Lighting:        standard

Sound:     wireless mics if available

Song: suggestions possibles

• Calvary, Richard Smallwood (on YouTube)
• It Wasn’t The Nails, Mississippi Mass Choir (on YouTube)
• Jesus, Jesus, Jesus (Katrina Song), Rev. Timothy Wright (on YouTube)
• Please support performers and writers

SFX:       none

Costumes:      standard

Props:      none

Special Instructions:   none

Time:     15 + songs (likely 35

Sample of Script

(Marcus and Betty are on stage. Damon enters.)

Damon:
"Hey Marcus, hey Betty, whatcha doin’ guys?"

Marcus:
"Hangin’."

Damon:
"Mind if I hang with ya?"

Betty:
"It’s a free world, Damon."

Marcus: (noticing Damon’s jacket button)
"What’s that button you got on your jacket? . . (reads it) . .

Says, ‘I am a Calvary person.’ . . What’s a Calvary person?"

Damon:
"I go to Calvary Church; our youth group got a bunch printed up."

Betty:
"You go to church, Damon?"

Damon:
"Yep."

Marcus:
"Better question is . . why do you go to church?"

Damon:
"It’s a cool place to hang out . . lotsa cool people there."

Marcus: (sarcastic)
"Yeh right! . . What do you do?
Play hide and go seek with your eyes closed prayin’?"

(Marcus laughs uproariously, Damon giggles.)

Betty:
"That wasn’t nice, Marcus."

Damon:
"No prob, Betty, I thought it was kinda funny."

Betty:
"Actually, why do you go to church, Damon?
My family used to go a couple of times a year, but we were always bored, so we just quit."

Marcus: (mocking)
"Buncha loser idiots is all. All this . . ."
(does a silly dance, waving hands in the air, eyes closed, high-pitched voice)
"Hallelujah! . . . Praise the Lord! . . . Yes, Jeeeesuuussss!"

Damon: (giggling)
"Well, lots of people worshipping for sure, but gotta admit, I never did see anything quite like that in church . . .

I gotta do a comedy skit in youth group next week—I really oughta try that! I bet all the guys would love it."

Betty:
"I thought all church guys get all uptight when people tease them about religion."

Damon:
"Well, for sure I don’t anyhow . . .
Nothin’ wrong with some good-natured teasin’."

(Marcus suddenly gets in Damon’s face, angry.)

Marcus:
"Well, there is somethin’ wrong with jerks that go to some stupid church to hear some stupid idiot preacher say stupid stuff."

Betty:
"Marcus, that isn’t nice!"

Marcus:
"What’s with you, Betty?
Are you into stupid churchy things too?"

Betty:
"No, I am not, Marcus. But nothing wrong with other people being into it—if that’s what they want."

Marcus:
"Well, no churchy jerk is gonna get in my face and start preachin’ some stupid churchy stuff."

Damon: (calmly)
"Sorry if you felt I was preaching at you, Marcus. I didn’t mean to."

(Marcus, very angry, gets in Damon’s face again.)

Marcus:
"Well fact is, you were preachin’, and this is one sinner that ain’t gonna put up with your stupid churchy ways, understand?"

(Marcus pushes Damon, who stumbles back but gets up again.)

Damon:
"Like I say, I am sorry if you feel I was preaching, and I . . ."

(Marcus pushes Damon again. Damon gets back up.)

Marcus:
"Now then, chicken churcher, what you plan to do about it? . .

I don’t think you have the guts to fight!"

Damon:
"Has nothing to do with guts, Marcus. . .

If there was something really worth fighting for, then . . ."

Marcus:
"Gutless!"

Betty:
"That is enough, Marcus! . .

Besides, it wasn’t Damon who started talking about church, it was you, Marcus."

Marcus:
"Well, likely he was about to start preachin’ cause that’s what all churchy jerks do. . .

Besides, he’s wearin’ this churchy button on his jacket!"

Betty:
"Well, you have a bicycle button on your jacket, Marcus . . ."

Marcus: (shocked)
"A bicycle button? . .

What are you doin’ callin’ this here a bicycle button?

I will have you know this here is a . . Mongoose . . button!"

Betty:
"Mongoose? . . Looks more like a bicycle to me."

(Marcus rolls his eyes in disgust. Mitzi enters.)

Mitzi: (to Damon)
"Hey bro!"

Damon:
"Hey sis. Junior choir practice done early?"

Marcus:
"Oh great! . . . Another churchy holy roller!"

Mitzi: (smiles)
"Yup, that’s me all right."

Marcus:
"Can’t understand why you churchy people have to go around pushin’ your sick religion on everyone!"

Mitzi: (confused)
"What’s with him?"

Marcus:
"Nobody talk to me that way, girl!

Don’t you ever make that mistake again or you will be pickin’ your teeth up with a spoon."

Damon: (calm, firm)
"You won’t lay a finger on my sister, Marcus."

Marcus: (laughing)
"Or what, chicken churcher?"

Damon: (serious, unwavering)
"I repeat . . don’t lay a finger on her."

Marcus:
"Really tough, huh?"

(Marcus touches Mitzi on the head with one finger, then lightly slaps her. Damon moves quickly, pushes Marcus down hard. Marcus gets up, angry.)

Marcus:
"Big mistake, loser! . . You just surprised me, I wasn’t ready for you."

Damon:
"I told you not to touch my sister."

Marcus:
"And I am scared! . . ."

(Marcus comes at Damon. Damon sidesteps and throws Marcus to the floor.)

Betty:
"OK, that’s it, Marcus, before you get hurt. . ."

Mitzi:
"Did my big brother happen to mention to you that he is Taekwondo state champion?"

Betty: (shocked)
"I don’t understand, Damon—why did you let Marcus push you around before, when you knew you could beat him?"

Mitzi:
"My big brother always says, if you are going to fight, make it over something worthwhile fighting for.

And I (strikes cute pose) am for sure worth fighting for!"

(Damon smiles and ruffles Mitzi’s hair.)

Mitzi: (proudly)
"Jimmy Brown would be proud of you, bro!"

Damon:
"What I did was nothing . . Jimmy Brown sacrificed his life for me."

Betty:
"Jimmy Brown? . . Who is he? What happened?"

Damon:
"When I was a kid, our house caught fire, and I was trapped in my room.

Jimmy Brown was a firefighter who came in to save me. . .

He took off his gas mask and put it over my mouth, carrying me toward the outside door. . .

But the smoke was too thick, and Jimmy collapsed.

By the time the other firefighters got to us, it was too late to save Jimmy."

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