Steadfast To The End

Theme:       The story of the steadfast faith of Stephen told by Saul, who persecuted Stephen, but who became the martyred apostle Paul.
Keep the identity of the actor (Saul) hidden from the audience until the end.
May be used alone or as a compilation with scripts: “Josiah Committed” the King Josiah, and “A Moment Of Salt” which is the story of Lot’s wife.
Note each of these individual scripts are made up of 5 separate segments. If used as a compilation you could have the three actors on stage together and each performing Segment 1, then Segment 2, etc.
Theme words: steadfast  unwavering unswerving resolute committed dedicated unfaltering persistent firm

 

Bible Reference:     Acts 6-8

 

Cast:         1 male

 

Set:          blank

 

Lighting:     a spot would be useful

 

Sound:       standard

 

Costumes:    traditional or contemporary

 

Time:       3

 

Sample of script:

 

actor comes on stage

 

Actor1:       I am here to speak to you regarding a man of God, a man of exceptionally good character, a man of miraculous God-given powers.
And I assure you I am qualified to speak, for I was one who knew intimately of his person and his practices. Knew, yes, but not always was one with his practices or priorities.
Although only a deacon in the early church, he had gifts and abilities at least equal to the more established apostles: Peter, John, James and all the others.
Because of his firm, unwavering allegiance to all that Jesus, the Christ, stands for, this man soon found himself at odds with local religious authorities. Fact is, this man was despised, not for wrongdoing, but rather a threat to their domination over the masses. For, in a nutshell, the religious leaders simply could not compete on any level: intellect, wisdom or knowledge, with this man.
Attempts at false accusations, threats, arrests and beatings did nothing to move him from his persistent dedication to preaching the truth of the message.
Where others would surely have buckled under the incessant attacks, this man seemingly became the more resolute in staying the course.
And he at all times, and in all circumstances . . .  appeared . . . calm.
Calm in the face of such organized and sustained opposition to all he stood for.
Even when despicable lies and half truths were being flung in his face . . . he remained . .  calm.

 

Actor2:       Some, in fact, would report that this man, in spite of interrogation and intimidation . . had a face like that of an angel.
This man was “allowed” to state his defense.
But we all knew, as did the man himself, that nothing he would say would change the outcome, nor save his reputation, nor his life.

 

Actor3:       And so it was that this man, although an able and gentle tactician in the skills of oratory, was now clinically direct, logical and unrelenting. He caused every one of us to feel discomfort and embarrassment.
And it allowed excuse to we, his accusers, to move from being a pack of petty liars into a cloak tearing, raving mob, thirsting for blood.
We dragged him from the city to a convenient spot filled with stones of a convenient weight and size for a proper execution.

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Stephen showed steadfast faith in Jesus, this affirmed by Saul/apostle Paul.
And Saul, (who became apostle Paul), should know since he was the one who originally fully approved the stoning of Stephen. Did Saul/Paul become steadfast in the belief that Jesus was indeed the Son of God  shown by Stephen? . . . Yes, seemingly, enough to cause Saul to become the martyred Paul for taking on the faith of Stephen!
This script may be used alone or combined with scripts: “Josiah Committed” (the King Josiah), and “A Moment Of Salt” the story of Lot’s wife.
Note each of these individual scripts are made up of 5 separate segments. If used as a compilation you could have the three actors on stage together and each performing Segment 1, then Segment 2, etc.
NOTE: under the Jewish law which Saul followed, if a person blasphemed God he/she was to be stoned. And blasphemy is “the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God…" or “the act of claiming the attributes of a deity for a mere man.” 

Cast:    1 male, monolog

Bible Reference:    Acts 6-8

Set:      bare

Lighting:        spot will be useful

  Sound:     wireless mics if available

Song:     none

SFX:       none

Costumes:      traditional or contemporary

Props:      none

Special Instructions:   none

  Time:     3

Sample of script:      

actor comes on stage

Actor1:       I am here to speak to you regarding Stephen, a man of God, a man of exceptionally good character, a man of miraculous God-given powers.
And I assure you I am qualified to speak, for I was one who knew intimately of his person and his practices. Knew, yes, but not always was one with his practices or priorities.
Although only a deacon in the early church, he had gifts and abilities at least equal to the more established apostles: Peter, John, James and all the others.
Because of his firm, unwavering allegiance to all that Jesus, the Christ, stands for, this man soon found himself at odds with local religious authorities. Fact is, this man was despised, not for wrongdoing, but rather a threat to their domination over the masses. For, in a nutshell, the religious leaders simply could not compete on any level: intellect, wisdom or knowledge, with this man.
Attempts at false accusations, threats, arrests and beatings did nothing to move him from his persistent dedication to preaching the truth of the message.
Where others would surely have buckled under the incessant attacks, this man seemingly became the more resolute in staying the course.
And he at all times, and in all circumstances . . .  appeared . . . calm.
Calm in the face of such organized and sustained opposition to all he stood for.
Even when despicable lies and half truths were being flung in his face . . . he remained . .  calm.

Actor2:       Some, in fact, would report that this man, in spite of interrogation and intimidation . . had a face like that of an angel.
This man was “allowed” to state his defense.
But we all knew, as did the man himself, that nothing he would say would change the outcome, nor save his reputation, nor his life.

Actor3:       And so it was that this man, although an able and gentle tactician in the skills of oratory, was now clinically direct, logical and unrelenting. He caused every one of us to feel discomfort and embarrassment.
And it allowed excuse to we, his accusers, to move from being a pack of petty liars into a cloak tearing, raving mob, thirsting for blood.
We dragged him from the city to a convenient spot filled with stones of a convenient weight and size for a proper execution.