The Pig Farmer

Jacob, a pig farmer from Gadara, recounts the shocking day his livelihood was upended by Jesus. He describes how Jesus encountered two demon-possessed men near the cemetery, unshaken by their aggression. When the demons recognized Jesus as the Son of God, they begged to be cast into a nearby herd of pigs—Jacob’s pigs. Jesus granted their request, and the possessed pigs stampeded into the lake and drowned.

Horrified, Jacob and his workers ran to town, spreading the news. The entire community, prioritizing their economic stability over spiritual matters, begged Jesus to leave. Before departing, Jesus instructed the healed men to share their story rather than follow Him. Jacob, still baffled, reflects on how the event disrupted his life but remains uncertain about Jesus’ true nature.

Cast: 1 m middle age

Bible Reference: Luke 8:26-39

Set: standard

Sound: wireless mics if available

Song: none

Lighting: standard

SFX: none

Props: none

Costumes:

• likely but not necessarily traditional

Special Instructions: none

Time: 4

Sample of Script:

(Actor comes on stage.)

Actor:
It was a disaster! As a farmer, as a businessman, as a citizen, it shattered all we were about!
Oh, sorry, I might introduce myself, I am Jacob.

(Frowns at the fact no one knows him.)
Jacob, the pig farmer.
Jacob the pig farmer from Gadara.

(Hurt that no one knows him.)
Well, perhaps you haven’t heard of me by name, I will guarantee you have heard of my situation though.

Listen up! Jesus, the itinerant preacher from Galilee was in the area, causing somewhat of a stir among the Jewish people in the area. But for us Gentiles, he was more a conversation starter than a real concern.
That is, until the day Jesus went for a walk past the cemetery and came in contact with the demon-possessed men, and as a result of that, came in contact with my pigs.

Jesus had been preaching and teaching in Gadara and the villages near the Sea of Galilee, wandering about the countryside, his threadbare group of disciples never far from his side.
All of a sudden, two demon-possessed men came rushing at them from out of the cemetery! You can imagine the reaction from the group.

(Laughs.)
I have to tell you, one man, big burly man, . . my guess he was a fisherman, . . . he had been having something to say about everything.
Nice enough guy, but it hit me that when there was nothing to say, he said it!
Anyway, when the demon-possessed guys came screaming out of the cemetery, the fisher guy, he like to took off a-running.
Not that I blame him that much, and most of the others did the same.

Strange, this Jesus, . . . not a big man really, . . . he just stood his ground through it all, as though nothing was out of the ordinary.
The one demon-possessed guy, the smaller of the two, he screamed out, “What business do you have giving us a hard time? You're the Son of God! You weren't supposed to show up here yet!”

Hey, here’s where I started to listen up real close!
“Son of God”?

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