lepers

THE SCRIPT:

As Jesus traveled to Jerusalem, he passed through Samaria and Galilee. At the gate to one village, ten lepers noticed him. They stood at a respectful distance and cried out, "Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!" One leper came closer and bowed down before him,"Sir, if you wish you can cure me." he said.

And then a shocking thing happened. One by one, Jesus touched them, saying, "Be healed!" Then he told them all, "Go show yourselves to the priests." Then Jesus continued his journey. As the ten were going in the opposite direction they were cleansed. One of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. Jesus said in reply, "Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has no one but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?" Then he said to him, "Stand up and go; your faith has saved you."

Part I (the story unfolds and is acted out)

1.Read the story and discuss important issues like leprosy, being unclean, Samaria. Practice the leper's movements and emotions in the story.

2. Choose one person from each sharing group to be a leper. (In a small class all can be lepers.) Decide what body part has been diseased and needs bandaging. Let your decision symbolize the kind of challenges you face. Some lepers will receive bells to warn off healthy people.

3. Decide what the leper's response will be after he or she discovers the healing. Be sure the response will include at least one physical movement. These responses will occur after Jesus touches the last leper leaves. Help the leper decide on an excuse for not going back to Jesus or choose one from below.

Part II (what happened after) The Interview

All the lepers share their excuses in the larger group. A small panel will give "Olympic" ratings for their reasons. Cards will be held up with scores ranging from 4 to 9.

Ask the audience which excuse is closest to their own reasons for not going to Jesus in prayer. Ask each leper, "If you were to change your mind and go back to Jesus now what would you say?"

Part III Thanksgiving prayer service

Write thanksgiving prayers for the lepers to read on behalf of the group at the finale of the skit. End with song: "Come and go with me to that land." Could also pile "old" bandages at Jesus' feet.

Leper's Excues and Reasons for Not Returning:

People can be chosen one from a "hat" before the interviews

I'm not sure what really happened. Maybe I imagined the whole thing and the sores will return. I don't want to go back. Jesus is kind of strange anyway.

I got so excited that I just wanted to celebrate at the nearest town square.

I ran home to show my family, then my friends, then the people in the leper village. I missed them so much and I couldn't think of anything else.

He told us to go to the priest, so I went, and I knew it would take a long time to explain what happened. Then I just had a lot of important things to do.

There were a lot of sick and scary people hanging around with Jesus. It didn't look like a good place to be for very long.

None of my friends who got healed wanted to go back with me. I didn't want to go alone.

I wasn't paying attention to where he was so I am not sure I could find him again.

I didn’t notice I was healed until quite a few days later.