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Reply to "COMPLETE SET: Jesus Feeds the 5000 (Video, Computer, Games, Drama) from Neil"

The Feeding of the 5000

Drama Workshop

 

Summary of Lesson Activities:

3 imagined versions of "Small Boy" at home "the day after" he met Jesus.

The skits in this drama are different than your typical skits. First, they have reflection/life application, and aren't just recapitulations of the story. Secondly, they free up your kids from having to read scripts. This is a technique you can use for many other stories. Their 'style' harkens back to old youth group skit activites and a popular gameshow.

 

Scripture Reference:

John 6:1-15

 


Supplies List:

  • Skit Skips
  • Bowl

Leader Preparation:

  • Read the scripture ahead of time.
  • Gather the materials.


 

Presentation

 

Opening-Welcome and Lesson Introduction:

Greet the children and introduce yourself.

 

Open with a prayer.

 

Dig-Main Content and Reflection:


Bible Study:
Read John 6: 1-15 with your class. Use a storybook for younger children. Pull out a "disciple costume" and a "small boy with a fish" costume. Hand them to various children to quickly put on, then ask them one of these questions. Pass the costumes around to designate who's "turn" it is to answer the next question you have. Here are the questions you might ask:

Questions for the Disciple:

  • What were you thinking when Jesus told YOU to feed all these people?
  • What were you thinking when Jesus said the 5 loaves and 2 fish would be enough? Did you think he was off his rocker?
  • What were you thinking about Jesus when the baskets came back FULL after everyone had enough to eat?
  • Several times later you would DOUBT Jesus again. In the boat during the storm, and when he was arrested, for example. Why is it hard to believe in Jesus?

Questions for the Small Boy:

  • Why were you there that day ?
  • When Jesus asked for your lunch, what first went through your mind?
  • After the miracle, when you got home, what did you tell your Dad about Jesus?
  • How has your life been different since meeting and learning from Jesus and seeing this miracle?

Ask the children if they know what the phrase "talk the talk and walk the walk" means. Explain it to them. Jesus wants us to say that we believe, and ACT like we believe. Say: Jesus' miracle was meant to reveal WHO HE REALLY WAS to the crowd and to his disciples. He wants us to BELIEVE in him as the Savior, the Christ, so that we can do more than just TALK about following him, but have the strength of belief to ACT like him.

How do we ACT like Jesus? (caring, kindness, healing, forgiving, teaching and learning God's Word, praying, worshipping).

Jesus did this miracle because he wants us to BELIEVE in him, and go home from the crowd that day and tell others, and lead holy lives. What happens AFTER you go to church, what happens THE DAY AFTER you say you believe, is important. It's walking the walk, and not just talking the talk.

The "Day After" Skits

The following skit scripts are quite different than you typically see posted in the Exchange Drama lessons. They are based on skit game we used to use in youth ministry "way back when" and are similar to skits in a popular game show. You can apply this skit concept to many other stories as well.

In this skit concept, the kids will split up into groups of 2, and come forward to draw a "skit slip situation" out of a bowl. They must read the skit slip TITLE out loud and get ready to act it out. The teacher has the script that corresponds with the skit slip, they do the voices while the actors act out saying what the narrator says, and DOING the motions which the narrator says. (Feel free to playfully add things for them to do). Tell them that "the best actors" will receive awards! If you have more than six kids, either add a skit of your own making, or put the skit slips back in the bowl and do some twice. It will be fun. The success of these skits will in large part depend on YOU the READER taking your time, pausing and prompting. Copy these texts into your own wordprocessing document and enhance.

Skit Slip One: Lord, I wanna join your band.

Small boy picks up the phone and calls Jesus, dialing the numbers outloud. Jesus answers "hello". Hello you've reached the Lord Jesus' voicemail. Press 1 if you want to follow me. Press Zero if you don't. Small boy presses 1, and Jesus picked up the phone. Finally! someone wants to follow me, Jesus said doing a little victory dance. It's me, smallboy, he said breathlessly like he was really out of breath, and I wanna join your band Jesus. My band? Jesus asked...you mean my rock band? or my disciple's band? Uh, there's a difference?, said small boy looking really unsure, and kind of lost. Not really, said Jesus, excitedly talking with his hands. Both bands ROCK, said Jesus as he played his electric guitar. Louder. And they are both kind of the same. Oh? said a confused small boy, hitting his forehead as he tried to figure out what Jesus meant. Yeah, said Jesus striking a rockstar pose. Both my rockband and my disciples band follow me, the leader. We practice together, he said, doing a rockstar yell O Yeah! We go on the road together, he said walking around in circles. We do a lot of singing, Jesus said as he started to sing a song of praise. I only play the guitar, said small boy as he pretended to air guitar, down on one knee. That's okay said Jesus, excitedly gesturing with his hands, and feet. When you join my band, you bring whatever gifts you have, and put them in with everyone else's, and my Father in Heaven blesses them so that we sound GREAT together, he said pumping his fist in the air. Awesome Dude! said small boy. I mean, uh, How nice Lord Jesus. No it is AWESOME DUDE, said Jesus, striking a rockstar pose, flipping his hair. So how to I get started said small boy. Well, said Jesus, pointing his finger in the air, my band practices every Sunday morning, said Jesus looking strongly over his phone at small boy who he could see across the phoneline because he was the Lord, every Sunday morning at your local church. Shall I expect you? To which small boy, jumping with joy, kicking up his feet, and landing in a rockstar pose said, "Yes Dude! ...I mean Lord. See you then.

Skit Slip Two: Get Out of Bed!

It's 8 am on Sunday morning and Small girl is still snoring in bed. Her alarm clock sounds. She hits the alarm clock. It sounds again, and she hits it again, and starts snoring again. Her mom yells up the stairs, Time to go to church Small girl! Small girl snores louder. Mom walks loudly up the stairs yelling again. Come on....you yourself said you believe in Jesus Christ, so it's up to you to get out of bed and go learn about him and worship him. Small girl pulled the covers up over her head, and mumbled. Look! said her mother as she tore the sheets off small girl's bed. Small girl cringed because all she had on was her My Little Pony underwear. MOM! I'm tired! shouted small girl as she sat up, then started jumping on the bed. Well, you're up now, dear, get ready for church. But Mom, I got to bed late, said small girl as she stomped her feet, and gritted her teeth, and flipped her long flowing hair, while putting on a shirt. That's tough small girl. But when you make a choice to believe in Jesus, you make a commitment to go learn from him too. Now here, take your fish, and your bread, and put on this dress. And here, let me help you put on your shoes. Why is this shoe stuck? I should push harder. MOM! There, now I'll meet you in the car, she said as she skipped back down the stairs. But Mom! said small girl as she threw herself on the floor...I'm so tired, Jesus will understand, won't he? ...she said as she stomped down the stairs. then realized she had stomped all the way to the basement, and stomped back upstairs to the garage. Get in the car dear, if you're going to "talk the talk" of faith, then you've got to walk the walk of faith. And they drove off to church, in their noisy car, a little too fast.

Skit Slip Three: Carry me Daddy?

It was 9 am Sunday morning, and everyone was just waking up at the small boy's home. Small boy was yawning. And rubbing his eyes. And scratching his bum. And small boy's dad was getting up, yawning, rubbing his eyes, shaving his face, gargling mouthwash, and sipping coffee. Dad? Said small boy, I want to go to church this morning. What? said dad as he spit up his coffee. You want to go to church? It's boring! he said as he threw down his newspaper. Yeah, I know it's boring sometimes dad, said small boy as he picked up the paper, and gave it back to his dad, and shook his finger at him for his terrible attitude. Dad, it's Jesus, I met him yesterday and he's The One! See my finger signaling that? Number 1, Dad, Number 1. See my toes signaling that? He's the Messiah Dad. the Messiah? said dad, scratching his head, and fluffing his hair. You think he might be the one sent by God, huh? said the Dad while he brushed his teeth and mumble something with frothy toothpaste coming out of his mouth. Yeah, said the small boy as he started to brush his teeth and frothing at the mouth. And if that's true Dad, we own him our attention and our worship and our service. WHAT? said the dad frothing at the mouth. I don't understand you? I said, said the small boy still brushing his teeth and spitting, I said he's the Son of God DAD! I know it, I saw it, I feeeeeel it, say the small boy rubbing his hands all through his hair to show how much he was feeling it. And wiggling his body Well, Okay, said the dad, but remember, your legs don't work sometimes, and it sure looks like your legs are all wobbly this morning. Really wobbly, so here, let me give you a piggy back ride to church, because if Jesus in the One, then we BOTH need to go learn from him. And the Dad gave a piggyback ride to the small boy, and they went to church. And they went up hill, and downhill, and around a curve, and the small boy waved at his friends as they passed by. Come to church with us, he shouted, Jesus in the One, come one! And the children all ran and joined in the piggyback ride to church on the Dad. Because that's what makes Jesus happy... people like Dad and small boy, and other kids coming to learn from him, and learn that he is their Lord. Amen!


I hope you recognize and enjoy this type of skit. It was made popular on the TV show "Who's Line Is It Anyway". This type of skit is a really great way to free up kids from having to read scripts, and instead, just REACT to the narration. The audience really loves it too. Consider videotaping the skits for fun.

Closing:
Offer donut holes and swedish fish and juice to your actors. Say that Jesus wants us to BELIEVE in him, LEARN from him, ENJOY being together with him. Let's pray for those things.


A lesson written by Neil MacQueen

 

A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.

Last edited by Rotation.org Lesson Forma-teer
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