Jesus Tempted in the Wilderness
Dramatic Reading
Based on Matthew 4:1-11
NARRATOR: Next Jesus was taken into the wild by the Spirit for the Test. The Devil was ready to give it. Jesus prepared for the Test by fasting 40 days and 40 nights. That left him, of course, in a state of extreme hunger, which the Devil took advantage of in the first test:
DEVIL: Since you are God’s Son, speak the word that will turn these stones into loaves of bread.
Devil whispers (or have a small group continue the whispering until Jesus finishes his speaking) :Stones into loaves stones into loaves (continue)
NARRATOR: Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy:
JESUS: "It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God’s mouth.”
NARRATOR: For the second test the Devil took him to the Holy City. He set him on top of the Temple and said,
DEVIL : “Since you are God’s Son, jump.”
Whispers (like above): Jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump (Continue until Jesus speaks)
NARRATOR: The Devil goaded him by quoting Psalm 91:
DEVIL: He has placed you in the care of angels. They will catch you so that you won’t so much as stub your toe on a stone.
NARRATOR: Jesus countered with another citation from Deuteronomy:
JESUS: "Don’t you dare test the Lord your God."
NARRATOR: For the third test, the Devil took him on the peak of a huge mountain. He gestured expansively, pointing out all the earth’s kingdoms, how glorious they all were. Then he said,
DEVIL: They’re yours—lock stock and barrel. Just go down on your knees and worship me, and they’re yours.
Whispers: worship me, worship me, worship me.
NARRATOR: Jesus’ refusal was curt:
JESUS: Beat it Satan!
NARRATOR: He backed his rebuke with a third quotation from Deuteronomy:
JESUS: Worship the Lord your God, and only him. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness.
NARRATOR: The Test was over. The Devil left. And in his place, angels! Angels came and took care of Jesus’ needs.
DRAMATIC READING IS BASED ON THE MESSAGE BY EUGENE PETERSON PUBL. BY NAVPRESS
Since this is a dramatic reading more than one person can speak together one part.
The whispering parts that echo the words of temptation are intended to imply that the struggle of temptation was not just a quick ‘do this’ ‘no I won’t’ kind of encounter. Here implicitly, later you may state explicitly, that this was more like a prolonged struggle with Satan pulling, pulling, pulling, and Jesus continuing to resist. I think this image is much closer to the reality of what Jesus must have experienced and what we experience with temptation. Of course the big difference is we stop resisting and give in but for Jesus the temptation was more prolonged because he did not give in.
Peace,
Lynn C Wood
Bream Memorial Presbyterian Church
Charleston, WV
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