The New Creation
Drama Workshop
The Surprise Guest
Grades 4-6
Memory Verse:
“The One who is seated on the throne said
' See, I am making all thing new.'” Revelation 21:5A
Lesson Objectives:
- The students will learn about what Jesus promised to do when he comes back to earth some day.
- The students will learn that no one, not even the angels in heaven know when Jesus will return. We must always be ready!
Materials:
- Bibles, (one for each student)
- Costumes- Chyrstal- “Valley Girl” clothes such as high heels, big hair (a wig) and gaudy jewelery.
Richie- large glasses, sports coat, bowtie
Lesson Plan
Opening:
Welcome each of the students to the Drama theme room.
Say: Today, we will learn about what God told the Disciple John in a vision.
The Apostle John, the last living of Jesus’ disciples (and, according to tradition, he would be the only one to die a natural death) was living in exile on the Island of Patmos, a small mountainous island in the Aegean Sea near modern day Turkey. He was sent there to keep him from proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He had already seen his brother James and many other Christians executed for their faith. On the Island of Patmos, God gave John a vision of God’s final triumph over all his foes, and the beginning of a new creation. He was told to write down what he saw and send the book to the churches in seven cities. The overall message of Revelation is one of hope. The evil and problems of the current age will not last forever. One day, God’s triumph will be complete and there will be a new creation!
Dig:
Say: Before we read the story, I want you to pay close attention to what you are reading. A short memory game will follow and prizes will be awarded to the person that can answer the most questions correctly.
Read The Story: Revelation 21: 1-7
Hand out each student’s journal and give everyone a pencil.
Say: I will ask 5 questions. After each question is asked, you will be given time to write your answer. When I say
“Reveal your answer,” You must hold up your answer for everyone to see. I will keep tallies on the board to remember which questions you and your classmates answered correctly. The person with the most correct answers gets the prize. You may use your Bible to search for the correct answer and I know some of the questions will require that you do so.
- Which Disciple wrote the book of Revelation?
- When John wrote this book, he actually saw what he was writing about.
God actually revealed this information to him. What do we call it when God SHOWS someone information like that?
(a vision or revelation) - In the first verse, John said “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth.” What happened to the first earth as we know it? (It disappeared.)
- Using your Bibles: Finish the phrase that reads (“Now God’s home is with mankind. He will live with them and _____ _____ ___ ___ ______.” (They shall be his people.)
- In Revelation 21, verse six, God said “I am the first and the last, the beginning and ___ ____.” Finish that verse. (The End)
*Add up the points and tell the winner that his/ her prize is to pick out who will play the characters in the following skit. The characters must be chosen from volunteers (no one will be forced to play a part they don’t want.)
Choose- Someone to be Chrystal, a Valley Girl.
Richie- A boy who gets everything confused.
*Characters should get into costumes.
*If time allows, have students act out the script again, picking other students to play the parts.
Reflection:
Closing Questions:
- Is Jesus really coming back to earth and making “a new heaven and a new earth”?
(Yes, Jesus said he would so we believe that he will in his own time.) - Does anyone know the date or time that Jesus will return to earth?
(No. The Bibles says not even the angels in heaven know that.) - If no one knows when Jesus is coming back to reign on the earth, what should I do now?
(We need to always be prepared for that day. We need to live our lives as if Jesus is coming tomorrow. We need to live in Jesus’ example by being kind, honest, humble, etc. We need to ask forgiveness for the sins we have committed and try to make it right with anyone we may have hurt.)
Journal Time:
Write one thing you would do today if you knew that Jesus would be coming tomorrow.
(Examples- Apologize to someone I have hurt. Thank someone who has helped me. Stop telling little white lies. etc.)
Closing Prayer:
Dear Jesus, Thank you for the hope of your return to earth and the joy that day will bring. Although we will never know when that day will be, help us to always live our lives following you and your example; like each day may be our last. AMEN!
The Surprise Guest
by Paul Zeron & Rey Edwards
Purpose: This play teaches that because Jesus is coming at any time, we should be careful to stay busy serving Him until He comes.
Characters: Richie, who gets everything confused, Crystal, a "valley girl"
Richie: (Richie comes on stage) Good morning everyone! Hey, has anyone seen Crystal? She was supposed to meet me here for Sunday School today. Help me call her: Lillian!
Crystal: (Crystal comes on stage) Like, good morning everyone. Like, Richie, aren't you going to get ready?
Richie: I am ready.
Crystal: Well, you look like you're ready for church.
Richie: That's because I am going to church.
Crystal: Like, what about the party?
Richie: What do you mean, "party"?
Crystal: Aren't you, like, going to get ready for the party?
Richie: Crystal, you're always going to a party. You make me feel like I'm on Old McDonald's Farm...here a party, there a party, everywhere a party, party...
Crystal: But this one is going to be, like, special!
Richie: Why? Because you are going to be there?
Crystal: Good guess, but not just because of that! There's, like, also going to be a surprise special guest.
Richie: Oh! Who is it going to be, Bill Gates?
Crystal: Like, noo! Like, he was at my last party. I'll give you a hint...He's like totally out of this world!
Richie: Is it Neil Armstrong, the first astronaut to walk on the moon?
Crystal: No.
Richie: Give me a different clue.
Crystal: Like, He's a ruler.
Richie: Is it the mayor?
Crystal: No, He's like, higher than that.
Richie: Is it the governor?
Crystal: No, He's like way more important than that.
Richie: Is it General Colin Powell?
Crystal: No, like, since when is a famous ballet dancer a ruler?
Richie: Is it Pastor Edwards?
Crystal: No, He's even more groovy than that!
Richie: I give up. Who is it?
Crystal: Puh-leeeeze, like, it's Jesus!
Richie: Jesus is coming to your party?
Crystal: Like, yeah...isn't that just like totally awesome! He should be here any minute! He's like, coming to church and we're going to party!
Richie: But Jesus is always here at church. Who do you think we are singing to and praying to when we come here to church. Jesus said, "...lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
Crystal: I know that, but I heard on like, the radio a preacher say that Jesus might come today!
Richie: Well, that's true, too. He might, but we really don't know. Jesus said, "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."
Crystal: But like, the man on the radio sounded so sure.
Richie: Jesus did promise He would come back, so it is definitely true that He will come back...but the apostle Paul thought that Jesus was coming back in his day and that was almost 2000 years ago. He could wait another 2000 years if He wanted to.
Crystal: 2000 years? It only takes me a five hours to do my makeup and hair and nails!
Richie: What about choosing your clothes to wear?
Crystal: Well, I do have to take extra time for that, but that's only an extra three hours.
Richie: So it takes you eight hours to get ready for work?
Crystal: Work!? Like, get with it! Who has time for work? I take eight hours to get ready for a party! If Jesus has taken 2000 years to get ready then it must be a pretty bodacious party! Like, you must be clueless or something...I can't believe you didn't figure that one out!
Richie: Well, whether Jesus comes back today or if He comes back years from now there will be a big party. All the believers from all the ages are going to be there. The streets will be gold and there will be walls with all kinds of precious stones.
Crystal: Well I'm like, totally gonna have to change all my plans...NOBODY told be it would be formal...
Richie: No, no...Jesus said that we should occupy till He comes.
Crystal: That's, like, the whole idea! I will, like, be occupied shopping.
Richie: That's not what He meant. He meant that we should stay busy serving Him. You wouldn't want to meet Him empty handed, would you?
Crystal: Oh, duh, like, I knew that, I just wanted to see if you did...what will you get for him? I don't want to, like, you know, get the same thing...
Richie: No, that's not what He meant either. He wants you to get busy telling others about how to get saved and go to heaven so they can be with Him, too.
Crystal: You mean, like, I can invite some friends?
Richie: He would be disappointed if you didn't!
Crystal: Okay...but like, what if I'm out and I miss Him when He comes?
Richie: Don't worry about that. If you belong to Him then He won't miss you.
Crystal: That's great. I want to tell everyone and Jesus how glad that makes me.
Richie: Okay. Let's go to church and do just that.
Crystal: Like, cool!
The Surprise Guest, Puppet Scripts No. 46, ©1999 by Paul Zeron. This script may be edited, copied, and distributed without prior permission if there is no charge made for the work produced and this copyright notice is included. If this work is edited, then the copyright notice should indicate that it is an edited copy and the name of the editor under the author's name.
A lesson by Augustana Lutheran Church
Saint James, Minnesota
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