Jesus’ Birth through the Eyes of Isaiah: Newsroom Interview worksheets
Written by Carol Hulbert for First United Methodist Church
120 S. State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Copyright 2009 First United Methodist Church, Ann Arbor, MI.
Permission to copy materials granted for non-commercial use provided credit is given and all cited references remain with this material
SCENE 1 – PREP WORK
Characters: News Anchors # 1 and Isaiah
Optional: News Anchor # 2
Step 1:
Research – Everyone read page 154 in the Children’s Illustrated Bible, paying attention to Isaiah’s vision (from Isaiah chapter 6).
Note: Seraphs are six-winged angels.
What did Isaiah see in the Temple?
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What did Isaiah say, when he realized God was there?
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How was Isaiah’s sin cleansed?
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What did God ask and what was Isaiah’s answer?
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Step 2:
Use your answers from above to create a script for your newscast. In scene 1, the News Anchor(s) will open the news show, and do a live interview of Isaiah. (You may ask Isaiah other questions if you think it will help everyone learn about him.)
Note: In the final scene of the news show, the News Anchors will sign off for the news program.
SCENE 1 - SCRIPT
News Anchor 1: Good morning from Jerusalem. I am __________________ reporting from WFUMC.
News Anchor 2: And I’m __________________, here with today’s news.
News Anchor 1: The top story today deals with the gold articles from the Palace and the Temple. King Ahaz has collected these treasures to send to Assyria. Some people are grumbling about sending so much money to an empire, which threatens to invade the city, but others, think more should be sent. The people are afraid of an invasion.
News Anchor 2: In other news, a local prophet was making a disturbance of his own today. He was challenging King Ahaz to trust God.
Jerusalem has always had its share of noisy prophets. The local population is tired of hearing these people bringing messages from God.
Leave us alone they say! Today we have in our studio, this prophet, Isaiah. Let’s hear what Isaiah has to say.
News Anchor 1: Isaiah, I understand that you had an unusual experience in the Temple?
Isaiah will say:
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News Anchor 2: A prophet’s job is to bring messages to the people. How do you know what messages to say to people?
Isaiah answers:
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News Anchor 1: How does it feel when people sometimes don’t want to hear what you have to say?
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News Anchor 2: Why do you keep on trying to give people God’s message?
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News Anchor 1: Thank you Isaiah for being with us.
Isaiah: My pleasure. May the Lord be with you.
News Anchor 2: An interesting thought – God will come among us as a baby?
News Anchor 1: A bit hard to imagine isn’t it. Anyone to save us from these times. (sigh) Now we go to this report in the field.
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SCENE 2 – PREP WORK
Characters: Field Reporter(s) and Worshiper(s).
Step 1:
Research – Everyone read Isaiah 7:14
What sign will the Lord give?_________________________________________________
What does Immanuel mean? __________________________________________________
Research – Everyone read Isaiah 9:2 and 9:6
Do you think that people at this time in history were feeling pretty good, or gloomy and worried?
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What do you think Isaiah’s prophecy in 9:6 means? _____________________________________________________________________________
Step 2:
Use your answers from above to write a script for the newscast. In scene 2, the Field Reporter(s) will interview Worshiper(s)outside the Temple. These worshipers have heard Isaiah give his prophecy. (If you have more than one reporter, share the questions.
If you have more than one Worshiper share the responses.) (You may ask more questions if you’d like!)
SCENE 2 - SCRIPT
Field Reporter: This is _______________________ reporting from outside the Temple in Jerusalem. I have with me today, a worshiper from the Temple. What is your name?
Worshiper: My name is _____________________________________________________
Field Reporter: I understand you heard Isaiah, when he was doing what prophets do, giving us a message from God – prophesising they call it. What did Isaiah say?
Worshiper: Isaiah said _____________________________________________________________________________
Field Reporter: What do you think his words mean?
Worshiper: _____________________________________________________________________________
Field Reporter: What do you think it will be like to have a “Mighty God”?
Worshiper: _____________________________________________________________________________
Field Reporter: Well there you have it – live from WFUMC. Now to our next report.
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SCENE 3 – PREP WORK
Characters: Field Reporter(s) and disciple(s) of Jesus.
Step 1:
Research – Everyone read 9:2 and 9:6-7
Who is the child spoken about in verse 6? _______________________________________
Who is the “us” mentioned in verse 6? __________________________________________
What do you think “Wonderful Counselor” means? ___________________________________________________________________________________
What do these verses tell you about this coming child? ___________________________________________________________________________
Step 2:
Use your answers from above to create a script for the newscast. Scenes 1 and 2 take place back around 700 BCE.
In scene 3, we jump ahead in time. (Is your head spinning?) We are now in the times of the early church, around CE 50.
The Field Reporter(s) interviews disciple(s) of Jesus asking about Isaiah’s ancient words.
(If you have more than one reporter, share the questions. If you have more than one disciple share the responses.)
SCENE 3 - SCRIPT
Field Reporter: This is _______________________ reporting from Jerusalem, in the year 50 CE. I have here, a disciple of Jesus.
Tell us your name and why you are a disciple of Jesus.
Disciple: _________________________________________________________________
Field Reporter: You have been with Jesus through his entire ministry. How did you know that Jesus was the Messiah promised by
the prophets?
Disciple: _________________________________________________________________
Field Reporter: Long ago the prophet Isaiah gave people an idea of what this Messiah would be like. Isaiah said he would be a Wonderful
Counselor. Did Jesus live up to that prophecy of Isaiah?
Disciple: Yes, well you know a counselor is someone who listens carefully and gives good advise.
Why I remember Jesus saying __________________________________________
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Field Reporter: Well there you have it – a disciple’s view. Now to our next report.
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SCENE 4 – PREP WORK
Characters: Field Reporter(s) and Modern-day Sunday’s Cool student(s).
Step 1:
Characters: Field Reporter(s) and Modern-day Sunday’s Cool student(s).
Research – Everyone read Isaiah 7:14 and 9:6
Who are these verses speaking about – who is coming? ____________________________
What does Immanuel mean? __________________________________________________
How does it change the way you live, to know that it was predicted that a son would be born and it actually happened? __________
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Isaiah described this coming Savior with many words including “Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace”. How do these words help you to understand what Jesus is like? _________________________________________________________________
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Step 2:
Use your answers from above to create a script for the newscast. The news show will jump ahead to 2009! The Field Reporter(s) interview students about Isaiah’s ancient words. (If you have more than one reporter, share the questions. If you have more than one student share the responses.)
SCENE 4 - SCRIPT
Field Reporter: This is _______________________ reporting from Ann Arbor in 2009. I am in a Sunday’s Cool class at FUMC. Tell us your name and why you are here.
Student: ___________________________________________________________________________
Field Reporter: Were you aware of God's promise, recorded in the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, to send a child, God's own son,
to the people?
Student: ____________________________________________________________________________
Field Reporter: What have you recently learned about Isaiah?
Student: ____________________________________________________________________________
Field Reporter: How does your view of Christmas change, now that you know Jesus’ birth was planned by God way in advance?
Student: __________________________________________________________________________
Field Reporter: How does the name “Prince of Peace” help you understand God's promises?
Student: ____________________________________________________________________________
Field Reporter: That’s all from the field. Now back to the studio.
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