Description
Mary, Martha and Lazarus are Jesus’ close friends and they are a part of his life and ministry.
As such they have lived through his travels and have seen miracles performed. There was the wedding at Cana, healing the crippled man at the pool of Bethesda, the official’s son and, of course, the resurrection, and many more. But Mary and Martha have to confront the hurt and disappointment of having Jesus arrive too late to save Lazarus after a sickness seemingly leads to death.
Cast: 24
- 24 characters, several minor parts could/should be doubled up, likely use 17 actors
- Jesus (Scene I, II, III, IV, V)
- Mary (Jesus’ mother) (Scene I, VI)
- Lazarus (Scene I, II, III, IV)
- Martha (Scene I, III, IV, VI)
- Mary (Lazarus’ sister) (Scene I, III, IV, VI)
- Groom (Scene I)
- John, disciple (Scene I, II, IV)
- Peter, disciple (Scene I, II, IV, VI)
- Thomas, disciple (Scene I, II, IV)
- Matthew, disciple (Scene I, II, IV)
- Paralytic (Scene III)
- Pharisee1 (Scene III)
- Pharisee2 (Scene III)
- Woman at the well (Scene II)
- Official (Scene II)
- Guest (Scene I)
- Servant (Scene II)
- Caiaphas (Scene V)
- Priest (Scene V)
- Judas (Scene V)
- Herod (Scene V)
- Pilate (Scene V)
- Soldier (no lines) (Scene V)
- Angel (Scene VI)
- Other wedding guests as available (no lines) (Scene 1)
- Other disciples as available (no lines)
- Offstage voices: Lazarus, Jesus, Persons, Centurion
Bible Reference:
- John 2:1-10, 4:4-26, 43-53, 5:1-15, 11:1-44, 19, 20
Set:
- Miracle 1 – Wedding at Cana blank stage
- Miracle 2 – Jacobs Well (well)
- Miracle 3 – Pool of Bethsaida blank stage
- Miracle 4 – Raising Lazarus (tomb)
- Miracle 5 – Resurrection (tomb)
Lighting: standard
Sound:
- wireless mics if available
- Jewish wedding music
- crowd noise, children at play
Song: none
SFX: none
Costumes: traditional
Props:
- large water jugs, baskets, bags, glasses, purse, coins, royal robe, crown of thorns
Special Instructions: none
Time: 55
Sample of script:
SCENE 1- Miracle 1 (The Wedding at Cana)
Jewish celebratory wedding music playing loud, people laughing, talking in background, kids running back and forth. Men stumble out with chalices of wine, laughing
V of Lazarus: Oh the miracles performed by the Teacher . . . Jesus of Nazareth!
I am Lazarus, and along with my sisters, Mary and Martha, we were blessed to be there, watching, even participating!
How well I recall the first miracle. . . My sisters and I were privileged to be present in Cana, at the wedding of a friend. . .
lights up, Bridegroom & guest on stage
Bridegroom: Ahhhh, what a glorious day. I, the most blessed of men. I’ve married the woman God has chosen just for me, and wine was miraculously replenished just in time.
Guest: Yes, and how extraordinary. Saving the best wine for last. You are quite shrewd my good man. You will make a good husband for your bride.
Bridegroom: As my bride deserves.
Guest: All who attended will forever remember this celebration. Usually good wine is served first and cheap wine later, when everyone has overindulged and can’t tell the difference between good and bad.
Bridegroom: I am blessed to have the finest in brides, therefore what I serve my guests must reflect my good taste in a life partner.
Guest, sips from glass: Yes, I confirm, this new wine is even better that the first. Had you run out the party would have ended abruptly. Let’s go back and celebrate you and your bride.
Guest dancing toward upstage exit with Bridegroom, singing, laughing
Jesus, Mary, Lazarus & his sisters & disciples Thomas, Matthew, John, Peter come onstage
Thomas: Jesus saved the celebration, and all guests are incredibly impressed, even shocked.
Peter: Yes Thomas, when Jesus told the servants to fill the jars with water they naturally assumed they were giving the guests plain water. . . And there was no way all of the guests would be fooled.
John: If that happened the bridegroom would have been the laughing stock of the village, and the embarrassing rumors would have spread throughout the area.
Matthew: This was the first miracle Jesus ever performed when in our midst.
Mother Mary: My son Jesus did what had to be done. And the servants were obedient to the instructions of Jesus, that’s what matters.
Lazarus: Yes, obedience. Whatever Jesus tells you to do, you must just do it.
Martha: A miracle and we were here to witness it. Jesus always makes things better.
Mary sister: Even in the chaos of running out of wine, Jesus settled the bridegroom’s concerns. Now the bridegroom’s wedding celebration could go ahead.
Jesus: Mother, let’s get you home. It’s been two days now.
Mother Mary: Yes, it’s time I take off my dancing shoes. Tomorrow I’ll rest. Are you still going to Samaria?
Jesus: Yes, I’ll stay with our good friend Lazarus tonight. We’ll go on from there.
John: Samaria? Why would you go there?
Jesus: It’s important that I go through there. Then we will return to Cana.
Peter: I’ll go with you. Some of the other brothers too.
Mother: Alright son, but you know I worry about you. Just promise you will send word when you arrive. Someone will be coming back this way to let me know.
Jesus: Yes Mother., (turns to John) John, please see to getting Mother home. I will go ahead with Lazarus and his sisters and stay there.
John: I will take care of your mother, my Lord. You go on ahead.
Jesus: Very well. Mother, I will see you soon. (hugs Mary)
John & Mary off stage left. Others offstage right, lights off
SCENE 2 – Miracle 2 (Healing the Official’s Son, woman at the well)
lights up on Jesus
V of Lazarus: Early in the morning next day before the others get up, Jesus went outside, knelt to pray.
Lazarus comes on stage, moves toward Jesus, rubbing sleep from eyes
Lazarus: There you are. As you might guess, Martha has risen and already is busy preparing a meal. There is no sleep with that one in the house. May the Lord Jehovah continue to be with her.
Jesus: Yes, he will. Now let’s go eat what she has prepared.
Jesus & Lazarus go offstage. Thomas, Peter, Matthew & John come onstage
Peter, calls: Hello Jesus, are you here? We have come to join you.
Lazarus comes onstage
Lazarus: Must you always be so loud Peter? Are you trying to raise the dead?
Peter: Look, I am a fisherman. Good fishermen would have begun their day hours ago.
John: Yes, yes we know. You never let us forget!
Matthew: Well is he ready? We have to get supplies and some food.
Thomas: And on our way to Samaria. It will be a long day. Is Jesus meeting someone?
John: Do we ever know? But that’s Jesus. His ways are not our ways.
Peter: And he stops to talk to anyone it seems.
Jesus comes onstage
Jesus: Let’s be on our way.
walk for a time
Matthew: This isn’t easy walking! How much further do we have to go?
John: You know these roads as well as any of us, Matthew. And yes, we will soon be there.
Peter: We’ll need to get something to eat soon. Remember we didn’t bring provisions.
Jesus: Ah brothers. We have arrived. I have reason to meet someone here at Jacob’s well. The rest of you go and get provisions.
disciples go offstage, talking
Peter: Who’s he meeting? Did he mention this meeting before?
John: I don’t know, but let’s get to the market. Haggling will be intense today, I hear there’s fresh quail available.
Matthew: I badly need a new tunic. This one has seen it’s best days.
Andrew: But first we get the food. So let’s go!
disciples off stage
Jesus to well, sits on stone. Woman onstage carrying pail, draws water, Jesus approaches
Jesus: I am thirsty; would you give me water?
Woman, shock: You, a Jew, asking me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink? You Jews would not be caught dead talking to us Samaritans. (thinks) What do you really want?
Jesus: Listen to me, our God is a generous God, good in providing for his children. And if you knew who I am, you would be asking me to provide you a drink, a drink of the purest fresh, living water.
Woman Sir, you are playing with my mind! You don’t even have a bucket to draw the water. Surely you know that this well, dug by our ancestor Jacob, is very deep. So tell me, how do you get this ‘living water’? Is your form of water stronger or better or wiser than that which our ancestors before us provided?
Jesus: Everyone who drinks the water from this well will get thirsty again, every day. But the water I offer will be a fresh spring of gushing fountains of endless life.
Woman, eagerly: Then I must have this water Sir! I don’t ever to be thirsty again! Why would I want to come back to this well again if you can truly do what you say?
Jesus: Go home and bring your husband back here with you.
Woman, sad: I have no husband.
Jesus: Ahhhh…Finally you speak the truth. In fact, you’ve had five husbands, and the man you’re living with now isn’t even your husband.
Woman: Oh, so then you’re a prophet are you? Fine then, tell me this: Our ancestors worshiped God at this mountain, but you Jews keep saying Jerusalem is the only place for worship, am I right?
Jesus: Believe me, woman, the time is coming when you Samaritans will worship God neither at this mountain nor in Jerusalem. God’s salvation is made available first to the Jews. But the time is coming, . . . no, it has now come . . . when your nationality or where you go to worship won’t matter even slightly.
What God wants to see is who you are and the way you live; that’s what matters to God. Your worship must occupy your entire being as you pursue God’s truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are genuinely themselves in their worship, no pretenses. God is Spirit. Those who worship him must worship in a genuine manner, from their spirits, showing their true selves, in adoration and respect.
