Transfiguration Drama

 (yes, this is my sermon. recruit your actors at choir practice)

Characters Narrator The Three Peter/Petra James/Jamie John/Joan Jay/Jaye Jude

Props Name tags 4 chairs 4 veils (chiffon attached to baseball caps) Bible Music or organist

Premise This dramatic interpretation of the Transfiguration uses the actual words from Luke 9:28-36 to narrate a satire of the contemporary church. The disciples who witness the Transfiguration are confused about its significance. It is as if “a veil lies over their minds” (2 Cor 3:15). Furthermore, upon their return, they told no one about what they had experienced. We need to ask ourselves whether the disciples lost their courage and whether the church today has lost its heart for our God-given ministry (cf. 2 Cor 4:1).

Notes The call to worship comes from Psalm 99. I prefer not to use feminine language for God, but I thought it appropriate for my congregation in this context.

I tried to make the characters resemble their Biblical counterparts. See if your congregation can pick up the nuances: eg. James’ competitiveness, John sitting near Jay, etc.

Jesus does not physically appear in the sketch. Rather, the Holy Spirit appears in one of the congregation members. This character’s name is Jay/e, as in the letter J, since Jay/e stands for Jesus yet he or she is not quite the real thing. Jay/e is a person who, by the power of the Spirit, has seen Christ’s glory and is being transformed into his image (2 Cor 3:18).

It may be helpful for the congregation to review the reading from 2 Corinthians before or after the sketch since it provides the subtext.

The Sketch

[Four chairs face the audience. Under each chair is a veil. Under the chair is also a Bible. A narrator stands at the lectern.]

Narrator: Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up to the mountain to pray.

[Characters enter and sit in the following order Peter, Jamie, Joan, and Jay.]

[After a quick breath, Peter stands up.]

Peter: Welcome to our prayer service at Church on the Mountain. I am Peter, your liturgist. Let's stand and say the call to worship together.

[Jamie, Joan, and Jay stand. There is some groaning and knee popping.]

Peter: Extol the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain.

All: For the Lord our God is Holy.

Peter: Holy is he.

Jamie, Jay: Holy is he.

Joan [hurriedly]: …or she.

Peter: Let us center our hearts and commune with the Lord in silent prayer.

[All four sit quietly, heads bowed and eyes closed.]

Narrator: And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white.

[Jay finds a Bible under his chair and begins to read it.]

[An expression of elation overcomes him.]

[Heavenly music plays in the background. Jay is ecstatic. He taps Jamie and Joan to tell them of his discovery.]

Jay: Hey guys. Have you read this before?

Joan: Read what?

Jay: The Law and the Prophets

Narrator: Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him.

Joan: The what?

Jay: The Law and the Prophets. Uhh, you know, the stories of Moses, Elijah, and those guys.

Jamie: Yeah. We know about them. I thought this was prayer time. Shhh.

[Jamie goes back to praying, though it’s obvious she’s sleeping.]

Jay: The Bible is full of stories about people who wrote and preached for God. Moses wrote the Law of God, the Ten Commandments and the like. And Elijah was the first of many prophets.

Joan: Yeah, so what?

Jay: Well, it’s just that they keep explaining how God wants us to live together peacefully and to take care of each other. And there are all these stories about how, when we’ve messed up, God tries new ways to help us get back on track.

Joan: What’s this “we” business? The Old Testament has got some good stories, but it’s so irrelevant.

Jay: But there’s more.

Narrator: They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem.

Jay: God tried all kinds of things, but then God became flesh and dwelt among us. I think I am just now figuring out what this means. God dying for us... a God who knows and loves me. For some reason it’s all new to me again.

[Joan continues to look in his direction, but she is mentally elsewhere.]

Narrator: Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep…

Jay [Charlie Brown style]: Wah-wah, wah-wah, wah wah!

[Jamie begins to fall over.]

Narrator: But since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.

[Joan nudges Jamie, who then nudges Peter, who consequently wakes up with an embarassingly huge commotion.]

[Jay quietly resumes his “Wah-wahs” for a little while.]

[The Three elbow each other and gesture to each other as if to say, “Can you get a load of this freak?”]

Narrator: Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here…”

Jay: So, can you see where I am coming from? God loves me, and I will go to the ends of the earth for him.

Peter: You’re right, Jay. This church is doing good things. There are all kinds of wonderful people who attend. I just feel very comfortable here.

Narrator: “…Let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

Peter: Let’s form a committee!

Jamie: And I’ll form a committee to supervise your committee!

Joan: I hope it doesn’t meet on Wednesdays. That’s when I visit mother.

Peter: Now you know, Jesus said we all have to make sacrifices to be his disciples.

Narrator: --not knowing what Jesus said. While they were saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were terrified as they entered the cloud.

[strong, forboding, yet beautiful music is played.]

[All look around in fear and amazement. Trembling, Peter, Jamie, and Joan put on veils.]

Narrator: Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!”

Jay: Hey, guys! Wow! Was that God? Wasn’t that cool! Didn’t you experience that?

[The three others, wearing their veils, ignore Jay and act as if nothing happened.]

Narrator: When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.

Jay: Hey? Guys? [to congregation]I am so alone.

[Jay gets up and leaves.]

Narrator: And they kept silent.

[Jude enters and sits in Jay’s seat.] [The three take off their veils and greet Jude.]

Jude: So, how’s it going? Anything special happen today?

Three: “Nope.” “I can’t think of anything.” “Nothing today.”

Jamie: Let’s not talk church. We just want to be friends.

Joan: Hi, my name is Joan. This is Jamie and Peter. What’s your name?

Jude: My name is Jude.

Narrator: And in those days they told no one of any of the things they had seen.

[All four put on veils and exit.]

End