"Were You There?" Dramatic readings for Maundy Thursday, 2015

On Maundy Thursday, we begin our worship experience in our Social Hall sharing a meal and the Lord's Supper.  Then we process to the darkened Sanctuary, singing "Jesus, Remember Me" as we go.  Instead of sermon, we read the different parts of the Last Supper and the Passion narrative (we do not return on Friday for a Good Friday service).  

Below are the Scripture readings (we used Eugene Peterson's The Message translation) and dramatic readings that were part of our service last night.

“Were You There?” Maundy Thursday service 2015

Mark 14: 12-16 (Kathy): On the first of the Days of Unleavened Bread, the day they prepare the Passover sacrifice, his disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations so you can eat the Passover meal?”

He directed two of his disciples, “Go into the city. A man carrying a water jug will meet you. Follow him. Ask the owner of whichever house he enters, ‘The Teacher wants to know, Where is my guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ He will show you a spacious second-story room, swept and ready. Prepare for us there.”

The disciples left, came to the city, found everything just as he had told them, and prepared the Passover meal.

Mark 14: 17-25 (Tom) After sunset he came with the Twelve. As they were at the supper table eating, Jesus said, “I have something hard but important to say to you: One of you is going to hand me over to the conspirators, one who at this moment is eating with me.”

Stunned, they started asking, one after another, “It isn’t me, is it?”

He said, “It’s one of the Twelve, one who eats with me out of the same bowl. In one sense, it turns out that the Son of Man is entering into a way of treachery well-marked by the Scriptures—no surprises here. In another sense, the man who turns him in, turns traitor to the Son of Man—better never to have been born than do this!”

In the course of their meal, having taken and blessed the bread, he broke it and gave it to them. Then he said, “Take, this is my body.”

Taking the chalice, he gave it to them, thanking God, and they all drank from it. He said,

This is my blood,God’s new covenant, Poured out for many people. “I’ll not be drinking wine again until the new day when I drink it in the kingdom of God.”

Daughter of Server (Kylie): I was there in the Upper Room that night that everyone is talking about.

They asked my mother at the last minute to help serve, and I did not have anywhere to go. So I stayed out in the kitchen and ate by myself there.

But I also watched as everyone ate their dinner, and I listened as they talked.

I have only been to a few Passover celebrations in my life. I don't really understand it completely, but I know this one seemed different.

For one thing, the man Jesus seemed to say things that were not part of the normal Passover. Or at least people seemed surprised, or maybe confused by what he said.

They ate bread and drank wine like we do when we celebrate Passover at our house, but he talked about how it was his body and his blood. That didn't make much sense to me.

One of the guys also seemed to get angry. I don't know what was going on, but after Jesus gave him the cup of wine, the man stormed out of the room. I don't think the others were expecting it. They kept looking at the door as if they expected him to come back. But he never did.

My mom said that some people thought Jesus was an important person. He seemed nice enough. He even smiled at me. Everyone seemed to to like him, and he acted like he cared for everyone else.

I guess the angry guy who left was not the only one who was mad at Jesus. My mom came home today and told me that Jesus had been nailed to the cross.

I 'm glad I wasn't there for that.

I was there that night in the Upper Room with Jesus. But now he is dead.

Mark 14: 26: Richard: They sang a hymn and then went directly to Mount Olives.

“Jesus, Remember Me”

Mark 14: 32-42 (Glen) They came to an area called Gethsemane. Jesus told his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James, and John with him. He plunged into a sinkhole of dreadful agony. He told them, “I feel bad enough right now to die. Stay here and keep vigil with me.”

Going a little ahead, he fell to the ground and prayed for a way out: “Papa, Father, you can—can’t you?—get me out of this. Take this cup away from me. But please, not what I want—what do you want?”

He came back and found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, you went to sleep on me? Can’t you stick it out with me a single hour? Stay alert, be in prayer, so you don’t enter the danger zone without even knowing it. Don’t be naive. Part of you is eager, ready for anything in God; but another part is as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.”

He then went back and prayed the same prayer. Returning, he again found them sound asleep. They simply couldn’t keep their eyes open, and they didn’t have a plausible excuse.

He came back a third time and said, “Are you going to sleep all night? No—you’ve slept long enough. Time’s up. The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up. Let’s get going. My betrayer has arrived.”

Disciple at Gethsemane (Greg): I was there at the Garden of Gethsemane. I trailed along with the others when Jesus went there. It had been an exciting, tiring day, one of those you never want to end. I went to the garden because I wanted to keep talking with Jesus, keep hearing all the things he had to say.

But he wanted to go off by himself. He wanted to be alone. No late night conversation with us; he was going to have a late night conversation with God. Off he went to pray.

Peter, James, and John were there waiting for him. I could see them from where I was. At first they were talking about Jesus. They sounded worried. Apparently Jesus had said something to them again about dying. Naturally, they were upset at that. I figured Jesus was just exhausted and he was having one of those late at night conversations. It had been a long day for Jesus and for all of us.

I don't know what happened next because I fell asleep. Apparently, so did the Peter, because I was awakened by the sound of Jesus' scolding Peter. “Can't you even stay awake and pray like I asked you to do?”

I felt bad for Peter because I was tired, too. I had trouble staying awake.

Jesus left again. I fell asleep again. I guess Peter, James, and John also went to sleep again. It was late you know.

Later I heard that Jesus had come back a second time and found them asleep. But I didn't remember that.

I didn't wake up again until I heard a big commotion. There was Judas coming up the path with some soldiers. He was looking for Jesus.

After that, there was no sleeping. The night got long, but who could sleep.

Yes, I was there at the Garden with Jesus, but he's not there anymore. He's dead.

Mark 15: 53-54; 66-72 (Brenda) They led Jesus to the Chief Priest, where the high priests, religious leaders, and scholars had gathered together. Peter followed at a safe distance until they got to the Chief Priest’s courtyard, where he mingled with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.

While all this was going on, Peter was down in the courtyard. One of the Chief Priest’s servant girls came in and, seeing Peter warming himself there, looked hard at him and said, “You were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” He denied it: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He went out on the porch. A rooster crowed.

The girl spotted him and began telling the people standing around, “He’s one of them.” He denied it again.

After a little while, the bystanders brought it up again. “You’ve got to be one of them. You’ve got ‘Galilean’ written all over you.”

Now Peter got really nervous and swore, “I never laid eyes on this man you’re talking about.” Just then the rooster crowed a second time. Peter remembered how Jesus had said, “Before a rooster crows twice, you’ll deny me three times.” He collapsed in tears.

Peter (David): I was there in the courtyard. I was there in the courtyard saving myself by denying my friend Jesus?

I was the “Rock,” the one on whom Jesus depended. Time and again I proved myself to be his faithful follower.

I remember when we were in boat on the lake, and we saw Christ walking across the water to us. He commanded us to come and meet him. Who did it? I was the only one. I believed I could do anything if he were there for me.

So how could last night have happened? It is like a bad dream, except I’m awake.

Everything started out so well. There we were celebrating the Passover together. Me, my brother, Jesus, and the others. As I looked around the room that night I marveled at all we had been through together. And it felt good.

Then things started happening fast. Jesus started talking about betrayal and dying. Judas took off by himself.

But then we went with Jesus to the garden to pray. The night seemed to be settling down. I even had time to relax a bit.

Suddenly Judas and the soldiers barged into our space. From that moment on, the night was a never-ending blur.

My head was swimming. I was trying to find Jesus and figure out what was going on with him.

I saw a woman pointing at me and telling everyone that I knew Jesus. It was like I wasn’t really there, like I was watching it happen to someone else. Before I could stop myself, I blurted out, “not me, you’ve got the wrong guy.”

Again and again I heard people saying I knew Christ, that I was part of his crowd. Without even thinking, I kept saying “no....no....no”

And then the cock crowed. My heart stopped as I remembered that Christ told me I would betray him three times before the cock crowed.

Three times!

I could walk on water with him, but left on my own, all I could do was deny him.

I was there in the courtyard, and now Jesus is dead.

Mark 15: 21-24 (Eric) There was a man walking by, coming from work, Simon from Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus. They made him carry Jesus’ cross.

The soldiers brought Jesus to Golgotha, meaning “Skull Hill.” They offered him a mild painkiller (wine mixed with myrrh), but he wouldn’t take it. And they nailed him to the cross. They divided up his clothes and threw dice to see who would get them.

Girl on road to Golgotha (Rachel) I was there on the road when that Jesus guy walked by. Actually, he was doing more limping than walking.

My dad said he was on the way to Golgotha to be crucified with some other criminals.

We were on our way to my grandparents, but the Roman soldiers would not let us cross the road until the parade of people had passed by.

Did I say parade? That's funny, because it was not like any parade I've ever been to. Usually, at a parade the soldiers march by and we wave palm branches and cheer because the soldiers have won a victory victory in battle.

Yes, there were Roman soldiers there, but they looked grim and angry. I'm not sure why they needed soldiers to guard Jesus. He looked so beat up from being whipped that I don't think he could have run away.

You know he could not even carry his own cross. The soldiers had to get some other guy to carry his cross. I wasn't even sure Jesus was going to be able to make it by us, but he kept limping along...barely.

Some people acted like they felt sorry for him. I even saw a coupe of women crying.

And some people looked away, like they couldn't bear to see what was happening to him.

But there were plenty of people that shouted mean things to him. He didn't seem very popular. Maybe he had done something to them. Maybe that's why he was being taken to be crucified.

I was there on the road to Golgotha watching as Jesus went by; but he's not going anywhere now. He's dead.

Mark 15: 25-38 (John) They nailed him up at nine o’clock in the morning. The charge against him—the king of the jews—was printed on a poster. Along with him, they crucified two criminals, one to his right, the other to his left. People passing along the road jeered, shaking their heads in mock lament: “You bragged that you could tear down the Temple and then rebuild it in three days—so show us your stuff! Save yourself! If you’re really God’s Son, come down from that cross!”

The high priests, along with the religion scholars, were right there mixing it up with the rest of them, having a great time poking fun at him: “He saved others—but he can’t save himself! Messiah, is he? King of Israel? Then let him climb down from that cross. We’ll all become believers then!” Even the men crucified alongside him joined in the mockery.

At noon the sky became extremely dark. The darkness lasted three hours. At three o’clock, Jesus groaned out of the depths, crying loudly, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

Some of the bystanders who heard him said, “Listen, he’s calling for Elijah.” Someone ran off, soaked a sponge in sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down.”

But Jesus, with a loud cry, gave his last breath. At that moment the Temple curtain ripped right down the middle.

Woman at the cross (Stephanie): I was there at the cross with Jesus' mother. I could not bear the thought of Jesus being crucified, the man I had known as a child and watch grow up was to be nailed to the cross. I could not bear the sight.

But the thought of his mother being alone as she watched him die was even more unbearable. So I walked with her to where they would crucify him. Her steps were heavy, the slow, steady march of someone who did not want to go where she was going, but unable to stop.

We shared more tears than words. What could be said at a time like this. I wanted to comfort her, but what words would matter to a mother who is about to watch her son killed like a common criminal. After all the times he spoke of God's love and healed people; now he was was to be killed.

With no words to speak, I held her hand.

I looked over to where the soldiers and the scribes were laughing and throwing Jesus' clothes around. To them, it was some kind of sick game. How could they laugh as Jesus hung from the cross?

I felt my Mary start to crumble when she heard her son cry out to God from the cross. I steadied her, and then we gently sat on the ground. I thought to myself, 'It can't get any worse than this. How much must a mother bear.”

some fools started shouting at him can calling him Elijah. Why wouldn't they just leave him alone? Mary sobbed as they watched.

When I thought I could stand it no longer, Jesus cried out and we could see his life leave him.

The man I had known since he was a boy was now dead.

Mary just squeezed my hand as if it were the only thing keeping her alive.

I was there at the cross with my friend. I held her hand as we watched her son Jesus die.

Choir sings “Were You There?”