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ScriptureHebrews Chapter 11, Luke 4:31-44, Luke 5:1 –5:11, Luke 12:24-31
Script
The Cast of Characters: Narrator Peter, Paul, Demon Possessed Man (two or more readers), Jesus, John, James, Andrew, Peter, Philip, Nathanael
The Scene: Capernaum Synagogue, Peter’s house, a desolate place, the Sea of Galilee, the shoreline of that sea. Click to View Maps
(In this episode, we have two narrators, each telling a separate story. Our usual narrator, Narrator Peter, stands at one side of the stage, and Paul stands at the other side. The other characters (readers) should be positioned in a slight curve between our narrators, to improve eye contact. Jesus should be positioned on the opposite side of the curve from Peter, so that they can meet, downstage center, at the end. The others should be placed in such a way that best promotes eye contact and storytelling. The lights come up.)
| Peter: Who am I? What is happening here? How is it that I, Simon the son of John, happen to be here at the same moment in history as Jesus, the Messiah we have been waiting centuries upon centuries upon centuries for? From men of God like Noah and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and Joseph and Moses and the mighty warrior Samson. King David, Samuel, Isaiah—the list goes on! And the women of God, too—Sarah, Rahab, Ruth, Esther….. Who am I among these? And yet I am here now and actually walk and talk with the Messiah? And who is He? Certainly, we could not be deceived, could we? No magician could do the things we’ve seen. It is not possible. The healings, the teachings, turning water into wine. Good things, very good things, amazing things—but the Romans and our own leaders, how will He defeat them? | |
| Narrator Peter: These are the things I wondered about as Jesus continued His ministry in Galilee. Who am I? On one hand a loving family man, a brother, and friend. On the other hand, a man prone to greed and lust, anger and perhaps violence. What would this Messiah, this man of God, have to do with me? Why does He treat me as a friend? And how will He set us free? | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through His faith, though he died, he still speaks. | |
| Narrator Peter: After Jesus said, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” at the synagogue in Nazareth, proclaiming that he was the long awaited Messiah—soon after, He was driven out of his hometown. It was there, in Nazareth, that Jesus also said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.” And He performed no miracles there. | |
| Paul: By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. | |
| Narrator Peter: And Jesus went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, where I was a fisherman. And He was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at His teaching, for His word possessed authority. | |
| Paul: And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. | |
| Narrator Peter: And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, | |
| Demon Possessed Man: (Read by two or more people) Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God. | |
| Jesus: Be silent and come out of him! | |
| Narrator Peter: And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, | |
| John: “What is this word? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Peter: Who is He? What man does this? “The Holy One of God,” said the demon. What is Messiah? He is not King David, nor is He like Moses, nor Noah or the rest! What am I caught up in? Who am I? | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. | |
| Narrator Peter: And reports about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region. | |
| Paul: By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. | |
| Narrator Peter: And Jesus arose and left the synagogue and entered my house. Since my mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, we appealed to Jesus on her behalf. | |
| James: And He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve us. | |
| John: And when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him, and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. | |
| Paul: By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. | |
| Narrator Peter: And demons also came out of many, crying “You are the Son of God!” But He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that He was the Christ. | |
| Paul: These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. | |
| James: For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. | |
| John: If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. | |
| Andrew: But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. | |
| Philip: Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, | |
| Nathanael: for He has prepared for them a city. | |
| Narrator Peter: And when it was day, He departed and went to a desolate place. And the people sought Him and came to Him, and would have kept Him from leaving them, but He said to them, | |
| Jesus: I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose. | |
| Narrator Peter: And He was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. | |
| Paul: By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, | |
| (Narrator Peter suddenly joins Paul’s narrative, as his mind contemplates the Messiah and his forefathers in the faith.) | |
| Narrator Peter: “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. | |
| Paul: By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. | |
| Narrator Peter: By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. | |
| Paul: By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. | |
| Narrator Peter: By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. | |
| Paul: By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. | |
| Narrator Peter: He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. | |
| James: By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. | |
| John: By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. | |
| Andrew: By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. | |
| Philip: By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. | |
| Nathanael: By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: I thought about my forefathers in the faith. Great men and women for sure. Heroes of my people—of God’s people! None of them lived to see this day that I am seeing, the arrival of the Messiah, the Christ, the “Holy One of God”, the “Son of God”. Yes, many of them won mighty victories with the help of God, but others were not so fortunate, suffering and dying for their faith. “None of them saw Jesus,” I thought, except perhaps in expectation. | |
| Peter: So, who am I? I am not a hero, am I? I am Simon, the son of John. Simple Simon. A fisherman. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: As Jesus continued preaching and teaching, in Judea and Galilee, we also continued with our fishing business, seeking Him out whenever possible. | |
 | (Sound Effect: Gulls Cawing on the Sea of Galilee) |
| John: Ready? On three. One, two, three! | |
| James: That’s going to do it. The fish are right there! | |
| Andrew: I’m waiting— | |
| Peter: Don’t hold your breath. | |
| Philip: Jesus is going to be king before we catch anything. | |
| Nathanael: King Jesus from Nazareth. Hmmm—King Jesus of Galilee? King Jesus and the Galilee Six! | |
| Peter: He is becoming quite popular. I’ll give you that. | |
| John: Well, that’s the understatement of the year. | |
| Philip: The century! | |
| Nathanael: The Millenium!! | |
| Philip: Always have to one up me, don’t you? | |
| James: The exorcisms are other worldly! | |
| John: Yes! He does it so easily, so quickly. I’ve always heard it takes time, if it ever really happened at all! | |
| Andrew: That’s because of who He is! | |
| Peter: And who is that, Brother? | |
| Andrew: The Messiah, the Christ! Do you still not believe? | |
| Peter: (Thinking, agitated) Yes. I believe–what am I supposed to do? I have a wife, children, a business. I have a house that needs work. Family that relies on my income. I can’t drop everything and follow Him around everywhere. I don’t have that luxury. | |
| John: One day at a time, my friend. Zebedee is onboard. He believes. We have his support. | |
| Peter: Aye. One day at a time. Tax collector thinks we’re cheating him. I told him we’ve been gone a lot. | |
| Philip: That stinking tax man! | |
| Nathanael: Yeah, I’m thinking of writing a song about him. Something whimsical I should think. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging and even chains and imprisonment. | |
| Narrator Peter: On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on Jesus to hear the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, also known as the Sea of Galilee, and He saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Those fishermen happened to be me and my coworkers. | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws.) |
| Paul: They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. | |
| Narrator Peter: Getting into one of the boats, which was mine, Jesus asked me to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the people from the boat. | |
| Paul: They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. | |
| Jesus: …Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? | |
| Paul: They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— | |
| Jesus: If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws, closer now.) |
| Narrator Peter: (Listening, deep in thought) They were stoned, | |
| Jesus: Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. | |
| Narrator Peter: …they were sawn in two, | |
| Jesus: But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! | |
| Narrator Peter: …they were killed with the sword. | |
| Jesus: And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. | |
| Narrator Peter: (Yielding) They went— | |
| Jesus: Instead, seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. | |
| Narrator Peter: And when Jesus had finished speaking, He said to me, | |
| Jesus: Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. | |
| Peter: Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets. | |
| Narrator Peter: We put out into the deep. | |
| James: Ready? On three. One, two, three! | |
| Narrator Peter: We cast our nets to the deep. | |
| John: I think we have a catch! | |
| James: Man, I think we have quite a catch! | |
| Philip: I think it’s a whale! | |
| Nathanael: It’s the Galilee Sea Monster! | |
| Narrator Peter: We enclosed such a large number of fish that our nets were breaking! We signaled to our partners in the other boat to come and help us. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. I threw myself into the sea! Fully clothed, I swam with all my strength the 100 yards or more to the shore. I came out weary from the water, my clothes dripping, and stood before Jesus. | |
| (Action: Peter meets Jesus downstage center. They stand face to face.) | |
| Paul: They went about in skins of sheep and goats, | |
| John: …destitute, | |
| James: …afflicted, | |
| Andrew: …mistreated— | |
| Narrator Peter: …of whom the world was not worthy— | |
| Philip: …wandering about in deserts and mountains… | |
| Nathanael: …and in dens and caves of the earth. | |
| Narrator Peter: And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, | |
| (Action: Peter falls down on his knees before Jesus.) | |
| Paul: …since God had provided something better for us, | |
| Narrator Peter: I fell down at Jesus’ knees. | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws.) |
| Paul: …that apart from us they should not be made perfect. | |
| (Action: Peter lifting his hands to Jesus, emotional, exclaiming!) | |
| Peter: Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. | |
| (Action: Jesus places His hand on Peter’s head.) | |
| Jesus: Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: And when we had brought our boats to land, we left everything and followed Him. | |
| (Light fades out. End of Episode 4, End of Becoming Peter) |
| Peter: Who am I? What is happening here? How is it that I, Simon the son of John, happen to be here at the same moment in history as Jesus, the Messiah we have been waiting centuries upon centuries upon centuries for? From men of God like Noah and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and Joseph and Moses and the mighty warrior Samson. King David, Samuel, Isaiah—the list goes on! And the women of God, too—Sarah, Rahab, Ruth, Esther….. Who am I among these? And yet I am here now and actually walk and talk with the Messiah? And who is He? Certainly, we could not be deceived, could we? No magician could do the things we’ve seen. It is not possible. The healings, the teachings, turning water into wine. Good things, very good things, amazing things—but the Romans and our own leaders, how will He defeat them? | |
| Narrator Peter: These are the things I wondered about as Jesus continued His ministry in Galilee. Who am I? On one hand a loving family man, a brother, and friend. On the other hand, a man prone to greed and lust, anger and perhaps violence. What would this Messiah, this man of God, have to do with me? Why does He treat me as a friend? And how will He set us free? | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through His faith, though he died, he still speaks. | |
| Narrator Peter: After Jesus said, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” at the synagogue in Nazareth, proclaiming that he was the long awaited Messiah—soon after, He was driven out of his hometown. It was there, in Nazareth, that Jesus also said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.” And He performed no miracles there. | |
| Paul: By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. | |
| Narrator Peter: And Jesus went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, where I was a fisherman. And He was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at His teaching, for His word possessed authority. | |
| Paul: And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. | |
| Narrator Peter: And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, | |
| Demon Possessed Man: (Read by two or more people) Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God. | |
| Jesus: Be silent and come out of him! | |
| Narrator Peter: And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, | |
| John: “What is this word? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Peter: Who is He? What man does this? “The Holy One of God,” said the demon. What is Messiah? He is not King David, nor is He like Moses, nor Noah or the rest! What am I caught up in? Who am I? | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. | |
| Narrator Peter: And reports about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region. | |
| Paul: By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. | |
| Narrator Peter: And Jesus arose and left the synagogue and entered my house. Since my mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, we appealed to Jesus on her behalf. | |
| James: And He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve us. | |
| John: And when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him, and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. | |
| Paul: By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. | |
| Narrator Peter: And demons also came out of many, crying “You are the Son of God!” But He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that He was the Christ. | |
| Paul: These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. | |
| James: For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. | |
| John: If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. | |
| Andrew: But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. | |
| Philip: Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, | |
| Nathanael: for He has prepared for them a city. | |
| Narrator Peter: And when it was day, He departed and went to a desolate place. And the people sought Him and came to Him, and would have kept Him from leaving them, but He said to them, | |
| Jesus: I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose. | |
| Narrator Peter: And He was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. | |
| Paul: By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, | |
| (Narrator Peter suddenly joins Paul’s narrative, as his mind contemplates the Messiah and his forefathers in the faith.) | |
| Narrator Peter: “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. | |
| Paul: By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. | |
| Narrator Peter: By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. | |
| Paul: By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. | |
| Narrator Peter: By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. | |
| Paul: By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. | |
| Narrator Peter: He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. | |
| James: By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. | |
| John: By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. | |
| Andrew: By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. | |
| Philip: By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. | |
| Nathanael: By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: I thought about my forefathers in the faith. Great men and women for sure. Heroes of my people—of God’s people! None of them lived to see this day that I am seeing, the arrival of the Messiah, the Christ, the “Holy One of God”, the “Son of God”. Yes, many of them won mighty victories with the help of God, but others were not so fortunate, suffering and dying for their faith. “None of them saw Jesus,” I thought, except perhaps in expectation. | |
| Peter: So, who am I? I am not a hero, am I? I am Simon, the son of John. Simple Simon. A fisherman. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: As Jesus continued preaching and teaching, in Judea and Galilee, we also continued with our fishing business, seeking Him out whenever possible. | |
| (Sound Effect: Gulls Cawing on the Sea of Galilee) |
| John: Ready? On three. One, two, three! | |
| James: That’s going to do it. The fish are right there! | |
| Andrew: I’m waiting— | |
| Peter: Don’t hold your breath. | |
| Philip: Jesus is going to be king before we catch anything. | |
| Nathanael: King Jesus from Nazareth. Hmmm—King Jesus of Galilee? King Jesus and the Galilee Six! | |
| Peter: He is becoming quite popular. I’ll give you that. | |
| John: Well, that’s the understatement of the year. | |
| Philip: The century! | |
| Nathanael: The Millenium!! | |
| Philip: Always have to one up me, don’t you? | |
| James: The exorcisms are other worldly! | |
| John: Yes! He does it so easily, so quickly. I’ve always heard it takes time, if it ever really happened at all! | |
| Andrew: That’s because of who He is! | |
| Peter: And who is that, Brother? | |
| Andrew: The Messiah, the Christ! Do you still not believe? | |
| Peter: (Thinking, agitated) Yes. I believe–what am I supposed to do? I have a wife, children, a business. I have a house that needs work. Family that relies on my income. I can’t drop everything and follow Him around everywhere. I don’t have that luxury. | |
| John: One day at a time, my friend. Zebedee is onboard. He believes. We have his support. | |
| Peter: Aye. One day at a time. Tax collector thinks we’re cheating him. I told him we’ve been gone a lot. | |
| Philip: That stinking tax man! | |
| Nathanael: Yeah, I’m thinking of writing a song about him. Something whimsical I should think. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging and even chains and imprisonment. | |
| Narrator Peter: On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on Jesus to hear the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, also known as the Sea of Galilee, and He saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Those fishermen happened to be me and my coworkers. | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws.) |
| Paul: They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. | |
| Narrator Peter: Getting into one of the boats, which was mine, Jesus asked me to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the people from the boat. | |
| Paul: They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. | |
| Jesus: …Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? | |
| Paul: They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— | |
| Jesus: If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws, closer now.) |
| Narrator Peter: (Listening, deep in thought) They were stoned, | |
| Jesus: Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. | |
| Narrator Peter: …they were sawn in two, | |
| Jesus: But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! | |
| Narrator Peter: …they were killed with the sword. | |
| Jesus: And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. | |
| Narrator Peter: (Yielding) They went— | |
| Jesus: Instead, seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. | |
| Narrator Peter: And when Jesus had finished speaking, He said to me, | |
| Jesus: Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. | |
| Peter: Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets. | |
| Narrator Peter: We put out into the deep. | |
| James: Ready? On three. One, two, three! | |
| Narrator Peter: We cast our nets to the deep. | |
| John: I think we have a catch! | |
| James: Man, I think we have quite a catch! | |
| Philip: I think it’s a whale! | |
| Nathanael: It’s the Galilee Sea Monster! | |
| Narrator Peter: We enclosed such a large number of fish that our nets were breaking! We signaled to our partners in the other boat to come and help us. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. I threw myself into the sea! Fully clothed, I swam with all my strength the 100 yards or more to the shore. I came out weary from the water, my clothes dripping, and stood before Jesus. | |
| (Action: Peter meets Jesus downstage center. They stand face to face.) | |
| Paul: They went about in skins of sheep and goats, | |
| John: …destitute, | |
| James: …afflicted, | |
| Andrew: …mistreated— | |
| Narrator Peter: …of whom the world was not worthy— | |
| Philip: …wandering about in deserts and mountains… | |
| Nathanael: …and in dens and caves of the earth. | |
| Narrator Peter: And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, | |
| (Action: Peter falls down on his knees before Jesus.) | |
| Paul: …since God had provided something better for us, | |
| Narrator Peter: I fell down at Jesus’ knees. | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws.) |
| Paul: …that apart from us they should not be made perfect. | |
| (Action: Peter lifting his hands to Jesus, emotional, exclaiming!) | |
| Peter: Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. | |
| (Action: Jesus places His hand on Peter’s head.) | |
| Jesus: Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: And when we had brought our boats to land, we left everything and followed Him. | |
| (Light fades out. End of Episode 4, End of Becoming Peter) |
| Peter: Who am I? What is happening here? How is it that I, Simon the son of John, happen to be here at the same moment in history as Jesus, the Messiah we have been waiting centuries upon centuries upon centuries for? From men of God like Noah and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and Joseph and Moses and the mighty warrior Samson. King David, Samuel, Isaiah—the list goes on! And the women of God, too—Sarah, Rahab, Ruth, Esther….. Who am I among these? And yet I am here now and actually walk and talk with the Messiah? And who is He? Certainly, we could not be deceived, could we? No magician could do the things we’ve seen. It is not possible. The healings, the teachings, turning water into wine. Good things, very good things, amazing things—but the Romans and our own leaders, how will He defeat them? | |
| Narrator Peter: These are the things I wondered about as Jesus continued His ministry in Galilee. Who am I? On one hand a loving family man, a brother, and friend. On the other hand, a man prone to greed and lust, anger and perhaps violence. What would this Messiah, this man of God, have to do with me? Why does He treat me as a friend? And how will He set us free? | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through His faith, though he died, he still speaks. | |
| Narrator Peter: After Jesus said, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” at the synagogue in Nazareth, proclaiming that he was the long awaited Messiah—soon after, He was driven out of his hometown. It was there, in Nazareth, that Jesus also said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.” And He performed no miracles there. | |
| Paul: By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. | |
| Narrator Peter: And Jesus went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, where I was a fisherman. And He was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at His teaching, for His word possessed authority. | |
| Paul: And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. | |
| Narrator Peter: And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, | |
| Demon Possessed Man: (Read by two or more people) Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God. | |
| Jesus: Be silent and come out of him! | |
| Narrator Peter: And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, | |
| John: “What is this word? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Peter: Who is He? What man does this? “The Holy One of God,” said the demon. What is Messiah? He is not King David, nor is He like Moses, nor Noah or the rest! What am I caught up in? Who am I? | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. | |
| Narrator Peter: And reports about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region. | |
| Paul: By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. | |
| Narrator Peter: And Jesus arose and left the synagogue and entered my house. Since my mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, we appealed to Jesus on her behalf. | |
| James: And He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve us. | |
| John: And when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him, and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. | |
| Paul: By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. | |
| Narrator Peter: And demons also came out of many, crying “You are the Son of God!” But He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that He was the Christ. | |
| Paul: These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. | |
| James: For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. | |
| John: If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. | |
| Andrew: But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. | |
| Philip: Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, | |
| Nathanael: for He has prepared for them a city. | |
| Narrator Peter: And when it was day, He departed and went to a desolate place. And the people sought Him and came to Him, and would have kept Him from leaving them, but He said to them, | |
| Jesus: I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose. | |
| Narrator Peter: And He was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. | |
| Paul: By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, | |
| (Narrator Peter suddenly joins Paul’s narrative, as his mind contemplates the Messiah and his forefathers in the faith.) | |
| Narrator Peter: “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. | |
| Paul: By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. | |
| Narrator Peter: By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. | |
| Paul: By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. | |
| Narrator Peter: By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. | |
| Paul: By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. | |
| Narrator Peter: He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. | |
| James: By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. | |
| John: By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. | |
| Andrew: By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. | |
| Philip: By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. | |
| Nathanael: By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: I thought about my forefathers in the faith. Great men and women for sure. Heroes of my people—of God’s people! None of them lived to see this day that I am seeing, the arrival of the Messiah, the Christ, the “Holy One of God”, the “Son of God”. Yes, many of them won mighty victories with the help of God, but others were not so fortunate, suffering and dying for their faith. “None of them saw Jesus,” I thought, except perhaps in expectation. | |
| Peter: So, who am I? I am not a hero, am I? I am Simon, the son of John. Simple Simon. A fisherman. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: As Jesus continued preaching and teaching, in Judea and Galilee, we also continued with our fishing business, seeking Him out whenever possible. | |
| (Sound Effect: Gulls Cawing on the Sea of Galilee) |
| John: Ready? On three. One, two, three! | |
| James: That’s going to do it. The fish are right there! | |
| Andrew: I’m waiting— | |
| Peter: Don’t hold your breath. | |
| Philip: Jesus is going to be king before we catch anything. | |
| Nathanael: King Jesus from Nazareth. Hmmm—King Jesus of Galilee? King Jesus and the Galilee Six! | |
| Peter: He is becoming quite popular. I’ll give you that. | |
| John: Well, that’s the understatement of the year. | |
| Philip: The century! | |
| Nathanael: The Millenium!! | |
| Philip: Always have to one up me, don’t you? | |
| James: The exorcisms are other worldly! | |
| John: Yes! He does it so easily, so quickly. I’ve always heard it takes time, if it ever really happened at all! | |
| Andrew: That’s because of who He is! | |
| Peter: And who is that, Brother? | |
| Andrew: The Messiah, the Christ! Do you still not believe? | |
| Peter: (Thinking, agitated) Yes. I believe–what am I supposed to do? I have a wife, children, a business. I have a house that needs work. Family that relies on my income. I can’t drop everything and follow Him around everywhere. I don’t have that luxury. | |
| John: One day at a time, my friend. Zebedee is onboard. He believes. We have his support. | |
| Peter: Aye. One day at a time. Tax collector thinks we’re cheating him. I told him we’ve been gone a lot. | |
| Philip: That stinking tax man! | |
| Nathanael: Yeah, I’m thinking of writing a song about him. Something whimsical I should think. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging and even chains and imprisonment. | |
| Narrator Peter: On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on Jesus to hear the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, also known as the Sea of Galilee, and He saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Those fishermen happened to be me and my coworkers. | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws.) |
| Paul: They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. | |
| Narrator Peter: Getting into one of the boats, which was mine, Jesus asked me to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the people from the boat. | |
| Paul: They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. | |
| Jesus: …Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? | |
| Paul: They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— | |
| Jesus: If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws, closer now.) |
| Narrator Peter: (Listening, deep in thought) They were stoned, | |
| Jesus: Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. | |
| Narrator Peter: …they were sawn in two, | |
| Jesus: But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! | |
| Narrator Peter: …they were killed with the sword. | |
| Jesus: And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. | |
| Narrator Peter: (Yielding) They went— | |
| Jesus: Instead, seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. | |
| Narrator Peter: And when Jesus had finished speaking, He said to me, | |
| Jesus: Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. | |
| Peter: Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets. | |
| Narrator Peter: We put out into the deep. | |
| James: Ready? On three. One, two, three! | |
| Narrator Peter: We cast our nets to the deep. | |
| John: I think we have a catch! | |
| James: Man, I think we have quite a catch! | |
| Philip: I think it’s a whale! | |
| Nathanael: It’s the Galilee Sea Monster! | |
| Narrator Peter: We enclosed such a large number of fish that our nets were breaking! We signaled to our partners in the other boat to come and help us. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. I threw myself into the sea! Fully clothed, I swam with all my strength the 100 yards or more to the shore. I came out weary from the water, my clothes dripping, and stood before Jesus. | |
| (Action: Peter meets Jesus downstage center. They stand face to face.) | |
| Paul: They went about in skins of sheep and goats, | |
| John: …destitute, | |
| James: …afflicted, | |
| Andrew: …mistreated— | |
| Narrator Peter: …of whom the world was not worthy— | |
| Philip: …wandering about in deserts and mountains… | |
| Nathanael: …and in dens and caves of the earth. | |
| Narrator Peter: And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, | |
| (Action: Peter falls down on his knees before Jesus.) | |
| Paul: …since God had provided something better for us, | |
| Narrator Peter: I fell down at Jesus’ knees. | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws.) |
| Paul: …that apart from us they should not be made perfect. | |
| (Action: Peter lifting his hands to Jesus, emotional, exclaiming!) | |
| Peter: Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. | |
| (Action: Jesus places His hand on Peter’s head.) | |
| Jesus: Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: And when we had brought our boats to land, we left everything and followed Him. | |
| (Light fades out. End of Episode 4, End of Becoming Peter) |
| Peter: Who am I? What is happening here? How is it that I, Simon the son of John, happen to be here at the same moment in history as Jesus, the Messiah we have been waiting centuries upon centuries upon centuries for? From men of God like Noah and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and Joseph and Moses and the mighty warrior Samson. King David, Samuel, Isaiah—the list goes on! And the women of God, too—Sarah, Rahab, Ruth, Esther….. Who am I among these? And yet I am here now and actually walk and talk with the Messiah? And who is He? Certainly, we could not be deceived, could we? No magician could do the things we’ve seen. It is not possible. The healings, the teachings, turning water into wine. Good things, very good things, amazing things—but the Romans and our own leaders, how will He defeat them? | |
| Narrator Peter: These are the things I wondered about as Jesus continued His ministry in Galilee. Who am I? On one hand a loving family man, a brother, and friend. On the other hand, a man prone to greed and lust, anger and perhaps violence. What would this Messiah, this man of God, have to do with me? Why does He treat me as a friend? And how will He set us free? | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through His faith, though he died, he still speaks. | |
| Narrator Peter: After Jesus said, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” at the synagogue in Nazareth, proclaiming that he was the long awaited Messiah—soon after, He was driven out of his hometown. It was there, in Nazareth, that Jesus also said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.” And He performed no miracles there. | |
| Paul: By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. | |
| Narrator Peter: And Jesus went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, where I was a fisherman. And He was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at His teaching, for His word possessed authority. | |
| Paul: And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. | |
| Narrator Peter: And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, | |
| Demon Possessed Man: (Read by two or more people) Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God. | |
| Jesus: Be silent and come out of him! | |
| Narrator Peter: And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, | |
| John: “What is this word? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Peter: Who is He? What man does this? “The Holy One of God,” said the demon. What is Messiah? He is not King David, nor is He like Moses, nor Noah or the rest! What am I caught up in? Who am I? | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. | |
| Narrator Peter: And reports about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region. | |
| Paul: By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. | |
| Narrator Peter: And Jesus arose and left the synagogue and entered my house. Since my mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, we appealed to Jesus on her behalf. | |
| James: And He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve us. | |
| John: And when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him, and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. | |
| Paul: By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. | |
| Narrator Peter: And demons also came out of many, crying “You are the Son of God!” But He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that He was the Christ. | |
| Paul: These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. | |
| James: For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. | |
| John: If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. | |
| Andrew: But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. | |
| Philip: Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, | |
| Nathanael: for He has prepared for them a city. | |
| Narrator Peter: And when it was day, He departed and went to a desolate place. And the people sought Him and came to Him, and would have kept Him from leaving them, but He said to them, | |
| Jesus: I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose. | |
| Narrator Peter: And He was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. | |
| Paul: By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, | |
| (Narrator Peter suddenly joins Paul’s narrative, as his mind contemplates the Messiah and his forefathers in the faith.) | |
| Narrator Peter: “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. | |
| Paul: By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. | |
| Narrator Peter: By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. | |
| Paul: By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. | |
| Narrator Peter: By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. | |
| Paul: By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. | |
| Narrator Peter: He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. | |
| James: By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. | |
| John: By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. | |
| Andrew: By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. | |
| Philip: By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. | |
| Nathanael: By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: I thought about my forefathers in the faith. Great men and women for sure. Heroes of my people—of God’s people! None of them lived to see this day that I am seeing, the arrival of the Messiah, the Christ, the “Holy One of God”, the “Son of God”. Yes, many of them won mighty victories with the help of God, but others were not so fortunate, suffering and dying for their faith. “None of them saw Jesus,” I thought, except perhaps in expectation. | |
| Peter: So, who am I? I am not a hero, am I? I am Simon, the son of John. Simple Simon. A fisherman. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: As Jesus continued preaching and teaching, in Judea and Galilee, we also continued with our fishing business, seeking Him out whenever possible. | |
| (Sound Effect: Gulls Cawing on the Sea of Galilee) |
| John: Ready? On three. One, two, three! | |
| James: That’s going to do it. The fish are right there! | |
| Andrew: I’m waiting— | |
| Peter: Don’t hold your breath. | |
| Philip: Jesus is going to be king before we catch anything. | |
| Nathanael: King Jesus from Nazareth. Hmmm—King Jesus of Galilee? King Jesus and the Galilee Six! | |
| Peter: He is becoming quite popular. I’ll give you that. | |
| John: Well, that’s the understatement of the year. | |
| Philip: The century! | |
| Nathanael: The Millenium!! | |
| Philip: Always have to one up me, don’t you? | |
| James: The exorcisms are other worldly! | |
| John: Yes! He does it so easily, so quickly. I’ve always heard it takes time, if it ever really happened at all! | |
| Andrew: That’s because of who He is! | |
| Peter: And who is that, Brother? | |
| Andrew: The Messiah, the Christ! Do you still not believe? | |
| Peter: (Thinking, agitated) Yes. I believe–what am I supposed to do? I have a wife, children, a business. I have a house that needs work. Family that relies on my income. I can’t drop everything and follow Him around everywhere. I don’t have that luxury. | |
| John: One day at a time, my friend. Zebedee is onboard. He believes. We have his support. | |
| Peter: Aye. One day at a time. Tax collector thinks we’re cheating him. I told him we’ve been gone a lot. | |
| Philip: That stinking tax man! | |
| Nathanael: Yeah, I’m thinking of writing a song about him. Something whimsical I should think. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging and even chains and imprisonment. | |
| Narrator Peter: On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on Jesus to hear the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, also known as the Sea of Galilee, and He saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Those fishermen happened to be me and my coworkers. | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws.) |
| Paul: They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. | |
| Narrator Peter: Getting into one of the boats, which was mine, Jesus asked me to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the people from the boat. | |
| Paul: They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. | |
| Jesus: …Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? | |
| Paul: They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— | |
| Jesus: If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws, closer now.) |
| Narrator Peter: (Listening, deep in thought) They were stoned, | |
| Jesus: Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. | |
| Narrator Peter: …they were sawn in two, | |
| Jesus: But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! | |
| Narrator Peter: …they were killed with the sword. | |
| Jesus: And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. | |
| Narrator Peter: (Yielding) They went— | |
| Jesus: Instead, seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. | |
| Narrator Peter: And when Jesus had finished speaking, He said to me, | |
| Jesus: Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. | |
| Peter: Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets. | |
| Narrator Peter: We put out into the deep. | |
| James: Ready? On three. One, two, three! | |
| Narrator Peter: We cast our nets to the deep. | |
| John: I think we have a catch! | |
| James: Man, I think we have quite a catch! | |
| Philip: I think it’s a whale! | |
| Nathanael: It’s the Galilee Sea Monster! | |
| Narrator Peter: We enclosed such a large number of fish that our nets were breaking! We signaled to our partners in the other boat to come and help us. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. I threw myself into the sea! Fully clothed, I swam with all my strength the 100 yards or more to the shore. I came out weary from the water, my clothes dripping, and stood before Jesus. | |
| (Action: Peter meets Jesus downstage center. They stand face to face.) | |
| Paul: They went about in skins of sheep and goats, | |
| John: …destitute, | |
| James: …afflicted, | |
| Andrew: …mistreated— | |
| Narrator Peter: …of whom the world was not worthy— | |
| Philip: …wandering about in deserts and mountains… | |
| Nathanael: …and in dens and caves of the earth. | |
| Narrator Peter: And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, | |
| (Action: Peter falls down on his knees before Jesus.) | |
| Paul: …since God had provided something better for us, | |
| Narrator Peter: I fell down at Jesus’ knees. | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws.) |
| Paul: …that apart from us they should not be made perfect. | |
| (Action: Peter lifting his hands to Jesus, emotional, exclaiming!) | |
| Peter: Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. | |
| (Action: Jesus places His hand on Peter’s head.) | |
| Jesus: Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: And when we had brought our boats to land, we left everything and followed Him. | |
| (Light fades out. End of Episode 4, End of Becoming Peter) |
| Peter: Who am I? What is happening here? How is it that I, Simon the son of John, happen to be here at the same moment in history as Jesus, the Messiah we have been waiting centuries upon centuries upon centuries for? From men of God like Noah and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and Joseph and Moses and the mighty warrior Samson. King David, Samuel, Isaiah—the list goes on! And the women of God, too—Sarah, Rahab, Ruth, Esther….. Who am I among these? And yet I am here now and actually walk and talk with the Messiah? And who is He? Certainly, we could not be deceived, could we? No magician could do the things we’ve seen. It is not possible. The healings, the teachings, turning water into wine. Good things, very good things, amazing things—but the Romans and our own leaders, how will He defeat them? | |
| Narrator Peter: These are the things I wondered about as Jesus continued His ministry in Galilee. Who am I? On one hand a loving family man, a brother, and friend. On the other hand, a man prone to greed and lust, anger and perhaps violence. What would this Messiah, this man of God, have to do with me? Why does He treat me as a friend? And how will He set us free? | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through His faith, though he died, he still speaks. | |
| Narrator Peter: After Jesus said, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” at the synagogue in Nazareth, proclaiming that he was the long awaited Messiah—soon after, He was driven out of his hometown. It was there, in Nazareth, that Jesus also said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.” And He performed no miracles there. | |
| Paul: By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. | |
| Narrator Peter: And Jesus went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, where I was a fisherman. And He was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at His teaching, for His word possessed authority. | |
| Paul: And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. | |
| Narrator Peter: And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, | |
| Demon Possessed Man: (Read by two or more people) Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God. | |
| Jesus: Be silent and come out of him! | |
| Narrator Peter: And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, | |
| John: “What is this word? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Peter: Who is He? What man does this? “The Holy One of God,” said the demon. What is Messiah? He is not King David, nor is He like Moses, nor Noah or the rest! What am I caught up in? Who am I? | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. | |
| Narrator Peter: And reports about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region. | |
| Paul: By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. | |
| Narrator Peter: And Jesus arose and left the synagogue and entered my house. Since my mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, we appealed to Jesus on her behalf. | |
| James: And He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve us. | |
| John: And when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him, and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. | |
| Paul: By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. | |
| Narrator Peter: And demons also came out of many, crying “You are the Son of God!” But He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that He was the Christ. | |
| Paul: These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. | |
| James: For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. | |
| John: If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. | |
| Andrew: But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. | |
| Philip: Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, | |
| Nathanael: for He has prepared for them a city. | |
| Narrator Peter: And when it was day, He departed and went to a desolate place. And the people sought Him and came to Him, and would have kept Him from leaving them, but He said to them, | |
| Jesus: I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose. | |
| Narrator Peter: And He was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. | |
| Paul: By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, | |
| (Narrator Peter suddenly joins Paul’s narrative, as his mind contemplates the Messiah and his forefathers in the faith.) | |
| Narrator Peter: “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. | |
| Paul: By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. | |
| Narrator Peter: By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. | |
| Paul: By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. | |
| Narrator Peter: By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. | |
| Paul: By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. | |
| Narrator Peter: He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. | |
| James: By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. | |
| John: By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. | |
| Andrew: By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. | |
| Philip: By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. | |
| Nathanael: By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: I thought about my forefathers in the faith. Great men and women for sure. Heroes of my people—of God’s people! None of them lived to see this day that I am seeing, the arrival of the Messiah, the Christ, the “Holy One of God”, the “Son of God”. Yes, many of them won mighty victories with the help of God, but others were not so fortunate, suffering and dying for their faith. “None of them saw Jesus,” I thought, except perhaps in expectation. | |
| Peter: So, who am I? I am not a hero, am I? I am Simon, the son of John. Simple Simon. A fisherman. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: As Jesus continued preaching and teaching, in Judea and Galilee, we also continued with our fishing business, seeking Him out whenever possible. | |
| (Sound Effect: Gulls Cawing on the Sea of Galilee) |
| John: Ready? On three. One, two, three! | |
| James: That’s going to do it. The fish are right there! | |
| Andrew: I’m waiting— | |
| Peter: Don’t hold your breath. | |
| Philip: Jesus is going to be king before we catch anything. | |
| Nathanael: King Jesus from Nazareth. Hmmm—King Jesus of Galilee? King Jesus and the Galilee Six! | |
| Peter: He is becoming quite popular. I’ll give you that. | |
| John: Well, that’s the understatement of the year. | |
| Philip: The century! | |
| Nathanael: The Millenium!! | |
| Philip: Always have to one up me, don’t you? | |
| James: The exorcisms are other worldly! | |
| John: Yes! He does it so easily, so quickly. I’ve always heard it takes time, if it ever really happened at all! | |
| Andrew: That’s because of who He is! | |
| Peter: And who is that, Brother? | |
| Andrew: The Messiah, the Christ! Do you still not believe? | |
| Peter: (Thinking, agitated) Yes. I believe–what am I supposed to do? I have a wife, children, a business. I have a house that needs work. Family that relies on my income. I can’t drop everything and follow Him around everywhere. I don’t have that luxury. | |
| John: One day at a time, my friend. Zebedee is onboard. He believes. We have his support. | |
| Peter: Aye. One day at a time. Tax collector thinks we’re cheating him. I told him we’ve been gone a lot. | |
| Philip: That stinking tax man! | |
| Nathanael: Yeah, I’m thinking of writing a song about him. Something whimsical I should think. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging and even chains and imprisonment. | |
| Narrator Peter: On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on Jesus to hear the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, also known as the Sea of Galilee, and He saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Those fishermen happened to be me and my coworkers. | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws.) |
| Paul: They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. | |
| Narrator Peter: Getting into one of the boats, which was mine, Jesus asked me to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the people from the boat. | |
| Paul: They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. | |
| Jesus: …Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? | |
| Paul: They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— | |
| Jesus: If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws, closer now.) |
| Narrator Peter: (Listening, deep in thought) They were stoned, | |
| Jesus: Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. | |
| Narrator Peter: …they were sawn in two, | |
| Jesus: But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! | |
| Narrator Peter: …they were killed with the sword. | |
| Jesus: And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. | |
| Narrator Peter: (Yielding) They went— | |
| Jesus: Instead, seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. | |
| Narrator Peter: And when Jesus had finished speaking, He said to me, | |
| Jesus: Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. | |
| Peter: Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets. | |
| Narrator Peter: We put out into the deep. | |
| James: Ready? On three. One, two, three! | |
| Narrator Peter: We cast our nets to the deep. | |
| John: I think we have a catch! | |
| James: Man, I think we have quite a catch! | |
| Philip: I think it’s a whale! | |
| Nathanael: It’s the Galilee Sea Monster! | |
| Narrator Peter: We enclosed such a large number of fish that our nets were breaking! We signaled to our partners in the other boat to come and help us. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. I threw myself into the sea! Fully clothed, I swam with all my strength the 100 yards or more to the shore. I came out weary from the water, my clothes dripping, and stood before Jesus. | |
| (Action: Peter meets Jesus downstage center. They stand face to face.) | |
| Paul: They went about in skins of sheep and goats, | |
| John: …destitute, | |
| James: …afflicted, | |
| Andrew: …mistreated— | |
| Narrator Peter: …of whom the world was not worthy— | |
| Philip: …wandering about in deserts and mountains… | |
| Nathanael: …and in dens and caves of the earth. | |
| Narrator Peter: And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, | |
| (Action: Peter falls down on his knees before Jesus.) | |
| Paul: …since God had provided something better for us, | |
| Narrator Peter: I fell down at Jesus’ knees. | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws.) |
| Paul: …that apart from us they should not be made perfect. | |
| (Action: Peter lifting his hands to Jesus, emotional, exclaiming!) | |
| Peter: Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. | |
| (Action: Jesus places His hand on Peter’s head.) | |
| Jesus: Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: And when we had brought our boats to land, we left everything and followed Him. | |
| (Light fades out. End of Episode 4, End of Becoming Peter) |
| Peter: Who am I? What is happening here? How is it that I, Simon the son of John, happen to be here at the same moment in history as Jesus, the Messiah we have been waiting centuries upon centuries upon centuries for? From men of God like Noah and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and Joseph and Moses and the mighty warrior Samson. King David, Samuel, Isaiah—the list goes on! And the women of God, too—Sarah, Rahab, Ruth, Esther….. Who am I among these? And yet I am here now and actually walk and talk with the Messiah? And who is He? Certainly, we could not be deceived, could we? No magician could do the things we’ve seen. It is not possible. The healings, the teachings, turning water into wine. Good things, very good things, amazing things—but the Romans and our own leaders, how will He defeat them? | |
| Narrator Peter: These are the things I wondered about as Jesus continued His ministry in Galilee. Who am I? On one hand a loving family man, a brother, and friend. On the other hand, a man prone to greed and lust, anger and perhaps violence. What would this Messiah, this man of God, have to do with me? Why does He treat me as a friend? And how will He set us free? | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through His faith, though he died, he still speaks. | |
| Narrator Peter: After Jesus said, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” at the synagogue in Nazareth, proclaiming that he was the long awaited Messiah—soon after, He was driven out of his hometown. It was there, in Nazareth, that Jesus also said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.” And He performed no miracles there. | |
| Paul: By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. | |
| Narrator Peter: And Jesus went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, where I was a fisherman. And He was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at His teaching, for His word possessed authority. | |
| Paul: And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. | |
| Narrator Peter: And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, | |
| Demon Possessed Man: (Read by two or more people) Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God. | |
| Jesus: Be silent and come out of him! | |
| Narrator Peter: And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, | |
| John: “What is this word? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Peter: Who is He? What man does this? “The Holy One of God,” said the demon. What is Messiah? He is not King David, nor is He like Moses, nor Noah or the rest! What am I caught up in? Who am I? | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. | |
| Narrator Peter: And reports about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region. | |
| Paul: By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. | |
| Narrator Peter: And Jesus arose and left the synagogue and entered my house. Since my mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, we appealed to Jesus on her behalf. | |
| James: And He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve us. | |
| John: And when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him, and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. | |
| Paul: By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. | |
| Narrator Peter: And demons also came out of many, crying “You are the Son of God!” But He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that He was the Christ. | |
| Paul: These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. | |
| James: For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. | |
| John: If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. | |
| Andrew: But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. | |
| Philip: Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, | |
| Nathanael: for He has prepared for them a city. | |
| Narrator Peter: And when it was day, He departed and went to a desolate place. And the people sought Him and came to Him, and would have kept Him from leaving them, but He said to them, | |
| Jesus: I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose. | |
| Narrator Peter: And He was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. | |
| Paul: By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, | |
| (Narrator Peter suddenly joins Paul’s narrative, as his mind contemplates the Messiah and his forefathers in the faith.) | |
| Narrator Peter: “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. | |
| Paul: By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. | |
| Narrator Peter: By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. | |
| Paul: By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. | |
| Narrator Peter: By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. | |
| Paul: By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. | |
| Narrator Peter: He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. | |
| James: By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. | |
| John: By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. | |
| Andrew: By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. | |
| Philip: By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. | |
| Nathanael: By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: I thought about my forefathers in the faith. Great men and women for sure. Heroes of my people—of God’s people! None of them lived to see this day that I am seeing, the arrival of the Messiah, the Christ, the “Holy One of God”, the “Son of God”. Yes, many of them won mighty victories with the help of God, but others were not so fortunate, suffering and dying for their faith. “None of them saw Jesus,” I thought, except perhaps in expectation. | |
| Peter: So, who am I? I am not a hero, am I? I am Simon, the son of John. Simple Simon. A fisherman. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: As Jesus continued preaching and teaching, in Judea and Galilee, we also continued with our fishing business, seeking Him out whenever possible. | |
| (Sound Effect: Gulls Cawing on the Sea of Galilee) |
| John: Ready? On three. One, two, three! | |
| James: That’s going to do it. The fish are right there! | |
| Andrew: I’m waiting— | |
| Peter: Don’t hold your breath. | |
| Philip: Jesus is going to be king before we catch anything. | |
| Nathanael: King Jesus from Nazareth. Hmmm—King Jesus of Galilee? King Jesus and the Galilee Six! | |
| Peter: He is becoming quite popular. I’ll give you that. | |
| John: Well, that’s the understatement of the year. | |
| Philip: The century! | |
| Nathanael: The Millenium!! | |
| Philip: Always have to one up me, don’t you? | |
| James: The exorcisms are other worldly! | |
| John: Yes! He does it so easily, so quickly. I’ve always heard it takes time, if it ever really happened at all! | |
| Andrew: That’s because of who He is! | |
| Peter: And who is that, Brother? | |
| Andrew: The Messiah, the Christ! Do you still not believe? | |
| Peter: (Thinking, agitated) Yes. I believe–what am I supposed to do? I have a wife, children, a business. I have a house that needs work. Family that relies on my income. I can’t drop everything and follow Him around everywhere. I don’t have that luxury. | |
| John: One day at a time, my friend. Zebedee is onboard. He believes. We have his support. | |
| Peter: Aye. One day at a time. Tax collector thinks we’re cheating him. I told him we’ve been gone a lot. | |
| Philip: That stinking tax man! | |
| Nathanael: Yeah, I’m thinking of writing a song about him. Something whimsical I should think. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging and even chains and imprisonment. | |
| Narrator Peter: On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on Jesus to hear the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, also known as the Sea of Galilee, and He saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Those fishermen happened to be me and my coworkers. | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws.) |
| Paul: They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. | |
| Narrator Peter: Getting into one of the boats, which was mine, Jesus asked me to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the people from the boat. | |
| Paul: They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. | |
| Jesus: …Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? | |
| Paul: They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— | |
| Jesus: If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws, closer now.) |
| Narrator Peter: (Listening, deep in thought) They were stoned, | |
| Jesus: Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. | |
| Narrator Peter: …they were sawn in two, | |
| Jesus: But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! | |
| Narrator Peter: …they were killed with the sword. | |
| Jesus: And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. | |
| Narrator Peter: (Yielding) They went— | |
| Jesus: Instead, seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. | |
| Narrator Peter: And when Jesus had finished speaking, He said to me, | |
| Jesus: Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. | |
| Peter: Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets. | |
| Narrator Peter: We put out into the deep. | |
| James: Ready? On three. One, two, three! | |
| Narrator Peter: We cast our nets to the deep. | |
| John: I think we have a catch! | |
| James: Man, I think we have quite a catch! | |
| Philip: I think it’s a whale! | |
| Nathanael: It’s the Galilee Sea Monster! | |
| Narrator Peter: We enclosed such a large number of fish that our nets were breaking! We signaled to our partners in the other boat to come and help us. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. I threw myself into the sea! Fully clothed, I swam with all my strength the 100 yards or more to the shore. I came out weary from the water, my clothes dripping, and stood before Jesus. | |
| (Action: Peter meets Jesus downstage center. They stand face to face.) | |
| Paul: They went about in skins of sheep and goats, | |
| John: …destitute, | |
| James: …afflicted, | |
| Andrew: …mistreated— | |
| Narrator Peter: …of whom the world was not worthy— | |
| Philip: …wandering about in deserts and mountains… | |
| Nathanael: …and in dens and caves of the earth. | |
| Narrator Peter: And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, | |
| (Action: Peter falls down on his knees before Jesus.) | |
| Paul: …since God had provided something better for us, | |
| Narrator Peter: I fell down at Jesus’ knees. | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws.) |
| Paul: …that apart from us they should not be made perfect. | |
| (Action: Peter lifting his hands to Jesus, emotional, exclaiming!) | |
| Peter: Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. | |
| (Action: Jesus places His hand on Peter’s head.) | |
| Jesus: Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: And when we had brought our boats to land, we left everything and followed Him. | |
| (Light fades out. End of Episode 4, End of Becoming Peter) |
| Peter: Who am I? What is happening here? How is it that I, Simon the son of John, happen to be here at the same moment in history as Jesus, the Messiah we have been waiting centuries upon centuries upon centuries for? From men of God like Noah and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and Joseph and Moses and the mighty warrior Samson. King David, Samuel, Isaiah—the list goes on! And the women of God, too—Sarah, Rahab, Ruth, Esther….. Who am I among these? And yet I am here now and actually walk and talk with the Messiah? And who is He? Certainly, we could not be deceived, could we? No magician could do the things we’ve seen. It is not possible. The healings, the teachings, turning water into wine. Good things, very good things, amazing things—but the Romans and our own leaders, how will He defeat them? | |
| Narrator Peter: These are the things I wondered about as Jesus continued His ministry in Galilee. Who am I? On one hand a loving family man, a brother, and friend. On the other hand, a man prone to greed and lust, anger and perhaps violence. What would this Messiah, this man of God, have to do with me? Why does He treat me as a friend? And how will He set us free? | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through His faith, though he died, he still speaks. | |
| Narrator Peter: After Jesus said, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” at the synagogue in Nazareth, proclaiming that he was the long awaited Messiah—soon after, He was driven out of his hometown. It was there, in Nazareth, that Jesus also said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.” And He performed no miracles there. | |
| Paul: By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. | |
| Narrator Peter: And Jesus went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, where I was a fisherman. And He was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at His teaching, for His word possessed authority. | |
| Paul: And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. | |
| Narrator Peter: And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, | |
| Demon Possessed Man: (Read by two or more people) Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God. | |
| Jesus: Be silent and come out of him! | |
| Narrator Peter: And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, | |
| John: “What is this word? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Peter: Who is He? What man does this? “The Holy One of God,” said the demon. What is Messiah? He is not King David, nor is He like Moses, nor Noah or the rest! What am I caught up in? Who am I? | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. | |
| Narrator Peter: And reports about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region. | |
| Paul: By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. | |
| Narrator Peter: And Jesus arose and left the synagogue and entered my house. Since my mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, we appealed to Jesus on her behalf. | |
| James: And He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve us. | |
| John: And when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him, and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. | |
| Paul: By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. | |
| Narrator Peter: And demons also came out of many, crying “You are the Son of God!” But He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that He was the Christ. | |
| Paul: These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. | |
| James: For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. | |
| John: If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. | |
| Andrew: But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. | |
| Philip: Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, | |
| Nathanael: for He has prepared for them a city. | |
| Narrator Peter: And when it was day, He departed and went to a desolate place. And the people sought Him and came to Him, and would have kept Him from leaving them, but He said to them, | |
| Jesus: I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose. | |
| Narrator Peter: And He was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. | |
| Paul: By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, | |
| (Narrator Peter suddenly joins Paul’s narrative, as his mind contemplates the Messiah and his forefathers in the faith.) | |
| Narrator Peter: “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. | |
| Paul: By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. | |
| Narrator Peter: By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. | |
| Paul: By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. | |
| Narrator Peter: By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. | |
| Paul: By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. | |
| Narrator Peter: He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. | |
| James: By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. | |
| John: By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. | |
| Andrew: By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. | |
| Philip: By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. | |
| Nathanael: By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: I thought about my forefathers in the faith. Great men and women for sure. Heroes of my people—of God’s people! None of them lived to see this day that I am seeing, the arrival of the Messiah, the Christ, the “Holy One of God”, the “Son of God”. Yes, many of them won mighty victories with the help of God, but others were not so fortunate, suffering and dying for their faith. “None of them saw Jesus,” I thought, except perhaps in expectation. | |
| Peter: So, who am I? I am not a hero, am I? I am Simon, the son of John. Simple Simon. A fisherman. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: As Jesus continued preaching and teaching, in Judea and Galilee, we also continued with our fishing business, seeking Him out whenever possible. | |
| (Sound Effect: Gulls Cawing on the Sea of Galilee) |
| John: Ready? On three. One, two, three! | |
| James: That’s going to do it. The fish are right there! | |
| Andrew: I’m waiting— | |
| Peter: Don’t hold your breath. | |
| Philip: Jesus is going to be king before we catch anything. | |
| Nathanael: King Jesus from Nazareth. Hmmm—King Jesus of Galilee? King Jesus and the Galilee Six! | |
| Peter: He is becoming quite popular. I’ll give you that. | |
| John: Well, that’s the understatement of the year. | |
| Philip: The century! | |
| Nathanael: The Millenium!! | |
| Philip: Always have to one up me, don’t you? | |
| James: The exorcisms are other worldly! | |
| John: Yes! He does it so easily, so quickly. I’ve always heard it takes time, if it ever really happened at all! | |
| Andrew: That’s because of who He is! | |
| Peter: And who is that, Brother? | |
| Andrew: The Messiah, the Christ! Do you still not believe? | |
| Peter: (Thinking, agitated) Yes. I believe–what am I supposed to do? I have a wife, children, a business. I have a house that needs work. Family that relies on my income. I can’t drop everything and follow Him around everywhere. I don’t have that luxury. | |
| John: One day at a time, my friend. Zebedee is onboard. He believes. We have his support. | |
| Peter: Aye. One day at a time. Tax collector thinks we’re cheating him. I told him we’ve been gone a lot. | |
| Philip: That stinking tax man! | |
| Nathanael: Yeah, I’m thinking of writing a song about him. Something whimsical I should think. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging and even chains and imprisonment. | |
| Narrator Peter: On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on Jesus to hear the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, also known as the Sea of Galilee, and He saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Those fishermen happened to be me and my coworkers. | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws.) |
| Paul: They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. | |
| Narrator Peter: Getting into one of the boats, which was mine, Jesus asked me to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the people from the boat. | |
| Paul: They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. | |
| Jesus: …Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? | |
| Paul: They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— | |
| Jesus: If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws, closer now.) |
| Narrator Peter: (Listening, deep in thought) They were stoned, | |
| Jesus: Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. | |
| Narrator Peter: …they were sawn in two, | |
| Jesus: But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! | |
| Narrator Peter: …they were killed with the sword. | |
| Jesus: And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. | |
| Narrator Peter: (Yielding) They went— | |
| Jesus: Instead, seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. | |
| Narrator Peter: And when Jesus had finished speaking, He said to me, | |
| Jesus: Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. | |
| Peter: Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets. | |
| Narrator Peter: We put out into the deep. | |
| James: Ready? On three. One, two, three! | |
| Narrator Peter: We cast our nets to the deep. | |
| John: I think we have a catch! | |
| James: Man, I think we have quite a catch! | |
| Philip: I think it’s a whale! | |
| Nathanael: It’s the Galilee Sea Monster! | |
| Narrator Peter: We enclosed such a large number of fish that our nets were breaking! We signaled to our partners in the other boat to come and help us. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. I threw myself into the sea! Fully clothed, I swam with all my strength the 100 yards or more to the shore. I came out weary from the water, my clothes dripping, and stood before Jesus. | |
| (Action: Peter meets Jesus downstage center. They stand face to face.) | |
| Paul: They went about in skins of sheep and goats, | |
| John: …destitute, | |
| James: …afflicted, | |
| Andrew: …mistreated— | |
| Narrator Peter: …of whom the world was not worthy— | |
| Philip: …wandering about in deserts and mountains… | |
| Nathanael: …and in dens and caves of the earth. | |
| Narrator Peter: And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, | |
| (Action: Peter falls down on his knees before Jesus.) | |
| Paul: …since God had provided something better for us, | |
| Narrator Peter: I fell down at Jesus’ knees. | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws.) |
| Paul: …that apart from us they should not be made perfect. | |
| (Action: Peter lifting his hands to Jesus, emotional, exclaiming!) | |
| Peter: Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. | |
| (Action: Jesus places His hand on Peter’s head.) | |
| Jesus: Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: And when we had brought our boats to land, we left everything and followed Him. | |
| (Light fades out. End of Episode 4, End of Becoming Peter) |
| Peter: Who am I? What is happening here? How is it that I, Simon the son of John, happen to be here at the same moment in history as Jesus, the Messiah we have been waiting centuries upon centuries upon centuries for? From men of God like Noah and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and Joseph and Moses and the mighty warrior Samson. King David, Samuel, Isaiah—the list goes on! And the women of God, too—Sarah, Rahab, Ruth, Esther….. Who am I among these? And yet I am here now and actually walk and talk with the Messiah? And who is He? Certainly, we could not be deceived, could we? No magician could do the things we’ve seen. It is not possible. The healings, the teachings, turning water into wine. Good things, very good things, amazing things—but the Romans and our own leaders, how will He defeat them? | |
| Narrator Peter: These are the things I wondered about as Jesus continued His ministry in Galilee. Who am I? On one hand a loving family man, a brother, and friend. On the other hand, a man prone to greed and lust, anger and perhaps violence. What would this Messiah, this man of God, have to do with me? Why does He treat me as a friend? And how will He set us free? | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through His faith, though he died, he still speaks. | |
| Narrator Peter: After Jesus said, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” at the synagogue in Nazareth, proclaiming that he was the long awaited Messiah—soon after, He was driven out of his hometown. It was there, in Nazareth, that Jesus also said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.” And He performed no miracles there. | |
| Paul: By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. | |
| Narrator Peter: And Jesus went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, where I was a fisherman. And He was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at His teaching, for His word possessed authority. | |
| Paul: And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. | |
| Narrator Peter: And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, | |
| Demon Possessed Man: (Read by two or more people) Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God. | |
| Jesus: Be silent and come out of him! | |
| Narrator Peter: And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, | |
| John: “What is this word? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Peter: Who is He? What man does this? “The Holy One of God,” said the demon. What is Messiah? He is not King David, nor is He like Moses, nor Noah or the rest! What am I caught up in? Who am I? | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. | |
| Narrator Peter: And reports about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region. | |
| Paul: By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. | |
| Narrator Peter: And Jesus arose and left the synagogue and entered my house. Since my mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, we appealed to Jesus on her behalf. | |
| James: And He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve us. | |
| John: And when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him, and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. | |
| Paul: By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. | |
| Narrator Peter: And demons also came out of many, crying “You are the Son of God!” But He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that He was the Christ. | |
| Paul: These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. | |
| James: For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. | |
| John: If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. | |
| Andrew: But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. | |
| Philip: Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, | |
| Nathanael: for He has prepared for them a city. | |
| Narrator Peter: And when it was day, He departed and went to a desolate place. And the people sought Him and came to Him, and would have kept Him from leaving them, but He said to them, | |
| Jesus: I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose. | |
| Narrator Peter: And He was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. | |
| Paul: By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, | |
| (Narrator Peter suddenly joins Paul’s narrative, as his mind contemplates the Messiah and his forefathers in the faith.) | |
| Narrator Peter: “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. | |
| Paul: By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. | |
| Narrator Peter: By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. | |
| Paul: By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. | |
| Narrator Peter: By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. | |
| Paul: By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. | |
| Narrator Peter: He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. | |
| James: By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. | |
| John: By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. | |
| Andrew: By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. | |
| Philip: By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. | |
| Nathanael: By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: I thought about my forefathers in the faith. Great men and women for sure. Heroes of my people—of God’s people! None of them lived to see this day that I am seeing, the arrival of the Messiah, the Christ, the “Holy One of God”, the “Son of God”. Yes, many of them won mighty victories with the help of God, but others were not so fortunate, suffering and dying for their faith. “None of them saw Jesus,” I thought, except perhaps in expectation. | |
| Peter: So, who am I? I am not a hero, am I? I am Simon, the son of John. Simple Simon. A fisherman. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: As Jesus continued preaching and teaching, in Judea and Galilee, we also continued with our fishing business, seeking Him out whenever possible. | |
| (Sound Effect: Gulls Cawing on the Sea of Galilee) |
| John: Ready? On three. One, two, three! | |
| James: That’s going to do it. The fish are right there! | |
| Andrew: I’m waiting— | |
| Peter: Don’t hold your breath. | |
| Philip: Jesus is going to be king before we catch anything. | |
| Nathanael: King Jesus from Nazareth. Hmmm—King Jesus of Galilee? King Jesus and the Galilee Six! | |
| Peter: He is becoming quite popular. I’ll give you that. | |
| John: Well, that’s the understatement of the year. | |
| Philip: The century! | |
| Nathanael: The Millenium!! | |
| Philip: Always have to one up me, don’t you? | |
| James: The exorcisms are other worldly! | |
| John: Yes! He does it so easily, so quickly. I’ve always heard it takes time, if it ever really happened at all! | |
| Andrew: That’s because of who He is! | |
| Peter: And who is that, Brother? | |
| Andrew: The Messiah, the Christ! Do you still not believe? | |
| Peter: (Thinking, agitated) Yes. I believe–what am I supposed to do? I have a wife, children, a business. I have a house that needs work. Family that relies on my income. I can’t drop everything and follow Him around everywhere. I don’t have that luxury. | |
| John: One day at a time, my friend. Zebedee is onboard. He believes. We have his support. | |
| Peter: Aye. One day at a time. Tax collector thinks we’re cheating him. I told him we’ve been gone a lot. | |
| Philip: That stinking tax man! | |
| Nathanael: Yeah, I’m thinking of writing a song about him. Something whimsical I should think. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging and even chains and imprisonment. | |
| Narrator Peter: On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on Jesus to hear the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, also known as the Sea of Galilee, and He saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Those fishermen happened to be me and my coworkers. | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws.) |
| Paul: They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. | |
| Narrator Peter: Getting into one of the boats, which was mine, Jesus asked me to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the people from the boat. | |
| Paul: They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. | |
| Jesus: …Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? | |
| Paul: They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— | |
| Jesus: If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws, closer now.) |
| Narrator Peter: (Listening, deep in thought) They were stoned, | |
| Jesus: Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. | |
| Narrator Peter: …they were sawn in two, | |
| Jesus: But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! | |
| Narrator Peter: …they were killed with the sword. | |
| Jesus: And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. | |
| Narrator Peter: (Yielding) They went— | |
| Jesus: Instead, seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. | |
| Narrator Peter: And when Jesus had finished speaking, He said to me, | |
| Jesus: Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. | |
| Peter: Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets. | |
| Narrator Peter: We put out into the deep. | |
| James: Ready? On three. One, two, three! | |
| Narrator Peter: We cast our nets to the deep. | |
| John: I think we have a catch! | |
| James: Man, I think we have quite a catch! | |
| Philip: I think it’s a whale! | |
| Nathanael: It’s the Galilee Sea Monster! | |
| Narrator Peter: We enclosed such a large number of fish that our nets were breaking! We signaled to our partners in the other boat to come and help us. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. I threw myself into the sea! Fully clothed, I swam with all my strength the 100 yards or more to the shore. I came out weary from the water, my clothes dripping, and stood before Jesus. | |
| (Action: Peter meets Jesus downstage center. They stand face to face.) | |
| Paul: They went about in skins of sheep and goats, | |
| John: …destitute, | |
| James: …afflicted, | |
| Andrew: …mistreated— | |
| Narrator Peter: …of whom the world was not worthy— | |
| Philip: …wandering about in deserts and mountains… | |
| Nathanael: …and in dens and caves of the earth. | |
| Narrator Peter: And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, | |
| (Action: Peter falls down on his knees before Jesus.) | |
| Paul: …since God had provided something better for us, | |
| Narrator Peter: I fell down at Jesus’ knees. | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws.) |
| Paul: …that apart from us they should not be made perfect. | |
| (Action: Peter lifting his hands to Jesus, emotional, exclaiming!) | |
| Peter: Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. | |
| (Action: Jesus places His hand on Peter’s head.) | |
| Jesus: Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: And when we had brought our boats to land, we left everything and followed Him. | |
| (Light fades out. End of Episode 4, End of Becoming Peter) |
| Peter: Who am I? What is happening here? How is it that I, Simon the son of John, happen to be here at the same moment in history as Jesus, the Messiah we have been waiting centuries upon centuries upon centuries for? From men of God like Noah and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and Joseph and Moses and the mighty warrior Samson. King David, Samuel, Isaiah—the list goes on! And the women of God, too—Sarah, Rahab, Ruth, Esther….. Who am I among these? And yet I am here now and actually walk and talk with the Messiah? And who is He? Certainly, we could not be deceived, could we? No magician could do the things we’ve seen. It is not possible. The healings, the teachings, turning water into wine. Good things, very good things, amazing things—but the Romans and our own leaders, how will He defeat them? | |
| Narrator Peter: These are the things I wondered about as Jesus continued His ministry in Galilee. Who am I? On one hand a loving family man, a brother, and friend. On the other hand, a man prone to greed and lust, anger and perhaps violence. What would this Messiah, this man of God, have to do with me? Why does He treat me as a friend? And how will He set us free? | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through His faith, though he died, he still speaks. | |
| Narrator Peter: After Jesus said, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” at the synagogue in Nazareth, proclaiming that he was the long awaited Messiah—soon after, He was driven out of his hometown. It was there, in Nazareth, that Jesus also said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.” And He performed no miracles there. | |
| Paul: By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. | |
| Narrator Peter: And Jesus went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, where I was a fisherman. And He was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at His teaching, for His word possessed authority. | |
| Paul: And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. | |
| Narrator Peter: And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, | |
| Demon Possessed Man: (Read by two or more people) Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God. | |
| Jesus: Be silent and come out of him! | |
| Narrator Peter: And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, | |
| John: “What is this word? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Peter: Who is He? What man does this? “The Holy One of God,” said the demon. What is Messiah? He is not King David, nor is He like Moses, nor Noah or the rest! What am I caught up in? Who am I? | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. | |
| Narrator Peter: And reports about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region. | |
| Paul: By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. | |
| Narrator Peter: And Jesus arose and left the synagogue and entered my house. Since my mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, we appealed to Jesus on her behalf. | |
| James: And He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve us. | |
| John: And when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him, and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. | |
| Paul: By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. | |
| Narrator Peter: And demons also came out of many, crying “You are the Son of God!” But He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that He was the Christ. | |
| Paul: These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. | |
| James: For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. | |
| John: If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. | |
| Andrew: But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. | |
| Philip: Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, | |
| Nathanael: for He has prepared for them a city. | |
| Narrator Peter: And when it was day, He departed and went to a desolate place. And the people sought Him and came to Him, and would have kept Him from leaving them, but He said to them, | |
| Jesus: I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose. | |
| Narrator Peter: And He was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. | |
| Paul: By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, | |
| (Narrator Peter suddenly joins Paul’s narrative, as his mind contemplates the Messiah and his forefathers in the faith.) | |
| Narrator Peter: “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. | |
| Paul: By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. | |
| Narrator Peter: By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. | |
| Paul: By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. | |
| Narrator Peter: By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. | |
| Paul: By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. | |
| Narrator Peter: He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. | |
| James: By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. | |
| John: By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. | |
| Andrew: By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. | |
| Philip: By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. | |
| Nathanael: By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: I thought about my forefathers in the faith. Great men and women for sure. Heroes of my people—of God’s people! None of them lived to see this day that I am seeing, the arrival of the Messiah, the Christ, the “Holy One of God”, the “Son of God”. Yes, many of them won mighty victories with the help of God, but others were not so fortunate, suffering and dying for their faith. “None of them saw Jesus,” I thought, except perhaps in expectation. | |
| Peter: So, who am I? I am not a hero, am I? I am Simon, the son of John. Simple Simon. A fisherman. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: As Jesus continued preaching and teaching, in Judea and Galilee, we also continued with our fishing business, seeking Him out whenever possible. | |
| (Sound Effect: Gulls Cawing on the Sea of Galilee) |
| John: Ready? On three. One, two, three! | |
| James: That’s going to do it. The fish are right there! | |
| Andrew: I’m waiting— | |
| Peter: Don’t hold your breath. | |
| Philip: Jesus is going to be king before we catch anything. | |
| Nathanael: King Jesus from Nazareth. Hmmm—King Jesus of Galilee? King Jesus and the Galilee Six! | |
| Peter: He is becoming quite popular. I’ll give you that. | |
| John: Well, that’s the understatement of the year. | |
| Philip: The century! | |
| Nathanael: The Millenium!! | |
| Philip: Always have to one up me, don’t you? | |
| James: The exorcisms are other worldly! | |
| John: Yes! He does it so easily, so quickly. I’ve always heard it takes time, if it ever really happened at all! | |
| Andrew: That’s because of who He is! | |
| Peter: And who is that, Brother? | |
| Andrew: The Messiah, the Christ! Do you still not believe? | |
| Peter: (Thinking, agitated) Yes. I believe–what am I supposed to do? I have a wife, children, a business. I have a house that needs work. Family that relies on my income. I can’t drop everything and follow Him around everywhere. I don’t have that luxury. | |
| John: One day at a time, my friend. Zebedee is onboard. He believes. We have his support. | |
| Peter: Aye. One day at a time. Tax collector thinks we’re cheating him. I told him we’ve been gone a lot. | |
| Philip: That stinking tax man! | |
| Nathanael: Yeah, I’m thinking of writing a song about him. Something whimsical I should think. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging and even chains and imprisonment. | |
| Narrator Peter: On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on Jesus to hear the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, also known as the Sea of Galilee, and He saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Those fishermen happened to be me and my coworkers. | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws.) |
| Paul: They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. | |
| Narrator Peter: Getting into one of the boats, which was mine, Jesus asked me to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the people from the boat. | |
| Paul: They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. | |
| Jesus: …Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? | |
| Paul: They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— | |
| Jesus: If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws, closer now.) |
| Narrator Peter: (Listening, deep in thought) They were stoned, | |
| Jesus: Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. | |
| Narrator Peter: …they were sawn in two, | |
| Jesus: But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! | |
| Narrator Peter: …they were killed with the sword. | |
| Jesus: And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. | |
| Narrator Peter: (Yielding) They went— | |
| Jesus: Instead, seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. | |
| Narrator Peter: And when Jesus had finished speaking, He said to me, | |
| Jesus: Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. | |
| Peter: Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets. | |
| Narrator Peter: We put out into the deep. | |
| James: Ready? On three. One, two, three! | |
| Narrator Peter: We cast our nets to the deep. | |
| John: I think we have a catch! | |
| James: Man, I think we have quite a catch! | |
| Philip: I think it’s a whale! | |
| Nathanael: It’s the Galilee Sea Monster! | |
| Narrator Peter: We enclosed such a large number of fish that our nets were breaking! We signaled to our partners in the other boat to come and help us. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. I threw myself into the sea! Fully clothed, I swam with all my strength the 100 yards or more to the shore. I came out weary from the water, my clothes dripping, and stood before Jesus. | |
| (Action: Peter meets Jesus downstage center. They stand face to face.) | |
| Paul: They went about in skins of sheep and goats, | |
| John: …destitute, | |
| James: …afflicted, | |
| Andrew: …mistreated— | |
| Narrator Peter: …of whom the world was not worthy— | |
| Philip: …wandering about in deserts and mountains… | |
| Nathanael: …and in dens and caves of the earth. | |
| Narrator Peter: And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, | |
| (Action: Peter falls down on his knees before Jesus.) | |
| Paul: …since God had provided something better for us, | |
| Narrator Peter: I fell down at Jesus’ knees. | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws.) |
| Paul: …that apart from us they should not be made perfect. | |
| (Action: Peter lifting his hands to Jesus, emotional, exclaiming!) | |
| Peter: Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. | |
| (Action: Jesus places His hand on Peter’s head.) | |
| Jesus: Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: And when we had brought our boats to land, we left everything and followed Him. | |
| (Light fades out. End of Episode 4, End of Becoming Peter) |
| Peter: Who am I? What is happening here? How is it that I, Simon the son of John, happen to be here at the same moment in history as Jesus, the Messiah we have been waiting centuries upon centuries upon centuries for? From men of God like Noah and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and Joseph and Moses and the mighty warrior Samson. King David, Samuel, Isaiah—the list goes on! And the women of God, too—Sarah, Rahab, Ruth, Esther….. Who am I among these? And yet I am here now and actually walk and talk with the Messiah? And who is He? Certainly, we could not be deceived, could we? No magician could do the things we’ve seen. It is not possible. The healings, the teachings, turning water into wine. Good things, very good things, amazing things—but the Romans and our own leaders, how will He defeat them? | |
| Narrator Peter: These are the things I wondered about as Jesus continued His ministry in Galilee. Who am I? On one hand a loving family man, a brother, and friend. On the other hand, a man prone to greed and lust, anger and perhaps violence. What would this Messiah, this man of God, have to do with me? Why does He treat me as a friend? And how will He set us free? | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through His faith, though he died, he still speaks. | |
| Narrator Peter: After Jesus said, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” at the synagogue in Nazareth, proclaiming that he was the long awaited Messiah—soon after, He was driven out of his hometown. It was there, in Nazareth, that Jesus also said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.” And He performed no miracles there. | |
| Paul: By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. | |
| Narrator Peter: And Jesus went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, where I was a fisherman. And He was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at His teaching, for His word possessed authority. | |
| Paul: And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. | |
| Narrator Peter: And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, | |
| Demon Possessed Man: (Read by two or more people) Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God. | |
| Jesus: Be silent and come out of him! | |
| Narrator Peter: And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, | |
| John: “What is this word? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Peter: Who is He? What man does this? “The Holy One of God,” said the demon. What is Messiah? He is not King David, nor is He like Moses, nor Noah or the rest! What am I caught up in? Who am I? | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. | |
| Narrator Peter: And reports about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region. | |
| Paul: By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. | |
| Narrator Peter: And Jesus arose and left the synagogue and entered my house. Since my mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, we appealed to Jesus on her behalf. | |
| James: And He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve us. | |
| John: And when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him, and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. | |
| Paul: By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. | |
| Narrator Peter: And demons also came out of many, crying “You are the Son of God!” But He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that He was the Christ. | |
| Paul: These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. | |
| James: For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. | |
| John: If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. | |
| Andrew: But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. | |
| Philip: Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, | |
| Nathanael: for He has prepared for them a city. | |
| Narrator Peter: And when it was day, He departed and went to a desolate place. And the people sought Him and came to Him, and would have kept Him from leaving them, but He said to them, | |
| Jesus: I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose. | |
| Narrator Peter: And He was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. | |
| Paul: By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, | |
| (Narrator Peter suddenly joins Paul’s narrative, as his mind contemplates the Messiah and his forefathers in the faith.) | |
| Narrator Peter: “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. | |
| Paul: By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. | |
| Narrator Peter: By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. | |
| Paul: By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. | |
| Narrator Peter: By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. | |
| Paul: By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. | |
| Narrator Peter: He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. | |
| James: By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. | |
| John: By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. | |
| Andrew: By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. | |
| Philip: By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. | |
| Nathanael: By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: I thought about my forefathers in the faith. Great men and women for sure. Heroes of my people—of God’s people! None of them lived to see this day that I am seeing, the arrival of the Messiah, the Christ, the “Holy One of God”, the “Son of God”. Yes, many of them won mighty victories with the help of God, but others were not so fortunate, suffering and dying for their faith. “None of them saw Jesus,” I thought, except perhaps in expectation. | |
| Peter: So, who am I? I am not a hero, am I? I am Simon, the son of John. Simple Simon. A fisherman. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: As Jesus continued preaching and teaching, in Judea and Galilee, we also continued with our fishing business, seeking Him out whenever possible. | |
| (Sound Effect: Gulls Cawing on the Sea of Galilee) |
| John: Ready? On three. One, two, three! | |
| James: That’s going to do it. The fish are right there! | |
| Andrew: I’m waiting— | |
| Peter: Don’t hold your breath. | |
| Philip: Jesus is going to be king before we catch anything. | |
| Nathanael: King Jesus from Nazareth. Hmmm—King Jesus of Galilee? King Jesus and the Galilee Six! | |
| Peter: He is becoming quite popular. I’ll give you that. | |
| John: Well, that’s the understatement of the year. | |
| Philip: The century! | |
| Nathanael: The Millenium!! | |
| Philip: Always have to one up me, don’t you? | |
| James: The exorcisms are other worldly! | |
| John: Yes! He does it so easily, so quickly. I’ve always heard it takes time, if it ever really happened at all! | |
| Andrew: That’s because of who He is! | |
| Peter: And who is that, Brother? | |
| Andrew: The Messiah, the Christ! Do you still not believe? | |
| Peter: (Thinking, agitated) Yes. I believe–what am I supposed to do? I have a wife, children, a business. I have a house that needs work. Family that relies on my income. I can’t drop everything and follow Him around everywhere. I don’t have that luxury. | |
| John: One day at a time, my friend. Zebedee is onboard. He believes. We have his support. | |
| Peter: Aye. One day at a time. Tax collector thinks we’re cheating him. I told him we’ve been gone a lot. | |
| Philip: That stinking tax man! | |
| Nathanael: Yeah, I’m thinking of writing a song about him. Something whimsical I should think. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging and even chains and imprisonment. | |
| Narrator Peter: On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on Jesus to hear the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, also known as the Sea of Galilee, and He saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Those fishermen happened to be me and my coworkers. | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws.) |
| Paul: They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. | |
| Narrator Peter: Getting into one of the boats, which was mine, Jesus asked me to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the people from the boat. | |
| Paul: They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. | |
| Jesus: …Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? | |
| Paul: They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— | |
| Jesus: If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws, closer now.) |
| Narrator Peter: (Listening, deep in thought) They were stoned, | |
| Jesus: Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. | |
| Narrator Peter: …they were sawn in two, | |
| Jesus: But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! | |
| Narrator Peter: …they were killed with the sword. | |
| Jesus: And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. | |
| Narrator Peter: (Yielding) They went— | |
| Jesus: Instead, seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. | |
| Narrator Peter: And when Jesus had finished speaking, He said to me, | |
| Jesus: Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. | |
| Peter: Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets. | |
| Narrator Peter: We put out into the deep. | |
| James: Ready? On three. One, two, three! | |
| Narrator Peter: We cast our nets to the deep. | |
| John: I think we have a catch! | |
| James: Man, I think we have quite a catch! | |
| Philip: I think it’s a whale! | |
| Nathanael: It’s the Galilee Sea Monster! | |
| Narrator Peter: We enclosed such a large number of fish that our nets were breaking! We signaled to our partners in the other boat to come and help us. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. I threw myself into the sea! Fully clothed, I swam with all my strength the 100 yards or more to the shore. I came out weary from the water, my clothes dripping, and stood before Jesus. | |
| (Action: Peter meets Jesus downstage center. They stand face to face.) | |
| Paul: They went about in skins of sheep and goats, | |
| John: …destitute, | |
| James: …afflicted, | |
| Andrew: …mistreated— | |
| Narrator Peter: …of whom the world was not worthy— | |
| Philip: …wandering about in deserts and mountains… | |
| Nathanael: …and in dens and caves of the earth. | |
| Narrator Peter: And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, | |
| (Action: Peter falls down on his knees before Jesus.) | |
| Paul: …since God had provided something better for us, | |
| Narrator Peter: I fell down at Jesus’ knees. | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws.) |
| Paul: …that apart from us they should not be made perfect. | |
| (Action: Peter lifting his hands to Jesus, emotional, exclaiming!) | |
| Peter: Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. | |
| (Action: Jesus places His hand on Peter’s head.) | |
| Jesus: Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: And when we had brought our boats to land, we left everything and followed Him. | |
| (Light fades out. End of Episode 4, End of Becoming Peter) |
| Peter: Who am I? What is happening here? How is it that I, Simon the son of John, happen to be here at the same moment in history as Jesus, the Messiah we have been waiting centuries upon centuries upon centuries for? From men of God like Noah and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and Joseph and Moses and the mighty warrior Samson. King David, Samuel, Isaiah—the list goes on! And the women of God, too—Sarah, Rahab, Ruth, Esther….. Who am I among these? And yet I am here now and actually walk and talk with the Messiah? And who is He? Certainly, we could not be deceived, could we? No magician could do the things we’ve seen. It is not possible. The healings, the teachings, turning water into wine. Good things, very good things, amazing things—but the Romans and our own leaders, how will He defeat them? | |
| Narrator Peter: These are the things I wondered about as Jesus continued His ministry in Galilee. Who am I? On one hand a loving family man, a brother, and friend. On the other hand, a man prone to greed and lust, anger and perhaps violence. What would this Messiah, this man of God, have to do with me? Why does He treat me as a friend? And how will He set us free? | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through His faith, though he died, he still speaks. | |
| Narrator Peter: After Jesus said, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” at the synagogue in Nazareth, proclaiming that he was the long awaited Messiah—soon after, He was driven out of his hometown. It was there, in Nazareth, that Jesus also said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.” And He performed no miracles there. | |
| Paul: By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. | |
| Narrator Peter: And Jesus went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, where I was a fisherman. And He was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at His teaching, for His word possessed authority. | |
| Paul: And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. | |
| Narrator Peter: And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, | |
| Demon Possessed Man: (Read by two or more people) Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God. | |
| Jesus: Be silent and come out of him! | |
| Narrator Peter: And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, | |
| John: “What is this word? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Peter: Who is He? What man does this? “The Holy One of God,” said the demon. What is Messiah? He is not King David, nor is He like Moses, nor Noah or the rest! What am I caught up in? Who am I? | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. | |
| Narrator Peter: And reports about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region. | |
| Paul: By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. | |
| Narrator Peter: And Jesus arose and left the synagogue and entered my house. Since my mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, we appealed to Jesus on her behalf. | |
| James: And He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve us. | |
| John: And when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him, and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. | |
| Paul: By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. | |
| Narrator Peter: And demons also came out of many, crying “You are the Son of God!” But He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that He was the Christ. | |
| Paul: These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. | |
| James: For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. | |
| John: If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. | |
| Andrew: But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. | |
| Philip: Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, | |
| Nathanael: for He has prepared for them a city. | |
| Narrator Peter: And when it was day, He departed and went to a desolate place. And the people sought Him and came to Him, and would have kept Him from leaving them, but He said to them, | |
| Jesus: I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose. | |
| Narrator Peter: And He was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. | |
| Paul: By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, | |
| (Narrator Peter suddenly joins Paul’s narrative, as his mind contemplates the Messiah and his forefathers in the faith.) | |
| Narrator Peter: “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. | |
| Paul: By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. | |
| Narrator Peter: By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. | |
| Paul: By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. | |
| Narrator Peter: By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. | |
| Paul: By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. | |
| Narrator Peter: He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. | |
| James: By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. | |
| John: By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. | |
| Andrew: By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. | |
| Philip: By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. | |
| Nathanael: By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: I thought about my forefathers in the faith. Great men and women for sure. Heroes of my people—of God’s people! None of them lived to see this day that I am seeing, the arrival of the Messiah, the Christ, the “Holy One of God”, the “Son of God”. Yes, many of them won mighty victories with the help of God, but others were not so fortunate, suffering and dying for their faith. “None of them saw Jesus,” I thought, except perhaps in expectation. | |
| Peter: So, who am I? I am not a hero, am I? I am Simon, the son of John. Simple Simon. A fisherman. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: As Jesus continued preaching and teaching, in Judea and Galilee, we also continued with our fishing business, seeking Him out whenever possible. | |
| (Sound Effect: Gulls Cawing on the Sea of Galilee) |
| John: Ready? On three. One, two, three! | |
| James: That’s going to do it. The fish are right there! | |
| Andrew: I’m waiting— | |
| Peter: Don’t hold your breath. | |
| Philip: Jesus is going to be king before we catch anything. | |
| Nathanael: King Jesus from Nazareth. Hmmm—King Jesus of Galilee? King Jesus and the Galilee Six! | |
| Peter: He is becoming quite popular. I’ll give you that. | |
| John: Well, that’s the understatement of the year. | |
| Philip: The century! | |
| Nathanael: The Millenium!! | |
| Philip: Always have to one up me, don’t you? | |
| James: The exorcisms are other worldly! | |
| John: Yes! He does it so easily, so quickly. I’ve always heard it takes time, if it ever really happened at all! | |
| Andrew: That’s because of who He is! | |
| Peter: And who is that, Brother? | |
| Andrew: The Messiah, the Christ! Do you still not believe? | |
| Peter: (Thinking, agitated) Yes. I believe–what am I supposed to do? I have a wife, children, a business. I have a house that needs work. Family that relies on my income. I can’t drop everything and follow Him around everywhere. I don’t have that luxury. | |
| John: One day at a time, my friend. Zebedee is onboard. He believes. We have his support. | |
| Peter: Aye. One day at a time. Tax collector thinks we’re cheating him. I told him we’ve been gone a lot. | |
| Philip: That stinking tax man! | |
| Nathanael: Yeah, I’m thinking of writing a song about him. Something whimsical I should think. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Paul: And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging and even chains and imprisonment. | |
| Narrator Peter: On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on Jesus to hear the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, also known as the Sea of Galilee, and He saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Those fishermen happened to be me and my coworkers. | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws.) |
| Paul: They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. | |
| Narrator Peter: Getting into one of the boats, which was mine, Jesus asked me to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the people from the boat. | |
| Paul: They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. | |
| Jesus: …Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? | |
| Paul: They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— | |
| Jesus: If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws, closer now.) |
| Narrator Peter: (Listening, deep in thought) They were stoned, | |
| Jesus: Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. | |
| Narrator Peter: …they were sawn in two, | |
| Jesus: But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! | |
| Narrator Peter: …they were killed with the sword. | |
| Jesus: And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. | |
| Narrator Peter: (Yielding) They went— | |
| Jesus: Instead, seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. | |
| Narrator Peter: And when Jesus had finished speaking, He said to me, | |
| Jesus: Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. | |
| Peter: Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets. | |
| Narrator Peter: We put out into the deep. | |
| James: Ready? On three. One, two, three! | |
| Narrator Peter: We cast our nets to the deep. | |
| John: I think we have a catch! | |
| James: Man, I think we have quite a catch! | |
| Philip: I think it’s a whale! | |
| Nathanael: It’s the Galilee Sea Monster! | |
| Narrator Peter: We enclosed such a large number of fish that our nets were breaking! We signaled to our partners in the other boat to come and help us. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. I threw myself into the sea! Fully clothed, I swam with all my strength the 100 yards or more to the shore. I came out weary from the water, my clothes dripping, and stood before Jesus. | |
| (Action: Peter meets Jesus downstage center. They stand face to face.) | |
| Paul: They went about in skins of sheep and goats, | |
| John: …destitute, | |
| James: …afflicted, | |
| Andrew: …mistreated— | |
| Narrator Peter: …of whom the world was not worthy— | |
| Philip: …wandering about in deserts and mountains… | |
| Nathanael: …and in dens and caves of the earth. | |
| Narrator Peter: And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, | |
| (Action: Peter falls down on his knees before Jesus.) | |
| Paul: …since God had provided something better for us, | |
| Narrator Peter: I fell down at Jesus’ knees. | |
| (Sound Effect: The gull caws.) |
| Paul: …that apart from us they should not be made perfect. | |
| (Action: Peter lifting his hands to Jesus, emotional, exclaiming!) | |
| Peter: Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. | |
| (Action: Jesus places His hand on Peter’s head.) | |
| Jesus: Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men. | |
| (Lights out, then back up) | |
| Narrator Peter: And when we had brought our boats to land, we left everything and followed Him. | |
| (Light fades out. End of Episode 4, End of Becoming Peter) |
Episode Spotlight
Episode Spotlight
In episode one, our story starts with the disciples discussing who the Messiah would be. We discover they were looking for some sort of superhero. They wanted Him to relieve their suffering under the boot of the Roman Empire. They had hopes about Him rescuing them from their predicaments. In that scene, what we didn’t see is the disciples wondering if the Messiah would be nice. They did not ask how He would interact with local officials. They didn’t consider how He would treat the poor. The disciples were hoping for a Messiah who had a lot of power to do things. They weren’t hoping for a Messiah with character.
Jesus brought shocking revelations into the disciples’ lives in many ways, for now let’s consider two of them. First of all, He was who they thought He would be. He was a superhero. Today’s episode opens up with Peter coming to the realization that the things that he had been taught his whole life were coming true before his eyes. He had heard about this wonder Messiah that was coming to save them, but now he is actually walking with Jesus. Can you imagine? Have you ever prayed for something and then been surprised when God brought it to pass? Sometimes we have faith in God, but we cannot imagine the things that God has planned for us. When those things come into fruition, we often don’t know what to do. The good news is that when God blesses us, our faith gets stronger. Because God is able to do more than we could ever ask or think, sometimes seeing is not just believing, but understanding.
That brings us to the second shocking revelation that Jesus brought to the disciples. Yes, He was the superhero that they were looking for, but He was so much more! Not only was Jesus powerful, He used His power to help those who were downtrodden and struggling. Not only was Jesus wise, but He used that wisdom to propose a better way of living. Jesus was so much more than what the disciples had imagined Him to be. Jesus was strong against the oppressive enemy that was mistreating the people of Israel. And at the same time, He taught them to love their enemies. Jesus was extremely critical of the religious leaders. And at the same time, He brought His community closer to God. Jesus was so much more than anyone could even ask or think about.
God doesn’t just bless us so that we will be blessed. God blesses us that our hearts might change, that our minds might think differently. God blesses us so we can share His love with others. As a matter of fact, God redefines what it means to be blessed. Jesus is the King of Kings, but He never had a palace. Jesus had more power than the Roman army, but He never displayed His power in ways that made Him famous. Jesus was all about giving people blessings that brought them closer to God and closer to each other. Jesus’ blessings were the kind that helped those, who have been ignored, live life more abundantly. Just as important as Jesus’ power was, is Jesus’ character. God is calling us not to be prosperous in ways that most people think, rather God is calling us to help our community prosper, not just financially, but also spiritually.
In Episode 4, we find two stories and a message from the writer of Hebrews. Intertwined between stories of Jesus performing miracles, we find a description of faith, as well as the exploits of the Old Testament heroes. Some may call this The Hall of Fame of Faith. Why would the playwright intertwine these two passages? In the stories about Jesus, we see Him performing miraculous works. The disciples probably had a hard time believing that Jesus was doing some of the things that He was doing. These are things that if we were to hear about them on TV, we would not believe they were real. But they were indeed real in Jesus’ time. In this way, the disciples finally had the superhero they were looking for, but at the same time they were learning that Jesus did things differently than normal superheroes. The last lesson they learned was that Jesus would be a superhero not just for them and their friends and family, but also for those that they didn’t like, or thought were outcasts. As they journeyed with Jesus, as He ministered, the disciples were learning to trust Him. Just like in the Old Testament, people had to trust God, even when things got hard, or seemed impossible.
In the final scene of the episode, we find the disciples fishing again. They cannot catch anything until Jesus tells them to go deeper into the water. This is symbolic of what is to come. Jesus’ ministry will be filled with controversy and it will become harder to follow Jesus. The disciples will have to make a decision as to whether or not they want to be all-in with Jesus’ ministry. They are no longer just spectators. Jesus is requiring more of them. They have to change the way they think. They have to change the way they live. Hanging around Jesus was more than learning from a great teacher. It was learning how to change the world.
When we come in contact with Jesus the Messiah, we come in contact with the One who has the highest moral standard, who loves like no other, and still has more power than anyone that has ever walked the face of the earth. How has Jesus changed you? As you read back over these last four episodes, think about the ways in which learning about Jesus has made you more like Him. What is God calling you to do because of what you now know about Jesus?
Let’s Discuss
Let’s Discuss
1. Did anything stand out to you as you experienced the Scripture?
2. How does God want you to respond to His Word today?
3. Have you ever prayed for something and then been surprised when God brought it to pass?
4. Hebrews, Chapter 11, is often called The Hall of Fame of Faith.
Why would the playwright intertwine these two passages?
5. How do you think Peter changed from when he first met Jesus to when he left everything to follow Jesus?
How has Jesus changed you?
6. As you read back over these last four episodes, think about the ways in which learning about Jesus and spending time with Him has made you more like Him.
What is God calling you to do because of what you now know about Jesus?
And…Action!
And…Action!
Jesus said, “Put out into the deep…” (Luke 5:4) What is your “deep”? What is the costly, illogical, risky mission that Jesus is calling you to go deep into?
How To Go From Meeting Jesus To All-In For Jesus:
1. Introduction
There needs to be an introduction. Andrew introduced Peter to Jesus and changed the course of Christianity. Peter met Jesus and suddenly went from being known for who he was, Simon, to who he would be, Peter – a rock!
Action: Do you know Jesus yet? If you do, then who are you introducing to Jesus?
2. Relationship
Get to know Jesus. Peter spent time with Jesus. He went to a wedding with Him, experienced His miracles firsthand, listened to His teaching, invited Jesus to His house, ate with Him, walked with Him, and fished with Him.
Action: Spend time with Jesus, talk to Him and listen to Him. Intentionally develop your relationship with Him just as you would build any important relationship in your life. Prioritize time with Jesus, enjoy His presence. Study Him to know Him better. What brings Jesus joy and sadness? What does He like?
3. Trust & Obey
Peter went against everything he knew as an experienced fisherman to “put out into the deep”. Peter knew Jesus’ character well enough to obey Him, even though it was illogical and exhausting. Peter trusted Jesus.
Action: Trust Jesus in the small things, which will build your faith to trust Him with everything. Then obey Him, even when it seems costly, illogical, and risky. Allow your faith to be tested and give Jesus the opportunity to prove Himself to you.
4. Recognize & Confess Need
Jesus stepped into Peter’s world and demonstrated the power of His presence. The abundant power of Jesus overwhelmed the nets, boats, and Peter himself. Jesus once again strengthened Peter’s faith by blessing Peter’s trust and obedience. Jesus called Peter to the mission of fishing for men and provided for the mission with an abundance of fish. In the presence of Jesus’ power and holiness, Peter recognized his own sinfulness and his complete need for Jesus.
Action: Get changed by the power of His presence. Worship Him and meditate on who He is. Every time He shows His holiness, praise Him and confess your shortcomings.
5. Commitment
Jesus tells Peter not to be afraid, then gives him his mission and He asks Peter to leave it all! Peter responded by going all-in; he cut his ties and left everything to follow Jesus.
Action: Commit completely – go deep! Admit your fears to Jesus. Let Him lead you where He wants you to go. What is God calling you to do or be? Go deep and exercise the faith to act on His Word and obey Him completely!
Extras
ExtrasPeter
Peter, originally called Simon (Simeon, “hearing”), a very common Jewish name in the New Testament. He was the son of Jona (Matt. 16:17). His mother is nowhere named in Scripture. He had a younger brother called Andrew, who first brought him to Jesus (John 1:40-42). His native town was Bethsaida, on the western coast of the Sea of Galilee, to which also Philip belonged. Here he was brought up by the shores of the Sea of Galilee and was trained to the occupation of a fisher. His father had probably died while he was still young, and he and his brother were brought up under the care of Zebedee and his wife Salome (Matt. 27:56; Mark 15:40; 16:1). There the four youths, Simon, Andrew, James, and John, spent their boyhood and early manhood in constant fellowship. Simon and his brother doubtless enjoyed all the advantages of a religious training and were early instructed in an acquaintance with the Scriptures and with the great prophecies regarding the coming of the Messiah. They did not probably enjoy, however, any special training in the study of the law under any of the rabbis. When Peter appeared before the Sanhedrin, he looked like an “unlearned man” (Acts 4:13).
“Simon was a Galilean, and he was that out and out…The Galileans had a marked character of their own. They had a reputation for an independence and energy which often ran out into turbulence. They were at the same time of a franker and more transparent disposition than their brethren in the south. In all these respects, in bluntness, impetuosity, headiness, and simplicity, Simon was a genuine Galilean. They spoke a particular dialect. They had a difficulty with the guttural sounds and some others, and their pronunciation was reckoned harsh in Judea. The Galilean accent stuck to Simon all through his career. It betrayed him as a follower of Christ when he stood within the judgment-hall (Mark 14:70). It betrayed his own nationality and that of those conjoined with him on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:7).” It would seem that Simon was married before he became an apostle. His wife’s mother is referred to (Matt. 8:14; Mark 1:30; Luke 4:38). He was in all probability accompanied by his wife on his missionary journeys (1 Cor. 9:5; comp. 1 Pet. 5:13).
He appears to have been settled at Capernaum when Christ entered on his public ministry and may have reached beyond the age of thirty. His house was large enough to give a home to his brother Andrew, his wife’s mother, and to Christ, who seems to have lived with him (Mark 1:29, 36; 2:1), as well as to his own family. It was apparently two stories high (2:4). At Bethabara (R.V., John 1:28, “Bethany”), beyond Jordan, John the Baptist had borne testimony concerning Jesus as the “Lamb of God” (John 1:29-36). Andrew and John hearing it, followed Jesus, and abode with him where he was. They were convinced, by his gracious words and by the authority with which he spoke, that he was the Messiah (Luke 4:22; Matt. 7:29); and Andrew went forth and found Simon and brought him to Jesus (John 1:41).
Jesus at once recognized Simon, and declared that hereafter he would be called Cephas, an Aramaic name corresponding to the Greek Petros, which means “a mass of rock detached from the living rock.” The Aramaic name does not occur again, but the name Peter gradually displaces the old name Simon, though our Lord himself always uses the name Simon when addressing him (Matt. 17:25; Mark 14:37; Luke 22:31, comp. 21:15-17). We are not told what impression the first interview with Jesus produced on the mind of Simon. When we next meet him, it is by the Sea of Galilee (Matt. 4:18-22). There the four (Simon and Andrew, James and John) had had an unsuccessful night’s fishing. Jesus appeared suddenly, and entering Simon’s boat, bade him launch forth and let down the nets. He did so and enclosed a great multitude of fishes. This was plainly a miracle wrought before Simon’s eyes. The awe-stricken disciple cast himself at the feet of Jesus, crying, “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8). Jesus addressed him with the assuring words, “Fear not,” and announced to him his life’s work. Simon responded at once to the call to become a disciple, and after this we find him in constant attendance on our Lord.
He is next called into the rank of the apostleship and becomes a “fisher of men” (Matt. 4:19) in the stormy seas of the world of human life (Matt. 10:2-4; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:13-16) and takes a more and more prominent part in all the leading events of our Lord’s life. It is he who utters that notable profession of faith at Capernaum (John 6:66-69), and again at Caesarea Philippi (Matt. 16:13-20; Mark 8:27-30; Luke 9:18-20). This profession at Caesarea was one of supreme importance, and our Lord in response used these memorable words: “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church.”
Easton’s Bible Dictionary 1897
Paul
His circumcision-name was Saul, and probably the name Paul was also given to him in infancy “for use in the Gentile world,” as “Saul” would be his Hebrew home-name. He was a native of Tarsus, the capital of Cilicia, a Roman province in the south-east of Asia Minor. Tarsus was also the seat of a famous university, higher in reputation even than the universities of Athens and Alexandria, the only others that then existed. Here Saul was born, and here he spent his youth, doubtless enjoying the best education his native city could afford. His father was of the strictest sect of the Jews, a Pharisee, of the tribe of Benjamin, of pure and unmixed Jewish blood (Acts 23:6; Phil. 3:5). Though a Jew, his father was a Roman citizen. How he obtained this privilege we are not informed, but his son was freeborn. It was a valuable privilege, and one that was to prove of great use to Paul. Perhaps the most natural career for the youth to follow was that of a merchant. “But it was decided that…he should go to college and become a rabbi, that is, a minister, a teacher, and a lawyer all in one.”
According to Jewish custom, he learned a trade before entering on the more direct preparation for the sacred profession. The trade he acquired was the making of tents from goats’ hair cloth, a trade which was one of the commonest in Tarsus.
His preliminary education having been completed, Saul was sent, when about thirteen years of age probably, to the great Jewish school of sacred learning at Jerusalem as a student of the law. Here he became a pupil of the celebrated rabbi Gamaliel, and here he spent many years in an elaborate study of the Scriptures.
For some two years after Pentecost, Christianity was quietly spreading its influence in Jerusalem. At length Stephen, one of the seven deacons, gave forth more public and aggressive testimony that Jesus was the Messiah. Persecution arose against Stephen and the followers of Christ generally, in which Saul of Tarsus took a prominent part. He was at this time probably a member of the great Sanhedrin and became the active leader in the furious persecution by which the rulers then sought to exterminate Christianity.
But the object of this persecution failed. “They that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word.” The anger of the persecutor was thereby kindled into a fiercer flame. Hearing that fugitives had taken refuge in Damascus, he obtained from the chief priest letters authorizing him to proceed thither on his persecuting career. This was a long journey of about 130 miles, which would occupy perhaps six days, during which, with his few attendants, he steadily went onward, “breathing out threats and slaughter.” But the crisis of his life was at hand. He had reached the last stage of his journey and was within sight of Damascus. As he and his companions rode on, suddenly at mid-day a brilliant light shone round them, and Saul was laid prostrate in terror on the ground, a voice sounding in his ears, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” The risen Savior was there, clothed in the vesture of his glorified humanity. In answer to the anxious inquiry of the stricken persecutor, “Who art thou, Lord?” he said, “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest” (Acts 9:5; 22:8; 26:15).
This was the moment of his conversion, the most solemn in all his life. Blinded by the dazzling light (Acts 9:8), his companions led him into the city, where absorbed in deep
thought for three days, he neither ate nor drank (9:11). Ananias, a disciple living in Damascus, was informed by a vision of the change that had happened to Saul, and was sent to him to open his eyes and admit him by baptism into the Christian church
(9:11-16). The whole purpose of his life was now permanently changed.
Immediately after his conversion he retired into the solitudes of Arabia (Gal. 1:17), perhaps of “Sinai in Arabia,” for the purpose, probably, of devout study and meditation on the marvelous revelation that had been made to him. It is a mysterious pause, a moment of suspense, in the apostle’s history, a breathless calm, which ushers in the tumultuous storm of his active missionary life.” Coming back, after three years, to Damascus, he began to preach the gospel “boldly in the name of Jesus” (Acts 9:27). Eventually the time came for his entering on his great lifework of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles.
Easton’s Bible Dictionary 1897
Jesus
The Savior; the name of the Son of God as announced by the angel to his parents; the personal name of Our Lord, in distinction from Christ. The life of Jesus on earth may be divided into two great periods, (1) that of his private life, until he was about thirty years of age; and (2) that of his public life, which lasted about three years.
In the “fulness of time” he was born at Bethlehem, in the reign of the emperor Augustus, of Mary, who was betrothed to Joseph, a carpenter (Matt. 1:1; Luke 3:23; comp. John 7:42). His birth was announced to the shepherds (Luke 2:8-20). Wise men from the east came to Bethlehem to see him who was born “King of the Jews,” bringing gifts with them (Matt. 2:1-12). Herod’s cruel jealousy led to Joseph’s flight into Egypt with Mary and the infant Jesus, where they tarried till the death of this king (Matt. 2:13-23), when they returned and settled in Nazareth, in Lower Galilee (2:23; comp. Luke 4:16; John 1:46, etc.). At the age of twelve years, he went up to Jerusalem to the Passover with his parents. There, in the temple, “in the midst of the doctors,” all that heard him were “astonished at his understanding and answers”(Luke 2:41).
Eighteen years pass, of which we have no record beyond this, that he returned to Nazareth and “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52).
He entered on his public ministry when he was about thirty years of age. It is generally believed to be about three years.
(1.) The first year may be called the year of obscurity, both because the records of it which we possess are very scanty, and because he seems during it to have been only slowly emerging into public notice. It was spent for the most part in Judea.
(2.) The second year was the year of public favor, during which the country had become thoroughly aware of him; his activity was incessant, and his frame rang through the length and breadth of the land. It was almost wholly passed in Galilee.
(3.) The third was the year of opposition, when the public favor ebbed away. His enemies multiplied and assailed him with more and more pertinacity, and at last he fell a victim to their hatred. The first six months of this final year were passed in Galilee, and the last six in other parts of the land.
The only reliable sources of information regarding the life of Christ on earth are the Gospels, which present in historical detail the words and the work of Christ in so many different aspects.
Easton’s Bible Dictionary 1897
John the Apostle
John the Apostle, brother of James the “Greater” (Matt.4:21;10:2; Mark 1:19; 3:17; 10:35). He was one of the sons of Zebedee, probably the younger Matt.4:21) and Salome (Matt.27:56; Mark 15:40) and was born at Bethsaida. His father was apparently a man of some wealth (comp. Mark 1:20; Luke 5:3; John 19:27). He was doubtless trained in all that constituted the ordinary education of Jewish youth. When he grew up he followed the occupation of a fisherman on the Lake of Galilee. When John the Baptist began his ministry in the wilderness of Judea, John, with many others, gathered around him, and was deeply influenced by his teaching. There he heard the announcement, “Behold the Lamb of God,” and on the invitation of Jesus, became a disciple and ranked among his followers for a time (John 1:36, 37). He and his brother then returned to their former avocation, for how long is uncertain. Jesus again called them (Matt. 4: 21; Luke 5:1-11), and now they left all and permanently attached themselves to the company of his disciples. He became one of the innermost circle (Mark 5:37; Matt. 17:1; 26:37; Mark 13:3). He was the disciple whom Jesus loved.
Easton’s Bible Dictionary 1897
James
The son of Zebedee and Salome; an elder brother of John the apostle. He was one of the twelve apostles. He was by trade a fisherman, in partnership with Peter (Matt. 20:20; 27:56). With John and Peter, he was present at the transfiguration (Matt. 17:1; Mark 9:2), at the raising of Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5:37-43), and in the garden with our Lord (14:33). Because, probably, of their boldness and energy, he and John were called Boanerges, i.e., “sons of thunder.” He was the first martyr among the apostles, having been beheaded by King Herod Agrippa (Acts 12:1, 2), A.D. 44. (Comp. Matt. 4:21; 20:20-23).
Easton’s Bible Dictionary 1897
Andrew
(Greek, “manliness”) Andrew was one of the apostles of Jesus. He was from Bethsaida in Galilee (John 1:44) and was the brother of Simon Peter (Matt. 4:18; 10:2). At first, he was a disciple of John the Baptist. On one occasion John the Baptist, pointing to Jesus, said, “Behold the Lamb of God” (John 1:40); and Andrew, hearing him, immediately became a follower of Jesus, the first of Jesus’ disciples. After he had been led to recognize Jesus as the Messiah, his first care was to bring also his brother Simon to Jesus. The two brothers seem to have after this pursued for a while their usual calling as fishermen and did not become Apostles of the Lord until after John’s imprisonment (Matt. 4:18, 19; Mark 1:16, 17). Very little is related of Andrew. He was one of the confidential disciples (John 6:8; 12:22), and with Peter, James, and John inquired of our Lord privately regarding his future coming (Mark 13:3). He was present at the feeding of the five thousand (John 6:9), and he introduced the Greeks who desired to see Jesus (John 12:22); but of his subsequent history little is known. It is noteworthy that Andrew brings others to Christ three times, (1) Peter; (2) the boy with the loaves; and (3) certain Greeks. These incidents may be regarded as a key to his character.
Easton’s Bible Dictionary 1897
Philip
(lover of horses) One of the twelve apostles; a native of Bethsaida, “the city of Andrew and Peter” (John 1:44). He readily responded to the call of Jesus when first addressed to him (43) and forthwith brought Nathanael also to Jesus (45,46). He seems to have held a prominent place among the apostles (Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; John 6:5-7; 12:21, 22; 14:8, 9; Acts 1:13).
Easton’s Bible Dictionary 1897
Nathanael
(given or gift of God) One of our Lord’s disciples, of Cana in Galilee (John 21:2). He was “an Israelite indeed, in whom was no guile” (1:47, 48).
Easton’s Bible Dictionary 1897
Maps
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Map of Capernaum, Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee
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