The last four weeks we covered Jonah in our Sunday morning services--one week per chapter. I really could have gone a couple of extra weeks, but they try to reign me in. For chapter four I had a sermon planned contrasting Jonah as a/n (anti)type for Jesus. Dead 3 days. Jonah went down; Jesus was raised up. Terrible prophet; great prophet.
However, on Wednesday afternoon I took a nap. When I woke up this short play and the reflection were in my head. When the Holy Spirit messes up my sermon, I figure I ought to obey.
Something I have been considering is that we average around 25 people at worship on Sunday morning and five of them are children ages 4-11. If kids are 25% of our worshiping body, how does our service reflect this? How are they invited in, nurtured, included, and asked to participate and lead?
I talked to all of the children before the service, explained what was going on, and invited them to join in. I made clear that it was optional. They all loved it. The congregation loved it. It was all wonderful.
I am not writing a short play and building props every week, ha!
Shout out to my family who were willing to rehearse at home on short notice and voice the parts, and especially to Ellie who helped build most of the props.
However, on Wednesday afternoon I took a nap. When I woke up this short play and the reflection were in my head. When the Holy Spirit messes up my sermon, I figure I ought to obey.
Something I have been considering is that we average around 25 people at worship on Sunday morning and five of them are children ages 4-11. If kids are 25% of our worshiping body, how does our service reflect this? How are they invited in, nurtured, included, and asked to participate and lead?
I talked to all of the children before the service, explained what was going on, and invited them to join in. I made clear that it was optional. They all loved it. The congregation loved it. It was all wonderful.
I am not writing a short play and building props every week, ha!
Shout out to my family who were willing to rehearse at home on short notice and voice the parts, and especially to Ellie who helped build most of the props.
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| E making oars |
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| Sunny cat, always so helpful |
Parts: Narrator, God, Jonah, Sailor, King
Supplies: Big educational dice for lots (write Jonah on every side), oars, plank to sit on for a boat, net, blue and silver cloth as water, God’s purple mantle etc, plant, sackcloth, king’s robe and crown. We used an old blue hammock as the fish. Add a styrofoam dessert plate for an eye.
Jonah sitting in a chair at the front. Predominantly the action happens around him.
Narrator is free to move around and facilitate
God sitting in the front row
The sailor and king can be predetermined or called from the crowd and handed lines at the appropriate time
Supplies: Big educational dice for lots (write Jonah on every side), oars, plank to sit on for a boat, net, blue and silver cloth as water, God’s purple mantle etc, plant, sackcloth, king’s robe and crown. We used an old blue hammock as the fish. Add a styrofoam dessert plate for an eye.
Jonah sitting in a chair at the front. Predominantly the action happens around him.
Narrator is free to move around and facilitate
God sitting in the front row
The sailor and king can be predetermined or called from the crowd and handed lines at the appropriate time
Jonah is a story in 4 acts. If we named them by setting I might say...
Act I: Boat
Act II: Belly of the Beast
Act III: Big City
Act IV: Bush
If, by action, maybe
Act I: Flees
Act II: Crys
Act III: Prophesies?
Act IV: Pouts and wants to die.
Our setting today is the Ancient Near East… (point out landmarks--the Mediteranean, etc.)
I invite you (the congregation) into participation at the level you feel comfortable. If that level is sitting quietly and watching, I respect that.
---
Narrator: Here we have Jonah, the reluctant prophet, the antihero of his own story. Perhaps, in the past, Jonah has been a faithful prophet-- delivering God’s messages, calling God’s people to repentance. BUT
Narrator: On this day, God said, “Go, and Jonah said…”
Jonah: (super apathetic) No.
Narrator: Ok, hang on, that’s not working for me. How about, you, be God… Ok, stand up, (go and put a purple cloth on the person or something to signify they are God)
God: What’s my motivation here?
Narrator: You are gracious, and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy… and Nineveh, well, Nineveh is NOT
God: Right, Ok.
Narrator: Alright, ready, let’s try again,
Narrator: On this day, God, said
God (normal): Go
Jonah: No
Narrator: I think you’re going to have to be more forceful, you are YHWH Elohim who created the land and the seas…
Narrator: On this day, God said
God: GO
Jonah (like a sarcastic child): NO
Narrator (frustrated, sigh): Try the whole line?
God: GO, immediately, to Nineveh that great capital city, and (angry, mean, strong) announce judgement against its people because their wickedness has come to my attention!
Jonah: yawns, kicks back,
(God sits down)
-----
Narrator: So, Act I: In the boat, Jonah flees
Narrator: I need some help, you are my sailors
(Pulls out oars, settles kids) (settle kids in boat, pull out net, spy glass, row all the time)
Narrator: Row, row, row your boat (get the kids rowing, acting)
(Jonah just napping in the back through all this, kicked back, unconcerned.)
Narrator: You’re sailors, doing your job, rowing out into the Mediterranean, when
Narrator: SUDDENLY A STORM
Narrator: OH, my goodness the wind is buffeting you and the waves are threatening to knock you out
(sway, act it out)
(optional, God can use a spray bottle to spritz water into the air.)
Narrator: You wonder what’s going on, you start crying out to every god you can think of
(prompt; feed them these lines)
Kids: Help, help me!
Congregation: Help, help me!
Narrator: More scared, terrified even
Kids: Help, help me!
Congregation: Help, help me!
(Jonah snoring loudly)
Narrator: You keep calling for help, I’ll get him
Narrator: Jonah, yo, Jonah, wake up dude, how can you sleep through this storm, what’s wrong with you? Cry out to your god, maybe your god will notice
Jonah (barely mumbles): help, oh help
Sailor: Come on, let’s cast lots to find out whose fault this is.
Narrator: Alright kids, roll the dice,... what do they say? Who’s fault is it?
Kids: Jonah
Narrator: JONAH
Sailor: Dude, what’s your problem?
Jonah: Yeah, I’m fleeing YHWH, the one true God, you know the one that made the land and the sea…
Sailor: The god who made the sea?! Are you kidding me?!
Narrator: Wow, this storm is really getting bad, I didn’t think it could get worse
Jonah: Look, just throw me overboard
Sailor: No way, you may not fear your god, but we do.
Narrator: Ok, let’s row out of this storm, Row, row, row your boat… Row harder, Harder!
Narrator: I don’t think we can do it. Leave your oars y’all. You gotta throw him overboard.
Narrator: Help me cover him in the water (wrap him in the blue or silver cloth)
Narrator: Ok, come here, this is important. The sailors forgot their other gods are realized that YHWH God is the one living, real God. That means they repented. Which means turned around and went the right direction. Let’s spin around to show that.
(Ok, sit on the front row for a minute, until I am ready for you again.)
ACT II: Belly of the Beast; Jonah cries.
Narrator: Jonah, the water has engulfed you, the seaweed has wrapped your head, you’re drowning, Jonah.
Jonah: (Screams and cries in terror)
Narrator: The LORD sent a huge fish to swallow Jonah and Jonah was in the belly of the beast 3 days and 3 nights…
(God brings the “fish” and covers Jonah)
Narrator: Sounds pretty dead to me
Jonah:
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Who brings salvation, YHWH?
Only you.
Narrator: Dude is writing poems?
Jonah:
It’s raining, it’s pouring, Jonah is snoring
I drowned in the sea, and you rescued me
And vomited me out in the morning
Narrator: And so the Lord commanded the fish
God: FISH
Narrator: And it vomited Jonah upon dry land.
(God, unwraps Jonah, vomit noise)
Narrator (loud aside to the kids, confused): Did you hear Jonah say he was sorry? Did he repent? I didn’t see him turn and spin?
God, shrugs: Eh, I’m merciful and gracious and slow to anger (return to seat)
Narrator: Jonah went down into the deep, in the belly of the beast 3 days, to Sheol, unto death. Yet on the 3rd day, the Lord delivered him to new life. Jonah has the opportunity now to deliver Nineveh from sin and death. Let’s see what he does.
Act III: In the Big City Jonah prophesies?
Narrator: This (waving at the congregation) is Nineveh, and we are going to need a king
(The kid’s put a crown on someone)
Narrator: The Lord said to Jonah a second time
God: Go immediately to Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I tell you
Jonah (shuffles around Nineveh, mumbling, unenthusiastic--ignore the king): 40 days, Nineveh destroyed. 40 days, Nineveh destroyed…
Narrator: That’s probably the worst prophesy I have ever heard, that was terrible, you didn’t even say YHWH’s name or tell them to repent.
Narrator: So, Jonah left the city and went and sat in the desert to wait and see what would happen. He pouted, really.
Narrator: BUT, the people of Nineveh believed God!! They declared a fast. They ate nothing. They wore sackcloth and ashes. All off them.
(kids hand out sackcloth)
The people of Nineveh began to chant, “Repent, repent” (encourage this chanting) until even the King heard, removed his royal robes, put on sackcloth, and sat down in the ashes.
King: By order of the king! Nobody eat! Nobody drink! Suspend business as usual! Maybe God will hear us! Also the cows, nothing to eat or drink for the animals or cows either!
Narrator: Ok, let’s all stand up and spin, chant repent, maybe God will hear us?
(God WAIT and give everyone time to spin.)
God: I relent! I will not destroy you! (Spin) I relent!
Narrator (awed): Wow, even YHWH repented from destroying Nineveh. She changed her mind. (pronouns to match actor)
God: I told you, I’m gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, my mercy abounds (shrugs)
Narrator: Truly, God’s salvation is GOOD NEWS for all of Nineveh. But what about Jonah?
Act IV: The Bush where Jonah pouts and dies?
Jonah angrily shouting at God: “Oh, Lord, THIS is just what I thought would happen when I was in my own country.
THIS is what I tried to prevent by attempting to escape to Tarshish!
Because I knew that you are (mocking) gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in mercy, and one who relents concerning threatened judgment.
So now, Lord, kill me instead, because I would rather die than live
God (kindly): Are you really so very angry?
Jonah: YES
God: Are you serious? That’s really kinda overkill isn’t it?
Narrator: So God in her wisdom, thought of a way to explain her compassion to Jonah. She had a small plant grow up over Jonah and be a shade
(Helper brings out a plant)
Jonah: This plant is absolutely delightful. Just delightful!
Narrator: So God sent a worm at dawn the next day, and it attacked the little plant so that it dried up.
(Helper takes away the plant)
Narrator: The sun beat down on Jonah’s head, and he grew faint and despaired of life
Jonah: This is the worst! I would rather die than live!
God: Are you really so very angry about the little plant?”
Jonah: I am as angry as I could possibly be!”
Narrator (aside): Maybe, God’s plan is working? Jonah felt compassion for something beside himself?
God (patiently explaining): You were upset about this little plant, something for which you have not worked nor did you do anything to make it grow. It grew up overnight and died the next day. I worked on Nineveh.
Jonah: I liked that plant! It was pretty and smelled nice, and I like shade! It only lived for one day before you ate it up with a worm. That’s not fair!
God: So, should I not be even more concerned about Nineveh the great enormous city?
Narrator: That’s a good point--there were evil people in Nineveh for sure, but what about the regular people? The moms feeding their babies and the fishermen dipping their nets? Those are people made in God’s image
God: Jonah, you cared about the little plant, can’t you care about the city?
(Wait)
God: Have you no mercy, Jonah?
Jonah: I told you, I ran away because I know you’re a God who relents concerning judgement! How dare you forgive them?!
God: Jonah, don’t you see? There are more than one hundred twenty thousand people in Nineveh who are clueless-- and also many cattle!
Narrator: Well, Jonah, well?
Narrator: And that’s how the story ends. YHWH’s last word is one of compassion even for the livestock, and Jonah, we don’t know. He’s a bit of a cliffhanger.
----
Act I: Boat
Act II: Belly of the Beast
Act III: Big City
Act IV: Bush
If, by action, maybe
Act I: Flees
Act II: Crys
Act III: Prophesies?
Act IV: Pouts and wants to die.
Our setting today is the Ancient Near East… (point out landmarks--the Mediteranean, etc.)
I invite you (the congregation) into participation at the level you feel comfortable. If that level is sitting quietly and watching, I respect that.
---
Narrator: Here we have Jonah, the reluctant prophet, the antihero of his own story. Perhaps, in the past, Jonah has been a faithful prophet-- delivering God’s messages, calling God’s people to repentance. BUT
Narrator: On this day, God said, “Go, and Jonah said…”
Jonah: (super apathetic) No.
Narrator: Ok, hang on, that’s not working for me. How about, you, be God… Ok, stand up, (go and put a purple cloth on the person or something to signify they are God)
God: What’s my motivation here?
Narrator: You are gracious, and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy… and Nineveh, well, Nineveh is NOT
God: Right, Ok.
Narrator: Alright, ready, let’s try again,
Narrator: On this day, God, said
God (normal): Go
Jonah: No
Narrator: I think you’re going to have to be more forceful, you are YHWH Elohim who created the land and the seas…
Narrator: On this day, God said
God: GO
Jonah (like a sarcastic child): NO
Narrator (frustrated, sigh): Try the whole line?
God: GO, immediately, to Nineveh that great capital city, and (angry, mean, strong) announce judgement against its people because their wickedness has come to my attention!
Jonah: yawns, kicks back,
(God sits down)
-----
Narrator: So, Act I: In the boat, Jonah flees
Narrator: I need some help, you are my sailors
(Pulls out oars, settles kids) (settle kids in boat, pull out net, spy glass, row all the time)
 |
| A boat in the Mediterranean |
Narrator: Row, row, row your boat (get the kids rowing, acting)
(Jonah just napping in the back through all this, kicked back, unconcerned.)
Narrator: You’re sailors, doing your job, rowing out into the Mediterranean, when
Narrator: SUDDENLY A STORM
Narrator: OH, my goodness the wind is buffeting you and the waves are threatening to knock you out
(sway, act it out)
(optional, God can use a spray bottle to spritz water into the air.)
Narrator: You wonder what’s going on, you start crying out to every god you can think of
(prompt; feed them these lines)
Kids: Help, help me!
Congregation: Help, help me!
Narrator: More scared, terrified even
Kids: Help, help me!
Congregation: Help, help me!
(Jonah snoring loudly)
Narrator: You keep calling for help, I’ll get him
Narrator: Jonah, yo, Jonah, wake up dude, how can you sleep through this storm, what’s wrong with you? Cry out to your god, maybe your god will notice
Jonah (barely mumbles): help, oh help
Sailor: Come on, let’s cast lots to find out whose fault this is.
Narrator: Alright kids, roll the dice,... what do they say? Who’s fault is it?
Kids: Jonah
Narrator: JONAH
Sailor: Dude, what’s your problem?
Jonah: Yeah, I’m fleeing YHWH, the one true God, you know the one that made the land and the sea…
Sailor: The god who made the sea?! Are you kidding me?!
Narrator: Wow, this storm is really getting bad, I didn’t think it could get worse
Jonah: Look, just throw me overboard
Sailor: No way, you may not fear your god, but we do.
Narrator: Ok, let’s row out of this storm, Row, row, row your boat… Row harder, Harder!
Narrator: I don’t think we can do it. Leave your oars y’all. You gotta throw him overboard.
Narrator: Help me cover him in the water (wrap him in the blue or silver cloth)
Narrator: Ok, come here, this is important. The sailors forgot their other gods are realized that YHWH God is the one living, real God. That means they repented. Which means turned around and went the right direction. Let’s spin around to show that.
(Ok, sit on the front row for a minute, until I am ready for you again.)
ACT II: Belly of the Beast; Jonah cries.
Narrator: Jonah, the water has engulfed you, the seaweed has wrapped your head, you’re drowning, Jonah.
Jonah: (Screams and cries in terror)
Narrator: The LORD sent a huge fish to swallow Jonah and Jonah was in the belly of the beast 3 days and 3 nights…
(God brings the “fish” and covers Jonah)
Narrator: Sounds pretty dead to me
Jonah:
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Who brings salvation, YHWH?
Only you.
Narrator: Dude is writing poems?
Jonah:
It’s raining, it’s pouring, Jonah is snoring
I drowned in the sea, and you rescued me
And vomited me out in the morning
Narrator: And so the Lord commanded the fish
God: FISH
Narrator: And it vomited Jonah upon dry land.
(God, unwraps Jonah, vomit noise)
Narrator (loud aside to the kids, confused): Did you hear Jonah say he was sorry? Did he repent? I didn’t see him turn and spin?
God, shrugs: Eh, I’m merciful and gracious and slow to anger (return to seat)
Narrator: Jonah went down into the deep, in the belly of the beast 3 days, to Sheol, unto death. Yet on the 3rd day, the Lord delivered him to new life. Jonah has the opportunity now to deliver Nineveh from sin and death. Let’s see what he does.
Act III: In the Big City Jonah prophesies?
Narrator: This (waving at the congregation) is Nineveh, and we are going to need a king
(The kid’s put a crown on someone)
Narrator: The Lord said to Jonah a second time
God: Go immediately to Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I tell you
Jonah (shuffles around Nineveh, mumbling, unenthusiastic--ignore the king): 40 days, Nineveh destroyed. 40 days, Nineveh destroyed…
Narrator: That’s probably the worst prophesy I have ever heard, that was terrible, you didn’t even say YHWH’s name or tell them to repent.
Narrator: So, Jonah left the city and went and sat in the desert to wait and see what would happen. He pouted, really.
Narrator: BUT, the people of Nineveh believed God!! They declared a fast. They ate nothing. They wore sackcloth and ashes. All off them.
(kids hand out sackcloth)
The people of Nineveh began to chant, “Repent, repent” (encourage this chanting) until even the King heard, removed his royal robes, put on sackcloth, and sat down in the ashes.
King: By order of the king! Nobody eat! Nobody drink! Suspend business as usual! Maybe God will hear us! Also the cows, nothing to eat or drink for the animals or cows either!
Narrator: Ok, let’s all stand up and spin, chant repent, maybe God will hear us?
(God WAIT and give everyone time to spin.)
God: I relent! I will not destroy you! (Spin) I relent!
Narrator (awed): Wow, even YHWH repented from destroying Nineveh. She changed her mind. (pronouns to match actor)
God: I told you, I’m gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, my mercy abounds (shrugs)
Narrator: Truly, God’s salvation is GOOD NEWS for all of Nineveh. But what about Jonah?
Act IV: The Bush where Jonah pouts and dies?
Jonah angrily shouting at God: “Oh, Lord, THIS is just what I thought would happen when I was in my own country.
THIS is what I tried to prevent by attempting to escape to Tarshish!
Because I knew that you are (mocking) gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in mercy, and one who relents concerning threatened judgment.
So now, Lord, kill me instead, because I would rather die than live
God (kindly): Are you really so very angry?
Jonah: YES
God: Are you serious? That’s really kinda overkill isn’t it?
Narrator: So God in her wisdom, thought of a way to explain her compassion to Jonah. She had a small plant grow up over Jonah and be a shade
(Helper brings out a plant)
Jonah: This plant is absolutely delightful. Just delightful!
Narrator: So God sent a worm at dawn the next day, and it attacked the little plant so that it dried up.
(Helper takes away the plant)
Narrator: The sun beat down on Jonah’s head, and he grew faint and despaired of life
Jonah: This is the worst! I would rather die than live!
God: Are you really so very angry about the little plant?”
Jonah: I am as angry as I could possibly be!”
Narrator (aside): Maybe, God’s plan is working? Jonah felt compassion for something beside himself?
God (patiently explaining): You were upset about this little plant, something for which you have not worked nor did you do anything to make it grow. It grew up overnight and died the next day. I worked on Nineveh.
Jonah: I liked that plant! It was pretty and smelled nice, and I like shade! It only lived for one day before you ate it up with a worm. That’s not fair!
God: So, should I not be even more concerned about Nineveh the great enormous city?
Narrator: That’s a good point--there were evil people in Nineveh for sure, but what about the regular people? The moms feeding their babies and the fishermen dipping their nets? Those are people made in God’s image
God: Jonah, you cared about the little plant, can’t you care about the city?
(Wait)
God: Have you no mercy, Jonah?
Jonah: I told you, I ran away because I know you’re a God who relents concerning judgement! How dare you forgive them?!
God: Jonah, don’t you see? There are more than one hundred twenty thousand people in Nineveh who are clueless-- and also many cattle!
Narrator: Well, Jonah, well?
Narrator: And that’s how the story ends. YHWH’s last word is one of compassion even for the livestock, and Jonah, we don’t know. He’s a bit of a cliffhanger.
Teaching:
I find it significant that everyone in this story repents--except for Jonah. The sailors repent. The Ninevites repent. The cows repent. Even God, Godself, was able to repent from destroying the city.
But Jonah doesn’t. His character doesn’t develop. He doesn’t change. In Scene IV he says, “I knew it, I knew it all along, this is why I ran away in Scene I!” And, I assume, that’s why he did such a terrible job prophesying in Scene III.
We are all Jonah at some point. We want God’s compassion for ourselves. We want God’s compassion for our people. But we want our enemies to get what they deserve.
Where are you in this story? Are you Jonah fleeing what you are supposed to do? Are you Jonah, doing the bare minimum to get by? Are you the Ninevites in desperate need of repentance? Are you sailors ready to turn away from other idols? Are you in the belly of the beast, drowning in the reeds?
Earlier, we all said things that we like and made them into this tree. (knock over tree).
I suspect that didn’t feel good to you and it’s not even a real plant.
We can feel compassion for that, but we close our eyes on compassion for the great city--and also its cows.
Understand this--the grace of God is absolutely offensive and scandalizing
Today is World Communion Sunday, where Christians across the world will be celebrating the Eucharist. When we say that the body of Christ was broken for us, the blood of Christ was shed for us, we mean they are a sign, a symbol, that God’s grace and salvation extend to us. And today, all over the world, people will partake in this symbol that they belong to God. Including people that we would like to see get their comeuppance. People whose cities--real or metaphorical--we would like to see burn.
God would rather redeem them. God would rather repent. God would rather restore.
When we come forward for communion, let us examine our hearts. To whom do we deny God’s grace? How might we be changed?
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