Disconnected
Drama
Planting Seeds
A Collection Of Sermon Starter Sketches
Christ says that without him we can do nothing. When we attempt life under our own power, we end up running in circles. This man's frustrating woodworking experience is a humorous picture of our own lives when we are disconnected from God's power.
Cast
Disconnected Man -- a few disconnections within himself allow him to avoid and deny the real reason for his lack of power
Setting And Costumes
The stage is rather dimly lit. The scene takes place in a garage.
The man is dressed to work in his garage.
Props
Two small tables
Books
Trouble light
Drill box containing new drill, instruction manual, and drill bits
Piece of wood
(Two small tables sit on the stage. On one table sits a jumble of books and a trouble light. The cord is unplugged and dangles over the edge of the table in view of the audience. On the other table is a drill box and a piece of wood that is being made into a shelf. When the lights come up, a man is standing by the table with the drill box, calling offstage as if answering his son.)
I'm out here in the garage. I'm drilling the holes in the shelf for Mom's cabinet. (pauses to listen) Yes, you can go camping with Kevin and his dad. (pauses) No, we don't have any batteries for the flashlight. Just use it without batteries this time. We'll get some later. Have a good time.
(picks up drill box and begins to read in an awed voice) Three-eighths inch drive, variable speed, lock-on trigger mechanism. (He carefully takes it out of the box, holds it up as if inspecting a gun, puts in a drill bit, blows on the end of it like he's cooling a smoking gun, puts it to the wood and squeezes the trigger. When nothing happens, he holds it up to look at it and squeezes the trigger again.) Just my luck. I got the three-eighths inch drive, variable speed, lock-on trigger mechanism deluxe drill ... that doesn't drill. Let's see if there's a manual in here. (takes manual out of box, opens it, and reads) One: make sure the drill is connected to a 120-volt power outlet. (looks disgusted and tosses the manual aside) Who writes these things? They are so dry.
(picks up drill and looks at it again) I had another book. Where is it? (takes the drill with him dragging the cord behind him; walks to the table with the books, sits the drill down, and digs through the books) Here it is: The Do It Yourselfer's Book of Doing It Yourself. (opens book to the back, squints, holds the book up and at different angles to try to get some light) It's getting dark in here. (walks to the lamp and turns it one click, then tries to read again but continues to move the book around and stumble over all the words) Troubleshooting ... page 38. (turns pages) Or maybe 83 (turns the lamp another click and flips more page) Or maybe not. (thumbs through the book) Here's something in big letters. (struggles to see the words) If your drill ... If your drill doesn't work ... try harder, and remember ... you have ... the powder? No ... the power. You have the power to make your drill work. (repeats to understand it) If your drill doesn't work, try harder, and remember you have the power to make your drill work. (shuts the book, sets it down and picks up drill, and says confidently) I can do this.
(puts the drill to the wood and squeezes the trigger -- nothing) I have the power to make my drill work. (He puts the drill to the wood and begins circling the table while holding the drill on the wood. He does this a few times before getting tired and stopping.) I guess it's a manual-power drill. (picks up the cord) This cord really gets in the way. I should have bought a cordless one. (looks at his work) So far ... I've made one small dent. (takes a deep breath) I can do this. I have the power to make my drill work. (He holds the drill on the wood and circles the table as quickly as he can, finally stops, exhausted, and sits down on the floor with his drill. He's made a new discovery and he's not happy about it.)
I don't think this drill works. I'm wasting my time out here in the garage with a broken drill. Well, my wife can just forget about her shelf. My son can forget about me making that desk, and my neighbor's not getting my help putting his workbench together. (disillusioned) You can send messages by computer, you can watch movies off those little disks, you can microwave your food ... At least they say you can do all those things. I can never get any of them to work ... With all that technology you'd think someone could make a power drill that works. (disgusted) I'm through with woodworking. (gets up and lays drill on table with cord hanging down in front) I'm going to watch television. I hope it works. (clicks "off" the light and exits)
(The stage lights stay up a few seconds after he exits so the audience can look at the disconnections.)
Cast
Disconnected Man -- a few disconnections within himself allow him to avoid and deny the real reason for his lack of power
Setting And Costumes
The stage is rather dimly lit. The scene takes place in a garage.
The man is dressed to work in his garage.
Props
Two small tables
Books
Trouble light
Drill box containing new drill, instruction manual, and drill bits
Piece of wood
(Two small tables sit on the stage. On one table sits a jumble of books and a trouble light. The cord is unplugged and dangles over the edge of the table in view of the audience. On the other table is a drill box and a piece of wood that is being made into a shelf. When the lights come up, a man is standing by the table with the drill box, calling offstage as if answering his son.)
I'm out here in the garage. I'm drilling the holes in the shelf for Mom's cabinet. (pauses to listen) Yes, you can go camping with Kevin and his dad. (pauses) No, we don't have any batteries for the flashlight. Just use it without batteries this time. We'll get some later. Have a good time.
(picks up drill box and begins to read in an awed voice) Three-eighths inch drive, variable speed, lock-on trigger mechanism. (He carefully takes it out of the box, holds it up as if inspecting a gun, puts in a drill bit, blows on the end of it like he's cooling a smoking gun, puts it to the wood and squeezes the trigger. When nothing happens, he holds it up to look at it and squeezes the trigger again.) Just my luck. I got the three-eighths inch drive, variable speed, lock-on trigger mechanism deluxe drill ... that doesn't drill. Let's see if there's a manual in here. (takes manual out of box, opens it, and reads) One: make sure the drill is connected to a 120-volt power outlet. (looks disgusted and tosses the manual aside) Who writes these things? They are so dry.
(picks up drill and looks at it again) I had another book. Where is it? (takes the drill with him dragging the cord behind him; walks to the table with the books, sits the drill down, and digs through the books) Here it is: The Do It Yourselfer's Book of Doing It Yourself. (opens book to the back, squints, holds the book up and at different angles to try to get some light) It's getting dark in here. (walks to the lamp and turns it one click, then tries to read again but continues to move the book around and stumble over all the words) Troubleshooting ... page 38. (turns pages) Or maybe 83 (turns the lamp another click and flips more page) Or maybe not. (thumbs through the book) Here's something in big letters. (struggles to see the words) If your drill ... If your drill doesn't work ... try harder, and remember ... you have ... the powder? No ... the power. You have the power to make your drill work. (repeats to understand it) If your drill doesn't work, try harder, and remember you have the power to make your drill work. (shuts the book, sets it down and picks up drill, and says confidently) I can do this.
(puts the drill to the wood and squeezes the trigger -- nothing) I have the power to make my drill work. (He puts the drill to the wood and begins circling the table while holding the drill on the wood. He does this a few times before getting tired and stopping.) I guess it's a manual-power drill. (picks up the cord) This cord really gets in the way. I should have bought a cordless one. (looks at his work) So far ... I've made one small dent. (takes a deep breath) I can do this. I have the power to make my drill work. (He holds the drill on the wood and circles the table as quickly as he can, finally stops, exhausted, and sits down on the floor with his drill. He's made a new discovery and he's not happy about it.)
I don't think this drill works. I'm wasting my time out here in the garage with a broken drill. Well, my wife can just forget about her shelf. My son can forget about me making that desk, and my neighbor's not getting my help putting his workbench together. (disillusioned) You can send messages by computer, you can watch movies off those little disks, you can microwave your food ... At least they say you can do all those things. I can never get any of them to work ... With all that technology you'd think someone could make a power drill that works. (disgusted) I'm through with woodworking. (gets up and lays drill on table with cord hanging down in front) I'm going to watch television. I hope it works. (clicks "off" the light and exits)
(The stage lights stay up a few seconds after he exits so the audience can look at the disconnections.)
