SermonStudio

Theme






Take the opportunity to be generous to the poor and the opportunity to come to Jesus and stay out of Hell.

Summary

A modern version of the Rich Man and Lazarus parable. Jesus is telling the parable and a "cool musician" thinks he has to explain it all.

Playing Time
3 minutes
Setting
Church
Props
None
Costumes
Jesus -- robe

Cool -- really casual
Time





The present
Cast
JESUS

COOL


JESUS: (AT MICROPHONE) There was a rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.

COOL: (AT ANOTHER MICROPHONE) Hey, this rich dude, here, partied to the max, you know.

JESUS: At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table.

COOL: Lazarus, this loser, here, begged for some leftover groceries from this rich dude.

JESUS: Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

COOL: Hey, Jesus, is that in?

JESUS: Well, it's part of the story. Why?

COOL: It's kinda yuk, ya know? Do we have to do that?

JESUS: It's part of the story.

COOL: Okay, just checking, just checking. Okay, like he said, the dogs, ya know?

JESUS: The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side.

COOL: Lazarus cashed 'em in and took the angel express to this Abraham guy.

JESUS: The rich man also died and they buried him.

COOL: The rich dude kicked off, too. Hey, ya play, ya pay, ya know what I mean?

JESUS: In Hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.

COOL: The rich dude was going through Hell, ya know, but he got a look-see at Abraham and Lazarus, buddy-buddy, like, ya know.

JESUS: So, he called to him, "Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire."

COOL: The rich dude yelled, "Hey, Abe, give me a break, man. Tell Lazarus to bring me a cool one. This is really Hell down here."

JESUS: But Abraham replied, "Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your comforts while Lazarus received discomforts, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony."

COOL: Abraham told him, "Hey, boy, don't you forget that while you were still kicking, you got all the breaks and Lazarus got zero; now the worm has turned."

JESUS: "And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us."

COOL: "And not only that," says Abie, "you ain't allowed over here and the same with us, and we couldn't make it if we were 'cause there's a big ditch there."

JESUS: He answered, "Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment."

COOL: The rich dude yells back, "Well, then, if that's the way you want it, tell Lazarus to go lay it on my five brothers so that they won't go to Hell, too."

JESUS: Abraham replied, "They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them."

COOL: Abraham says, "Hey, Man, they got the Bible; can't they read?"

JESUS: "No, Father Abraham," he said. "But if someone from the dead goes to them they will repent."

COOL: The rich dude says, "C'mon, man, send some cat back from the dead; that'll cool their jets."

JESUS: He said to him, "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead."

COOL: Abraham says, "Listen, man, if they can't get into what the Bible says, they ain't gonna dig it if some cat rises from the slab."

JESUS: Luke 16:19-31.

COOL: Hey, Jesus, that was a great parable.

JESUS: Whoever said it was a parable?!