Jesus And Blind Bartimaeus
Drama
Robert Lakey
Readers’ Theater for Children’s Church
Object:
Characters
Narrator
Man 1
Bartimaeus
Man 2
Man 3
Jesus
Questions
1. What town was Jesus passing through and what town was he heading for?
2. Why was Bartimaeus forced to beg for a living?
3. When Bartimaeus asked Jesus for help, what did the people say?
4. What request did Bartimaeus make of Jesus?
5. When Jesus helped him, what did Bartimaeus do?
Narrator: Jesus is heading for Jerusalem for the final time. He has traveled down from Galilee along the eastern bank of the Jordan River. He turns west and begins passing through Jericho. He will then go up the seventeen-mile incline to Jerusalem. A crowd has gathered along the streets of Jericho to catch a glimpse of Jesus.
Man 1: (excitedly) He's coming! I can hear the crowd shouting. He'll be in sight in just a moment.
Bartimaeus: Who's coming that's so important?
Man 2: (disgustedly) Good grief, Bartimaeus. You may be blind and a beggar, but surely you've heard that Jesus is passing through our town. He's heading toward Jerusalem.
Bartimaeus: Jesus? Oh, yeah. He's that rabbi who created a big fuss when he came to town a year ago, when he went to dine with that rich tax collector, Zacchaeus?
Man 2: He's the one. But he's also very special. People say he has amazing powers.
Man 3: Rumor tells that he's actually healed people -- people with leprosy, people who were crippled, even some who were deaf.
Man 1: Some people believe he's the long-awaited Messiah, the Son of David.
Man 3: He very well may be, with his unbelievable powers to do just about anything!
Bartimaeus: (dreamily) I wonder if he could help me. Heh! Who'd be interested in a blind beggar?
Narrator: (as a member of the crowd -- excitedly) He's just come around the corner. He's heading this way, right by where we're standing!
Man 1: (shouts) Hail to Jesus, the great prophet of Nazareth! Welcome to Jericho!
Man 2: Jesus, Son of David! Hope of Israel! Savior of God's people!
Man 3: He's just passed by! He was so close I could almost reach out and touch him!
Bartimaeus: He's going away? Oh, no! (calls out) Jesus! Son of David, have mercy on me! (partially weeping) Don't go! Come back! Have pity on this miserable, blind sinner!
Man 2: Oh, hush up, Bartimaeus. He can't hear you amidst all this shouting.
Man 1: Even if he could, he wouldn't be interested in the likes of you.
Bartimaeus: (pitifully) He can't leave now, without ... without helping me. Oh, God, don't let him go.
Man 3: He's stopping! Jesus is turning around! He's coming back this way!
Jesus: Someone was calling me.
Man 1: That's right! You heard several hundred people shouting and yelling.
Jesus: Someone was crying out, asking for my help. (calls out) Let the one in desperate need step out and stand before me!
Man 3: I can't believe it. He's actually heard this wretched blind man.
Man 2: Here's your chance, Bartimaeus. I don't know why, but Jesus is actually calling for you to stand before him.
Bartimaeus: (humbly) Jesus, Master, merciful man of God. Thank you, oh, thank you for hearing me.
Jesus: (slowly) What do you want me to do for you?
Man 2: Ask him for food; then you'll never be hungry again.
Man 1: Ask him for money; then you'll never have to beg again.
Man 3: Ask him for love; then you'll always have people who will take care of you.
Bartimaeus: (slowly and firmly) Lord, I want to see again. I believe you can give me back my sight.
Jesus: (kindly) Bartimaeus, your faith has made you whole. Open your eyes and behold God's beautiful world.
Bartimaeus: (quietly, then growing in excitement) I ... I ... Oh, God, I still can't ... Wait! ... God! ... God ... My eyes! ... I can see! I'm healed! (weeps) Oh thank you, Jesus. Thank you! I'll follow you as long as I live.
Narrator: Jesus continued on his way toward Jerusalem. Bartimaeus joined the happy crowd of believers who followed after him. That cheering group scarcely realized that a cross awaited their beloved leader in less that a week's time.
__________
Read the questions again, and prompt answers from the children.
Narrator
Man 1
Bartimaeus
Man 2
Man 3
Jesus
Questions
1. What town was Jesus passing through and what town was he heading for?
2. Why was Bartimaeus forced to beg for a living?
3. When Bartimaeus asked Jesus for help, what did the people say?
4. What request did Bartimaeus make of Jesus?
5. When Jesus helped him, what did Bartimaeus do?
Narrator: Jesus is heading for Jerusalem for the final time. He has traveled down from Galilee along the eastern bank of the Jordan River. He turns west and begins passing through Jericho. He will then go up the seventeen-mile incline to Jerusalem. A crowd has gathered along the streets of Jericho to catch a glimpse of Jesus.
Man 1: (excitedly) He's coming! I can hear the crowd shouting. He'll be in sight in just a moment.
Bartimaeus: Who's coming that's so important?
Man 2: (disgustedly) Good grief, Bartimaeus. You may be blind and a beggar, but surely you've heard that Jesus is passing through our town. He's heading toward Jerusalem.
Bartimaeus: Jesus? Oh, yeah. He's that rabbi who created a big fuss when he came to town a year ago, when he went to dine with that rich tax collector, Zacchaeus?
Man 2: He's the one. But he's also very special. People say he has amazing powers.
Man 3: Rumor tells that he's actually healed people -- people with leprosy, people who were crippled, even some who were deaf.
Man 1: Some people believe he's the long-awaited Messiah, the Son of David.
Man 3: He very well may be, with his unbelievable powers to do just about anything!
Bartimaeus: (dreamily) I wonder if he could help me. Heh! Who'd be interested in a blind beggar?
Narrator: (as a member of the crowd -- excitedly) He's just come around the corner. He's heading this way, right by where we're standing!
Man 1: (shouts) Hail to Jesus, the great prophet of Nazareth! Welcome to Jericho!
Man 2: Jesus, Son of David! Hope of Israel! Savior of God's people!
Man 3: He's just passed by! He was so close I could almost reach out and touch him!
Bartimaeus: He's going away? Oh, no! (calls out) Jesus! Son of David, have mercy on me! (partially weeping) Don't go! Come back! Have pity on this miserable, blind sinner!
Man 2: Oh, hush up, Bartimaeus. He can't hear you amidst all this shouting.
Man 1: Even if he could, he wouldn't be interested in the likes of you.
Bartimaeus: (pitifully) He can't leave now, without ... without helping me. Oh, God, don't let him go.
Man 3: He's stopping! Jesus is turning around! He's coming back this way!
Jesus: Someone was calling me.
Man 1: That's right! You heard several hundred people shouting and yelling.
Jesus: Someone was crying out, asking for my help. (calls out) Let the one in desperate need step out and stand before me!
Man 3: I can't believe it. He's actually heard this wretched blind man.
Man 2: Here's your chance, Bartimaeus. I don't know why, but Jesus is actually calling for you to stand before him.
Bartimaeus: (humbly) Jesus, Master, merciful man of God. Thank you, oh, thank you for hearing me.
Jesus: (slowly) What do you want me to do for you?
Man 2: Ask him for food; then you'll never be hungry again.
Man 1: Ask him for money; then you'll never have to beg again.
Man 3: Ask him for love; then you'll always have people who will take care of you.
Bartimaeus: (slowly and firmly) Lord, I want to see again. I believe you can give me back my sight.
Jesus: (kindly) Bartimaeus, your faith has made you whole. Open your eyes and behold God's beautiful world.
Bartimaeus: (quietly, then growing in excitement) I ... I ... Oh, God, I still can't ... Wait! ... God! ... God ... My eyes! ... I can see! I'm healed! (weeps) Oh thank you, Jesus. Thank you! I'll follow you as long as I live.
Narrator: Jesus continued on his way toward Jerusalem. Bartimaeus joined the happy crowd of believers who followed after him. That cheering group scarcely realized that a cross awaited their beloved leader in less that a week's time.
__________
Read the questions again, and prompt answers from the children.
