The Voice Of Purpose
Drama
Planting Seeds
A Collection Of Sermon Starter Sketches
The man in the drama has found a relationship with God, and the Voice of Despair has lost his power to discourage him or cause hopelessness. The man is writing for himself a record of what God has done. This drama introduces the idea of recording in writing what God has done as a remembrance of his faithfulness. This drama can be used to follow up a retreat or time of spiritual growth in a church.
Cast
Man --man who is confident of who he is in Christ (should be the same actor used in "The Voice of Despair")
Voice Of Despair -- male voice offstage that represents the accusations of Satan as well as the messages from society that our lives have no meaning other than the ones we give them (should be the same actor used in "The Voice of Despair")
Setting And Costumes
The setting is the man's home, possibly a garden or patio. Any type of chair, lawn chair, or chair with table to suggest the man is at home will work.
Man is dressed casually.
Props
Chair
Journal
Pen
(Man sits writing in a journal. He is seated in a chair or at a table. Voice Of Despair is heard, but the character is never seen.)
Voice Of Despair: Oh, it's you, the accident, the mistake, (laughs cruelly) the one who's looking for his purpose. So, did you find it? (laughs, then stops suddenly when the man answers, "Yes")
Man: (looks up from his writing) Yes. I am God's, his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God has prepared for me to do. I have an extraordinary purpose.
Voice Of Despair: (sarcastically) Oh, so now you go to church on Sunday morning. You do your religious duty once a week. Some purpose.
Man: No. I'm not talking about duty. I'm talking about love.
Voice Of Despair: (flatly) Love?
Man: I love the Lord my God with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my mind and with all my strength.
Voice Of Despair: Sounds pretty all-encompassing. So what's left over for you?
Man: A personal relationship with the Creator of the universe.
Voice Of Despair: (trying to sound bored, but is desperate to get out of there) Oh, yeah, that. Well, I've got to run.
Man: Yes, you do. (goes back to writing for a moment, then looks up and begins to speak to audience)
That was the Voice Of Despair. I imagine he's visited you. too. I used to believe his accusations. I believed I had no purpose. I believed I was so insignificant that it didn't matter how I lived. Everywhere I turned were doubts, accusations, questions with no answers. Everywhere I turned there was hopelessness. (pauses, and then continues with a smile)
I remember when I was little ... I was afraid there were monsters in my closet. I'd call out to my father and he would come in and turn on the light. The monsters would be gone. Well I've been calling out to my Heavenly Father, and he has stepped in and turned on the light. All my fears about my life having no purpose are gone. You see, I've been asking God to change my heart, to live in my mind, to introduce me to his family, and teach me how to love them. And he has!
(He holds up what he's been writing on.) That's what I'm writing: a remembrance, a memorial of what God has done for me. Because I know that Voice Of Despair will try to talk to me again, but I can say, "God met me. God of all creation met with me and I am changed. I have a purpose!"
Before this, I spent years trying to figure out the meaning of life on my own. I ended up tangled in knots of confusion and destruction and self-absorption. The only real thing I discovered is, there is no meaning without God. (with a sense of awe and wonder) But with him ... With him life is full; it's rich and meaningful.
It's like the life of an outcast who finds he is the son of the king. It's like shuffling through a dusty, old field and discovering a treasure. It's like looking into the sunrise and finding a color you never knew existed. It's ... as you can tell, beyond my ability to describe. It's something to be lived, and it's something to be recorded and remembered. (pauses) It's the place God and I begin our journey. (continues writing)
Cast
Man --man who is confident of who he is in Christ (should be the same actor used in "The Voice of Despair")
Voice Of Despair -- male voice offstage that represents the accusations of Satan as well as the messages from society that our lives have no meaning other than the ones we give them (should be the same actor used in "The Voice of Despair")
Setting And Costumes
The setting is the man's home, possibly a garden or patio. Any type of chair, lawn chair, or chair with table to suggest the man is at home will work.
Man is dressed casually.
Props
Chair
Journal
Pen
(Man sits writing in a journal. He is seated in a chair or at a table. Voice Of Despair is heard, but the character is never seen.)
Voice Of Despair: Oh, it's you, the accident, the mistake, (laughs cruelly) the one who's looking for his purpose. So, did you find it? (laughs, then stops suddenly when the man answers, "Yes")
Man: (looks up from his writing) Yes. I am God's, his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God has prepared for me to do. I have an extraordinary purpose.
Voice Of Despair: (sarcastically) Oh, so now you go to church on Sunday morning. You do your religious duty once a week. Some purpose.
Man: No. I'm not talking about duty. I'm talking about love.
Voice Of Despair: (flatly) Love?
Man: I love the Lord my God with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my mind and with all my strength.
Voice Of Despair: Sounds pretty all-encompassing. So what's left over for you?
Man: A personal relationship with the Creator of the universe.
Voice Of Despair: (trying to sound bored, but is desperate to get out of there) Oh, yeah, that. Well, I've got to run.
Man: Yes, you do. (goes back to writing for a moment, then looks up and begins to speak to audience)
That was the Voice Of Despair. I imagine he's visited you. too. I used to believe his accusations. I believed I had no purpose. I believed I was so insignificant that it didn't matter how I lived. Everywhere I turned were doubts, accusations, questions with no answers. Everywhere I turned there was hopelessness. (pauses, and then continues with a smile)
I remember when I was little ... I was afraid there were monsters in my closet. I'd call out to my father and he would come in and turn on the light. The monsters would be gone. Well I've been calling out to my Heavenly Father, and he has stepped in and turned on the light. All my fears about my life having no purpose are gone. You see, I've been asking God to change my heart, to live in my mind, to introduce me to his family, and teach me how to love them. And he has!
(He holds up what he's been writing on.) That's what I'm writing: a remembrance, a memorial of what God has done for me. Because I know that Voice Of Despair will try to talk to me again, but I can say, "God met me. God of all creation met with me and I am changed. I have a purpose!"
Before this, I spent years trying to figure out the meaning of life on my own. I ended up tangled in knots of confusion and destruction and self-absorption. The only real thing I discovered is, there is no meaning without God. (with a sense of awe and wonder) But with him ... With him life is full; it's rich and meaningful.
It's like the life of an outcast who finds he is the son of the king. It's like shuffling through a dusty, old field and discovering a treasure. It's like looking into the sunrise and finding a color you never knew existed. It's ... as you can tell, beyond my ability to describe. It's something to be lived, and it's something to be recorded and remembered. (pauses) It's the place God and I begin our journey. (continues writing)
