Be Not Afraid
Illustration
Stories
Henry peeked through the curtain and saw the crowd of people waiting. “Wow!”
“I know, right?” Liz closed the curtain. “Who would have ever thought that all these people would come to see us? I mean, I knew that the families would come and maybe that some other people might come too but I never expected that all those other folks would come too.”
“We did do a lot of advertising on social media and your posters were amazing,”
“Do you think we did too much?” Liz frowned. “I was just so worried that it would be like our last show where no one came and you would get discouraged and I would get discouraged and it would just be so, well, I can’t think of the word.”
“Discouraging?” Henry asked.
“Are you not taking this seriously?” Liz frowned at him. “The hall is full. I mean Mr. Hernandez is putting out extra chairs at the back. It’s more than full. This place is packed. I mean I’ve never seen it quite so full for anything else. Even when we were smaller and did that cute concert and-”
“Liz take a breath. You’re freaking me out.”
“I’m freaking you out?” Liz danced in place. “I’m kind of freaking out myself.”
“Looks like there is a great crowd,” Pastor John said from behind them. “Liz, can you get me some water? Would you like a glass too, Henry?”
“Sure, I’ll get a pitcher and glasses from the kitchen.” Liz dashed off in search of water.
“Thanks, Pastor John,” Henry said.
“No problem. I know my daughter gets hyper when she is nervous and excited and the best thing for her is to do something.” Pastor John considered Henry for a moment. “You’ve got a big crowd out there for the show. You must be pleased”
“I know.” Henry looked at the closed curtain. “It’s great but it’s also kind of overwhelming.”
“I watched the last practice and I know it’s going to be great.”
“Thanks. When you suggested this play for the winter Bible camp I wasn’t sure anyone would be interested,” Henry said. “You were right though all the kids were happy to take part.”
“I think you made a great director and what parent doesn’t want to see their child telling the gospel story on stage?”
“There are more than just parents in the audience this afternoon.”
“Indeed. I know some are here because their children are involved, and some are here because the proceeds are going to the food bank.” Pastor John paused. “I also know that some people are here because they are curious about Jesus and want to see the fuss about the gospel.”
“Really? I thought everyone knows about Jesus in this day and age.”
“They’ve heard of him and some of the stories about him for certain,” Pastor John said. “The truth is though taking the Bible stories and acting them out and then having a scene between with a modern setting is going to help some people hear those stories in a new way.”
“Thanks. That part of the play was actually Liz’s idea.”
“Really? But you wrote those parts of the play, didn’t you?”
Henry nodded. He peeked through the curtain again at the full hall of people chatting and waiting for the play. “I just didn’t think people would be that interested.”
“They certainly are interested.” Liz arrived with a small pitcher and some glasses. “I’ll just leave this here, off stage as we need it. And yes, Dad, I’m calmer now.”
“It’s okay to be nervous and anxious,” Pastor John said. “Take a deep breath and don’t forget why you did this week and what this play is about.”
Both teens took a deep breath and nodded.
“You wrote this so the children at the winter Bible camp could experience and better know the stories. You invited other people so that all of us could see the stories we know so well and your thoughts on them.” Pastor John tilted his head. “Don’t forget that when we do something in faith we don’t do it by ourselves- we do it with God.”
“I have to admit I’m still a bit nervous,” Henry said.
“Me too,” Liz added
“Being nervous is okay at a time like this and perfectly natural,” Pastor John said. “All disciples get nervous.”
Henry frowned. “The first disciples were nervous?”
“When Jesus called them in Luke’s Gospel, he tells them not to be afraid so I think they were probably scared and anxious.”
“How about scared and anxious and excited?” Liz asked.
Pastor John chuckled. “I expect they were all of those things and more. So how about we gather all the kids together for a prayer before the play?
The two teens went with Pastor John to gather the performers and to show the world the faith they had in Jesus.
“I know, right?” Liz closed the curtain. “Who would have ever thought that all these people would come to see us? I mean, I knew that the families would come and maybe that some other people might come too but I never expected that all those other folks would come too.”
“We did do a lot of advertising on social media and your posters were amazing,”
“Do you think we did too much?” Liz frowned. “I was just so worried that it would be like our last show where no one came and you would get discouraged and I would get discouraged and it would just be so, well, I can’t think of the word.”
“Discouraging?” Henry asked.
“Are you not taking this seriously?” Liz frowned at him. “The hall is full. I mean Mr. Hernandez is putting out extra chairs at the back. It’s more than full. This place is packed. I mean I’ve never seen it quite so full for anything else. Even when we were smaller and did that cute concert and-”
“Liz take a breath. You’re freaking me out.”
“I’m freaking you out?” Liz danced in place. “I’m kind of freaking out myself.”
“Looks like there is a great crowd,” Pastor John said from behind them. “Liz, can you get me some water? Would you like a glass too, Henry?”
“Sure, I’ll get a pitcher and glasses from the kitchen.” Liz dashed off in search of water.
“Thanks, Pastor John,” Henry said.
“No problem. I know my daughter gets hyper when she is nervous and excited and the best thing for her is to do something.” Pastor John considered Henry for a moment. “You’ve got a big crowd out there for the show. You must be pleased”
“I know.” Henry looked at the closed curtain. “It’s great but it’s also kind of overwhelming.”
“I watched the last practice and I know it’s going to be great.”
“Thanks. When you suggested this play for the winter Bible camp I wasn’t sure anyone would be interested,” Henry said. “You were right though all the kids were happy to take part.”
“I think you made a great director and what parent doesn’t want to see their child telling the gospel story on stage?”
“There are more than just parents in the audience this afternoon.”
“Indeed. I know some are here because their children are involved, and some are here because the proceeds are going to the food bank.” Pastor John paused. “I also know that some people are here because they are curious about Jesus and want to see the fuss about the gospel.”
“Really? I thought everyone knows about Jesus in this day and age.”
“They’ve heard of him and some of the stories about him for certain,” Pastor John said. “The truth is though taking the Bible stories and acting them out and then having a scene between with a modern setting is going to help some people hear those stories in a new way.”
“Thanks. That part of the play was actually Liz’s idea.”
“Really? But you wrote those parts of the play, didn’t you?”
Henry nodded. He peeked through the curtain again at the full hall of people chatting and waiting for the play. “I just didn’t think people would be that interested.”
“They certainly are interested.” Liz arrived with a small pitcher and some glasses. “I’ll just leave this here, off stage as we need it. And yes, Dad, I’m calmer now.”
“It’s okay to be nervous and anxious,” Pastor John said. “Take a deep breath and don’t forget why you did this week and what this play is about.”
Both teens took a deep breath and nodded.
“You wrote this so the children at the winter Bible camp could experience and better know the stories. You invited other people so that all of us could see the stories we know so well and your thoughts on them.” Pastor John tilted his head. “Don’t forget that when we do something in faith we don’t do it by ourselves- we do it with God.”
“I have to admit I’m still a bit nervous,” Henry said.
“Me too,” Liz added
“Being nervous is okay at a time like this and perfectly natural,” Pastor John said. “All disciples get nervous.”
Henry frowned. “The first disciples were nervous?”
“When Jesus called them in Luke’s Gospel, he tells them not to be afraid so I think they were probably scared and anxious.”
“How about scared and anxious and excited?” Liz asked.
Pastor John chuckled. “I expect they were all of those things and more. So how about we gather all the kids together for a prayer before the play?
The two teens went with Pastor John to gather the performers and to show the world the faith they had in Jesus.
