THE STORYTELLER'S BIBLE
Act VII - Acts and the Pauline Epistles
Script by Bob Allen
For four voices

Scene  3

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VOICE FOUR:          Rome!  The capital of the Empire!  The treasure-house of all that was valuable and curious.

VOICE ONE:             The seat of the Caesars! The center of political and intellectual life.

VOICE TWO:            The most powerful city in all the world.  All roads led to Rome.

VOICE THREE:        The location of a fledgling church, a body of believers--many, like Priscilla and 

                                 Aquilla, Apelles and Herodian, who Paul knew from other places and earlier days.

VOICE FOUR:          Gentiles!

VOICE ONE:             And Jews!

VOICE TWO:            United by their faith in Christ.

VOICE THREE:        Divided by their cultural practices.

VOICE FOUR:          A church!  Believers who needed a logical and comprehensive statement of the basic truths of the Gospel—the book of Romans.

VOICE ONE:             “I am not ashamed of the gospel.”

VOICE TWO:            Something new had arrived, fresh in Jesus Christ, but planned for all eternity.

VOICE THREE:        Concerning God’s Son.  Born as a man of the seed of David.  Declared to be the Son of God by the power of the resurrection.

VOICE FOUR:          Now proclaimed among all nations.

VOICE ONE:             To Jews!

VOICE TWO:            And Gentiles!

VOICE THREE:        Gentiles—in Rome.

VOICE FOUR:          “It is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.”

VOICE ONE:             All have sinned.

VOICE TWO:            Both Jews and Gentiles.

VOICE THREE:        (STAND AND CROSS TO CENTER)  All may be justified freely though the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

VOICE FOUR:          (STAND AND CROSS TO CENTER)  Both Jews and Gentiles.

VOICE ONE:             (STAND AND CROSS TO CENTER)  All may have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

VOICE TWO:            (STAND AND CROSS TO CENTER)  Both Jews and Gentiles.

VOICE THREE:        So why do you judge your brother?  We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

VOICE FOUR:          Both Jews and Gentiles.

VOICE ONE:             Those weak in faith, the ones who just couldn’t trust God to make people holy without writing their own set of rules for them to follow—were to avoid condemning the strong for not keeping their list of rules.

VOICE TWO:            Those strong in faith, who saw no need to order their lives by anyone else’s preferences because they would answer to God and God alone—were to receive others without arguing over personal preferences.

                                    (ALL READERS RETURN TO STOOLS) 

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VOICE THREE:        The Ben Jehudas, who had moved to Rome from Jerusalem, and just couldn’t get used to the idea of a follower of God eating pork were not to condemn the Rigatonis for serving ham at Sunday dinner in their own home.

VOICE FOUR:          The Rigatonis, who had lived in Rome for generations, were to accept the Ben Jehudas the way they were and not argue with them about eating pork.

VOICE ONE:             Those who learn what it means to have liberty in Christ will never really be strong in faith until that strength produces a genuine concern for the weak.  Delight in them, be thankful for the diversity they bring to the church.

VOICE TWO:            Those who distrust Christian liberty will never grow strong in the faith until they learn that the kingdom of God is not meat and drink--but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 

VOICE THREE:        Jew or Gentile.

VOICE FOUR:          Strong or weak.

VOICE ONE:             Let’s forget what we are, and rejoice in Him.

VOICE TWO:            “Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.”

VOICE THREE:        “Now the God of peace be with you all.  Amen.”