Character Needed - Bible Sketches 9

CHARACTER NEEDED – BIBLE SKETCHES

Character Needed, by Robert Allen, published by Regular Baptist Press, includes 33 skits illustrating the truths of each of the verses in Proverbs 15.  These Character Needed – Bible Sketches are designed to accompany those contemporary plays, illustrating the same character traits by use of a Bible story.  

CHARACTER NEEDED

SOMEONE’S AT THE DOOR

Proverbs 15:9

Acts 12:12-17

Character Trait: Example

Cast of Characters

                        Narrator

                        Rhoda

                        Samuel

                        Rhoda’s Mother

                        Peter

                        Sarah

                        Benjamin

SFX:                            Knocking

RHODA:                    Just a minute!  I’m coming!

NARRATOR:             Rhoda ran quickly from the inner court to the front door where still another family was gathered awaiting someone to let them in.  Carefully she peered through the narrow slit next to the door.  So far everyone who had knocked on the door had been friends, but it was important to be careful.  If the soldiers found out about their prayer meeting, they might come and break it up.

                                    Outside the door Rhoda could see her friend Samuel standing with his parents.  Quickly she pulled the latch and opened the door wide.

RHODA:                    Hello, Sarah and Benjamin.  Hello, Samuel.  Come on in.  Everyone is gathered in the inner courtroom.

NARRATOR:             Benjamin and Sarah nodded without answering and moved off into the house.  But Samuel stayed behind.

SAMUEL:                  It’s Peter, isn’t it?

RHODA:                    Yes, Samuel.  He’s in prison.  Herod put him there for preaching about Jesus.

SAMUEL:                  What are they going to do to him?

RHODA:                    Well, I heard Father say that Herod has already announced the sentence.  Tomorrow morning they’re going to take him out of prison and kill him.

SAMUEL:                  They can’t do that!

RHODA:                    Yes, they can, Samuel.  The Romans run our country.  Remember what they did to Jesus?

SAMUEL:                  But there must be something we can do.

RHODA:                    All we can do is pray.  That’s why everyone has come here tonight.  We’re going to pray all night if we need to.  Only God can help Peter now.

NARRATOR:             As Rhoda and Samuel came into the inner court, they noticed that the Christians had divided into two groups.  The men were standing on the far side of the room with their eyes open and their hands lifted up toward heaven, pleading with God to save Peter from certain death.

                                    The women were seated in a tightly-knit group on the other side of the room, heads bowed and eyes closed, but just a fervently pleading for the life of the great apostle.  Samuel moved off to join the men, and Rhoda knelt on the floor next to her mother just as the older woman started to pray.

SARAH’S MOTHER:  Dear God, you know how much Peter has done for Christ since the resurrection.  So many people here in Jerusalem have come to know You because of his preaching.  And now, King Herod has put him in prison and says he is going to kill him.  Please, God, do not let them kill Peter.

NARRATOR:             While this prayer meeting was taking place in Rhoda’s home, Peter was sound asleep.  There were chains on his ankles and wrists.  There was a soldier standing next to him on the left and another soldier on his right.  The cell door was locked with a big padlock, and two more soldiers were standing outside on guard.  There was no way Peter could do anything else, so he decided to get some sleep.

                                    Suddenly, a bright light shone in his eyes.  He tried to cover them with his hand, but his hand was chained down.  So instead, he just turned his head away and tried to go back to sleep.  But whoever was shining the light in his face wouldn’t let him sleep.  They started touching him on his side and said, “Get up, Peter.  Arise up quickly.”

PETER:                       But I can’t!  I’m chained down to these soldiers.  And even if I could, there would be the cell door and the guards outside, and then there is a hug door at the entrance to the prison.  What do you mean, get up?

NARRATOR:             But whoever was shining the light kept patting him.  Finally he turned over and opened one eye.  There was an angel!  He was as bright as the sunlight, and was standing right in front of the soldiers.  Quickly, Peter sat up, and as he did the chains fell off his wrists.  Then he stood up, and as he did, the chains fell off his ankles.

                                    The angel motioned to him to follow, and the two of them walked right out of the cell through the door, which was now somehow open.  The two guards outside the cell were just like the two inside.  They stood there and looked right at the angel, but they acted like they weren’t seeing a thing.  No one even tried to stop them as Peter and the angel walked down the long hall toward the front gate.  As they came up to the iron gate, Peter stopped.  He didn’t see how they would ever get through that gate, but the angel just kept on walking.

                                    As he got right up to the gate, it swung back on its hinges and opened as if an invisible hand was moving it.  Peter knew he was dreaming then, but he followed the angel out through the gate and into the street.  Suddenly he realized that it wasn’t a dream at all.  The angel of the Lord had really come to rescue him from prison!  He turned to say thank you, but the street was empty.  The angel was gone!

                                    Peter was so excited about his rescue that he decided to go straight over to Rhoda’s house.  He had heard that the Christians were praying for him, and he wanted them to be the first to know that their prayers had been answered.  Rhoda was still with the others in the inner courtyard praying when the knock came on the door.

SFX:                            Three knocks.

NARRATOR:             Quickly Rhoda rose to her feet and ran to the door just as she had to let all the others in.  Her first thought was that someone was arriving very late for the prayer meeting.  And her second thought was one that sent cold chills up and down her spine…soldiers!  She peered through the crack, but it was dark outside and hard to see.

RHODA:                    Who’s there?

PETER:                       It’s me, Simon Peter.  Let me in, Rhoda.

NARRATOR:             Rhoda could not believe her ears.  But she would have known that voice anywhere.  It really was Simon Peter!  He was really out of prison and was standing at the door.  Their prayers had been answered!  Rhoda was so excited that she forgot to unlatch the door and let Peter in.  Instead, she raced back down the hall to the inner court, yelling as she ran.

RHODA:                    It happened!  Our prayers have been answered.  Peter is free!  He’s standing out front at the gate!

RHODA’S MOTHER:  You must be mistaken, Rhoda.

SAMUEL:                  She’s mad!

SARAH:                     That’s for sure!

BENJAMIN:              He can’t be free!

RHODA:                    But he is!  He’s at the door, I tell you!

BENJAMIN:              It can’t be Peter.

RHODA’S MOTHER:  It must be his angel.  Herod must have killed him early and now his angel has come.

RHODA:                    It’s really Peter.  Listen, he’s still knocking.

SFX:                            Knocking

SAMUEL:                  Well, why doesn’t someone let him in?

RHODA’S MOTHER:  That’s a good idea.  Rhoda, go let him in.  Then we will know if it’s really Peter.

NARRATOR:             So all the Christians crowded into the hallway while Rhoda undid the latch and opened the door.  Sure enough, there was Peter, waiting to come in.

RHODA’s MOTHER:  Simon Peter!  How did you get here?  We thought you were in prison.

PETER:                       I was.  If you’ll let me in, I’ll tell you all about it.

NARRATOR:             All the people moved aside and then followed Peter as he made his way back to the inner court.  When everyone was in and quiet, he told his story.

PETER:                       I was sleeping tonight between two soldiers when suddenly I was awakened by an angel.  I thought I was dreaming when he led me out of the cell and down the prison hallway.  And then the big iron gate opened up without anyone touching it, and before I knew it we were out on the street.  It was only then that I realized I was not dreaming.  God had sent His angel and had delivered me from the hand of Herod.  Won’t he be surprised when he comes to kill me tomorrow and finds that God has set me free?

RHODA’S MOTHER:  I guess we didn’t have much faith.  God rescued Peter from prison just like we asked Him to, and then we didn’t even believe it was Peter.  I think we ought to pray again, and this time thank God for answering our prayers.

NARRATOR:             And that is just what they did.