Character Needed - Bible Sketches 29

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

  

JAIRUS’ DAUGHTER

Proverbs 15:29

Luke 8:40-56

Character Trait: Trust

Cast of Characters

                        Narrator

                        Daughter

                        Mother

                        Jairus

                        Servant

                        Jesus

NARRATOR:             Jairus was a very important man in his city in Israel.  He was one of the rulers of the synagogue.  Several times in that past year men had come to his synagogue with stories about a new prophet called Jesus of Nazareth.  Some of them had seen Him perform miracles and they thought He was really from God.  Others had heard Him talk about religious leaders who only claimed to serve God and they didn’t like Jesus at all.  They knew God had promised to send the Messiah, but they didn’t think this was the one.  Jairus and his wife had an only child, a twelve-year-old girl.  She was a beautiful girl who loved to help her mother around the house and sit in the corner while her father and his guests discussed the law of Moses.   One day she had just come from the village well with a jar of water when she felt dizzy and had to set the water down outside the door.    

         

DAUGHTER:             Mother, I don’t think I can carry the water jug any further.

MOTHER:                  You had better lie down in the cool shade for awhile.  The sun is pretty hot today.

NARRATOR:             So the girl laid down, and mother went about her task of preparing the evening meal.  By the time Jairus came home from the synagogue, the girl was running a fever and couldn’t eat at all.  After supper she was even worse.

MOTHER:                  What are we going to do?

JAIRUS:                     I’m not sure there is anything we can do.  It has come on so suddenly.  It must be that dreaded fever of which so many children have already died.

MOTHER:                  Do you really think she is going to die?

JAIRUS:                     Unless a miracle happens.  The doctors have found nothing that will cure this fever.

MOTHER:                  A miracle?  What about Jesus of Nazareth.  Do you think…?

JAIRUS:                     I’ll try.  I’ve heard that He is preaching not far from here.  Maybe He can heal our daughter.

NARRATOR:             So Jairus set off to find Jesus.  There was a great crowd around Him when the ruler of the synagogue came near.  Jairus saw many of his friends, some of whom thought Jesus was a fake.  But that didn’t stop him from throwing himself down at Jesus’ feet.

JAIRUS:                     Jesus!  My little daughter is dying.  Won’t you please come and lay your hands on her so she can be healed?  She has a terrible fever and I don’t want  her to die.  Please, Jesus.  Come back to my  house with me.

NARRATOR:             How pleased Jairus was when Jesus immediately turned and began to follow him.  But they hadn’t gone far before there was an interruption.  A woman crept up through the crowd and touched the hem of Jesus’ robe.  Jesus stopped and looked for her, and had her explain how simply touching his robe had healed her of a terrible disease.  It was exciting, but Jairus was anxious.  If they didn’t hurry, his daughter would die.  While Jesus was still talking to the woman, Jairus saw one of his servants coming through the crowd.

SERVANT:                Don’t bother Jesus any longer, master.  Your daughter is dead.

JAIRUS:                     Are you sure?

SERVANT:                Yes, master.  She died soon after you left, and I have come to tell you not to bother Jesus.

NARRATOR:             Jairus turned to leave.  It was too late.  But Jesus had heard the servant, and reaching out a hand, He laid in on Jairus’ shoulder. 

JESUS:                        Be not afraid.  Only believe.

NARRATOR:             Then Jesus chose three of His disciples and left the rest behind so they could travel faster.  They four of them followed Jairus to his house where neighbor ladies were already gathering to weep and mourn over the body.

JESUS:                        Why are you weeping?  The damsel is not dead.  She is only sleeping.

MOTHER:                  Oh no, master.  You have heard wrong.  She is really dead.

NARRATOR:             All of the neighbors laughed at Him.  But that didn’t bother Jesus at all.  He followed Jairus into the house and asked to see the little girl.  He walked straight up to her cot where she lay as white as the sheet that covered her and took her hand.  Then, just as if she had been sleeping, he lifted her up by the hand.

JESUS:                        Damsel.  I say unto thee, arise.

DAUGHTER:             Mother.  I guess I’ve been asleep.  Is supper ready?  I’m hungry.  Oh, hello there.  I know you.  You must be Jesus.

NARRATOR:             And that was the way Jairus’ daughter met Jesus.  Everyone in the room was surprised and so were the neighbors when she came out to eat supper.  But for Jairus it settled his question.  Jesus was truly the Son of God, the promised Messiah.  Only God could have the power needed to raise the dead.