Christian Drama: The Command to Love 2

NIGERIAN CHRISTIAN CORPERS' FELLOWSHIP (NCCF) Ebonyi State Chapter

Epistle Unit Drama Night Ministration

21st September, 2023

Title:

 

Text: John 15: 16-17, Leviticus 19:17-18)

CAST

Rich man: Bro Olorunobinu (GMD)

The Son (Prince): Bro Opeyemi (G- Brother's Prayo)

Policeman 1: Bro Matthew (G-Firstborn)

Policeman 2: Bro Foloki (G-Middle)

Policeman 3: Sis. Biola (G-Bobo)

Okon: Bro Adedayo (G-Elder)

Other Prisoners: Sis. Mariam (Sola) Sis. Juliana, Sis Chidinma, Prince Oyakhilome (Banjo), Sis Chioma, Bro Ebiye

CREW

Curtains: Bro Victor, Ayotola Oluseye Olugbenga

Sound & Excerpt Writing: Olutoto Joel Oluwafayokunmi

Lighting: Odunayo Ayomide

Videography: David Ibimodi

Stage Manager: Ogar Praise Offa

Costume: Akande Rachael and Adeleye Mercy

Makeup: Akande Rachael and Chioma Glory

Directors: Adekunle Samuel Oluwakorede and Mudasiru Eniola Ruth

Scene 1

Scene opens with a rich man and his son conversing on the stage.

Son: My father, I must commend your great wisdom and strength. Every day, I see the work of your hands and I'm in awe of your mighty doings. However, I'm surprised that you would call for my help. Of what importance am I to you? I'm searching my heart to know why you sent for me, but I cannot find anything my father. What exactly can I do for you my father? Why have you called me?

Rich man: My son, it's true I have everything. All that you see around me are the works of my hands. It's not pride. It's simply the visible hard work of my hands borne out of a deep labour of love for you and your siblings. But, I strongly need your help. This is why you didn't choose me. I'm the one who chose you and carried you right in my loins, long before you were born. I did not only choose you - I also appointed you so that you can bear fruits and increase my yield.

My son, I chose you to bring more yield. I'm asking for your help to increase the harvest. I need your help to fill the barns and load up the store houses. 

You see the beautiful things you see around here? I want you to multiply them. I want you to increase them. You will carry out this duty with your siblings but while you are at it, there's one simple instruction…

Son: What's the instruction, father?

Rich Man: Like I said, it's a simple instruction. A simple commandment to Love one another. You will need to love the poor and the rich, the sick and the healthy, the high and lowly, the wicked, rude, arrogant and the humble… Think of it. You will love every man and woman out there regardless of who they are, what they do, what they have done or whatever. You must Love them all

 

Son: Father. This is an easy thing to do. I simply need to love them right? Ordinary love abi?

Rich Man: Let me warn you that it looks easy to love, but by your strength, you cannot truly love. Love is difficult, draining and sacrificial. You cannot love others if you don't know the one who is Love himself. 1st John 4:16 says "God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him." If you abide in me and move with my presence, it will be truly be easy to love. 

You may now go on with this command to love, my son.

Son: Thank you very much my father.

(Curtain closes)

Scene 2

(The scene opens with a loud siren cry and gunshots. Different people run across the stage seeking safety. Some police men come into the stage to arrest a young man, Okon.)

Policeman 1: Where are those criminals? They commit sins against the Lord's government and we must take them as lawful captives. See them - drunkards, rapists, prostitutes, fornicators…

Policeman 2: They cannot hide. No matter how much they run, we are taking them all. One by one till hell is populated.

(Another criminal, Okon, runs past them while they're talking)

Policeman 1: Heeeei! Kai! Stop there! See that criminal running! Catch am! Catch am! No let am run oh! Catch am! (They run towards Okon, chasing him out of the stage as the curtain closes)

Scene 3

(The arrested criminal, Okon is seen in a prison. The Son comes to visit and they converse)

Son: Hello

Policeman 3: Hello Young man. How may I help you?

Son: I've come to see my friend. I learnt he is in your custody

Policeman 3: What's your name and who are you looking for?

Son: I'm Prince. My friend's name is Okon.

(Policeman walks him to meet his friend, Okon)

Son (Prince): My friend! How did this happen to you? How?

Okon: My friend, I have not confessed this to you before now, but I was greatly involved in evil. I'm telling this to you because I know you have the connection to bring me out of this place. I've done so much evil that I know I deserve to die by your hands but please have mercy on me…. Remember the robbery on TV in the last two months? That was my 21st robbery attack this year. Also, I was the one who kidnapped your Fiancee and her sister six months ago. I requested for the ransom of 50 Million Naira and still, my gang raped them before their release…

(He continues to mention other crimes)

(meanwhile, the Son - Prince reacts bitterly and cuts in random surprise statements like Ah! Yeeeeh!…)

Son (Prince): (Reacts bitterly) Hmmm. My friend, left to me, I am deeply hurt by your actions. Because I am human, I feel like taking up a knife and cutting through tor throat. But I wouldn't do that. I wouldn't… But I will come back for you… I will come for you!

(He storms out of the prison with his friend the criminal crying and asking him for help…)

Scene 4

(Stage opens to show a brother and sister planning to kill their friend…)

Sola: Segun is a good guy oh. And I love him. But this thing you said he did ehn… I just can't believe it

Banjo: You see. That's why I need your help. Just put a little portion of this powder in his food ehn and that's all. 

Sola: Hope it won't do him harm? Are you sure about this thing you're saying, Banjo?Segun really loves me and I don't want to do anything to hurt him…

Banjo: Ooooh. See, nothing will happen oh. I'm very serious. Just call me when you're done and I'd come to pick you up…

Scene 5

(The Son is seen in the cell - the same position of his criminal friend, Okon. His friend is brought in as a new prisoner again)

Policeman 1: (roughly handling the criminal) Get inside jare. You criminal. The first time you came into this cell, you found a Good Samaritan who out of love decided to take up your jail term and released you instead. That innocent man is still serving your jail term. But look at you! You went out again and didn't learn your lesson. 

Now that you're back, I know you still wouldn't learn. If that man could sacrifice his freedom to serve your jail term, I don't know why you can't be reasonable enough.

(The criminal goes to sit in one corner of the cell and looks at his other cell mates. He suddenly realizes that The Son was in the prison with him)

Okon: (walks over to meet his friend) My friend! You're here? How come? How did you get here? (He continues to ask as Policeman 3 walks in with the Rich man)

Police man 3: (clapping into the cell) Hello everyone. Gather up. There's a visitor… (looks to the Rich man) Sir, that's your son. You have only ten minutes (she walks out)

Richman: My son. How are you doing today?

Son (Prince): My father, I'm fine. I only wish that this cup would pass over me. I've tried my best to love these people unconditionally and wholeheartedly. Each time, these people strike me despite my love for them.

Rich man: My son. That's just the issue. Loving people is a a difficult task. A very difficult one. But when you successfully overlook their actions and love them wholeheartedly, that is when you have won. That is when you have duly obeyed the command.

(He turns to Okon, the prisoner)

You! You did so much evil to my son and despite the love he has for you as a friend, you could still go that far! You're like the many believers who do so much evil and yet, God still loves them unconditionally. If my some had not obeyed my commandment to love, you would have been wasted. Because he loved you, he gave you the first chance and replaced you in jail - he went to prison so you can be free, but you went ahead into the same sins that you were delivered from…

(The other prisoners begin to shake head in pity at Okon)

Prisoner 1: Shane on you. How will someone love you this much to take your place in the prison, yet you go against him?

Prisoner 2: Imagine oh. Such wickedness

(Other prisoners join in the talk against Okon)

Rich Man: (shouting loud) Enough! Let him that is without sin first cast a stone. All of you have at one point in time or the other turned your back on the one true God who is love. You have hated one another and taken away the culture of love. You have gone against the command to love.

Begin to ask for mercy and pray that God gives you the heart to love…. (The prisoners begin to cry and ask for mercy as curtains close…)

John 15:16-17 says You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17. This is my command: Love each other.

John 15:12 - This is my commandment; that ye love one another as I have loved you