BACK REBUKE 4'1m3f Discipleship: rebuke of a backslider (scene: a courtroom or podium, all characters wear pajamas, robes, slippers) DAD -- (enters yawning, scratching self, crosses to podium, pounds gavel) This court will come to order. Bring in the prisoner. SIS -- (enters bound by chains, dragging more chains noisily) What's going on here, Daddy? Somebody bound me in chains! DAD -- When we're in court, the defendant will address me as "Your Honor". SIS -- Defendant?! I'm a defendant?! What did I do?! DAD -- Is the prosecutor ready to proceed? MOM -- (enters yawning) Yes, your honor. SIS -- Mother is a prosecutor?! She didn't even go to law school! DAD -- (pounds gavel) Silence in the court. Don't speak unless spoken to! SIS -- Okay, Daddy. DAD -- (pounds gavel) SIS -- Yes, Your Honor. DAD -- Has defense counsel had sufficient time to prepare her case? KID -- (enters yawning) We're ready to proceed, Your Honor. SIS -- She's my defense attorney? She's just a kid! What does she know about defending anybody?! DAD -- (pounds gavel) Silence in the court. Don't speak unless spoken to! SIS -- Yes, Your Honor. DAD -- Read the charges. SIS -- Yes, by all means, read the charges. What exactly is it that I was supposed to have done? DAD -- (pounds gavel) SIS -- Sorry. I'll be quiet. MOM -- (reads) The defendant is charged with an error of omission. The Bible says that anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it sins. The defendant is accused of remaining silent while her best friend became unequally yoked with an unbeliever. SIS -- How did YOU know about that? I never told anyone about that! DAD -- (pounds gavel) SIS -- Well, shouldn't my defense counsel object or something? KID -- Oh. I object. DAD -- On what grounds? KID -- I don't know. She just wanted me to object. SIS -- Oh, brother! If that's what I'm getting for a defense, I'm toast! DAD -- (pounds gavel) Your defense counsel was assigned by the court and is adequate for your defense. Would you like to appeal my ruling? SIS -- Well, no. But how did Mom know about my... well, you know. MOM -- It is a well known fact that mothers have eyes in the back of their heads. SIS -- Oh. DAD -- How does the defendant plead? SIS -- Guilty, I suppose. DAD -- Would the defendant like to elocute? KID -- What is elocute? Is that like passing gas? MOM -- It means that your sister gets to come clean about her sin of omission. KID -- Oh. Sure. My client would like to elocute. SIS -- I would not! What do you know about it, anyway! You're not even a lawyer! DAD -- (pounds gavel) Elocute, or you'll be cleaning your sisters bedroom every day for a month. SIS -- That's cruel and unusual punishment, Your Honor! DAD -- (pounds gavel) SIS -- Alright. I'll do it. I'll say what I did... or didn't do. I saw my friend Allysa hanging around a non-Christian boy and I didn't rebuke her for becoming unequally yoked. I didn't want to interfere, you know? She's my best friend. I thought she'd see that the guy was a creep and drop him like a hot potato. But she didn't. So, he got Allysa to try some things. KID -- What kind of things? SIS -- You're supposed to be defending me, not prying into the personal life of my friend! DAD -- (pounds gavel) SIS -- I'm sorry. Suffice it to say, the creep... I mean the non-Christian boy got her to try things that Christians wouldn't be proud of. But I still didn't say anything. I was too embarrassed. I didn't know what to say. But she's getting in deeper. And she's my best friend. I've got to tell her! KID -- Your Honor, my client would like to enter into a plea bargain. DAD -- Counselor? MOM -- What did defense counsel have in mind? KID -- If the defendant will do her Christian duty and confront the perpetrator with her offenses, I propose that all charges against my client be dropped. DAD -- Counselor? MOM -- We have a bargain. KID -- Good! Let's adjourn the court and go back to sleep. It's almost time for the alarm to go off. DAD -- This court is adjourned. (pounds gavel) MOM & DAD -- (exiting) Good night, kids. SIS -- You mean, I'm still asleep? I'm dreaming all of this? KID -- (exiting) Sometimes you need a little help with the tough decisions. SIS -- (follows) I'm sure glad it was a dream. Cleaning your room would be a nightmare. ©2008 Bob Snook. Conditions for use: Do not sell any part of this script, even if you rewrite it. Pay no royalties, even if you make money from performances. You may reproduce and distribute this script freely, but all copies must contain this copyright statement. http://www.bobsnook.org email: bob@bobsnook.org BACK |