Cheap Seats

Cheap Seats

Cast:  Two people, any age or gender.

Set:  Two people (friends) sitting.  Each has a Bible and has been reading.  Drama proceeds in animated dialogue only. Christian tee shirts to signal that both are believers. Script can be hidden in Bibles if needed.  Vocal inflection and a few natural hand gestures where appropriate show each is interested in the other’s reply.

[Looking up from his Bible.]  Hey, I know why Jesus called Peter “The Rock.”

Why?

Because he sinks like a rock.

What?

I’m reading this part in Matthew’s gospel where Jesus is walking out to the boat.

Oh, yeah, that’s some cool stuff.  Walking on water.

Well, unless you are Peter.

What?

Then you take a few steps and start to sink.

He started to sink because he focused on the storm instead of walking to his Master.

But still, what a knucklehead.

Beats sitting in the cheap seats.

Cheap seats?  What are you talking about?  This wasn’t a baseball game.

Could have been.  There were lots of spectators.

What?

While Peter took only a few steps on top of the water before his human nature kicked in and he started thinking about how big the storm was instead of what Jesus called him to do, there were 11 other men who were just watching.

What?

Do you remember the part where James and John tried to walk on water?

No.

That’s because it’s not in the Bible.

Why?

Because they didn’t get out of the boat and even try to walk to Jesus.

Oh.

Do you remember Nautical Nathanael?  That’s quite a nickname for someone who walked on water.

I missed that.  Where is that in the Bible?

Oh it’s not.  If Nathanael were to get a nickname it might have been Boatbound Bartholomew.

What?

Nathanael, sometimes called Bartholomew, never got out of the boat either.

Wow!  Peter may have almost drowned, but at least he wasn’t just a spectator.

So maybe, we cut him a little slack.  He heard Jesus call him.  He wanted to go to him and he took a few steps on top of the water.

I hope you cut me some slack.

What for?

I’m worse than a spectator.  I’m an armchair quarterback.

Sure, I’ll cut you some slack.  We are called to encourage each other, not sit in the cheap seats and point fingers at each other.

You know what I think?

What?

If you are trying to walk on water or whatever else Jesus has called you to do, you don’t have time to be pointing fingers at how everyone else isn’t quite perfect.

That’s some real water-walking insight there.

It’s time I got out of the boat—the cheap seats—and took some steps of faith myself.

[Both walk off together singing.]

I have decided to follow Jesus.

No turning back.

No turning back.

The end.