Surprise! Surprise!

Sermon:  Surprise Surprise  

Drama(torch and puppets needed) script to do

SURPRISE  SURPRISE~ A Drama for Advent

A drama for an Advent All Age Worship service, where some knowledge of the TV programme, Surprise, Surprise would be useful.

Puppets are needed of the characters mentioned below, either that OR actors can be dressed up.

JOLLY:

Hello and Welcome to Surprise Surprise. My name is Jolly Willoughby and it’s our final show of the series!

But don’t worry we have some incredible surprises lined up for some amazing people and they’re right here today in the audience!

(This first part in red is optional, this was sprung on our own vicar, but you may replace these words with a relevant surprise for your own vicar or other prominent person. Imagine they are a guest on the programme, 'Surprise! Surprise! What surprise might they appreciate?)

So let’s get on with my first surprise . .

I’m looking for someone who for years has been raising money for charity, punishing his body, year by year to take part in the Great North Run!

I’m looking for Roger Mills * and his wife Sarah, stand up both of you. Come and join me up here on the platform. Give them a clap everyone.

You’ve got no idea why you’re both here have you?

I’m told by everyone that Roger does a lot of work behind the scenes as a vicar to a splendid church in the North-East of England, (this church in fact) praying for people, visiting, planning services. I wonder if you realise just how much your people appreciate you Roger.

And Sarah, am I right in saying, this marathon business is not getting any easier for Roger, and still he keeps trying, trying to do his best does he not? And he has raised an enormous amount of money hasn’t he?

Roger we at Surprise Surprise think you deserve a helping hand with your endeavours, and we have someone well qualified to help you come first in next year’s marathon!

We have an expert waiting to meet you, one of your heroes,. they don’t come more qualified than Olympic Gold medallist. . .  Mo Farrah. . . . here he is ladies and gentlemen . .

(In comes Mo: one of our congregation dressed up to look like Mo, we have his double in our church)

Welcome to Surprise Surprise, Mo what an incredible year you’ve had! Here is the the proof, look at all those medals around his neck! A round of applause for Mo.

You are the best man to give him advice Mo, do you think that with training and a more positive mind set he could ACTUAULLY win the GNR in 2013? And when will that training begin? Tomorrow? Wow, do let us know how you get on.

Congratulations! (applause) (off they go)

Please welcome my next guests Elizabeth and Zechariah.

Now Elizabeth, let me tell everyone about you. You and your husband have been trying for years now to have a child, and at the ripe old age of &* you are happily expecting a special son. How are you feeling Zechariah? Oh sorry you can’t talk can you? But we know Elizabeth there’s been someone in your family you haven’t seen for sometime now and you’ve really missed her.?

Well she’s come all this way to be here with you today, and it seems she has great news too, but she doesn’t know your news yet Elizabeth, she has come to see if the information she received about you  is correct. Here she is, your cousin Mary from Nazareth. (applause)

Oh did I see you jump there Elizabeth, are you feeling OK?

Oh I see it wasn’t you, it was the baby in your womb jumping for joy at seeing Mary, the mother of the Lord! Isn’t that marvellous.? Isn’t that strange?

 Well let’s say goodbye to them, they have a lot to talk about!

Let’s meet our next guests Tom, Dick and Harry Shepherd,

It’s lovely to meet you all, where are you from and how do you know each other? You’re brothers and all shepherds on hills of Bethlehem!

Let me tell you all that these men have spent years tending sheep on the hills just beyond the city, but you Tom in particular have been doing this job for eighty years and you’re still going strong aren’t you? Day in day out, night shifts too, a real trooper!

Dick and Harry have already told me you absolutely love choirs, is that right, and your favourite song is Hallelujah! Well we have a surprise for you. We want to give you three tickets for a hillside concert in a few months time, by . . .  wait for it; the Heavenly Choir! And that’s not all. You will all go straight to the city of Bethlehem afterwards, and see the new Born King: Light of the World, let's call it ‘Son et Lumiere’ it's the one everyone has been waiting to see!

 Here they are now rehearsing for that performance       - Ladies and gentlemen, The Heavenly Choir!  *option here of giving our halos,  and inviting very little children to put them on here so they can sing a chorus of Twinkle Twinkle. (they all go off)

Now it’s time to spring some surprises on our studio audience and who better to guide us than Bobby Hamil. Are you all ready, our spotlight may be ready to fall on you!

 (Holly gets a torch out and shines it round and round on the congregation.)

 Bobby:

Yes Jolly, here we go. Start the music please. (spotlight falls on a middle aged couple, music stops)

Bunch up please. You go that way and I’ll go that way. (he squeezes in between the couple) What’s your name? Well even though you are gorgeous, it’s not you I’m here to speak to, It’s you Stanley.  We know your name because your partner Beccy told us all about you. She says you’ve been running an inn for many years now in the town, and that at certain times in the year you are run off your feet, but you are too kind hearted to turn anyone away. And with a Roman census coming up shortly, you could do with some extra help.

Well we can’t assist you with helpers , but we can give you a special sign to hang up over your inn, to show people the way. It’s an illuminated star and it will arrive at your inn soon! Are you pleased with that? You are? Then keep up the good work, and don’t forget to keep your eyes open for needy people looking for a place to stay.

I’ve time for one more. Start the music please?

Hello! Your name is John is it not, known by your friends as the Baptist? My you have grown up quickly from being a baby!

 You’ve been nominated for a surprise by your followers.

They say you’re not afraid to speak your mind; that you are bold and without fear, but you haven’t had much of a childhood, even as a teenager you had work to do; You’ve spent your life preparing a road for the King himself to walk on. They also tell me, that many people are confessing their sins and turning to God through you, and that they are being baptised into the kingdom of God. Isn’t that wonderful, ladies and gentlemen?

Well we have a special surprise for you, because we know you observe a rigid diet. Dry your eyes John.

Surprise Surprise! We have for you  . . . a year’s supply of locusts and a big jar of honey.

Is there anything you’d like to say to your followers. No? You feel too emotional? Well all the best and make sure you keep your head about you and don’t upset too many people.

Back to you Jolly Willoughby.

Now for our final surprise, one for EVERYONE here, (that caught your attention) and A surprise also for the whole world.

Everyone here will be involved, because the King ~ Jesus is coming soon. And he will be coming back to earth as judge.

For some it will be a case of ‘Shock Shock’ rather than ‘Surprise  Surprise’, for he will divide everyone up into two groups. To those on his right he’ll say Come into my Father’s kingdom, for you were generous with your charity donations so that I could have some food and drink. I was homeless and you set me up with somewhere to live, I was friendless and you opened your circle and let me in. I was flooded out and you invited me to a Christmas meal.

And they will reply?

Lord when did we find you like this?

And he will say, When you did something for the least of my brothers and sisters, you did it for me! And they will go off for their Surprise Surprise.

To those on his left he will say;

Away with you, you selfish people, for I was hungry and thirsty and all you talked about was dieting and getting drunk, I was freezing and homeless and you walked right on by, I was friendless and you said, ‘Get a life!’. I was flooded out and you just said “Oh dear” and switched TV channels.

And they will reply?

Lord when did we find you like this?

And he will say, When you did not do something for the least of my brothers and sisters, you did not do it for me! And they will go off for their Shock Shock!

 When He comes! When He comes who will make him welcome?

 Well that’s it for today’s show and for the series. Sorry to finish on a rather sombre note!

I hope you’ve enjoyed yourselves.

Thanks to those who’ve appeared on our show, and the biggest thanks of all goes to the amazing people who have truly deserved their surprises.

 If you want to find out more spend a ‘Mo’ with Roger at the door as you leave today, after this morning’s service.

Until next time,

Goodbye.

On 'Youtube' in PEARLS OF GREAT PRICE' find the youtube video of The Parable of the Sheep and Goats.

*Roger Mills is our vicar who takes part each year in the Great North Run. Insert here someone talented in your congregation so that they can identify with the script.