Rotation.org Writing Team

JESUS IN THE TEMPLE

DRAMA WORKSHOP

PASSAGE

Bible Story: Luke 2:41-52
Key/Memory Verse: Luke 2:52

OBJECTIVES FOR ROTATION

After completing this Rotation, participants will be able to:

• Locate the story in the Bible;
  
• Identify the book of Luke as a New Testament Gospel;
  
• Tell the story of Jesus in the temple as a young boy;
  
• Explore the ways this story shows us that Jesus is human as well as divine;
  
• Identify Jesus' priority to learn in the house of God and relate our need to do likewise;
  
• Realize that participation in a community of faith helps us to learn our identity as a child of God;
  
• Compare Mary and Joseph's search for Jesus to our own search for God's presence in our lives.
  

OBJECTIVES FOR DRAMA WORKSHOP

• The children will have a better understanding of Jesus as both divine and human by creating scripts of the thoughts of Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and those around them.
  
• The children will create a video to project in church.
  

PREPARATION

Materials List

• Camera, video
  
• Markers
  
• Newsprint
  
• Screen
  
• VCR
  
• VHS tape
  

Advance Preparation

Plan the scenes with action in the background and those with speaking lines close to the camera; it works best with 2-3 speakers in the scene.

On newsprint list the scenes, leaving space to write the script below the scene title. This will be the cue card when you are filming. There are excellent scene descriptions in the Photography Workshop.

Plan additional scenes especially for dialog.

If you have a small number of students it is better to do this workshop with everyone on the last Sunday after all have heard the story several times.

Suggested adult jobs: camera person (who knows how to run the camera), cue card holder/pointer, director for speakers, director for background action. You will have spent most of the class time creating the script so the filming must go smoothly.

PRESENTATION

Open -- Introduction

Have a student read the Bible story from Luke 2:41-52.

Discuss possible conversations for each scene and make notes on the newsprint.

Suggested Scenes and Conversations

Joseph, Mary and Jesus

Jesus you will be 13 this year, it is time for you go to Jerusalem for Passover.

It is a long trip; we will have to walk for 5 days each way.

Do you understand why we go to Jerusalem for Passover?

To help us remember that God saved us from slavery in Egypt.

May I go see if Benjamin gets to go with his parents?

Our little boy is growing up.

Joseph and Jesus

Father, where will we find a sheep?

For several years I have gotten a sheep from Eli. He has them near the gate in the wall.

What do we do with it until we take it to the temple?

That is your job son.

Jesus and Mary

Mother, where will we eat the Passover?

Your father asked the landlord where we celebrated last year to save it for us, I hope he
keeps his word.

Will my cousins from Capernaum eat with us?

Yes, we must have at least 12 people for even a small sheep.

Jesus and several friends

How many people will be there?

100,000

Last year when you went with your dad to the temple what happened?

Usually there is one division of priests but at Passover all 24 divisions are there because
there are so many animals to be sacrificed.

Did you get to watch?

No, they brought the meat to us with the head and legs still attached and wrapped in the
skin.

Jesus and Joseph

Father, have you seen them sacrifice the sheep?

No, but I know that they sprinkle the sheep’s blood on the altar.

May I go with you when you take the sheep to the temple?

Yes

Jesus and Mary

Mother, how will you cook the sheep?

We use a portable clay oven that we brought from home.

Jesus, Joseph, several men and boys (the boys are very impressed, looking up and around)

The temple is huge

What happens here?

How old is it?

What happens on regular days?

Jesus, a friend

When we were in the temple this afternoon I heard men talking about the scriptures, I’m going back tomorrow.

That doesn’t sound interesting, Daniel and I are going to the market.

Women

Have we gotten everything?

It was wonderful to come to celebrate and see friends.
5 days of walking to get home.

I’m anxious to get home and see the little ones, but I’m sure glad we didn’t bring them.

Men

We have time for another cup of tea.

The women walk slowly so we will catch up with them.

Everything was more expensive this year.

Mary and Joseph

Please tell Jesus supper is ready.

Jesus wasn’t with me, I thought he was with you.

(Turning to the crowd) Have you seen Jesus?

That boy, he knows that he should check in with us - ooo 12-year-old boys.

Now Joseph, you know that Jesus does not do bad things - it does irritate his brothers and sisters.

We will have to go find him - he is our responsibility.

Jesus, Mary, Joseph

We have been looking for you everywhere.

We were so worried, bad things can happen in the city.

Father and Mother, didn’t you know that I needed to talk to the teachers about my father’s business? There were so many teachers here.

I am very sorry that you were worried. May we go home now?

May I come next year and talk to the teachers again?

Dig – Main Content

Explain the filming process.

All actors will be in place.

The cue card will be clearly visible and the director will point to the correct scene.

The cameraperson will ask for “Quiet on the set.“

The operator will start the camera.

The director will use a hand signal that the scene should begin.

The camera operator will film the conversation.

The actors will continue to portray the scene.

The camera operator will turn off the camera.

The director will say, “That’s a wrap.”

Film the Bible story.

Reflect – Closure

Show the video to the participants.

CONTRIBUTOR: Carmen Peter