An Uplifting Easter Pageant by Rev Scott Elliott
This Play is the copyright of the Author and must NOT be Performed without the Author's PRIOR consent
SCENE ONE
PASTOR: The Gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke and John each tell the Easter story a little different. This morning we thought we would focus just on John’s narration of what happened after Jesus was captured and killed by the Roman authorities, wrapped up and buried in a tomb.
Mary enters and approaches the tomb
Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went early, while it was still dark, to the tomb, and saw the stone taken away from the tomb. (Mary runs down the center aisle.) Therefore she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them . . .
Mary runs into Peter and a disciple half way down an aisle in the CONGREGATION.
MARY: They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have laid him!
During the next lines Peter and the disciple run to the tomb. Mary slowly follows and sits on the apron stage right watching & waiting. Thomas runs ahead of Peter and looks into the tomb
PASTOR: Therefore Peter and the other disciple went out, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran together. The other disciple outran Peter, and came to the tomb first. Stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths lying, yet he didn’t enter in.
During the following Peter goes into the tomb and comes out holding the cloth with a stunned look of disbelief on his face.
PASTOR: Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying, and the cloth that had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself.
During the following Thomas goes into the tomb and comes out also with a look of disbelief on his face. Peter drops the cloth.
PASTOR: So then the other disciple who came first to the tomb also entered in, and he saw and believed. For as yet they didn’t know the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. So the disciples went away again to their own homes.
Peter and Thomas run out the aisle them came in on. Mary gets up to look in the tomb again. She picks up the cloth that Peter dropped. She mimes seeing the angels as the PASTOR indicates she see and hears them.
PASTOR: But Mary was standing outside at the tomb weeping. So as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb, and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. They asked her . . .
ANGELS: (offstage voices) Woman, why are you weeping?
MARY: Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have laid him.
PASTOR: When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, and didn’t know that it was Jesus. She supposed him to be the gardener.
JESUS: Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?
MARY: Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.
JESUS: Mary!
MARY: Rabbi!
JESUS: Don’t hold me, for I haven’t yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers and tell them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. (Jesus backs off stage as Mary exits)
MARY: (exits exclaiming with great astonishment and joy ) I have seen the Lord!
PASTOR: Mary Magdalene came told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and what he had said to her.
[End of Extract]