. all rights belong to Tanis Harms –
. refer to www.church-skits.com
JEREMIAH’S JOURNEY – written by Tanis Harms
TOPIC: obedience, God guides us
SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 1:1-52:34, Lamentations
Style: drama/mime to narrator: Jeremiah’s story
. is told while actors mime it out.
Cast: JEREMIAH
. PEOPLE OF ISRAEL
. 2 ELDERS (male)
. ENEMIES
Set & Props: 2 WHITE WAISTBANDS
. (one clean, one ragged & dirty),
. CLAY JAR
. (to break safely OR already broken
. but fits together so when brought out
. while holding it together, Jeremiah can
. “put it to the ground” so it falls apart)
. (if this isn’t possible to do safely,
. slip this part of the story)
. SWORDS
. 2 BASKETS
. (one with crumpled black paper,
. one filled with crumpled brown paper)
SCRIPT:
NARRATOR MIMED ACTION
Even before Jeremiah was born,
God had a very specific purpose
for his life. Jeremiah was At stage right (SR),
to be a prophet to the nations. JEREMIAH steps out and
And even though he was only stands straight,
a very young man when he began strong, and still.
serving God, God told him that
he should be strong, and not be
afraid. God would be with him
wherever he went, and God would
tell him exactly what to say.
Because the people in northern At stage left (SL),
Israel had turned away from God, PEOPLE step out and
and were doing evil things, God fold their arms in
sent Jeremiah to speak to them. defiance.
NARRATOR MIMED ACTION 2
“People of Israel, hear the word JEREMIAH walks to
of the LORD. Thus says the LORD, people, center stage
‘You have all sinned against Me!’ (CS), arms out.
but He will give you a chance Points up.
to confess your sins and turn Hands together,
back to God, because He is loving pleadingly.
and gracious. But if you Shake head.
do not obey God, the fierce anger Hand in fist,
of the LORD will be upon you. coming down.
And your enemies will fight Point at people.
against you and you will lose Bring hands down,
and be destroyed.’” flattening down.
The people did not care and PEOPLE scowl and
did not listen. turn backs to him.
Jeremiah then tried to argue JEREMIAH turns & walks
with God that these punishments to SR, arms pleading
were too harsh. So God told to God. Drops arms,
Jeremiah to try to find just listening.
one obedient person. Jeremiah JEREMIAH walks thru
searched and searched, but all the people.
could not find even one person PEOPLE turn backs as
who was obedient to God. he looks at them.
Jeremiah pleaded with the people JEREMIAH steps to
to wash their hearts from evil, CS with outstretched
so that they might be saved. arms and hands.
But the people did not respect People wave him off
the words of the prophet. with disgust.
Even after many warnings, PEOPLE turn backs
the people were stubborn away from JEREMIAH
and did not want to listen. and freeze.
Jeremiah was very sad, JEREMIAH goes to SR,
because now, God’s punishment head hanging in
would be even more severe, and sorrow, shaking head.
Jeremiah still struggled to
understand. God had to give Looks up.
Jeremiah a visual example.
God instructed Jeremiah to buy JEREMIAH exits,
a linen waistband and wear it then re-enters
around his waist. This waistband with white waistband
symbolized the people who were and holds it around
close to God’s heart. his waist.
NARRATOR MIMED ACTION 3
God then told Jeremiah to hide JEREMIAH looks up,
the waistband in the rocks. exits, then re-enters
This symbolized the people without waistband.
turning away from God. Paces while waiting.
After a few days, God told
Jeremiah to go back and get JEREMIAH exits,
the waistband. When he found re-enters with
the waistband, it was ruined ragged waistband
and was totally worthless. And holds it up.
This symbolized how the people
who had turned away from God JEREMIAH throws
had become worthless. waistband offstage.
Even though he was sad, Jeremiah JEREMIAH hangs head
knew better and honored God, down, then folds
saying “There is none like You, hands in prayer
O LORD; You are great, and and looks up.
great is Your name in might...”
God now sent Jeremiah to give JEREMIAH goes to CS.
yet another warning to the people, Slowly pounds a fist
letting them know just how cruel into his other hand
their enemies would be to them. a few times.
Now the people were angry, PEOPLE fold arms &/or
and even plotted against put hands on hips,
Jeremiah to destroy him. scowling at him.
God protected Jeremiah and JEREMIAH walks to SR
told him to not even pray for with arms hanging
these people, nor cry for them; limply at side,
for God would not listen to keeps back to people,
these people, even if they called then hangs head down.
to Him when they were in trouble.
Jeremiah was even more saddened, JEREMIAH looks up
and wondered why evil people and spreads out hands
were still allowed to prosper. in saddened wonder.
God answered Jeremiah, saying JEREMIAH looks up,
that the time would come when with arms hanging down
the people would be punished. again.
Their enemies would come soon.
NARRATOR MIMED ACTION 4
God had Jeremiah warn the people JEREMIAH goes to CS,
again to give glory to God, or slowly throwing arms
there would be darkness, out with the message.
and drought, and slavery. PEOPLE shake their
The people still did not listen. heads slowly.
Jeremiah felt like God had JEREMIAH rushes to SR
failed him, and regretted that & falls to knees,
he had ever been born. weeping into hands.
But Jeremiah also hoped that God Folds hands
would remember that he had always and looks up
been obedient to God. And he with pleading to God.
reminded God of the promises
that God had made to the people.
God let Jeremiah know that if JEREMIAH, still on
he remained obedient, he would his knees, puts head
be set free. But because of to the ground.
Jeremiah’s doubt, God told
Jeremiah that he could never
have a wife or children there.
Anyone born in that place JEREMIAH now covers
would die of deadly diseases. his head with
And Jeremiah was not to feel sad his hands and arms,
for anyone dying in that land, while shaking
and he was not allowed to join in his head in dismay.
any of the feasting, because
soon the people were going to be JEREMIAH looks up,
punished and go into slavery. Then stands.
God had Jeremiah assure JEREMIAH goes to CS,
the people that God would gently puts hands up
remember His promises to them, and out to people,
but that would not be fulfilled then shakes his head.
just yet. Right now, there would Puts fist into hand
be punishment because the people twice, slowly.
refused to listen and obey God.
The people accused Jeremiah to be PEOPLE point at
a false prophet. Jeremiah and freeze.
Jeremiah now asked God for help. JEREMIAH walks to SR
This time Jeremiah was to show with arms up to God.
the elders of the people Waves for ELDDERS to
a visual example. approach.
NARRATOR MIMED ACTION 5
God told Jeremiah to buy ELDERS move to CS,
a potter’s jar. This symbolized while JEREMIAH exits,
the people who God created. re-enters with jar.
When the potter is still making JEREMIAH approaches
something and there is a flaw, the elders.
he can start over and reshape
the clay. But if there is a flaw, Carefully holds up
and the clay is already hardened, the jar.
the potter has to break it.
This symbolized God’s people Carefully “breaks” it.
who hardened their hearts and
turned away from God and
had to be punished. They would ELDERS & PEOPLE pause
have to be broken. to watch and look.
Now the people laughed at PEOPLE point and laugh
Jeremiah and made fun of him, at Jeremiah.
because Jeremiah kept saying that ELDERS motion for
they were going to be punished, PEOPLE to grab & take
but nothing had happened yet. Jeremiah out SL.
The people took Jeremiah and ALL exit.
had him beaten and tortured.
Jeremiah was now angry at God, JEREMIAH enters from
but still Jeremiah continued SL, limping & holding
to obey, knowing that God was himself (injured).
still with him.
Jeremiah prayed and pleaded to JEREMIAH falls
God, “Please, now let me see to knees, arms raised
Your vengeance on them, because in frantic prayers.
my life has been unbearable.” Clasps hands together.
When the enemies came to attack, PEOPLE rush in from SL
the people rushed to Jeremiah to SR, arms pleading
to ask God to help them. to Jeremiah.
It was happening now. NOW they JEREMIAH slowly
were to experience the punishment turns to look at
that God had promised, because the pleading people.
they had refused to obey God.
“If only you would obey God, JEREMIAH, still on
everything would be okay, but you knees, shakes head,
chose death instead of life.” uses hand motions.
NARRATOR MIMED ACTION 6
The people had nowhere to hide. ENEMIES enter SL with
The city was destroyed, and swords. PEOPLE run
the people who were still alive around in circles.
after the attacks were taken ENEMIES grab PEOPLE
into slavery. and push them out SL.
One day they will be restored, (meanwhile, someone
as God has promised, but only pushes 2 baskets out
when they obey God. God showed from SR, beside J.)
Jeremiah two baskets and asked JEREMIAH stands and
Jeremiah what he saw. Studies baskets.
Jeremiah said, “I see two baskets.
One basket has very good figs, Motions to one basket,
and the other basket has very then the other basket
bad figs which cannot be eaten with the black paper.
because they are rotten.”
The bad figs symbolized the JEREMIAH looks up
people who refused to obey God. as he listens to God.
Those would be destroyed.
The good figs, which could be
used to plant crops of new figs,
symbolized the people who would Puts hands together
turn back to God. God would with hope.
protect and restore those people.
Jeremiah went with the people JEREMIAH slowly
into captivity and continued turns and walks
to serve God and speak to the across stage
people. Even though some people to SL and exits.
wanted to put Jeremiah to death,
even though Jeremiah suffered
opposition, and was beaten and
put into prison, Jeremiah still
served God faithfully for more
than 40 years, and always
continued to obey God.
The messages that Jeremiah kept
bringing to the people was:
a word of doom for those
who chose disobedience,
and a word of hope for anyone
who chose to obey God.