YOU BE THE JUDGE sample text

PURPOSE: Young people need to understand that our Christian faith is not a fairy tale belief. Our God is not only the God of majesty, but also the God of history. Too often, Christians are stereotyped or portrayed as naïve and unintelligent. Ironically, Christianity is a religion of historical record, undeniable truth and common sense. Although we must follow Jesus with our hearts, we need not leave our minds behind. Christ has given us a strong foundation of indisputable facts to satisfy our minds of that which our heart tells us is true.

THEME: Could the Resurrection of Jesus be upheld in a modern day court of law?

CAST: MITCH ALLEN, teen-age boy/defense attorney

JASON JOHNSON, teen-age boy/judge

EDDIE COOK, teen-age boy/prosecuting attorney

MICHELLE, teen-age girl

TRACY, teen-age girl

BAILIFF

MARCUS, Roman soldier

ANNAS, Jewish high priest

COURT ROOM AUDIENCE (quantity optional)

Sample – stage direction

STAGE AND SETTINGS: The play is written in such a manner that it does not require a stage with a curtain. It can be performed in a gym, cafeteria or even a sanctuary. The stage area itself is divided into three parts: right, center and left stage. The play moves across the stage twice from right to left. The settings for each of the six scenes are given in detail at the beginning of each act. The use of lightweight background panels made of plywood or cardboard, which can be painted are recommended. They not only serve as props, they may also be used as entrance and exit routes

SCENE: Mitch, Jason, Michelle and Tracy are “hanging out” on and around a park bench. The girls are looking at a magazine together. Mitch is bouncing a tennis ball and catching it in his baseball glove while talking to Jason.

Sample – teens are discussing going to the ballgame instead of Easter service

EDDIE: These are great seats, too. First baseline, six rows up.

TRACY: (Sarcastically): What about us, Eddie?

EDDIE: Right, I can hear it now.
(Raises voice to imitate the girls. Animated)
“Number 17 is sooo cute. Do you think he can see me?”

(Tracy throws magazine at Eddie.)

EDDIE: What do ya say, Mitch. Can you go?

MITCH: I don’t think so, Eddie. Tomorrow is Easter Sunday.

Sample – One of the teens is skeptical

JASON: (Sincere and inquiring): What is so special about Easter Sunday, anyway? I remember my parents used to make me go to church on Easter when I was real little.

MITCH: (Turning to Jason): It’s the day we celebrate Jesus’ Resurrection from the dead.

EDDIE: Come on Mitch, you don’t really believe someone can come back from the dead, do you?

MITCH: I believe Jesus did.

EDDIE: You probably believe in the Easter bunny and the tooth fairy, too.

Sample – Hearing voices as he drifts off to sleep

EDDIE: You probably believe in the Easter bunny and the tooth fairy, too.

MITCH: It’s not so hard to believe if you know the facts.

(Chorus from the song from Act 1, Scene 1)

(Chorus from the song from Act 1, Scene 2)

EDDIE: You don’t really believe someone can come back from the dead, do you?

MITCH: I believe Jesus did.

(Chorus from song from Act 1, Scene 3)

MITCH: If it were a legal battle, the Resurrection could be upheld in a court of law.

(Chorus from the song from Act 1, Scene 2)

(Jason begins to mumble as he drifts off to sleep.)

JASON: Court of law . . . Resurrection . . . court of . . . Res

(As Jason slips off to sleep, he begins to dream, and the lights fade out. As the lights fade out, the next scene begins as we enter Jason’s dream.)

Sample – In his dream, the court drama takes place

PROSECUTOR/EDDIE: Your Honor, it is my intention to prove that this person they call Jesus did not raise Himself from the dead. I will prove to this court that the disappearance of His body was the result of one of the following circumstances. (He begins to pace back and forth in front of the Judge’s bench.)
One (Holds up one finger),Jesus did not die on the cross, but rather simply went unconscious; or two (Holds up two fingers), His body was taken, stolen out of the tomb by Jesus’ disciples. (Slight pause) The notion that a man could have brought himself from death to life is just not reasonable.

(Eddie returns to his chair and sits down.)

JUDGE: Mr. Mitchell Alan.

(Mitch stands up at his table.)

DEFENSE/MITCH: Thank you, Your Honor. (Pause) Your Honor, this . . .
notion . . . as it was called by Mr. Cook, is not only reasonable, it is virtually indisputable when a little bit of common sense is applied to the undeniable facts. I will prove to this court that Jesus did indeed live, was crucified,
(Prosecutor jumps up from his seat.)

PROSECUTOR: I OBJECT!!!!!
(Defense turns around to face Prosecutor.)
Your Honor, the fact that Jesus lived and was crucified should not be used to lend credibility to the claim that He raised Himself from the dead. I do not argue the point that He lived and was crucified. That is a recorded historical fact. Could we please get to the more irrational issue of His so-called Resurrection? For goodness sake, even I believe He lived.

Sample – Other witnesses are brought in

DEFENSE: There must be some way you made sure?

MARCUS: Yes sir, I thrust a spear into His side.

DEFENSE: Through His side and into His heart. Correct?

MARCUS: Yes sir, those were my orders.

DEFENSE: If I understand your testimony correctly, Jesus was beaten and tortured almost to the point of death and nailed to the cross. Then after seeing Him hang on the cross and suffocate, you and your fellow soldiers were so sure He was dead you chose not to break His legs. In addition to that, you thrust a spear into His side just to be sure. And you say it’s possible He was merely unconscious? (Pause, look of disbelief)
Even more absurd than the hypothesis that He didn’t die, is the theory that after thirty-six hours in a cold, damp tomb with no medical attention and no liquids, Jesus would have regained the necessary strength and energy to unwind Himself from one hundred pounds of grave clothes and spice, roll away the stone which blocked the entrance to the tomb, fight off the Roman guards stationed at the tomb, and then run away on feet which had nails driven through them thirty-six hours earlier. (Pause) Let me ask you the same question Mr. Cook did just a few minutes ago. Do you really think it was possible Jesus merely “passed out,” was put in a tomb, and was well again a day and a half later?

MARCUS: No, sir. I don’t think it was possible.

(Defense Attorney turns and goes back to his table.)

DEFENSE: No further questions.

JUDGE: Marcus, you may take your seat.
(Marcus returns to his seat.)
Mr. Cook, your next witness.

PROSECUTOR: Your Honor, I would like to call Annas to the stand.

(Annas, the Jewish high priest, takes the stand.)

PROSECUTOR: Please tell the court your name and your position.

ANNAS: I am Annas, a Jewish high priest.

PROSECUTOR: A well respected man in the religious community?

(Annas nods his head.)

PROSECUTOR: Are you familiar with the circumstances of Jesus’ Crucifixion, and the claim that He was resurrected?

Sample – Other arguments are brought out.

DEFENSE: You said that Pilate dispatched an entire Roman guard to stand watch at the tomb. Correct?

ANNAS: Yes.

DEFENSE: How many soldiers are in a Roman guard?

ANNAS: Between ten and thirty.

DEFENSE: And what is the punishment for a Roman soldier who falls asleep while on watch?

ANNAS: (Quietly): Death.

DEFENSE: I did not hear you, sir.

ANNAS: Death. He would be put to death.

DEFENSE: So you’re asking us to believe that between ten and thirty experienced Roman soldiers all risked being put to death by coincidentally falling asleep at the same time?

ANNAS: Well . . . I . . . Uh . . . Sir, they came and told us what happened. They said they fell asleep, and the disciples came and stole the body.

Sample – conclusion

JUDGE: Considering the overwhelming evidence in His favor, the only intelligent conclusion is that Jesus is indeed the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. The tomb holds no mystery. It is quite simply the fulfillment of prophecy, proof of the Resurrection and the hope of a world in need of a Saviour. Jesus did indeed raise Himself from the dead.

Songs are interspersed throughout the drama. The songs are chosen at your discretion

Peace and Joy

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