He's Everything To Me
© 1994 Bruce Warr
All rights reserved
Introduction
The time is the week-end after the crucifixion and the place is Jerusalem. The followers of Jesus are confused and bewildered. None of them were expecting the events that happened the past few days. Their dispair is evident in the opening song. To comfort themselves, they begin to reminisce about things they had either witnessed or heard concerning Jesus. These reminiscences culminate with the electrifying news that Jesus had risen from the tomb.
The participants in this musical are four narrators who are also soloists, a back-up group or choir, and accompanists. Since the locale is supposed to be a private home, the choir should be casually arranged to give the feeling of a social setting. (If desired, a more traditional setting of a single, non-singing narrator with an arranged choir may be used.)
Narrator #1 comes on stage and begins monologue. Choir and remaining narrators wander on stage in small groups during monologue. If possible, choir should be casually arranged. All should be in place by opening number.
Narrator #1: I am a follower of Jesus, who is the Christ. This is the story about that first Easter in Jerusalem so long ago.
Israel had been occupied by Rome for many years. The Jewish people yearned for the day when they would be free from the Roman yoke. Some, called Zealots, even carried out guerrilla warfare against the Roman forces. Most, however, were waiting for the coming of the Messiah, the Anointed of the Lord, who would drive out the Romans and restore the throne of his father, David.
Now and then there would be rumors that this person, or that, was the Messiah. When I was young there were two who drew great interest--John, called the Baptist, and Jesus, the Nazarene. When Herod beheaded John, many of his followers began following Jesus. I was one of them.
The more I heard Jesus speak, the more I was convinced that he was indeed the Messiah, but not the Messiah that many expected. Rather than a political leader and warrior, he was instead the High Priest. His kingdom was spiritual, not physical. Many did not comprehend this. Even some of the twelve were still expecting him to establish an earthly kingdom.
By the time of his arrival in Jerusalem many people were hailing him as the King of Israel. They were certain that it would not be long before he challenged Rome. What better time to do this than during the Passover--the celebration of Israel's release from Egyptian bondage.
It was not to be. After the Passover seder one of the twelve, Judas Iscariot, betrayed him to the Sanhedrin. When they took him away we fled in confusion. By the following morning those who had expected him to call forth the power of God against his captors were bitterly disappointed. When he was presented by Pilate, he looked more like a scapegoat than a triumphant king. The crowd that cheered him a week earlier now shouted for his blood.
He was crucified on Calvary Friday morning and placed in the tomb of one of his followers. The Sanhedrin sealed the tomb and the Romans posted guards by it.
We were devastated. Our hopes and dreams died with him on that cross. All this seemed to have been for nothing.
CRUCIFIXION BLUES
1. The peo-ple were all suff'r-ing un-der Ro-man tyr-an-ny. And look-ing for the Mes-si-ah to set them free. We thought he was the one who would bring us vic-to-ry. But now they've gone and nailed him to a tree! Have-n't you heard the news? I've got those Fri-day morn-ing cru-ci-fix-ion blues! Oh yes.
2. He said he'd nev-er leave us, that where-e-ver two or three were ga-ther'd to-get-her in his name, there he would be. He said that we'd be with him in his fa-ther's home, but now he's gone and left us all a-lone. Have-n't you heard the news? I've got those Fri-day morn-ing cru-ci-fix-ion blues! Oh yes.
(Instrumental break)
3. He said he was our shep-herd, that he would be the door, and that he would pro-tect us for-ev-er-more. But now we all are scat-tered, lost and gone a-stray with no one here to guide us on the way. Have-n't you heard the news? I've got those Fri-day morn-ing cru-ci-fix-ion blues! Oh yes.
Narrator #2: We tried to console each other by relating our own memories about Jesus. I am from Bethlehem and my mother was a servant at the inn there. When Jesus' parents came to Bethlehem for the census they had to stay in the stable cave because there was no room at the inn. When Mary's time came, the owner had my mother attend her. She has often told me the story of his birth.
ALL ON A CHRISTMAS MORNING
1. Christ is born in Beth-le-hem town, all on a Christ-mas morn-ing. In a man-ger he is laid down, all on a Christ-mas morn-ing. In a cave with-out a hearth ox and lamb be-hold the birth of the sav-ior come to earth, all on a Christ-mas morn-ing.
2. Shep-herds in the fields near-by, all on a Christ-mas morn-ing. Watch as an-gels fill the sky, all on a Christ-mas morn-ing. Hov'r-ing there on gold-en wing as in one ac-cord they sing al-le-lu-ia to the king, all on a Christ-mas morn-ing.
3. In the East the wise men three, all on a Christ-mas morn-ing, See the star of na-tiv-i-ty, all on a Christ-mas morn-ing. Come they now with no pre-tense, bear-ing gifts of great ex-pense: gold and myrrh and frank-in-cense, all on a Christ-mas morn-ing.
(In verse 4 the low voices are 2 measures behind the high voices.)
4. E-ven so must you and I, all on a Christ-mas morn-ing, Come be-fore the de-i-ty nigh, all on a Christ-mas morn-ing. Un-to him our gifts we bring, as with an-gels now we sing, al-le-lu-ia to our king, all on a Christ-mas morn-ing.
Narrator #3: I am also from Bethlehem. The night of Jesus' birth my uncle Eli was tending his sheep in the fields with some neighbors. An angel appeared to them and told them about the holy birth. It is not surprising that the announcement was made to shepherds. Jesus often compared himself to a shepherd and even David compared God to one in Psalm 23.
THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD (from Psalm 23)
1. The Lord is my shep-herd and I am his sheep. He lead-eth me be-side the still wa-ters deep. In his house for-ev-er my soul he will keep. The Lord is my shep-herd and I am his sheep.
2. The ar-row by day or the ter-ror at night They do not a-fear me 'cause he is my might. He lead-eth me on-to the path-way of right and al-ways will guide me with his ho-ly light.
3. E'en though I walk through the val-ley so low. His staff gives me com-fort wher-ev-er I go. He set-teth a ta-ble in front of my foe. With good-ness and mer-cy my cup o-ver-flow.
4. (Repeat 1st verse)
Narrator #3: The shepherds went to the cave where the Christ-child lay and worshipped him. Afterwards they returned home giving praise to God for all they had seen and heard.
PRAISE THE LORD (From Psalms 148 & 150)
(Chorus) Praise the Lord, praise him in his fir-ma-ment, praise his Ho-ly Name. Praise the Lord.
1. Praise the Lord from the hea-vens: praise the Lord in the heights. Praise the Lord, all his an-gels. Praise the Lord, stars of light. Praise the Lord hea-vens of hea-vens, Praise the Lord, wa-ters a-bove. Praise the Lord all of cre-a-tion made with love.
2. Praise the Lord with the trum-pet, praise the Lord with the pipes. Praise the Lord with the tim-brel, Praise the Lord with the fife. Praise the Lord with the loud cym-bal, Praise the Lord with the lute. Praise the Lord with the ly-re and the flute.
3. Praise the Lord all you for-ests, praise the Lord all you lands. Praise the Lord all you moun-tains Praise the Lord gold-en strands. Praise the Lord all of his peo-ple. Praise the Lord with eve-ry word. Let eve-ry-thing that has breath praise the Lord.
Narrator #4: I was a follower of John the Baptist. I was there when John baptized Jesus. I saw God's spirit descend on him. Led by the spirit Jesus then went out to the wilderness where he fasted for forty days and was tempted by Satan, the Great Deceiver.
THE TEMPTATION OF CHRIST
(Introduction: Satan arrives.)
(Chorus): For for-ty days and for-ty nights, Je-sus fast-ed in the wild-er-ness. And there he was temp-ted by Sa-tan the Great De-ceiv-er.
1. If you are the Son of God then change these stones in-to bread.
It is writ-ten:
Man shall not live by bre-ad a-lone, but by ev-ry word that pro-ce-deth from the Fa-ther.
(Chorus)
2. If you are the Son of God then cast your-self from on high.
It is writ-ten:
Do not tempt the Lord your God. Do not tempt the Lord your God.
(Chorus)
3. I will give you all the king-doms if you wor-ship me.
It is writ-ten:
You shall wor-ship the Lord your God, and him on-ly shall you serve.
(Satan leaves.)
Narrator #2: Afterwards Jesus went throughout Galilee teaching and performing many miracles. I mostly remember his teaching about love--especially the two commandments about how we were to love God and to love our neighbors. These were the greatest commandments, given by God who loved us from the beginning of time.
GOD IS LOVE
(Chorus): God is lo-ve (God is lo-ve). For God so loved the world He gave us His on-ly be-got-ten son. God is lo-ve (God is lo-ve). Who died up-on the cross to give e-ter-nal li-fe to eve-ry one.
1. Like the wo-man at the well my heart was thir-sty, and bur-dened with a hea-vy load of sin. So when the Lord of love de-scend-ed from a-bove, I o-pen'd up my heart and let Him in.
(Chorus)
2. Like the thief up-pon the cross I was a sin-ner whose life was just as vile as it could be. But when I let Him in He for-gave me all my sin; Ev-en such a sin-ful wretch as me.
(Chorus)
(Ending): God is lo-ve (God is lo-ve). God is lo-ve (God is lo-ve). God is lo-ve.
Narrator #3: It was Jesus' miracles that I remember the most. Almost all of his miracles were healing the afflicted. I witnessed the lame walk, the blind see, and lepers made whole again. Even the dead were brought back to life.
THE BLIND WILL SEE
1. Our God is a might-y god, he brings heal-ing to the land. Do not ev-er be dis-cour-aged; your sal-va-tion is at hand!
(CHORUS): For the blind will see and the deaf will hear and the lame will leap for joy. For the blind will see and the deaf will hear and the lame will leap for joy. Say-ing, "Praise be to God, re-joice in his might-y pow-er." Say-ing, "Praise be to God, blessed be his won-der-ful name." For the blind will see and the deaf will hear and the lame will leap for joy.
2. Be strong and fear not: for be-hold God is at hand. The Lord comes with a ven-geance, bring-ing joy through-out the land.
(CHORUS)
(ENDING) For the blind will see and the deaf will hear For the blind will see and the deaf will hear and the lame will leap for joy.
Narrator #4: It all seemed to come together last week when he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. I have never seen so many people in my life. They were shouting and spreading palm branches on the road. There was so much noise it seemed as if the very stones were shouting.
LIFT UP YOUR HEADS (from Psalm 24:7-10)
1. Lift up your heads, O ye gates!; and be ye lift-ed up, ye e-ver-last-ing doors. Lift up your heads, O ye gates! and be ye lift-ed up, ye e-ver-last-ing doors.
2. And the King of glo-ry shall come in, and the King of glo-ry shall come in, and the King of glo-ry shall come in, Yes! the King of glo-ry shall come in.
3a. Who is this King of glo-ry? (Repeated 3 more times.)
3b. The LO-RD strong and migh-ty, He is the King of glo-ry. The LORD migh-ty in bat-tle, He is the King of glo-ry. The migh-ty LORD of ho-sts, He is the King of glo-ry. The rock of my sal-va-tion, He is the King of glo-ry. The Ru-ler of all na-tions. He is the King of glo-ry. The Al-pha and O-me-ga, He is the King of glo-ry. Who was and al-ways will be, He is the King of glo-ry. The ev-er-last-ing Fa-ther, He is the King of glo-ry.
4. (Repeat from the beginning, but after verse 3a, half the choir sings verse 3b while the other half sings verse 1 twice. Everybody then sings the first sentence of verse 1 acappella.)
Narrator #2: That was such a moment of triumph for us. (Brief pause.) Then he was betrayed, tried, and crucified. None of us expected that. It has been three days now...
Urgent knocking on door off-stage. Narrator #3 goes off-stage out of sight of congregation then rushes back a few moments later.
Narrator #3: Jesus is alive!
Expressions of disbelief from other narrators/choir members.
Narrator #3: No, it is true. Mary and some of the others went to the tomb this morning to prepare the body, but the tomb was empty. An angel told them Jesus was alive. He is risen from the dead!
HE IS RISEN!
1. Je-sus Christ is ris-en from the dead. (He is risen!) Je-sus Christ is ris-en as he said. (He is risen!) He has ris-en from his three day tomb, (He is risen!) o-ver-com-ing sin and death and doom. (He is risen!)
(Chorus) He is risen! He is risen! He is risen! He is risen!
2. Un-to us e-ter-nal life he brings. (He is risen!) Where, o where o death is now your sting? (He is risen!) Where, o grave is now your vic-to-ry? (He is risen!) From the chains of hell he set us free. (He is risen!)
(Chourus)
(Instrumental break)
3. Je-sus Christ is ris-en from the dead. (Al-le-lu-ia!) Je-sus Christ is ris-en as he said. (Al-le-lu-ia!) Je-sus Christ has o-pened up the door. (Al-le-lu-ia!) We will be with him for-ev-er-more. (Al-le-lu-ia!)
(Chorus)
Narrator #1: This is how it was that first Easter. In recounting our memories of Jesus, we found out that he was many things to many people; but he is nothing if you do not have a personal relationship with him. There is a great difference between knowing about Jesus and knowing Jesus.
Yes, Jesus is many things to many people; but he is everything to me.
HE IS EVERYTHING TO ME!
He's the King of kings, he's the Lord of lords, he's the Prince of Peace, he's the Liv-ing Word. He's the bread of life, he's the light of the world, he's the King of Glo-ry, the a-noint-ed of the Lord. He's the Lamb of God who was slain on Cal-va-ry, he's the ris-en Sav-ior. He is eve-ry-thing to me!
(First time sung by soloists, second time by chorus. Chorus then sings repeated measures of "He's everything to me" while soloists sing again. Chorus continues acappella with ad lib gospel ending .)