SETTING: Seven Corinthians sitting
around
discussing the passage of Pauls first
letter to them in I Corinthians 1:11-17.
#4
is the person to be holding the scroll
and reading from it. When he has read it
then place on table in front of him. Low
table. Place people around at varying
heights so they can be seen by audience
and present variation for a bit more
reality.
CAST:
1. Junias (of Paul)
2. Androcles (of Apollos)
3. Julius (Neutral)
4. Hermes (of household of
Chloe - for Unity)
5. Josephus (Neutral)
6. Bartemas (of Cephas)
7. Persius (of Christ)
The seven are mingling around with
various others and Hermes is looking at
the scroll on the table with Julias and
Josephas discussing the concerned
passage. The partners of some of the
others leave and go over and join (one by
one) Hermes. First to come up is
Bartemas.
BARTEMAS: Hey Hermes, Paul's letter
sounded like someone went squeeling to
him to add to our bickering from your
household. Yea (looking and pointing at a
passage on scroll) right off the bat he
fingers, (reading the passage) here it
is. (Reads I Corinthians 1:11-17). You're
a Pauline follower if ever there was one,
running to him to solve our problems.
HERMES: Bartemas, do you have it messed
up. If I had been talking with Peter I
would have said the same and then you
would have received the same message from
your role model. The question is, 'What
are we going to do about it?' (The others
have come up during this discussion and
are all now around the table.)
PERSIUS: I've always said I'm of Christ
and can't see anything wrong with that.
Woe to him who isn't in fact.
HERMES: Persius, saying that you're a
follower of Christ is one thing. We all
should be, but to exclude your fellow
believers from a separate group or
clique on your special statement, is just
as bad as saying 'I'm of Cephas' (he
looks at Bartemas) or 'I'm of Paul' (he
looks at Junias - then he looks back at
Persius). Just what do you think is the
basis upon which we get together? You can
look at Christ in just the same way
Junias admires Paul. He is not just a
good role model we ooh and awe over.
Those
who worship Christ must worship Him in
the Spirit. Fandom is out of the
question. Julias, what is the basis of
our fellowship here?
JULIAS: As far as I can see it and Paul
indicates in the letter here it's our
unity in the Gospel. We've all come to
one Gospel. Different ministers, whom we
admire, have helped us grow.
ANDROCLES: I agree we have unity by all
being converted to the same Gospel but I
can't see any crime in gathering with
those who were specially blessed by a
certain minister.
JOSEPHUS: When your Apollos came here
with the Gospel and you were converted
(addressing Androcles) did he form you
into the special 'Church of Apollos in
Corinth' or did Peter form his converts
into the 'Jerusalemic Church of Corinth'?
No. They knew that was wrong and Paul now
condemns that here. (He taps on the
scroll.) All these various ministers
directed their converts to gather with
all the other Christians here in town.
JUNIAS: I think your reasoning's hogwash.
I think you're misunderstanding Paul. I
ought to know, he's my hero. My mother
used to say, 'When you find someone of
noble character, stick with him, maybe
some of him will rub off.' I know Paul's
a pretty spectacular fellow and he's
never led anyone astray since his
conversion. I can't go wrong to cling to
him. See you later. (Junias turns here
and departs rather huffy.)
PERSIUS: Enough of this kind of talk.
I'll gather with those who swear
allegiance to Christ. That is safe.
(Persius turns and goes.)
ANDROCLES: I'm of the same mind still.
BARTEMAS: Ditto! (Androcles and Bartemas
both turn and go at this.)
JULIAS: (Addressing Hermes and Josephas.)
Well now, where does that leave us? To be
pleasing to Christ do we, and can we,
join any of their private gatherings when
the gathering is based on, hinges on,
their devotion to something other than
the stand of Christ crucified?
JOSEPHAS: Paul stated further on in his
letter here (he reads I Corinthians
3:1-4). Gathering with those on such a
basis is carnal and Paul said that the
way of the flesh is sinful and breathes
forth nothing but death. To join and
compromise with them is to compromise to
sin, not merely toleration of immaturity.
HERMES: (Addressing Josephas and Julias
for the first three names.) Paulines,
Cephites, Apollites... (Now addressing
the audience) Lutherans, Baptists,
Mennonites, Presbyterians, Methodists,
Salvation Army Members, Pentecostals,
Foursquare Assemblies, and the list goes
on. When all around you in your community
split off into their special groups so
there is none left who is not affiliated
with some clique, who do you join? Paul,
Apollos, Peter? In the eyes of the
community the ones who refuse to align
with a clique become the carnal ones now
days. Where do we go from here?....
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