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Epiphany, 2006

The Baptism of Jesus: A Pageant

Many thanks to Nancy Morrisey, who wrote this Epiphany Pageant, based on the lessons for the Baptism of our Lord, and who provided the costumes.

Note: we are reluctant to interrupt services with flash photography. Therefore, the photos were taken during the rehearsal on January 7.

Narrator 1 (Milt Boyd): When Pharaoh's horses, chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing. Miriam sang to them:

Miriam (Jan Boyd): Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea.

All: They forgot what he had done, the wonders he had shown them. He did miracles in the sight of their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan. He divided the sea and led them through; he made the water stand firm like a wall. He guided them with the cloud by day and with light from the fire at night.

Narrator: The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. So they quarreled with Moses and said,

All: Give us water to drink.

Moses (Deven Waddington): Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?

Narrator: But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said,

All: Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us, and our children, and livestock die of thirst?

Narrator: Then Moses cried out to the Lord,

Moses: What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.

Narrator: The Lord answered Moses,

LORD (Jan Boyd): Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will stand before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.

Narrator: So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying,

All: Is the Lord among us or not?

All: They forgot what the Lord had done, the wonders he had shown them. He split the rocks in the desert and gave them water as abundant as the seas; he brought streams out of a rocky crag and made water flow down like rivers. But they continued to sin against Him, rebelling in the desert against the Most High.

Narrator 2 (Chris Cerrato): It is written in Isaiah the prophet:

Isaiah (Milt Boyd): I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way...A voice of one calling in the desert, "Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.

Narrator: And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordon River. But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them:

John (Deven Waddington): You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves,

All: We have Abraham as our father.

John: I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children of Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Narrator: At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee to be baptized by John in the Jordon. John tried to deter him, saying:

John (Deven Waddington): I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?

Jesus (Jared Waddington): Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.

Narrator: Then John consented. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven:

LORD: You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.

Narrator: At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, and he was in the desert forty days with the wild animals. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said,

Tempter (Nancy Morrissey): If you are the son of God, tell these stones to become bread.

Jesus: It is written, "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Narrator: Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.

Tempter: If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: "He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone."

Jesus: It is also written, "Do not put the Lord your God to the test."

Narrator: Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.

Tempter: All this I will give to you if you will bow down and worship me.

Jesus: Away from me, Satan! For it is written: "Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only."

Narrator: Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

All: Man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Do not put the Lord your God to the test. Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.

Narrator 3 (Jan Boyd): While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them,

Paul (Chris Cerrato): Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you were baptized?

All: No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.

Paul: Then what baptism did you receive?

All: John's baptism.

Paul: John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. Believe in the one who came after him, that is, in Jesus.

Narrator: On hearing this they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.