EXCHANGING BURDENS 

EXCHANGING BURDENS 

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Scripture: Romans 10:9Memorization: Yes
Purpose: Help youth understand how Jesus freely takes our sins and burdens when we ask and give them to Him.

EXCHANGING BURDENS

Performance Notes:

Characters:

Props:

Scene 1 – Jack’s House

Setting:

MUSIC CUES

“My Jesus” by The Yuns (Anne Wilson cover)  

SCENE 1

 JACK sits at a table writing on a block, Mom enters from stage left.

JACK: (Looking down, muttering, writing, sighs occasionally.) Good morning, Mom.

MOM: (Enters with backpack in hand. Good morning, Jack. (Pause. Leans over Jack’s shoulder, curious.)What are you writing? 

JACK: (Shrugs, puts block in sack) Just something. (Let audience see expression of burden.)

MOM: (Hold backpack toward Jack.) Jack, that sack is heavy with worries. Why don’t you take this new backpack to school today?

JACK: (Defensive, shaking head. Stomp your foot subtly to show frustration.) I can’t, Mom! These are things I need to carry. If I don’t carry them, who will? 

MOM: (Softly, hands clasped, glance up as if praying silently, looking upstage) But Jack…

JACK: (Interrupts, exits stage right, hurrying, stumble slightly under sack weight.) I gotta go! I’m gonna be late!

MOM: (Stand center stage, looking up, whispering to God) Oh God, help him see he doesn’t have to carry these burdens. I can’t help him see, but You can. (Pause.) Thank You, Jesus.

Scene Change:

“My Jesus” by The Yuns (Anne Wilson cover) (First part only – until the first chorus..”He makes a way…”) 

Option: Mom to sing the first part of song.

Scene 2- Pathway to School

Setting:

MUSIC CUES

Scene Change Song:
“My Jesus” by The Yuns Play Remainder of Song

SCENE 2

TRISTON, MIKE AND LARRY enter from stage left. MIKE running ahead, kicking up the leaves.

MIKE: (Run excitedly across the stage, kick leaves into the audience path.) Hey! Who wants to make a leaf pile after school today?

TRISTON: (Walk casually, pick up a leaf, look at it with awe.) Mike, slow down! Wait for us!

MIKE: (Toss leaves toward the audience, grin widely.) We could make it huge! Like a big feather bed!

LARRY: (Laughing. Arms out, spin slightly.) Yeah! A leaf mountain!

JACK: (Enters from stage right, struggling with sack. Muttering, struggling with sack.) Ugh… this is so heavy…

TRISTON: (Looking away from Jack.) Whoa—look at this bright one. (Hold the leaf up to the audience, smile. Step back a few steps, and accidentally bumps into Jack.)

JACK: (Steps forward, annoyed. Shake fist lightly.) Hey, watch where you’re going!

TRISTON: (Holds hands up apologetically) Sorry! I didn’t see you.

JACK: (Cross arms, step aside, scowl exaggeratedly.) Maybe because you’re too busy looking at leaves instead of people!

TRISTON: (Friendly, step forward confidently, extend hand to Jack.) You’re right. I’m Triston, these are my brothers, Larry and Mike. What’s your name?

JACK: (Slight smile, release hand slowly to shake Larry’s hand.) Finally! Someone admits when they were wrong. I’m Jack.

LARRY: (Point at sack, step closer.) What’s in that sack? Looks heavy.

JACK: (Frustrated, toss sack on ground; block labeled “Wasted Years” falls out.) It is heavy! What do you care anyway? It’s mine to carry.

MIKE: (Picks up block, hold block up, turn to audience to show text.) What does “wasted years” mean?

JACK: (Snatches it back) Hey give that back. These are things I did wrong… regrets… You know! Wrong turns we make in life.

MIKE: (Open backpack, pull out large sheet, hold toward audience.) I have done a lot of thing wrong too, but my backpack is light. Want to see what’s in it?

JACK: (Skeptical, take a step forward) Umm… okay?

MIKE: (Pulls out a sheet of paper. Reading aloud, facing the audience, smiling confidently.) JESUS IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE.” John 14:6

JACK: (Reads the Bible verse. Confused, gestures to sack) Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Okay… what does that have to with my heavy sack?

LARRY: (Step forward, pointing to sack) All that stuff you’re carrying is too heavy. That’s why Jesus came—to MAKE A WAY.

JACK: (Sarcastic, step back, fold arms, tilt head.) Oh really? How does He “make a way,” carry it for me”?

TRISTON: (Step next to Jack, gesture toward him gently.) Yes. It goes like this. God loves us all very much. But the thing is; All our wrong choices separate us from Him. God calls those wrong choices “Sin.” Sin is very heavy. (Pause.) We were never meant to carry it around. 

LARRY: (Step forward, hand over heart, earnest expression.) Jesus gave His life to take away our sins—He makes a way to God when we ask Him to forgive us.

JACK: (Looks at the sack, then upstage as if thinking deeply.) You mean He will take this heavy load for me?

TRISTON: Yes! That’s how much He loves us.

JACK: (A little more curious. Points to sign.) And what’s this “FREE GRACE”?

LARRY: (Smiling) We have all done wrong things, and we deserve the punishment which is death.  But Jesus died in our place and gave us LIFE.

MIKE:  (Points to  sign: “EMPTY GRAVE”) Jesus didn’t stay dead! God raised Him! So the grave is empty!

JACK: (Looking at the “Wasted Years” block in his hand.) Jesus’ death removes wasted years and sins. God will never turn away someone who asks for forgiveness. 

TRISTON: (Step forward, arms wide open, smiling at the audience.) We can live with JOY because He set us free from death. 

JACK: (Humbled, kneels, looks down.) Joy? I thought this punishment was mine to carry… I have so many regrets…

LARRY: When we believe God raised Jesus from the dead, and ask Him to forgive us. He does! That’s the GOOD NEWS! 

MIKE: He takes our punishment and gives us Joy and Life!

JACK: Joy and Life? (Empty the sack fully on the ground. Look down at the burdens. Pause briefly. Slowly bow head.) Jesus, I am sorry for it all… please take it! (Pause. Look out at the audience.) I want to live for You Jesus.

Technician: Start where left off and continue playing the song “My Jesus”

All Sing

OPTION: JACK: (Step forward, hands over heart, eyes closed for emotional impact.) (Solo: “Who would take my cross to Calvary…”)