Our Father
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The Lord’s Prayer
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
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The Lords Prayer
Setting the Scene
This script is based on Matthew 6:5–15. Introduce this item as a Bible reading, so the drama comes as a surprise, the narrator should be a very formal oration, as if from the Lord himself!
Cast: Narrator (reading the bible passage from the lectern mic’d up), Dave Puppet, KB
Drama
Narrator: When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites. They love to stand in the synagogues and on the street corners and pray so people will see them.
(Puppet Dave and KB start)
KB: (To Dave.) Shall we get praying then? (Dave stands, KB sits)
Dave: I praise you, Lord. Oh Almighty One hear our heartfelt supplications as we stand (glances at KB annoyed) here before your throne.
KB: Lord, we come simply to you, sitting here, not in pride, but wanting to bring our needs to you. We don’t need fancy words, but we believe in you
Dave: You are majestic, glorious in majesty. And here we stand (Dave glances again at KB.).
KB: Yes, Lord, here we sit here….in confidence.
Dave: stand
KB: sit
Dave: (sits) Look, why can’t you pray properly?
KB: Properly? That’s great coming from you.
Narrator: And when you pray, don’t be like those people who don’t know God. They continue saying things that mean nothing, thinking that God will hear them because of their many words.
Dave: I’m not sure this is working.
KB: No, you’re right, how can we make God listen?
Dave: Let's try praying louder and see if that works.
KB: (loudly) Lord, hear us.
Dave: Lord graciously hear us, hear us, Lord.
KB: Lord, break through the sky
Dave: Lord, pull back the clouds.
KB: Lord, pour out your sunshine on us today.
Dave: Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. Lord, let it shine.
KB: Lord, we plead with you. Please, please, please let the sun shine.
Dave: You don’t want us to get wet, wet, wet, do you, Lord.
KB: Do you? Do you? Do you, Want to, Lord? You’ve got to listen to us.
Dave: OK, Lord. If you make it sunny, I’ll get an advent calendar.
KB: A Christian one with no chocolates inside.
Dave: Just do what we say, Lord. Will you stop this rain now? Please.
Narrator : Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask him.
So when you pray, you should pray like this:
Our Father in Heaven,
May your name always be kept holy.
May your kingdom come
and what you want be done,
here on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us each day our daily bread
Forgive us our sins,
just as we forgive those who sin against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the Evil One.
Dave: How did he start off? Our father, dad, daddy….
KB: So that’s how he wants us to talk to him, our heavenly father
Dave: Heavenly daddy
KB: If he is our father, we are his children
Dave: I like that, I am a child of God
KB: If we invite him into our hearts
Dave: What, just our hearts?
KB: Don’t be daft, ‘hearts’ means our lives, our everything
Dave: I like that, so we can talk to him about anything, Any time, any place, anywhere
KB: Even in church
Dave: Let’s try it see if everyone will join in…. Our father in heaven….
The Lords Prayer
