This is part of the worship series,
"On Our Way to the Celestial City"
Series Introduction
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3
Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6
WEEK 1
Christian Leaves the City of Destruction
Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm, 1874
Call to Worship:
Nehemiah 9:5–6
Scripture:
Matthew 5:1–2; 7:13–14
Sermon:
"The Road Less Traveled"
Affirmation of Faith:
Our World Belongs to God stanzas 1–3
Song Suggestions
"I Have Decided to Follow Jesus" Marak
"O Jesus, I Have Promised" Bode
"I Want Jesus to Walk with Me" African-American Spiritual
"Guide Me, O My Great Redeemer" Williams
"Lead Me, Guide Me"Akers
Drama
| Narrator: |
Many years ago—in fact more than three hundred years ago—a man was born in England. His name was John Bunyan. During his childhood and youth, he did not live a very godly life. But when he reached adulthood, his godly wife and church-going neighbors gradually nudged him toward change. At the age of twenty-three, John Bunyan accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. He later became a preacher. It wasn't easy to be a preacher in those days, especially if you preached the true gospel of salvation through faith in Jesus outside the rules of the Church of England—that is without a preaching license from the church. John Bunyan was put in prison for doing so—for twelve years. Three years after his release he was put in prison again—for one more year. During that year, 1678, he wrote the book The Pilgrim's Progress, based on an imaginary dream. In his dream he saw a man wearing tattered clothes with a heavy burden on his back and a book in his hand. The man's name was Christian, and he lived in the City of Destruction. |
| Christian: | [Talks slowly, bent over by his heavy burden. Holds a book—the Bible—in his hand, turning the pages slowly, deep in thought. As he reads, he is clearly distressed. He trembles and weeps, then breaks out in a cry of despair] What shall I do? |
| Narrator: | In his plight, Christian went home. He did not want his wife and children to notice his distress, but he could not be silent. |
| Christian: | [Facing his wife and children] My dear wife and children, I am in great trouble because of the heavy load on my back. The city in which we live will be burned with fire. It is the City of Destruction. Unless we escape, we will all perish. |
| Child 1: | Oh, Daddy, don't worry. It's OK. |
| Child 2: | You're just tired. You need some sleep. |
| Child 3: | Yeah! You'll feel better in the morning. |
| Narrator: | But Christian remained deeply troubled. He took long walks. One day he walked farther than usual. |
| Christian: | [Walking; he is reading his Bible again and continues to be in great distress. He falls to his knees because of the burden on his back and cries out] What must I do to be saved? |
| Narrator: | Just then, a man met him unexpectedly. His name was Evangelist, which means "Teller of Good News." |
| Evangelist: | What's the matter? Why are you troubled? |
| Christian: | [Bent over by the weight of sin, looks up and says] Sir, this book tells me that because of the great burden of sin on my back, 1 will die. I must get out of this place, but I do not know which way to go. |
| Evangelist: | [Hands Christian a scroll] |
| Christian: | [Unrolls the scroll and reads out loud] Flee from the wrath to come. Flee from the wrath to come. [Turning to Evangelist] But in what direction shall I go? |
| Evangelist: | [Points to a place in the distance] Do you see that gate over there—that narrow gate? |
| Christian: | [Straining his eyes] No. I can't see it. |
| Evangelist: | Do you see a light, a shining light? |
| Christian: | I think so. |
| Evangelist: | Keep your eye focused on that light. Walk straight toward it. When you get there, you will see a narrow gate. Knock on it, and you will be told what to do. |
| Narrator: | So Christian began walking toward the light. Before he had gone very far, his wife and children urged him to come back. |
| Wife: | Come back, dear. |
| Child 1: | Don't go, Daddy. |
| Child 2: | Please come back. |
| Child 3: | We want you to stay with us. |
| Narrator: | But Christian put his fingers in both ears and said: |
| Christian: | Life. Eternal life! |
| Narrator: | His neighbors too came out of their homes and saw him leave. |
| Neighbors: | [Laughing] Where does he think he is going? What a fool! [Pleading] Come back. Come back, Christian. [Mocking] Why are you running away? Scared, are you? |
| Narrator: | Two of the neighbors ran after him. Their names were Obstinate and Pliable. |
| Obstinate: | Come back with us to the city. |
| Pliable: | And let's talk about this madness of yours. |
| Christian: | No. Come with me instead. |
| Obstinate: | [Laughing] And leave the comforts of our homes? |
| Pliable: | And our friends? |
| Christian: | Yes. Leave them behind, and you will find joy you never knew before. There is a treasure safely stored away in heaven for us. That's what this book says. |
| Obstinate: | Away with your book! Come, Pliable. Let him be. He's crazy. |
| Pliable: | Don't make fun of him. Christian is a good man. I think I will go with him. |
| Narrator: | So Obstinate returned home. But Christian and Pliable walked on together. Along the way Christian told him about the place where they were going, the heavenly city. "The owner of that place will wipe away every tear from our eyes," Christian told Pliable. "We will live with the shining angels. And our lives will never end. Never!" |
