Mary Mary Encounters the Encounters the Twilight ZoneTwilight Zonebased on John 20:1-18based on John 20:1-18

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Narrator:Narrator: TobyTobyMary:Mary: AlleeAlleeAngel 2:Angel 2: LaurenLaurenRod Serling:Rod Serling: MattMattAngel 1:Angel 1: AlleahAlleahPeter:Peter: EricEricJohn:John: MichaelMichaelJesus:Jesus: JesseJesse

(Reading the gospel into mic from balcony, out of sight of audience.)

Narrator: Early on the first day of Narrator: Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they and we don’t know where they have put him!” have put him!”

Narrator: He saw the strips of linen Narrator: He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) from the dead.)

Narrator: Then the disciples went Narrator: Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. other at the foot. They asked her, “Woman, why are They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” you crying?”

Narrator: “They have taken my Narrator: “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. not realize that it was Jesus. “Woman,” he said, “why are you “Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking crying? Who is it you are looking for?” for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” him, and I will get him.”

Narrator: Jesus said to her, Narrator: Jesus said to her, “Mary.” “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). (which means Teacher). Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” God and your God.’”

NarratorNarrator: Mary Magdalene went to : Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these them that he had said these

things to her.things to her.

(After Narrator Reads (After Narrator Reads Gospel from Balcony Gospel from Balcony “Twilight Zone” Intro “Twilight Zone” Intro Music.)Music.)

Rod Serling:Rod Serling: With a key With a key to unlock a door to to unlock a door to imagination. Beyond it is imagination. Beyond it is another dimension, a another dimension, a dimension of sight, a dimension of sight, a dimension of sound, a dimension of sound, a dimension of mind.dimension of mind.

Rod Serling:Rod Serling: You’re You’re moving through a land moving through a land of both shadow and of both shadow and substance, of both substance, of both faith and ideas. faith and ideas. (Pause (Pause while Mary appears.)while Mary appears.)

Rod Serling:Rod Serling: Submitted Submitted for your approval. One for your approval. One young woman, Mary, young woman, Mary, about to take a journey about to take a journey into faith and the into faith and the supernatural, into a zone supernatural, into a zone whose boundaries are whose boundaries are that of our imagination.that of our imagination.

Rod Serling:Rod Serling: Guiding Guiding Mary, her fisherman Mary, her fisherman companions, and the companions, and the rest of us through this rest of us through this wonderful journey is wonderful journey is the very creator of all the very creator of all that exists.that exists.

Rod Serling:Rod Serling: Imagine if Imagine if you will, you the you will, you the audience are inside the audience are inside the very tomb where Jesus very tomb where Jesus was buried on Good was buried on Good FridayFriday..

Rod Serling: Early on Rod Serling: Early on the first day of the the first day of the week, while it was still week, while it was still dark, Mary went to the dark, Mary went to the tomb and saw that the tomb and saw that the stone had been stone had been removed from the removed from the entrance.entrance.

Mary:Mary: (Mary, stands at (Mary, stands at entrance to tomb, in entrance to tomb, in complete shock.)complete shock.) Oh no. I Oh no. I must be lost again. This must be lost again. This doesn’t look right at all. doesn’t look right at all. What is this? Am I at the What is this? Am I at the right tomb? But where is right tomb? But where is the body? I’m certain this the body? I’m certain this was where Jesus was laid to was where Jesus was laid to rest. rest.

Mary: But I’m just as Mary: But I’m just as certain that there was a certain that there was a stone covering the tomb. stone covering the tomb. (Looks up and notices the (Looks up and notices the stone in it’s new location. stone in it’s new location. Gasps.)Gasps.) There’s the stone. There’s the stone.

Mary: But who could have Mary: But who could have moved it there, and why? moved it there, and why? Something is very strange. Something is very strange. I’d better find the others. I’d better find the others. Perhaps they’ll know what Perhaps they’ll know what is going on. is going on. (Runs off (Runs off stage.)stage.)

Peter:Peter: (“Gone Fishing” (“Gone Fishing” music.)music.) So what do we do So what do we do now? . I was just so sure he now? . I was just so sure he was the Messiah. was the Messiah.

John:John: (Carefully putting on (Carefully putting on his jogging shoes.)his jogging shoes.) Ya, sure, Ya, sure, you betcha.you betcha.

Peter:Peter: I just don’t know if I I just don’t know if I can just go back to fishing. can just go back to fishing. I mean, he said we’d be I mean, he said we’d be fishers of men, right?fishers of men, right?

John:John: (Ties a bandana (Ties a bandana around his head.)around his head.) Ya, sure, Ya, sure, you betcha.you betcha.

Mary:Mary: (Running to men, out (Running to men, out of breath.) of breath.) Simon Peter. Simon Peter. John. John.

John:John: (John motions to (John motions to Mary.) Mary.)

Peter:Peter: Mary, he prefers to Mary, he prefers to be called “The disciple that be called “The disciple that Jesus loved.” And Jesus loved.” And remember, you can just call remember, you can just call me Pete. me Pete.

Mary:Mary: Yeah, whatever. Yeah, whatever. Anyway, something terrible Anyway, something terrible has happened.has happened.

Peter:Peter: Yeah, tell me about Yeah, tell me about it. You know how hard it’s it. You know how hard it’s gonna be to break back into gonna be to break back into the fishing business after a the fishing business after a three-year hiatus? three-year hiatus?

Peter: We’re talkin’ new Peter: We’re talkin’ new nets, new sails, new nets, new sails, new riggings, not to mention riggings, not to mention enduring the ridicule of all enduring the ridicule of all those guys down at the those guys down at the bait-n-tackle shop. John, tell bait-n-tackle shop. John, tell her what a pain guys like her what a pain guys like Shorty, Stinky, and Stumpy Shorty, Stinky, and Stumpy can be. can be.

John:John: Ya, sure, you betcha.Ya, sure, you betcha.

Mary:Mary: No. No. No. Peter, No. No. No. Peter, they’ve taken him. they’ve taken him.

Peter:Peter: Taken him? Who? Taken him? Who? Jesus? That’s an Jesus? That’s an understatement. Mary, we understatement. Mary, we were all there. We all saw were all there. We all saw it. It’s done. It’s over.it. It’s done. It’s over.

John:John: Ya, sure, you betcha.Ya, sure, you betcha.

Mary:Mary: Peter, listen! They Peter, listen! They have taken Jesus’ body out have taken Jesus’ body out of the tomb, and we don’t of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put know where they have put him!him!

Peter:Peter: Yeah right. Women!? Yeah right. Women!? You sure you got the right You sure you got the right tomb? tomb?

Mary:Mary: Peter, I’m certain. Peter, I’m certain. Quick, go see for yourself.Quick, go see for yourself.

Peter:Peter: All right, all right. All right, all right. (To (To John.)John.) Hey, “The Disciple Hey, “The Disciple that Jesus Loved.” You that Jesus Loved.” You coming? coming?

John:John: Ya, sure you betcha. Ya, sure you betcha. (John runs.)(John runs.)

Rod Serling:Rod Serling: So Peter So Peter and John started for and John started for the tomb. John out-ran the tomb. John out-ran Peter and reached the Peter and reached the tomb first. Scripture tomb first. Scripture records that John stood records that John stood at the entrance…at the entrance…

Rod Serling:Rod Serling: ……andand saw the linen clothes saw the linen clothes lying there. The Greek lying there. The Greek word used for “saw” word used for “saw” meant that John meant that John observed the facts just observed the facts just as Mary had related as Mary had related them.them.

John:John: (Arrives at entrance (Arrives at entrance of tomb and stands at the of tomb and stands at the entrance in disbelief.) Ya, entrance in disbelief.) Ya, sure, ya betcha.sure, ya betcha.

Rod Serling:Rod Serling: Peter, not Peter, not the athlete that John the athlete that John was, arrived next. As was, arrived next. As was typical with Peter, was typical with Peter, he ran past John and he ran past John and actually entered the actually entered the tomb. Scripture tells us tomb. Scripture tells us Peter “saw” the head Peter “saw” the head roll.roll.

Rod Serling:Rod Serling: A different A different Greek word for “saw” in Greek word for “saw” in this case tells us that this case tells us that Peter not only observed Peter not only observed the facts, but discerned the facts, but discerned them too. He realized he them too. He realized he was face to face with the was face to face with the impossible.impossible.

Peter:Peter: (Arrives and (Arrives and runs past John into tomb. runs past John into tomb. He picks up the linen He picks up the linen strips, then the folded strips, then the folded head cloth.)head cloth.) The head The head roll is still intact and yet roll is still intact and yet the body is not here. This the body is not here. This is impossible.is impossible.

Rod Serling:Rod Serling: Finally, Finally, Scripture tells us that Scripture tells us that John also entered the John also entered the Tomb and “saw” the Tomb and “saw” the head roll. Still a third head roll. Still a third different Greek word for different Greek word for “saw” in this case …“saw” in this case …

Rod Serling:Rod Serling: …tells us …tells us that John not only that John not only observed the facts and observed the facts and discerned the discerned the impossible, but impossible, but realized God had done realized God had done the impossible.the impossible.

John:John: (John enters the tomb (John enters the tomb and stands by Peter. Both and stands by Peter. Both gaze at the head-roll, gaze at the head-roll, illuminated by the strobe illuminated by the strobe light.)light.) Ya, sure, ya betcha!! Ya, sure, ya betcha!! (Disciples slowly back out (Disciples slowly back out of the tomb.)of the tomb.)

Mary:Mary: (Mary arrives at tomb (Mary arrives at tomb and remains there, wailing. and remains there, wailing. Two angels appear in the Two angels appear in the tomb. Mary looks into the tomb. Mary looks into the tomb and sees the angels.)tomb and sees the angels.)

Angel 1:Angel 1: Woman, why are Woman, why are you crying?you crying?

Angel 2:Angel 2: Ya, sure, you Ya, sure, you betcha.betcha.

Mary:Mary: They’ve taken my They’ve taken my Lord away and I don’t know Lord away and I don’t know where they put him. where they put him.

Jesus:Jesus: (Jesus appears (Jesus appears behind Mary.) Woman, why behind Mary.) Woman, why are you crying? Who is it are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?you are looking for?

Mary:Mary: Sir, if you have Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me carried him away, tell me where you have put him, where you have put him, and I’ll get him.and I’ll get him.

Rod Serling:Rod Serling: We We pause here. Mary, pause here. Mary, has been face to has been face to face with the same face with the same evidence that her evidence that her companions had companions had seen,seen,

Rod Serling:Rod Serling: …has …has seen two angels seen two angels from God, and now from God, and now has even conversed has even conversed with the very man with the very man she came to see.she came to see.

Rod Serling:Rod Serling: And yet And yet she is too distraught she is too distraught to understand what it to understand what it all means. In a flash, all means. In a flash, Jesus mere utterance Jesus mere utterance of her name turns her of her name turns her utter distress into utter distress into sheer joy.sheer joy.

Rod Serling:Rod Serling: As As they say, “A they say, “A person’s name is to person’s name is to her the sweetest her the sweetest sound in any sound in any language.”language.”

Jesus:Jesus: Mary.Mary.

MaryMary:: Teacher Teacher (She bows to (She bows to him. Praise Band him. Praise Band immediately begins music.)immediately begins music.)