a reader's theatre rendition of Matthew 25:31-46

Reader one:
Our reading today is the parable of the sheep and the goats – those who are welcomed into God's realm, and those who are sent away. It can be heard at many levels.

The writer of the gospel of Matthew had a very angry attitude to the powerful leaders of the synagogue, the Jewish leaders who took their orders from Rome. His version of this story by Jesus seems to be pointed at them. It seems to be saying that when the end of time arrives and God balances the books, those leaders of the synagogue will be consigned to hell, whereas those who followed Jesus would find themselves in heaven.

You and I can hear this story much more usefully, if we apply it to our lives. This story can help us if we ask, “What am I? A sheep or a goat? Or a mixture?

Here's the parable from Matthew's Gospel.

Reader two:

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.

All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left.

Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.'

Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?'

And the king will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.'

Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'

Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?' Then he will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.'

And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

A relevant chuckle.
A Sunday School teacher asked the children, “If we painted all the good people green and all the bad people red, what color would you be?”

A small hand went up immediately. “Striped!” said the child.

Ralph's list of readings and stories