Sun 18 September 2022

[ Introduction: leader picks child to knock on bin, everyone calls 'come out Stinky!', Stinky comes out singing his intro tune ]

STINKY: Hello everybody!

LEADER: Hello Stinky! How are you feeling today?

STINKY: Ah! Today, I'm feeling good.

LEADER: Oh, good.

STINKY: Yes, I'm feeling very good.

LEADER: OK, very good.

STINKY: Yes, I'm feeling so good, I want to challenge you to a competition -- to show you how good I am!

LEADER: Oh, OK, I like a challenge. What are you thinking?

STINKY: Staring competition! No blinking.

LEADER: Oh, I've never had a staring competition with a puppet. OK. Ready -- go!

[ Maybe Stinky and leader face each up close for effect. After a while, leader blinks. ]

LEADER: Argh! I blinked. OK, you win!

STINKY: Haha! I'm so good, I'm the best!

LEADER: Well done Stinky. Now, I wanted to read you a Bible passage...

STINKY: Wait! I'm feeling so good, I want to challenge you to... a breath holding competition!

LEADER: Oh, OK. Ready -- go!

[ After a while, leader takes a breath. ]

LEADER: Ah, OK Stinky, you win again...

STINKY: Haha! I'm so good! I'm better than everyone in this church.

LEADER: Ah... Stinky...

STINKY: I should get supper before anyone else. And it should be seafood supreme pizza. And everyone should call me 'Stinky the Stupendous'. And -

LEADER: [Rolls eyes] Hey Stinky!

STINKY: Yes?

LEADER: I've got a challenge for you! Can you read this Bible verse?

[ Show Slide (verse):"My friends, if you have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, you won\'t treat some people better than others". James 2:1 ]

STINKY: Ha! Of course. I read better than everyone here. I'll just do some vocal exercises first, so my reading is good...

[ Stinky does some crazy vocal exercise sounds, while leader waits impatiently. ]

LEADER: OK, ready?

STINKY: Uhm, I'll just clear my throat now, so my reading is really, really good.

[ Stinky does increasingly awful coughing noises. ]

STINKY: OK, I'm ready now.

LEADER: OK, great!

STINKY: Uhm... Ms Pat, I forgot something.

LEADER: What?

STINKY: I don't know how to read.

LEADER: Stinky! After all your showing off!

STINKY: [Sad, anxious, ashamed] Oh, no! Now I'll only get leftovers for supper. Whoa! [wails away]

LEADER: Ok, OK, stop. I'll read it, and you better listen because this will help you. "My friends, if you have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, you won\'t treat some people better than others". James 2:1

STINKY: See Stinky? This passage reminds us to treat everyone at church the same.

STINKY: But why?

LEADER: Because we're brothers and sisters in God's family. God wants us to love one another, like He loved us.

STINKY: Oh. Do we have to be good at something to join God's family?

LEADER: No! We all need God's mercy.

STINKY: Mercy?

LEADER: Yes. Mercy means God's forgiveness. When we believe in Jesus, God welcomes us into His family even though we're not good.

STINKY: Even if we're not good at reading?

LEADER: Yes! Think of Jesus. He loved everyone. He didn\'t treat someone better just because they were rich or good at something. God has mercy on everyone that comes to Him.

STINKY: And that changes how we treat each other?

LEADER: That's right. So it doesn't make sense for us to judge others. That's not the kind of people God has saved us to be.

STINKY: Oh...

LEADER: Let's read our Bible Bite together:

[ Slide: Bible Bite: Treat everyone the same without judging, because we all need God\'s mercy. ]

LEADER: OK Stinky, it's your turn.

STINKY: Ah... Stare at everyone without blinking while you're judging a reading competition.

LEADER: Oh Stinky... Let's read it together one more time.

STINKY: Thank you for teaching me Ms Pat, and sorry I was rude.

LEADER: That's OK Stinky, I forgive you.

STINKY: I better go now. Bye bye everybody!

Category: scripts Tagged: Humility Repentance Forgiveness James