The branches begin to talk among themselves, and one breaks away, to try to grow fruit on his own, without the nutrients from the vine. Once he realizes his mistake, he comes back and is welcomed back…then it all changes, and they become men… seeking a ministry and being an encouragment to a man who is trying to do everything in his own power. He is guided back to getting his strength from the Lord and His Word, and they go out to minister to the homeless and bear fruit for God.Written as an all male cast. 7 speaking parts plus extras. Females can be used as well. Several extras are needed to form the vine. Age is optional. About 20 minutes in length.
(The branches turn to look at Barney who is slowly moving away and they reach out their arms to him as though to call him back or to send him their strength. The way a group might stretch out in a symbolic prayer for one in front of a group.)
BARNEY B: Yeah… I can do this! Look at my fruit! I have produced wonderful fruit! Everyone will love it! They will all be talking about my fruit!
(Someone walks by… stops and looks at his fruit as he smiles real big. They pick one and look it over… perhaps they try to taste it and they spit it out and throw it on the ground and walk away.)
BARNEY B: (Disappointed and angry) Ahh! Who needs you?! You’re just one person! There is plenty more where that came from! I’ll just make some more! (He now tries to make more fruit. He squints and makes a face and groans and finally pulls something out of his pocket. It doesn’t look like the kind of fruit he had before. Maybe it doesn’t look like fruit at all.) Oh well… it’s something. Come and see what I can do! Come and see the unique fruit that I make! (The fruit picker comes back by or someone new and looks at his new fruit. He smiles real big as they take it and look at it. At first, they like it and enjoy playing with it and walk off happy… then they quickly tire of it and toss it down and go on their way.) What? I can’t do any better than that! I can’t get the stuff I had before! I’m just tired. I don’t have the strength anymore. I think I have forgotten how it works. (He turns back to look at the branches. They see him and all stretch out their arms to invite him back.) Is it too late for me?
THE VINE: You did not choose me but I chose you, that you should bear fruit and that your fruit should remain. Welcome back.
(He smiles and quickly takes his place where he was… grabbing hold he quickly regains his strength and starts to feel strong again. The other branches rejoice. Along comes a stranger. He looks at the branches and they smile at him and welcome him. He looks at The Vine and The Vine smiles at him.)
THE VINE: My brothers! We must make room for a new branch among you! This is Benny.
BENNY B: How can I get in?
THE VINE: We will make room!
(At this The Vine closes his eyes in pain and the entire vine cries in pain as two of the members of the vine break apart and reach out to bring Benny in… he is grafted in and becomes a branch like the others.)
BRADLEY BRANCH: Welcome, Benny! You are now one of us! You are a branch brother!
BARNEY BRANCH: Be sure that you stay abiding in The Vine! Because without Him you can do nothing!
(If you still have some balls left… we can end this part with balls being passed along the vine and going to the branches to bring more fruit.)
THE VINE: Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
BRADLEY BRANCH: I think I understand it now.
[They all break up at this point and the stage is quickly set for a room with tables (or at least one table in the center for men to sit at) and the other men just sit around the room or leave altogether. Bradley, Bobby and Billy are all on stage.]
BRADLEY: (Sitting at the table and he reads his bible) Hey! Bobby! Come and join me!
BOBBY: (Joining him at the table) I see that you are in the Word. That is great! I can’t begin my day without being with the Lord and being in His Word.
BRADLEY: It is like a gas station for me. I get pumped up and filled. I can’t run on empty.
BOBBY: For me… it’s like breakfast. I can’t start my day without some nourishment from God’s word. If I don’t have my spiritual food… I feel hungry all day long!
BILLY: (Approaches) Sounds like some good analogies about God’s Word. For me it is a refreshing drink of water! It is like a spring… or a well of water that I must drink from every single day. Otherwise, I think I would die of thirst.
BRADLEY: They are all great! I love them. You know guys… I can’t stop thinking about Pastor Victor’s sermon on Sunday. I was so convicted. I have been spending all this time in God’s Word and what do I have to show from it?
BOBBY: What do you mean, Brad?
BRADLEY: I’m talking about service! I’m talking about doing something about my Christian life besides just sitting in the pew and soaking up a good sermon, reading my Bible so faithfully every day and then sitting around shooting the breeze with you brothers and nothing is happening with my life! I’m not bearing fruit!
BILLY: What kind of fruit did you want to bear Brother Brad?
BOBBY: Yeah… I never really thought of you as the fruity type!
BRADLEY: This is serious fellas. We can make jokes, but what are we doing for Christ with our lives? Sure… he wants us to be in His Word and study it and be together and have fellowship. And that is all great! I really love our bible studies and I love being with you guys!
BOBBY: Aahh… how sweet! What a nice thing to say! It touches me right here! (Pokes himself in the chest and laughs)
BRADLEY: You’re not taking me seriously! Bobby!
BILLY: Cool it, Bob! He’s not in the mood for jokes.
BOBBY: I’m sorry, man. That’s just my way of hiding the fact that I’m very convicted. I was actually thinking the same things after that sermon. I think I’m just afraid to try something. What if I fail?
BRADLEY: So what? God allows us to fail. He wants us to be His servants. He wants to use us for His glory. I think we are ready.
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