What Does Pentecost?

Summary: Mercy Me is worried about Sunday because she does not know what Pente costs. Milo and his French friend, Pierre, explain that a free gift was given at Pentecost; the preaching power of the Holy Spirit.

Cast: Mercy and Milo (muppet-style puppets), Annmarie and Pierre (puppet with a French accent)

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Mercy: (Enters looking down and counting…) One, two, three, four, five… oh boy. I don’t think I have enough.

Milo: Umm. Mercy Me? What are you doing?

Mercy: I’m counting my money. I don’t think I have enough money to go to church this Sunday.

Milo: What do you mean?

Mercy: How much does Pente cost?

Milo: Pente WHAT?

Mercy: Pente cost. How much does Pente cost?

AnneMarie: Hey, Mercy! Did you find out how much Pente costs at church?

Mercy: No, I still don’t know how much it costs.

Milo: Wait a minute you two! Pentecost is not something that you can buy!

AnneMarie: So you don’t think we have enough do you? You think we can’t afford it!

Mercy: I have twenty dollars!

AnnMarie: And I have two dollars and twenty-two cents! So together we have four twos in a row… two-two-two-two…. and that’s a lot.

Mercy: Yeah; we have enough for Pentecost.

Milo: No. That’s not what I mean. Pentecost is not something that you buy. Pentecost is when God gave us an incredible gift for FREE!

Mercy: So it was free for us…. but did it cost God something?

Milo: Well, yes it did. It cost God his son, Jesus.

Annmarie: I know that God sent his son Jesus to die for us; and then he rose up to life again.

Mercy: And that was a great gift! But did God give us more than that?

Milo: Remember last Sunday how we talked about Jesus ascending into heaven to be with his Father?

Annemarie: Yes, and the disciples were very sad to see him go. They were lonely without Jesus right there with them.

Milo: Right, but he promised to send them a Helper. Someone who would be with them always to help them and fill them with love.

Mercy: But what does that have to do with Pentecost?

Pierre: (Puppet with a French accent enters singing…) Frere Jacques, frere Jacques… dormez-vous? Dormez-vous? Sonnez les matin-e, sonnez les matin -e. Din-din don. Din-din don.

Milo: Oh, perfect timing. I think our French friend, Pierre can help.

Annemarie: But I don’t understand what he’s saying half the time. He speaks a different language. You can’t understand him.

Milo: Well, French people can understand him! And there are lots and lots of French people in this world.

Mercy: But back to my question… what does that have to do with Pentecost?

Milo: Pierre? Could you help us here for a minute?

Pierre: Oui? Qu’est-ce que c’est?

Milo: Can you explain, in English please, what happened at Pentecost?

Pierre: Ah, yes of course. The disciples were all together in one room after Jesus had gone up to heaven… and they were singing together and praying. Then suddenly, a mighty wind blew into the room and fire appeared above each person’s head.

Annmarie: That’s terrible! Did they call the fire department?

Pierre: No, no! It was the Holy Spirit filling them with God’s strength and the power to preach about Jesus to all the world in many different languages.

Mercy: They were speaking in other languages?

Pierre: That’s right. They suddenly had the preaching power. They were speaking many different languages like French and Spanish and German and Chinese and Japanese. The people that spoke all of these different languages could understand them.

Annmarie: How could they suddenly start speaking a different language like that?

Milo: It was the power of the Holy Spirit!!

Mercy: Why do you think that God did that? Why did He give them the power to speak in other languages?

Milo: I think God was showing the disciples that they were not alone. The Holy Spirit was sent to them to live inside them and help them tell others about Jesus.

Annmarie: So even if we don’t see Jesus walking around here on earth, we know that the Holy Spirit is right here with us.

Pierre: And God was showing them that they would soon be able to tell people all over the world in many languages all about Jesus Christ.

Mercy: And that has happened. Now there are Bibles in practically every language on earth.

Milo: That’s right. Did you know that the Bible has been translated into over 2,000 languages?

Mercy: Wow! And it all started with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. It’s like the birthday of the church. And on that day, the church got a present of God’s presence.

Annmarie: So, how much DID Pentecost?

Milo: Well, to us it was a free gift from God. But for God, it cost Him his Son, Jesus, who died and rose again and then ascended into heaven. And now we have the Holy Spirit who lives in us to give us the power to tell others the good news.

Pierre: Les bonnes nouvelles que Jésus est vivant!

Milo: The good news that Jesus is alive!

All: Happy Pentecost!

The End

By Ruth Gilmore; copyright 2009.