This short, simple script begins with the Jesus’ promises concerning the Holy Spirit at the Last Supper, journeys through Jesus’ promise before his ascension, and on to the fulfillment of those promises on the day of Pentecost.

Reader’s Theater: The Promises of Pentecost
Scriptures: John 14: 16, 17, 26; 16:13; Acts 1:5-8; Acts 2:1-21
adapted from the New Revised Standard Version
Parts: 2 Readers, Jesus, Peter

READER ONE:
On the night in which he gave himself up for us, Jesus promised,

JESUS: John 14:16, 17, 26; 16:13, NRSV
I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth… the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you… When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth.

READER ONE:
On the day in which he ascended to heaven, Jesus promised,

JESUS: Acts 1:5-8 NRSV, selected verses
John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now…. you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

READER ONE:
Ten days later, Jesus fulfilled his promises.

READER TWO: Acts 2:1-21, NRSV
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven, there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound, the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked,

READER ONE:
Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
Cretans and Arabs–in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.

READER TWO:
All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”

READER ONE:
But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”

READER TWO:
But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them,

PETER:
Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

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Adapted from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Reader’s Theater: The Promises of Pentecost © 2015 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
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