Sermon and Worship Resources

Synonyms: forgery, counterfeit, copy, sham, fraud, hoax, imitation, mock-up, dummy, reproduction, lookalike, likeness, charlatan, quack, mountebank, humbug, impostor, pretender, masquerader, hoodwinker, hoaxer, cheat, cheater, deceiver, dissembler, trickster, confidence trickster, fraudster, forged, fraudulent, false, bogus, spurious, pseudo, artificial, synthetic, simulated, replica, ersatz, plastic, man-made, mock, so-called, feigned, faked, put-on, assumed, improvised, invented, affected, insincere, unconvincing, forge, falsify, feign, mock up, reproduce, replicate, pretend, simulate, put on, make-believe, affect

Antonyms: genuine, authentic, true, real, sincere, honest, actual, legitimate, veritable, natural, heartfelt, candid, bona fide, frank, truthful, unfeigned, straightforward, unaffected, valid, factual, original, open, literal, artless, pure, proper

Showing 1 to 25 of 26 results

1. Monologue: Sarah

Genesis 20:1-18

Drama

Lynda Pujad

... baby. I didn't need Hagar at all. I forced them to leave, knowing full well that they would die in the desert. I pretended to be naive, but no one survives alone in the Arabian desert. I knew what I was doing. I never heard from them again. I assumed they both died, which is what I had planned. I never believed in God before this time. I didn't really need to. I always was given everything I wanted and needed. Anyway, I was obedient to my husband and believed what God told him. I certainly thought it my ...

2. Poolside Blessing: Monologue of a Paralytic

John 5:2-16

Drama

Dr. Raymond Bailey

... believe it.I felt life in my legs.I could stand on them -- I could, and did, move them.After 38 years as a paraplegic, I could walk.I felt absolute hilarity. Since it was the sabbath day, my first stop was at the temple.There, of all places, I assumed I would find those who would rejoice with me, and praise our God.But, before I even got there, some religious people, many of whom knew me, got all upset because I was carrying my pallet -- no bigger than one of your sleeping bags -- on the sabbath day.I was ...

3. When Old Nick Met Nicodemus

Drama

... in a beautiful garden at sunrise that very first Easter ... there you will see Nicodemus - that’s me - waiting for a friend to come. (Old Nick freezes; the lights fade to dim on the newsstand and brighten on the garden portion of the set. Jim proceeds to assume the role of Nicodemus for the play) Nicodemus He’s not here yet! (Looking around) But then, perhaps I am a bit early. It’s so quiet this morning ... like the quiet after a great storm. Eerie and quiet! What a stormy week it has been! (Gesturing ...

4. The End

Luke 21:5-38

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

... ? Why? THE PRIME MINISTER: I can only guess, Sire. THE KING: Guess, then. THE PRIME MINISTER: It must be the general uneasiness that has all of us in its grasp. HASSAN: It's true, Sire. I felt it too. THE KING: There has been no "uneasiness" since I assumed the throne. Why is there "uneasiness" now? THE PRIME MINISTER: Well, Sire, ships cannot take on any of our oil. The seas have been too rough. THE KING: That's happened before. The seas will calm. THE PRIME MINISTER: I don't know, Sire. Thirty-foot waves ...

5. The Darkest Hour

Drama

Pamela Urfer

... promised them he would be with them always, and he had broken that promise. Who could they turn to now? The world must have seemed a very cold and empty place that day. Their basic error, so easy to see from our vantage point, was that they assumed that Jesus' primary objective would be to save his own life and to establish a kingdom on earth. Why, they asked, if Christ wanted to save others, could he not come down from the cross? They wanted some "Superman" exhibition of power, whereas to die on the cross ...

6. To Jericho

Drama

Karren Boehr

Theme: Training Young Leadership In The Body Of Christ Moses readied the younger Joshua over many years to assume his role in leading the children of Israel into the Promised Land. Young leaders need to be nourished and allowed to develop their talents and gifts under the wise guidance of anointed leadership. Setting: The Children of Israel are ready to enter the Promised Land Characters:MOSES: Older man, wise ...

7. Is Christ In The Manger?

Drama

Karren Boehr

... . Now, let's see ... (Characters freeze in place. Spotlight off) Scene IV Setting: A park bench on a snowy evening Characters:OLDER GENTLEMAN: Quite stately, well manneredOLDER WOMAN: Well groomed, regalPROPHET: Learned, with authority (the church minister may want to assume this role) Costumes: Winter apparel appropriate for a winter evening, prophet may be in a robe or Sunday modern dress Props: Park bench, tape of carols (Spotlight on) WOMAN: (Sitting on one end of bench) Aren't the lights beautiful? The ...

8. Gifts of Lent, Ash Wednesday: A Man Gives His Donkey

Matthew 21:1-11

Drama

Donald Neidigk

... , but not in a way any of us had expected. I'm not sure just what we wanted Jesus to do when he entered the city. Perhaps we thought he would lead that great Palm Sunday procession all the way to the Fortress Antonia. Perhaps we naively assumed the strong gates would miraculously open, and all the terrified Roman soldiers in Jerusalem would run away like scared rabbits before the Son of David who had come to claim his throne. Then, with the city secured forever from the hated invader, the heir to David's ...

9. The Healing Of Simon Peter's Mother-In-Law

Mark 1:29-34

Drama

Dallas A. Brauninger

... or the actions of busyness as a camouflage for their suffering. Extend a symbolic or literal hand. Interviewing The Disciples Asker: James, John, Simon and Andrew, who does the telling here? It is all in third person narration without dialogue. Somehow, we assume a disciple is telling the story. The storyteller did not say that Simon and Andrew were present, but only that it was their house. We know only that "they" entered the house and that Jesus and some others, probably disciples, entered with James ...

10. The Conference

Mark 1:9-13

Drama

Arley K. Fadness

... ) Counselor: Sounds kind of violent. Maybe Dirk is needing something very important. (Dirk nods yes as he drops his kangaroo stance.) Parent 2: Really important? What in blazes do you mean, counselor? Parent 1: I don't have a clue as to what you're talking about. (Dirk assumes he is a clown by putting on a red nose and floppy hat.) Counselor: Now what is he? Parent 2: Bozo the clown, I guess. Parent 1: So it's attention, attention, attention he wants! We've only got so much to give. (Dirk acts out a brief ...

11. It's Hell, I Say: Herod Speaks

Matthew 2:1-12

Drama

Dr. Raymond Bailey

... of Persia, presented themselves to me. Though they were men of high standing, I might not have given them audience, were it not for the fact that they sought the King of the Israelites, the recently born Messiah. They came there to my palace because they assumed any new heir would be my offspring. I inquired of the chief priests at the temple I built for the Jews, where the Messiah was to be born. Bethlehem, they said -- according to scriptures, Bethlehem. I asked the Magi to return and bring me word when ...

12. Recollections of Enoch, A Jewish Captive In Babylon

Isaiah 12:1-6

Drama

Robert A. Morgan

I thought I was an old man when we were brought to Babylon, and I am ten years older now. I never expected to live this long under what I assumed would be the acute hardships of being captives, held against our wills in this strange land so far from home. But actually, daily life since we reached here has not been all that difficult. The journey from Jerusalem was very difficult. The Babylonian soldiers who had herded us together saw ...

13. Recollections of Abdul, Camel Boy for An Eastern Potentate

Luke 1:46-56, Luke 1:39-45

Drama

Robert A. Morgan

... us to take them back to camp. But I'll never forget how their faces glowed. Whatever this trip had been for, it was clear the purpose was accomplished, and that seeing the young mother and her baby had meant very much indeed to them. I had assumed since the purpose of the journey now had been accomplished, we could take our time about getting home, and travel by the easiest, most comfortable and best supplied route. But it was not to be so. Early the next morning, even before dawn, the orders came to ...

14. Herod

Matthew 2:1-12

Drama

Dale Bringman

... two years later, 4 B.C., when astrologers came from Persia and Mesopotamia following a star. According to their calculations, the star had particular significance. They asked for an audience with me. I was told they had brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. I assumed these were for me. My ministers reported that, instead of bringing the gifts for me, those Wise Men had come asking: "Where is he who is born king of the Jews?" They had brought the gifts for him. I was outraged! My first impulse was ...

15. Sacrifice - Hannah and Mary, the Mother of Christ

Luke 2:41-52

Drama

Martha L. Leach

... , and I recognized that he was special from the day he was born. And I'll never forget when he was 12 years old. We took him to the temple in Jerusalem. When it was time to return to our home in Nazareth, Jesus was not with us, but we assumed he was in the crowd somewhere. After a day's journey when we stopped to rest for the night, we realized he was not with us. Hannah: How worried you must have been! Mary: Yes! Joseph and I returned to Jerusalem, and after much searching, we found him in the ...

16. The Women

John 20:1-9

Drama

William Grimbol

... Patti SHIRLEE: Nonsense! DIANE: Quit acting as though you are the only intelligent person present (Pause) ... please. SHIRLEE: Oh, good grief, don't be so offended, but really, miracles? Every year there is some new magician, some new mystic, some awesome miracle worker. (Standing, assuming a mocking tone.) I will make the blind see. I will make the deaf hear. I will cleanse the leper. My God, how many times have we heard that? Every year. NANCY: Amen. Every year! It has gotten boring. DIANE: I am no fool ...

17. The Darkest Hour

Drama

Pamela Urfer

18. The Box

Drama

Cynthia Mercati Prigge

... the box, but to no avail. She sadly shakes her head.] SECOND PERSON: How could it work? That wasn't what you were supposed to say! You didn't even use the right words! This is God we're dealing with - we've got to be tactful. [Assuming an attitude of obvious piety] Almighty and everlasting God, Lord of heaven and earth, by whose spirit all things are governed: We, thy humble and miserable servants, earnestly beseech thee to look with favor and blessing upon our poor sister. She makes a solemn vow to work ...

19. Good Morning, Jerusalem!

Drama

... the stone for us?" Ezra: Did you go inside the tomb? Mary: No ... I went back to the city and told our friends that someone must have taken our rabbi’s body! Ezra: How did you know the Nazarene’s body wasn’t still in the tomb? Mary: I just assumed his body had been taken away ... But I came back to the tomb later. While I was standing there crying, I looked inside ... and I saw two angels standing where our rabbi’s body had been. When I turned around, a man I didn’t recognize was standing there ...

20. My God, My God, ... Why?

Mark 15:33-41

Drama

... is the true messenger of the kingdom of God, or more, its Messiah, then this cross spells the end of many of our ways of thinking about life and death, about law and justice, even of our ideas about religion, charity, piety and mercy. All that we assume is right and good has been called into question. But God has chosen to act mysteriously before, right? (Mildly amused) After all, he called Abraham, didn’t he? And Jacob and Moses? Perhaps I’ve been looking too long. And maybe I shouldn’t be surprised ...

21. A SERMON-DRAMA FOR EPIPHANY

Drama

Tom Eberle

... promised not to say anything, Mark Spitz. Star: Ahah! I’ve turned out a pool full of Mark Spitz’s and I do a pretty good Raquel Welch, if I do say so myself. Female: Well, lunkhead over there promised he wouldn’t tell anyone. Male: I assumed the promise was only meant to apply to people, and not to stars. Star: Don’t be embarrassed about it. I’ve gained a better understanding of people over the years. I used to be annoyed that you were never satisfied with anything. I always thought how childish ...

22. Obedience to God

Drama

Curt M. Joseph

... : To trap him, you mean. Nathanael: Philip, let him go on. Joseph: Thank you! There is a lot I would like to know. Questions that I believe he can answer. But if it’s not possible to talk to him, I’d be willing to talk to you. I’m assuming that you are two of his disciples. Philip: Well, he’s quite busy right now, with the Passover and all. And you Pharisees aren’t helping, with all your little games and traps. In fact, he just left some of your pharisaical friends who were trying to get some ...

23. The Suffering Servant

Drama

Curt M. Joseph

... ! Don’t you, Judas? Judas: Why, yes. Annas: Then how can we help you? Judas: Then you are not against him? Caiaphas: Of course not, we want to help. Judas: I was wondering ... Well, would it be a sin, would it be wrong if I did something to help him assume the power that is rightfully his as the Messiah? Annas: What do you think, Caiaphas? Caiaphas: I think we should do all we can to help Judas, in order to help Jesus. Annas: My thoughts exactly. What did you have in mind? Judas: I was thinking that if he ...

24.

Drama

David E. Ullery

... you have in them I can’t see at all, Claudia. But there is no reason to worry - Caiaphas finally seems to be satisfied that without a leader they will get nowhere. Claudia: I am afraid that you’re right. Not one of them has been willing to assume leadership. All that Jesus taught will now be forgotten - it was all without a real purpose, for no provision was made for the future. Pilate: I confess that he was an unusual man, and that I am sorry that I was powerless to prevent his death. But perhaps ...

25. Haunted By The Cross

John 18:1-11; 18:33-19:16; 19:28-42

Drama

King Duncan

... during readings and monologues: 1. When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (Simon Peter) 2. Just As I Am, Without One Plea (Samaritan woman) 3. There Is A Fountain Filled With Blood (Pilate) 4. Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross (Nicodemus) It is assumed that the pastor will be the narrator.] Narrator: Author Garrison Keillor is best known for his Lake Wobegon tales. They are a pleasant exercise in nostalgia. On one occasion Keillor recalled his childhood Thanksgiving dinners, as the family gathered around the table ...

Showing results