Here’s a readers’ theatre setting of Galatians 5: 1,
13-25, the suggested epistle reading for Proper 8, Year C. It relies mostly on the New Living and J.B.
Phillips translations.
Readers’ Theatre
(Galatians 5: 1, 13-25)
One: So
Christ has truly set us free.
Now make sure that
you stay free,
and that you don’t
get tied up again in slavery to the law.
Two: Plant
your feet firmly within the freedom that Christ has won for us!
One: For
you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters.
Two: But
don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature.
Instead, use your
freedom to serve one another in love.
One: After
all, the whole law can be summed up in this one command:
Two: “Love
your neighbor as yourself.”
One:
But if you are always biting and devouring one another—
Two: if you
think you’re free to attack and tear each other to pieces—
One: watch
out!
You might just land
up destroying one another
and the fellowship
that you have together.
Two: Here
is my advice:
Let
your whole life be guided by the Holy Spirit.
Then
you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
One: The
sinful nature wants to do evil,
which is exactly the
opposite of what the Spirit wants.
And the Spirit
gives us desires
that are the
opposite of what the sinful nature desires.
Two: And
there’s the problem:
These two forces
are constantly fighting each other,
so you are not free
to carry out your good intentions.
One: But if
you follow the leading of the Spirit,
you stand clear of
the Law.
You are not under obligation
to the law of Moses.
Two: When
you follow the desires of your sinful nature,
the results are
very clear:
One: sexual
immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,
Two: idolatry,
sorcery, hostility,
One: quarreling,
jealousy, outbursts of anger,
Two: selfish
ambition, dissension, division,
One: envy,
drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.
Two: Let me
tell you again,
anyone living that
sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
One: But
the Holy Spirit produces different kinds of fruit in our lives:
love, joy, peace,
patience,
Two: kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
One: There
is no law against these things!
Two: Those
who belong to Christ Jesus
have nailed the
passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross
and crucified them
there.
One: If our
lives are centered in the Spirit,
let’s be guided by
the Spirit.
Two: Let’s
follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
