St Matthew

St Matthew

 Matthew, soldiers (2), people(2), Jesus, Pharisees (2), Ethiopian King, nun, Ethiopian soldier, Ethiopian cannibals

 
(Enter Matthew, Soldiers, people)

There once was a man named Matthew, also known as Levi.  Every day he would go door to door with 2 soldiers,  saying to people “Pay your taxes, or these thugs will break your legs!”
 
Sometimes people would fall on their knees and cry, and say “Please!  I already paid my taxes!”
 
Matthew would say “The Roman government needs more!  Pay again!”
 
So people would hand over their money, which Matthew would put into his own pocket, and say “This will pay for a big party tonight!”
 
The other people knew that he was doing this, so they would stick out their tongue or make faces at Matthew behind his back, but they made sure he never saw them.

(Exit People, enter Jesus)

One day while counting his money, and saying “Chaching!” Jesus walked by.  Jesus looked at Matthew and said “Come, follow me.”

To the astonishment of the guards, Matthew said “Ok!”, and jumped up, leaving his money behind!

(Exit soldiers)

 
Then Matthew said “Jesus, we should totally party at my house tonight!”

Jesus said “Sounds good!  B.Y.O.W!”  The W stood for water, but Jesus had plans for that.

 

(Enter people, Pharisees)

When the people heard that Jesus was going to eat at Matthews house, they were flabbergasted!  They twitched and spasmed and foamed at the mouth. They found some Pharisees and said  “Jesus is eating with that outcast, that sinner….”
 
 The Pharisees shook their head in disdain at Jesus, and wagged their fingers saying “Naughty naughty!”

But Jesus said “Doctors don’t go to healthy people, but to sick people.  I came for sinners not the righteous!”

Matthew said “Oh burn!  In your face!”  The Pharisees were gobsmacked.

(Exit People, Pharisees)

Matthew left his life of tax collecting, and continued to follow Christ.  Jesus died, and rose, and went to Heaven.  

(Exit Jesus) 

Then the Holy Spirit came down on Matthew, making him strong and bold!

Matthew travelled all over the place, telling people about Jesus.  He also wrote one of the gospels.

(Enter nun,  Ethiopian cannibals)

Eventually, Matthew ended up in Ethiopia, land of the cannibals.  The cannibals looked hungrily at Matthew, saying "we love foreign delicacies!"  But Matthew converted many Ethiopians, and baptized them.  One young lady became a nun!  

(Exit cannibals, enter Ethiopian King, Ethiopian soldiers)

But the king of the Ethiopians wanted to marry the young lady, who said “I can’t-  I am given to Christ.”

The King went into a rage, and pointed at Matthew yelling “Sorcerer!!!”  He ordered his soldiers to burn Matthew alive, as a sacrifice to his idols.  Matthew did die in the fire, but the idols were also destroyed.

St Matthew-  Pray for us!