Running from God: Jonahs Journey of Reluctance

Title: “Running from God: Jonah’s Journey of Reluctance”

Objective: To illustrate the story of Jonah and his reluctance to follow God, highlighting themes of obedience, consequence, and redemption in a way that resonates with teens.

Props Needed:
1. A large cardboard cutout of a whale (for stage presence)
2. A suitcase or backpack (to represent Jonah’s attempt to flee)
3. A makeshift boat (can be a large cardboard box)
4. A map or signs with arrows pointing to Nineveh and Tarshish
5. Costumes: simple robes or tunics for Jonah and crew members (can be made of bedsheets)
6. A smartphone or tablet (to represent modern communication and distractions)
7. Fake storm sounds (can be played from a phone speaker)
8. Plastic fish or sea creatures (to symbolize the life in the ocean)
9. A large sign that says “Nineveh” and another that says “Tarshish”

Presentation Steps:

1. **Setting the Scene:** Begin by gathering the audience and introducing Jonah as a character reluctant to follow God’s call. Use the backdrop of a makeshift ocean with the large cardboard whale placed center stage.

2. **Jonah’s Choice:** Have a teen volunteer dress in a simple robe, representing Jonah. They approach the suitcase or backpack and act out Jonah’s internal struggle. Explain how Jonah felt overwhelmed when asked to go to Nineveh and instead packed up to run to Tarshish.

3. **The Journey Begins:** As Jonah struggles with his decision, the audience can be engaged by suggesting different reasons a teen might want to “run away” from responsibilities or the call to act in their own lives. This is a crucial point for connection – relate Jonah’s feelings to the audience’s experiences of fear, anxiety, or reluctance.

4. **Setting Sail:** Transition to Jonah finding the makeshift boat (the cardboard box). Have a couple of other teens dressed as sailors come aboard and express excitement about the journey – using dialogue to highlight each character’s contrasting attitude towards the voyage.

5. **The Storm:** Play the fake storm sounds as the scene shifts to turmoil on the boat. Use plastic fish or sea creatures to simulate the chaos of a storm. Sailors start panicking, calling out, and Jonah, still reluctant, is shown trying to hide from the situation.

6. **Jonah’s Realization:** Eventually, Jonah admits to the sailors that he is the cause of the storm. This moment should be acted dramatically. He then decides to jump overboard to calm the sea. The teens can mimic this by pretending to throw Jonah into the water as the sailors toss him overboard.

7. **The Whale:** Once Jonah is in the “ocean,” have the large cardboard whale “emerge.” Use a volunteer from the audience to represent the whale’s belly. The whale pulls Jonah inside, symbolizing his time to reflect. In this moment, Jonah prays and realizes the importance of following God’s call.

8. **Transformation and Obedience:** After a minute inside the whale, have Jonah emerge from the whale, revitalized and ready to obey God’s command. Use this moment to discuss themes of forgiveness, second chances, and the importance of returning to one’s responsibilities.

9. **Final Destination:** End the illustration with Jonah arriving in Nineveh (set up with the sign) and delivering God’s message. Emphasize how Jonah’s journey was not just about physical travel but also about personal growth and change.

10. **Wrap-Up Discussion:** Conclude by encouraging teens to reflect on their own “reluctance” in following their paths or responsibilities and how they can find the courage to embrace challenges instead of running away.

This illustration not only teaches the story of Jonah but engages teens actively, allowing them to draw connections between the Biblical story and their own lives.