St Luke's Church Eccleshill, Bradford, UK

This piece of drama, part of a series on "Hospitality" was used on Sunday 6th July 2003 during the 10.30am morning service.

Welcome or not?

Genesis 18:1-19:29

Narr. 3,900 years ago, God came on one of his visits to earth.

(God stands at top of chancel steps)

God. I have heard about the good, the bad and the ugly, and I'm off down to earth to sort it all out. Because I am God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit - and I am the judge and saviour of all people. Let's go!

Narr. So God came to Abraham's house.

(Abraham & Sarah stand at foot of chancel steps)

God. This one is the good. You can tell by the way he treats strangers.

Abraham. My Lord, thank you for coming this way. Please don't go without accepting my hospitality. Please stop and let me get you something to eat. Please rest a while so that you'll be refreshed on your journey.

God. Very well. Do as you say.

Narr. Abraham prepared a huge meal. There was enough bread to make a display at Morrison's, and lots of meat and milk as well.

God. Abraham, I have two things to say to you. Number 1: Your wife Sarah will have a baby boy.

Sarah. Ha! What a joke! At my age? With a husband who's well past it?

God. Is anything too hard for the Lord? This time next year - baby boy!

Sarah. OK, OK, keep your hair on! Baby boy if you say so!

God. Number 2: I've heard about the city of Sodom, and I'm on my way to sort it out.

Abraham. Ah … Hang about, Lord. Suppose there are a few good people in it? Say 50?

God. As if! If there were a few good people in it I wouldn't destroy it. Come up here and just you watch what happens when I go.

Narr. So the Lord went to visit the city of Sodom.

(Abraham joins God at top of chancel steps. Sarah sits down. Lot and Man stand at foot of chancel steps)

God. This city is the bad. You can tell by the way they treat strangers.

Man. O look, someone's visiting this part of our city. Well, it's nothing to do with me. I guess they'll have to spend the night outside - it's not my job to look after them. Social services can do that.

Lot. But Social Services hasn't been invented yet.

God. That one is the ugly. He's called Lot, he's Abraham's cousin, and he knows how people ought to behave. He's only come to live here a little while ago, and he's the only good man in this whole city. I'm God, and I know what is in people's hearts.

Lot. Excuse me, my Lords. Please accept my hospitality, and come and spend the night in my house. I can get you a meal and you'll get a good night's sleep.

Man. Who do you think you are - you haven't lived here five minutes and you think you have a right to invite these creeps into your house. Let them stop here on the street, where they belong.

Lot. Oh, come on. Here's a stranger. Haven't you heard that mankind is one big family? It's our duty to take care of them.

Man. They'll get more than hospitality if they stop here tonight! What right have they got to come and hang around our city? Mind you, maybe we can teach them the intimate meaning of life?

Lot. That's a disgusting thing to say. I am offering these men my protection. Keep your hands off them.

Man. Maybe we can teach you a lesson or two as well.

God. Enough of this. Lot, you come up here, because I'm going to strike this man with blindness.

(Lot goes up the steps to them. God snaps his fingers at Man.)

Man. Come back here. Where did he go? What's all this smoke?

(Man sits down.)

God. I have come to destroy this city. Take your family and get out of here, because I'm going to send burning sulphur raining down.

Narr. So God destroyed the city of Sodom, but he saved Lot and his family. But before we end, here are some questions to the characters. Abraham - did you know it was God?

Abraham. No. We should welcome all strangers and take care of them.

Narr. Lot, did you know it was God?

Lot. No. The people of Sodom always used to treat others like dirt. It was awful to live among people who weren't friendly.

Narr. God, what was the sin of Sodom that made you destroy it?

God. The way they treated strangers showed what was in their hearts. The treated people like objects instead of like people. They didn't show concern for others. Their ideas about intimacy were only part of what was wrong with their whole attitude to life. I am the God of forgiveness, but I am the God of justice as well.

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

John Hartley