LAZARUS: Jesus! It’s good to see you.
JESUS: Shalom Lazarus. You look alive today. [THEY BOTH LAUGH]
LAZARUS: I am. Thanks to you and our Father! Let’s both try to stay that way. Come in quickly. No doubt you have heard about the plan to put us to death.[1]
[JESUS HUGS LAZARUS, THEN ENTERS THE HOUSE – FOLLOWED BY HIS DISCIPLES THAT BOW TO LAZARUS AS THEY ENTER THE HOME]
JESUS: (CALLS TO MARTHA]) Martha, it smells wonderful in here.
MARTHA: It is your favorite!
JESUS: I’m not surprised.
[JESUS SMILES AS HE WALKS OVER TO A LARGE PILLOW (OR SOFA) NEAR A LONG, LOW TABLE MAKING HIMSELF COMFORTABLE.]
[LAZARUS AND THE DISCIPLES JOIN HIM AS THEY ALL RECLINE AROUND THE TABLE.]
[MARTHA AND MARY COME OUT OF THE KITCHEN AND BEGIN SITTING FOOD, PLATES AND BEVERAGES ON THE TABLE. BOTH MARTHA AND MARY HUG JESUS BEFORE RETURNING TO THE KITCHEN.]
JESUS: (TALKING TO THE MEN AT THE TABLE) The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.[2]
A DISCIPLE: Lord, what do you mean?
JESUS: Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.[3] [DISCIPLES LOOK CONFUSED AT EACH OTHER]
JESUS: Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.[4] [DISCIPLES NOD AS IF THEY UNDERSTAND]
JESUS: If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him[5].
[1] John 12:9-11
[2] John 12:23
[3] John 12:24
[4] John 12:25
[5] John 12:26
