Our Turkish Easter Play!

Last Easter we had an art exhibition and a concert; but this year Pastor Matti wanted to be even more ambitious so he quickly whipped up a play, with a Turkish script, Turkish songs, and a powerful Easter message! We performed the play twice over Easter weekend and we had about 30 to 40 brand new visitors walk into our church and here the Gospel. The play was simple, but full of meaning! We used black trash bags to represent sin, people put them on as dresses, cloaks, scarves, etc. and seemed to enjoy it for a time—until tensions started to rise and envy, hatred, and borders were created. Jesus finds humanity frozen in this state (1st picture) and he takes the bags from a few and frees them to worship Him (2nd picture)—but then accusations are hurled at him and eventually the crowd attacks him and covers Him with their “sin.” As He lays there, we sing “Look at Him, the Lamb of God came.” After He rises from the dead, all of our Turkish actors go forward singing “I am washed in the blood of the Lamb, and I come to the Cross just as I am…” They line up as the song ends and one by one, they each gave a short personal testimony of how Christ changed their lives. At the end of the play, Pastor Matti gave a powerful message (4th picture) on death and our need for a Savior who can make us “whiter than snow.” The performances, songs, and testimonies were very powerful. There is no doubt that this Easter in Istanbul, Christ was lifted up high and men were drawn to Him!