Pod the Alien Sketch : ‘The Greatest Supporter’
New opening titles! (No narration needed. Pod bangs on the door, Compere opens the door, Pod enters)
Hello Pod
Hello Wendy. Woah, what a lot of people. That’s great. Hello everybody.
Yet it’s great isn’t it. But how are you today, Pod?
Oh, I’m feeling rather puzzled.
Oh really and what is it that you’re puzzled about this time Pod?
Well I’m glad you asked because, as I was coming in to land today, I noticed lots of people playing out in a field with a round bouncy ball. And you know, I couldn’t understand what on earth they were doing. First, they kicked the ball away, like they didn’t want to play with it, and then they changed their minds and ran after it, only to kick the ball away again. It made no sense at all.
That would have been a game of football, Pod. Kicking and chasing; it’s is all part of the game.
Well, it was obviously a game they weren’t any good at. I could have told them it would’ve been much easier to pick up the ball and carry it to where they want it.
Oh no, Pod. It’s against the rules to pick up the ball.
You’re not very advanced species I you?
Don’t worry Pod if you watch enough of it, you’ll soon pick it up.
… And, and what was stranger still, were all the people just standing and cheering. None of them even tried to kick the ball.
Were they standing around the edge of the field by any chance?
Yes they were actually. They were very excited, but they didn’t seem to be joining in the game
I think they would have been the supporter’s Pod. They are there to cheer on their team.
But why didn’t they join in? I’m sure if they’d all joined the in, their team could have won much quicker.
No, that’s not a supporter’s job. They are there to watch and cheer
Ah, I see. They’re not good enough to play are they? They’re just wannabees!
No Pod that’s not necessarily true. Some of them could be better players than those on the pitch. Do you not know what to supporter is?
You know Wendy I think you’ve hit the nail on the nose there. I understand the game of football very well now. I think I might even get a football to chase myself. But I freely admit I don’t understand this supporter-thing at all.
OK, let me try and describe it to you: A supporter is someone who is there to watch and enjoy. He’s committed to the team whether they win or lose. He is there to cheer and encourage. He celebrates with them in their victories and consoles them in their defeats He is part of the team in Spirit. That’s what good supporter is.
Wow! That sounds like a really important job. Does it pay well?
No, no supporters don’t get paid. They do it for the love of the team. And every team values it’s supporters. Because a team with good supporters is very hard to beat.
Yeah, and it must feel great, to have someone who really, really wants you to win. Can supporters support other things apart from football?
Oh yes. There’re supporters for every sport. And it’s not limited to just sport either. Ordinary people can support each other through the good times and the bad times of life.
Oh wow, I just thought of something. All you people, the big ones and the short ones, you people who do Church, you’re like, supporters of Jesus aren’t you?
Well I suppose you could say that
Yes, yes. You cheer him and celebrate his victory. An you encourage him when he.. when he .. when .. he. Wendy
Yes
What does Jesus do?
I think you might have stumbled on one of the special things about Jesus, Pod. Jesus has finished everything he set out to do. So he doesn’t need encouraging, and he certainly doesn’t need consoling in defeat!
No, I see what you mean, that doesn’t sound right at all does it.(sadly) I guess I got it wrong there.
Don’t be sad Pod. You didn’t get it so much wrong, just the wrong way round.
What do you mean “the wrong way round”?
Who is it that needs the support?
Not Jesus
No, not Jesus… but us.
You mean you support each other?
Well yes we can do that, but what I mean is that Jesus supports us.
No way! But Jesus is God’s son, He’s perfect. Why would he support you?
Because he loves us. He’s the perfect supporter. He watches and enjoys us from heaven. He is committed to each one of these people whether they win, or lose.
He’s there to cheer and encourage you!
That’s right, and He celebrates with us in our victories and consoles us in our defeats. And he can do more than any ordinary supporter, because he doesn’t just watch from the sidelines…
No?
No, he is more than just “with us in spirit”. He actually gives us his spirit. Many of the people here have asked Jesus into their lives, and they now have his Holy Spirit living in them. It’s the same spirit that helped Jesus to live so powerfully when he walked on earth. It’s a piece of God in your heart.
Woah, that is absolutely brilliant! So when you say you know God, you’re not joking.:Hey, but isn’t that a bit scary having God in your heart, won’t he make you do God-stuff that you don’t want to do?
Oh Pod, I though you were starting to understand. God isn’t like that he doesn’t force us to do anything. He loves us, and he is just like the perfect supporter, encouraging us to do the right things and the best things.
Yes I see he must love you all an awful lot. Well I’ve learnt loads of new things on this visit. I learnt about football and supporters, but most importantly I learnt that, Jesus is the greatest supporter of all. He not only cheers and encourages you, but he is committed to you all the time whether you win or lose. And he gives you his Holy Spirit so that he can support you from the inside. Wow that’s something isn’t it? Well it’s time for me to be off now. I’ll see you again soon. Bye.
Good-bye, Pod.Standard exit (leaves. Spaceship takes off: DVD & accompanying sound effects. Goodbye Pod.
© M Day 17-Mar-2003
Synopsis
More Pod pages
Downloads
– The Greatest Supporter in pdf format
– Power point of Pod’s summer Landing sequence without intro
– Power point of Pod’s summer Take off sequence.
NB power points with intros feature a old fashioned movie-style leader countdown with ‘pearl & dead’ sound track. This is simply an attention grabber for when the Pod sketch has been an unannounced opener for a service. Only summer versions are available here (there are also winter versions to match the conditions outside the venue).