New Play Explores Meaning of ‘It is Finished’ at Reaching Hearts Church

On April 8, the Reaching Hearts International church in Laurel, Md., hosted a special performance during its worship service to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. The original play, titled “Tetelestai: It is Finished!”, was written and directed by church member Shirlyn Ninala, who has previously organized four other plays for the congregation.

The new play aims to retell the familiar story of Jesus’ resurrection from a fresh and unique perspective. An avid reader of the “Conflict of Ages” series, Ninala incorporated the “great controversy” theme into the play’s structure.

The play began with Jesus on the cross, proclaiming, “It is finished,” and then explored the meaning of this statement through the eyes of different characters. Each character entered the stage to offer their interpretation of what “it is finished” meant to them, while also performing a song that accompanied their perspective. Among the characters featured in the play were Caiaphas, Matthew, a vineyard worker from one of Jesus’ parables, and Mary Magdalene. The play concluded with Jesus personally inviting the audience to accept the sacrifice He made for them on the cross.

The church encouraged members to invite friends, family, and neighbors to attend the performance. Nick Stephenson, Reaching Hearts associate pastor, highlighted the significance of the event, saying, “There are a lot of people looking for Easter or Resurrection Day programs this time of year, so I think it’s a great outreach opportunity, and the potential is huge.”