Roman Soldier on Resurrection Sunday - Resurrection Skits for Church

Summary

A Roman soldier named Marcus steps forward as an unlikely witness to the most unsettling night of his life: the night he was assigned to guard the tomb of Jesus. Trained to obey, he tries to treat the assignment like any other: seal the stone, stand watch, report in the morning. But what he experiences breaks the neat categories of duty, politics, and fear. His story becomes a confession: not of failure, but of being confronted by something greater than Rome.

As Marcus recounts the shaking ground, the blinding light, and the empty tomb, the pressure to “manage the story” closes in. Religious leaders offer a safer version of events, and punishment hangs over the soldiers like a blade. In the end, Marcus stands at the open tomb with no speech prepared, no answer rehearsed, only questions that won’t leave him. He exits in silence, leaving the empty tomb visible as the final testimony.

Theme

Even unlikely witnesses are changed by the resurrection of the Son of God.

Characters  

(4-6 actors)

• Narrator – steady, reflective voice

• Marcus – Roman soldier; honest, shaken, searching

• Cassius – fellow soldier; fearful, defensive, practical

• Religious Leader – chief priest/elder; persuasive, controlling

• Centurion – Roman officer; stern, suspicious, political

When

Jerusalem, Resurrection weekend (biblical times)

Props & Costumes

• Roman-style costume pieces (tunics/armor), cloaks

• Spear props, small lantern/torch

• “Tomb” entrance (arch/curtain/box opening)

• Large “stone” (painted cardboard circle)

• Ribbon/rope “seal”

• Money pouch (prop coins)

• Optional: folded cloth strips inside the tomb

Why

Matthew 28:5–6 — “He is not here; He has risen.”
Meaning: The resurrection is God’s victory over death, and it changes the hearts of those who witness it—expected or not.

How

Keep the tomb visible throughout. Lighting shifts mark night/morning. The stone can be nudged aside between beats.

Time

10 minutes