God of the Living

Short Talk (SHT176a) God of the Living © Jane Hulme 2022 Aim of Short talk: Use of Short talk: Main themes: Biblical references: Lectionary: Props: SHORT TALK: “God of the Living” To encourage people that one day we will be raised from death to live with Jesus for ever. This is a short All Age talk picking out one issue from the Lectionary Gospel reading of the Sunday main service. The talk stands alone and assumes that the Gospel Bible reading may not yet have been read to the congregation. It could be used for example, for the whole congregation before the children go out to their age specific groups, leaving the adults with a full sermon later. Resurrection, Life, Hope Luke 20:27-38 Year C – The third Sunday before Advent You may find it helpful to use the pictures in Appendix 1 of Daniel, Moses, Abraham, Mary and St Paul, which can be projected. .................................................................................................................. I want you to imagine that you could meet anyone that you have read about in your Bible and ask them a question. • Who would you like to speak to? Would you like to speak to Daniel, (Project picture of Daniel from Appendix 1) who ended up in the lion’s den because He chose to pray when the King said no-one could pray? • Would you ask him if he was frightened with all those lions prowling around? Or what about Moses? (Project picture of Moses from Appendix 1) • Would you ask him what was it like walking on dry land with the Red Sea piled up either side of him? Or how about Abraham? (Project picture of Abraham from Appendix 1) • Would you ask him how he felt when God told him to leave his home and move to another land? And of course, we have only mentioned people from the Old Testament. We might want to meet Mary (Project picture of Mary from Appendix 1) and ask her what Jesus was like as a boy, • or St Paul (Project picture of St Paul from Appendix 1) and ask him what it was like meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus. © Jane Hulme 2022 2 All of the people I have mentioned had a relationship with God. • The amazing truth I want to share with you is that when you have a relationship with God on earth, even though one day you will die, God has promised to raise you to life again, so that relationship will continue. Daniel, Moses, Abraham, Mary and Paul aren’t simply people we read about in the Bible, but real people who loved God while living on earth and who will be raised to life one day. When some religious leaders were questioning Jesus about the resurrection, Jesus said that: “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” (Luke 20:38) So, on resurrection day, when all followers of Jesus will be raised to life again, we may well meet Daniel, Moses, Abraham, Mary and Paul as well as King Jesus and Father God. • I wonder what questions you will have for them? © Jane Hulme 2022 3 1. Daniel 2. Moses Appendix 4 © Jane Hulme 2022 3. Abraham 4. Mary 5 © Jane Hulme 2022 5. St Paul 6 © Jane Hulme 2022