Keep on Following Jesus

Short Talk (SHT112a) Keep on following Jesus © Jane Hulme 2018 Aim of Short talk: Use of Short talk: Main themes: Biblical references: Lectionary: Before the Service: Props: To encourage people to keep on following Jesus even when it is hard to do so, for Jesus alone has the words of eternal life. 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. Jesus, Discipleship, Eternal life John 6:56-69 Year B – The 12th Sunday after Trinity Set up a simple obstacle course down the centre of the church, or across the front of church.....whichever works best in your situation. You will need a box of “Celebrations” chocolates, and a few other sweets for any children who cannot eat chocolate/nuts/have allergies etc! SHORT TALK: “Keep on following Jesus” .................................................................................................................. Are there any children here who would like to come and play the game: “Follow the leader” with me? (Receive volunteers) • OK – I am the leader and I want you to line up behind me. (Volunteers line up behind you) • Now I want you to copy whatever I do, and wherever I go, even if you find it hard to do so. • If you manage to keep following me, there will be a reward for you at the end. Let’s begin by running on the spot, (Everyone runs on the spot) • followed by some star jumps, (Everyone does some star jumps) • and some simple squats. (Everyone does some simple squats) Now for the harder part......the obstacle course. (Everyone follows you through the obstacle course) • And finally let’s hop back to where we started. (Everyone hops back to the start) • Well done everyone. Some of you may have found it difficult to follow me and do what I was doing, but you kept going. • I am sure that knowing there would be a reward at the end helped you. • So here is the reward.....a couple of “Celebrations chocolates” each as we celebrate that you were able to follow me to the end of the activity. (Hand out chocolates, sweets etc and send the children back to their seats) © Jane Hulme 2018 2 After Jesus had fed over five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish, many people followed Him. • They must have been very excited to follow a leader who was able to feed them in such an incredible way. But then things started to get a bit more difficult for people to follow Jesus. • Jesus told them that He was the bread of life and that if they wanted the wonderful gift of eternal life that He alone could give them, then they needed to put their total trust in Him, and “feed upon Him.” This was a huge challenge for people. • It meant a complete change of life for them if they were going to continue to follow Jesus. • As a result John tells us in His Gospel that “many of Jesus’ disciples turned back and no longer followed him.” (John 6:66) Some of Jesus’ disciples however didn’t turn away from Him. • When Jesus asked the twelve if they wanted to stop following Him Simon Peter answered: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:68-69) Jesus still challenges people to follow Him today; • to follow The One who is the ultimate leader, the Saviour and Lord of all. If we choose to follow Jesus, He won’t be asking us to do star jumps and go through obstacle courses like some of you did today; • if we choose to follow Jesus, it will mean a complete change of life for us because we will no longer be doing just what we want to do. • We will be listening to Jesus and doing the things that He asks us to do instead. The question today is: “Are we willing to keep on following Jesus even when it is hard to do so?” • Our encouragement to keep following is not a Celebrations chocolate but eternal life. • So if you are finding it hard today to keep on following Jesus through the ups and downs of life, let me encourage you to keep going..... • it really is worth it! © Jane Hulme 2018 3