Jesus Promises us Help

Short Talk (SHT204) Jesus promises us help © Jane Hulme 2020 Aim of Short talk: Use of Short talk: Main themes: Biblical references: Lectionary: Props: Before the service: To encourage people with Jesus’ promise that He will give us the Holy Spirit to help us keep His commandments and to obey Him. 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, Holy Spirit, Helper, Obedience John 14:15-21 Year A – The 6th Sunday of Easter You need to set up at the front centre of church a handful of really heavy or large items that a child could not move by themselves, for example, dumb-bells, a large piece of wood, a table, a stack of chairs etc. You need a child and their father to be your volunteers. Brief SHORT TALK: “Jesus promises us help” them fully before the service. .................................................................................................................. Look at this mess behind me. • I need a volunteer to come and clear it up and move it over here. (Indicate the place where you want the items to be moved to) • Who will come and do that for me? (Receive child volunteer) Thanks for offering to clear this mess up. • Would you like to get started? (Child attempts to move things but can’t) It looks like you are struggling to move anything at all. • Why don’t you try a bit harder? (Child attempts again to move things but can’t) Still struggling? • Come on, put your back into it. You can do it! (Child attempts again to move things but can’t) You really can’t move those things can you? • Why don’t we ask your dad to come and help you? • Come on dad, come and add your muscles to this job. (Receive adult volunteer) © Jane Hulme 2020 2 Let’s see if N (name of child), with a bit of help from their dad, can clear up this mess now. (Child and their Father clear up the mess together) • Well done.....great job. • Do sit down. On their own, N didn’t stand a chance of doing what I asked them to do. • They needed the help of their dad, who was more than willing to give it. Now you and I aren’t asked by God to move heavy things around like you have just seen, but God does ask us to keep His commands. The problem is that although we can try really, really hard to love God and love other people all the time, in our own strength it is impossible. • It’s as impossible as N trying to move those heavy things. We can try really, really hard to obey all that Jesus asks us to do, but in our own strength it is impossible. • It’s as impossible as N trying to move those heavy things. The good news is that Jesus knows that it is impossible for us to follow Him and do the things He asks us to do in our own strength, • so He has promised to give us the help that we need. • Listen to these verses from John chapter 14. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever...” (John 14:15-16) This Helper is the Holy Spirit and He is given to us when we first turn to Jesus and follow Him. • The wonderful thing about the Holy Spirit is that He lives inside us and so is always with us, ready to give us the help that we need. Next time, you are struggling to do something that Jesus wants you to do, stop for a moment and whisper this prayer: “Holy Spirit, please help me,” • and you will find that He does. © Jane Hulme 2020 3