Hopes Dashed and Hope Renewed

Short Talk (SHT201) Hopes dashed, Hope renewed. © Jane Hulme 2020 Aim of Short talk: Use of Short talk: Main themes: Biblical references: Lectionary: Props: To encourage people to turn to Jesus with their disappointments, because He not only walks alongside us when we are sad, but He can also renew our hope. 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, Disappointment, Emmaus Road, Hope Luke 24:13-35 Year A – The 3rd Sunday of Easter You will need the pictures found in Appendix 1 on PowerPoint slides. SHORT TALK: “Hopes dashed, Hope renewed” .................................................................................................................. How many of you have at some time been disappointed about something? (Receive responses) Maybe you didn’t get chosen for the lead part in the school play. • or a friend didn’t invite you for a birthday sleepover. Maybe you didn’t get the job that you had applied for, • or your girlfriend ditched you, • or your holiday got cancelled at the last minute because of an aeroplane strike. When we are disappointed, we can feel really fed up and sad as we think about the thing that has happened. • If we had to draw a picture to describe our disappointment it might look like this, • everything is dark. (Show the picture in Appendix 1 under the heading, Disappointment) We all have to cope with disappointments of one sort or another don’t we? • Sadly, it is part of life. Over two thousand years ago, two of Jesus’ disciples were very very disappointed. • They had been in Jerusalem and seen all the terrible things that had happened to Jesus, including His crucifixion. © Jane Hulme 2020 2 They had hoped that Jesus was going to set the Jewish nation free from the Romans, • but now Jesus was dead, and their hopes were dashed. • This picture of darkness would have described a bit of how they felt. As they were walking along the road, away from Jerusalem and towards the village of Emmaus, the risen Lord Jesus joined them and walked with them. • The disciples didn’t recognise Him at first, but Jesus was there with them in their grief. This can bring us comfort, that when we are disappointed, when our hopes are dashed and we are sad, we are not alone because Jesus Himself draws close to us. • Like the disciples, we may not recognise that He is with us at first.....but He is there. While Jesus walked with His disciples, He talked with them and helped them see that what had happened in Jerusalem with His crucifixion was all part of God’s story of rescuing mankind that had been taking place over hundreds of years. Jesus showed them the big picture which gave the disciples back their hope. • Suddenly they understood why Jesus had to die. • Suddenly they could see the part that Jesus’ crucifixion had played in the much bigger purpose of God. When we are disappointed, we can turn to Jesus too and He can help us see the big picture of our lives in God’s hands. • He can restore our hope as He did the disciples on the Emmaus Road. If we had to draw a picture to describe hope it might look like this. (Show the picture in Appendix 2 under the heading, Hope) • This beautiful picture is a way of showing the good plans that God has been working out in our lives. • Can you see the middle of the sunflowers, which is dark? • That is the picture I showed you first when we talked about disappointment. Now that you can see the whole picture, you can see that the middle of the sunflower is only a tiny part of the whole picture, • so be encouraged today that when you face disappointment, Jesus is walking with you, • and He can help you see the big picture of your life in God’s hands. Isaiah 49 verse 23 says that “those who hope in God will not be disappointed.” © Jane Hulme 2020 3 Disappointment: Hope: Appendix 1 – Pictures 4 © Jane Hulme 2020