What Do you See?

Short Talk (SHT196) What do you see? © Jane Hulme 2020 Aim of Short talk: Use of Short talk: Main themes: Biblical references: Lectionary: Props: SHORT TALK: “What do you see?” To challenge people to keep on exploring who Jesus is until they “see” Him as He really is – the Son of God, worthy of our worship. 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, Blind, Seeing, Worship John 9:1-41 Year A – The 4th Sunday of Lent You need 4 PowerPoint slides; each with a different picture, that is revealed gradually. If you aren’t sure how to create a “hide and reveal” game in Power Point, the following video is very helpful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSH1GsdxF0k The pictures are as follows: • A bunch of flowers • A box of chocolates • The Queen • The word JESUS, with each letter covered up separately Instead of PowerPoint, you could have a large piece of card with a picture on it. The picture is covered with pieces of white paper, that you gradually remove to reveal what it is. 2 .................................................................................................................. On my slide (or piece of card), there is a picture, which is currently hidden from view. • I am going to gradually reveal what it is to you. • See how quickly you can guess what it is. (Gradually reveal the picture of the flowers) We have a beautiful bunch of flowers..... • very appropriate for Mothering Sunday! Let’s try again with another picture and see if you can guess what this is? (Gradually reveal the picture of the box of chocolates) • We have a box of chocolates. • Maybe some mums received a box of these today. © Jane Hulme 2020 And for my final picture – I wonder if you can guess who this is? (Gradually reveal the picture of the Queen) We have a picture of the Queen.... • a truly amazing lady Now we have been using our physical eyes (point to your eyes) to see the three pictures that I have just shown you, • but as well as our physical eyes, you and I also have spiritual eyes. These spiritual eyes see things that cannot be seen with our physical eyes. • These spiritual eyes see spiritual things.....and they are like the eyes of our understanding. Before we turn to Jesus, these spiritual eyes don’t see anything. • They are blind, • but when we turn to Jesus, He gradually opens our spiritual eyes so that we can see Him as He really is. This gradual opening of spiritual eyes happened to a man that Jesus met when he first walked this earth. • The man was blind, and Jesus healed him. • With such a remarkable miracle happening in the town, everyone got talking. • They wanted to know who Jesus really was. To begin with the man thought that Jesus was Just a man (Reveal the J in your JESUS picture) • Then after a while, the man thought that Jesus was a prophet, a bit like Elijah (Reveal the E in your JESUS picture) When the religious leaders started to quiz him, the man realised that Jesus was someone very Significant, because He had disciples. (Reveal the S in your JESUS picture) • Later on, when the religious leaders were getting really cross with him, the man realised that Ultimately (Reveal the U in your JESUS picture) Jesus must have come from God in order to perform such an amazing miracle. Finally, when the man met up with Jesus once again, he realised that Jesus was the Son of the living God (Reveal the S in your JESUS picture) and worthy to be worshipped. The man’s physical eyes were not only healed by Jesus, • but his spiritual eyes were also healed, so that He could see and understand who Jesus really is, • God’s Son and worthy of worship. © Jane Hulme 2020 3 I wonder how well your spiritual eyes are functioning. • Some of you were quick in seeing what the hidden pictures were earlier, • whilst others of you took longer to see what the pictures really were. Some of you will be seeing clearly with your spiritual eyes that Jesus is God’s Son who is worthy of worship, • of being followed and obeyed each day. • Others of you may not be seeing Jesus quite so clearly. Can I encourage you to keep on exploring who Jesus is until you “see” Him as He really is, • the Son of God, worthy of our worship. © Jane Hulme 2020 4