Pass on the Good News

Short Talk (SHT187) Pass the Good News on © Jane Hulme 2019 Aim of Short talk: Use of Short talk: Main themes: Biblical references: Lectionary: Props: Before the service: To encourage people who have come to know Jesus, to pass on the good news about Him to their families and friends. 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, Evangelism John 1:29-42 Year A – The Second Sunday of Epiphany You need the following: • An item of nice clothing (that is possible to pass on to someone else) • A box of tissues • A box of Maltesers • A mobile phone You can either use an extended family for this talk ie mum, dad, child, grandparents, auntie etc, or you can “create” a family for the purpose of this talk. In the script below I will be “creating” a family. SHORT TALK: “Pass the Good News on” .................................................................................................................. Today we are going to think about some of the things that we pass on in our families, • so, I need your help to create a small family. • I need a child and 4 adults; 2 men and 2 women to be mum, dad, uncle and Grandma. (Receive volunteers – you may need to adapt to your situation) We will call this the “Grace” family. • Here we have mum, dad, grandma, uncle (Point to the relevant people) • and N (Name of your child volunteer) In our families we pass on all sorts of things don’t we? • We may pass on clothes when they no longer fit us so that they can be a blessing to another member of the family. (Hold up item of clothing and give to Grandma) So, Grandma could you pass this on to mum, who will pass it on to N (Clothing gets passed around depending upon your situation) © Jane Hulme 2019 2 We may pass on a cold that we have picked up. (Hold up box of tissues and give to dad) • So, Dad you picked up a cold at work. Take a tissue and sneeze. • Unfortunately, you passed it on to mum, who passed it around the rest of the family so pass the tissues around and take one and sneeze.. (Pass around the tissues) We may pass on chocolates or sweets especially if we have been given a whole box. (Hold up box of Maltesers and give to Uncle) • So, Uncle Grace, you have just received a box of Maltesers. After you have taken one, would you pass the box on to other members of your family. (Maltesers get passed around) We may pass on photographs or news through whatsapp or other social media platforms. (Hold up mobile phone) Families tend to pass on all kinds of different things to one another. • It was the same in the time of Jesus. One day a fisherman called Andrew heard John the Baptist look at Jesus and say, “I tell you that he is the Son of God.” (John 1:34b Good News Version) Do you know what the first thing Andrew did when He heard John the Baptist say these words? • The Bible tells us that the “first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “we have found the Messiah.” And he brought him to Jesus.” (John 1:41-42 NIV) • Andrew passed on to his brother Simon the wonderful news that he had found Jesus. • Not only did he pass on the good news, but he also took him to see Jesus. Now in your families, there will be some people of all different ages who haven’t heard the good news that Jesus loves them and came to be their Saviour. • Do you think that you could pass on the good news that you have heard about Jesus to them? If you are an adult, tell your children or your grandchildren or your nephews and nieces or your godchildren that Jesus is the Son of God and what He has done for them. • Pass the good news on. If you are a child, tell the adults in your family that you go to church where you have heard the wonderful news that Jesus loves you and that you want to pass the good news on to them. We are all able to pass on things to other people in our families, and also in our friendship groups and at work, • so, let me encourage you today to pass on the good news about Jesus, just like Andrew did. © Jane Hulme 2019 3