Are You the One?

Short Talk (SHT181) Are You The One? © Jane Hulme 2019 Aim of Short talk: Use of Short talk: Main themes: Biblical references: Lectionary: Props: SHORT TALK: “Are You The One?” To explain that we all have expectations of Jesus and that the Bible teaches us the truth of who He truly is. 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. John the Baptist, Advent, Jesus, Expectations, Truth Matthew 11:2-11 Year A – The 3rd Sunday of Advent You will need two items wrapped up as follows: 1. Astone(around60mm)wrappedupinfancywrapping paper and decorated with a ribbon. 2. A blue 40mm cut glass diamond1 (costs around £3) wrapped up in creased and used old brown paper or a used envelope. (Alternatively use an expensive piece of jewellery) Display the two gifts on a table in front of the congregation .................................................................................................................. In front of me I have two gifts. • I wonder which one you would like to receive. What do you expect to find inside this paper? (Hold up the gift wrapped in the fancy wrapping paper) • Do you expect to find something rather exciting, or valuable, or expensive? (Receive responses) What do you expect to find inside this paper? (Hold up the gift wrapped up in the tatty wrapping paper) • Do you expect to find something a bit boring or rather ordinary? (Receive responses) Who would like to come and unwrap our parcels? (Receive a volunteer) • Why don’t you unwrap the exciting gift first? (Volunteer unwraps the gift) • What have you got there? A stone? Show everyone. (Volunteer shows off the stone) 1 You can purchase a blue 40mm cut glass diamond from ebay at www.ebay.co.uk for around £3 by putting “blue 40mm Crystal Cut Glass Large Giant Diamond Jewel” into the search bar © Jane Hulme 2019 2 That wasn’t what we expected was it? How disappointing! Why don’t you unwrap our rather boring looking gift? (Volunteer unwraps the gift) • What have you got there? A giant diamond jewel? (or whatever item is inside the parcel) • Show everyone. (Volunteer shows off the jewel. Lay the stone and the jewel side by side) • That wasn’t what we expected was it? How amazing! (Send volunteer back to seat) Sometimes things aren’t always what we expect them to be are they? • It can be the same with people. • Sometimes people aren’t what we expect them to be either. When Jesus walked this earth, He surprised people with the things that He did. • Even John the Baptist, whom Jesus described as “greater than anyone who has ever lived.” (Matthew 11:11 Good News Version) seemed to have been surprised by the way Jesus acted. After John had preached his God given message to people, telling them to prepare for Jesus’ arrival, • he was arrested and thrown into prison. In prison John heard the things that Jesus was doing; • that Jesus was healing people, • that Jesus was setting people free, • that Jesus was hanging out with people that others looked down upon. Maybe John was expecting God’s King to come with judgement (Matthew 3:7-12), not necessarily with love and kindness. • Maybe he was a bit unsure if he had got it right. • So, John sent his followers to Jesus to ask Him: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” (Matthew 11:3) Jesus answered John by telling him that what He was doing was exactly what the Old Testament Scriptures said that the Messiah would do. • They said that when the Messiah came, the blind would see, the deaf would hear, the lame would be healed and good news would be preached, • which was exactly what Jesus was doing. • Jesus reassured John by helping him have the right expectations of him. I wonder if our expectations of Jesus are the right ones. • Do we expect Jesus to make us happy or to make us holy? • Do we expect Jesus to make us rich in money or rich in character? • Do we expect Jesus to take away all our problems so that we can live an easy life, or to help us face our problems and be given the strength to stand firm? © Jane Hulme 2019 3 Whatever we expect of Jesus, we can find out the truth of who He really is from reading our Bibles. • So today, let me encourage you to spend time discovering who the real Jesus is, so that you will never be disappointed, but full of amazement. © Jane Hulme 2019 4