Keep on Praying

Short Talk (SHT173) Keep on Praying © Jane Hulme 2019 Aim of Short talk: Use of Short talk: Main themes: Biblical references: Lectionary: Props: Before the service: SHORT TALK: “Keep on praying” To encourage people to keep on praying and not to give up, even when the answers to their prayers seem slow in coming. 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. Prayer, Perseverance, Faith Luke 18:1-8 Year C – 18th Sunday after Trinity A stopwatch or some means of measuring time accurately and 3 small prizes for the runners. Volunteer 3 will be running on the spot until you finish speaking, so you will need to choose someone who is reasonably fit!! Select and prewarn them before the service about what they are going to do and that they need to answer “yes” to your question. .................................................................................................................. Ineed3volunteerswhoarehappytotakepartinsomeexercise! (Choose3people) • Come and join me. (Line up 3 volunteers along the front of church) • I am going to ask each one of you to run on the spot for a certain length of time like this. (Demonstrate running on the spot) • If you manage to keep running, you will win a prize. So N1 (name of volunteer 1) I would like you to run on the spot until I shout, “stop.” Go! (N1 runs on the spot for 10 seconds which you time with the stopwatch, and then you shout, “Stop.”) • Well done – that was great running.....here is your prize. (Give prize to N1) • That wasn’t too difficult was it, running for 10 seconds? N2 (name of volunteer 2), I would like you also to run on the spot until I shout, “stop.” Go! (N2 runs on the spot for 20 seconds which you time and then you shout, “Stop.”) • Well done – that was great running.....here is your prize. (Give prize to volunteer 2) • Well done for keeping going for 20 seconds of running. And finally N3 (name of volunteer 3), I would like you to run on the spot until I shout, “stop.” Go! (N3 runs on the spot and keeps running while you are talking. Time them for 10 seconds, and 20 seconds) © Jane Hulme 2019 2 This runner has run for 10 seconds and is doing well. • They have now run for 20 seconds and is still going strong. • They have absolutely no idea how much longer they are going to need to keep on running for before I give them their prize. • I expect that they are hoping that I will stop them soon! As time goes on their muscles are going to start to hurt aren’t they? • • • They will probably be tempted to give up. (Turn to volunteer 3 and ask:) Are you tempted to give up? (Volunteer replies, “Yes”) Keep going.....you are doing well. (Address the congregation) If N3 (name of volunteer 3) is going to receive their prize today, they need to keep on running. • They need to keep on going and not give up. Sometimes in life we find that we have to keep on going and not give up, like N3 is doing. • We might be taking part in a sporting event and we need to keep going until the end. • We might be trying to learn a new skill like reading or cooking or trying to pass an exam and we need to keep going until we have learnt what we need to learn. • In all of these situations we need to keep on going and not give up. Jesus told His disciples and He tells us that when it comes to prayer, it is just the same. • We need to keep on praying and not give up. (Luke 18:1) Sometimes Father God answers our prayers immediately which is wonderful. • That is a bit like our runners N1 and N2, who only needed to run for a short time before they received their prize. But other times, we need to keep on praying about something and not give up. • For example, we may need to pray for someone to come into God’s kingdom day after day after day, • week after week after week, • year after year after year, • before the answer comes and we see the change that we have been asking for. It can be tempting to give up after a while can’t it, thinking that God hasn’t heard us, or isn’t listening, or isn’t willing to answer our prayers. • But the truth is that Father God is good. • He does hear us when we cry out to Him. • He does answer our prayers in the way that is best for us and for other people. (Turn to runner 3 and say, “Stop”) • Well done N3 for keeping on running and not giving up. • That wasn’t easy at all was it? Here is your prize. (Give prize to N3) © Jane Hulme 2019 3 So today can I encourage each one of you to trust Father God. • Show that trust by keeping on praying and not giving up, even though at times it can be hard to keep on going. • Show the same perseverance in prayer that N3 has shown in running today. © Jane Hulme 2019 4