Jesus Sets People Free

Short Talk (SHT165) Jesus sets people free © Jane Hulme 2019 Aim of Short talk: Use of Short talk: Main themes: Biblical references: Lectionary: Props: To teach that Jesus set a crippled woman in a synagogue free and now sets people free from their sins. 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, Freedom, Sin Luke 13:10-17 Year C – 10th Sunday after Trinity You need 2 paper chains made from black paper. SHORT TALK: “Jesus sets people free” .................................................................................................................. Have any of you ever seen a television programme, where animals are set free from a cage back into the wild again? • It is a wonderful sight isn’t it.....seeing that animal run free, • enjoying their freedom to live in a wide open space. Or maybe you have watched birds being set free from a cage. • Off they fly.....swooping and diving, • enjoying their freedom to live in a wide open space. Jesus came to earth to set all human beings free so that we can live in the love of God, which is like a wide open space. • None of us need to be set free from cages, like some animals and birds do, • but we do need to be set free in other ways. One day, when He was in a synagogue, Jesus showed people a sign of His ministry of setting people free. • There He met a woman who had been crippled for 18 years. • I need a volunteer to come and be the crippled woman. (Receive female volunteer) This woman was bent over and could not straighten up at all. • So would you please bend your back and I am going to wrap a chain around you so we can see that you cannot straighten up. (Wrap first paper chain around volunteer’s back) © Jane Hulme 2019 2 Can you imagine how hard it must have been for this woman to live, with her back so bent? • What things do you think it would have been hard for her to do? (Receive answers) There would have been so many things that this poor woman couldn’t do, wouldn’t there? • Her life would have been very restricted. Now Jesus saw her while He was teaching. • He called her forward and said to her: ““Woman, you're free!” He laid hands on her and suddenly she was standing straight and tall, giving glory to God. (Luke 13:12b-13) (BREAK THE CHAINS OFF THE WOMAN, who then stands straight, with arms in air to give glory to God) Wow....Jesus set this woman free. • Isn’t that wonderful? • She was now free to live life in the love of God, which is like a wide open space. This freedom that Jesus brought to the woman He wants to bring to each one of us, so that we can live life in the love of God, which is like a wide open space. • We may not have a bent back like the woman in the synagogue, • but we are crippled by the wrong things that we do, and we need to be set free. (Pick up second paper chain and as you list sins, wrap this chain around your volunteer so that they gradually become restricted.) Not loving God, • lying • gossiping, • stealing, • hating, • being greedy, • being jealous, • disobeying God, • loving money, • complaining • being selfish, • swearing, • fighting and so on are all sins that bind us up, stopping us from enjoying the life that God created us to have in relationship with Him. But the wonderful news is that like the woman that Jesus set free in the synagogue, He says to each one of us: “Come to me and I will set you free.” • The question is: “Will you let Him?” • If you choose to come to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you and to set you free, He will, (break the chains off your volunteer) and you will then be free to live life in the love of God, which is like a wide open space. © Jane Hulme 2019 3