Jesus Brings Division

Short Talk (SHT164) Jesus brings division © Jane Hulme 2019 Aim of Short talk: Use of Short talk: Main themes: Biblical references: Lectionary: To teach that Jesus brings division between people who choose to follow Him and people who choose not to. 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, Division, Suffering Luke 12:49-56 Year C – 9th Sunday after Trinity SHORT TALK: “Jesus brings division” .................................................................................................................. Some of you here are football supporters. Which teams do you support? (Receive answers) • OK – so I need two of you who support different teams to come and tell me why you think that your team is the best! (Receive 2 people and stand them either side of you) So N1 (name of volunteer 1) why do you think that your football team is the best? • Having heard what N1 just said, can you tell me N2 (name of volunteer 2) why you think that your team is the best! N1 do you want to say anything to N2 to try and convince them that you team is really the best? • N2 do you want to say anything to N1 to try and convince them that you team is really the best? If I let this carry on much longer, we could have a full-scale argument here. • The football teams that N1 and N2 support divide them. • They may even live in the same family, but their football team divides them. • Thank you N1 and N2......do go and sit down again. All sorts of things in life can divide us, like the football team that we support. Some of those things are not important things; • like whether we watch X-factor or not, • whether we prefer cats or dogs, • or whether we like to eat brussels sprouts or not! © Jane Hulme 2019 2 Other things that divide us are more important things, • like our attitude to money, • or who we support in politics. It may come as a surprise to you but the person who will bring about the greatest division in a group of people is Jesus. • Could I have five volunteers quickly to come forward to help me show you what I mean. (Receive 5 people and get them to form a circle in front of you holding hands) I want you to imagine that this group of people here have never heard of Jesus and they are all living lives the way that they want to. • They may be friends, or they may even be members of the same family. Then one day, they all hear Jesus’ message that there is another way to live; • God’s Kingdom way.... • where a relationship with the living God is possible, • where love, forgiveness, humility and service are what really matters, • and not power, status and wealth. SomeofthegroupwillwanttoreceiveJesusintotheirlivesastheirLordandSaviour. (Split off 2 people from the circle and place them at your right-hand side) • Others in the group, however, don’t want to let go of their lifestyles. • They don’t want to follow Jesus and make Him their Lord. (Gather the other 3 people to your left-hand side) Jesus and His kingdom message have brought division to the group. • As many of us have experienced, sometimes people who reject Jesus’ way of life can give us a hard time for being Jesus’ followers. (Invite the 3 to shake their fists at the 2) • They can say unkind things to us. • They can treat us badly. But we shouldn’t be surprised. • Jesus Himself said that He would bring division, even within families (Luke 12:51-52) between those who follow Him and those who don’t. The important thing is that we keep on following Jesus, whatever people say or do to us. • Following Jesus doesn’t mean that we need to get into arguments about Him with other people, • although the Bible does say that we should be ready to explain why we believe if we are asked. Following Jesus does however mean that we keep loving, forgiving and serving other people, (Invite the 2 to “open their arms” to the 3, moving towards them) because Jesus wants everyone to know His love. © Jane Hulme 2019 3 If we choose to behave like that towards people who don’t yet know Jesus, then maybe one day, they too will realise that living God’s way is the best way after all. (Bring the 5 people together to hold hands in a circle again) © Jane Hulme 2019 4