Power to Follow Jesus

Short Talk (SHT154) Power to follow Jesus © Jane Hulme 2019 Aim of Short talk: Use of Short talk: Main themes: Biblical references: Lectionary: Props: To teach that at Pentecost the Holy Spirit was given to the disciples, equipping them with power to follow Jesus. The Holy Spirit continues to be given to Jesus’ disciples today for the same reason. 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. Pentecost, Holy Spirit, Power, Discipleship John 14.8-17, Acts 2.1-21, 1:8, Matthew 5:14, 28:19-20, Luke 11:13 Year C – Pentecost You will need: • a table, • a very large tablecloth or sheet that will cover the table down to the floor on all sides, • a lamp placed on top of the table with the flex hidden under the table, and not plugged into the extension lead, SHORT TALK: “Power to follow Jesus” • an extension lead that is situated under the table. .................................................................................................................. I have been having some problems with this lamp for days and I need a child to come and help me. • Who would be willing to come and help me? (Choose a young child volunteer who will do exactly what you tell them to do. You don’t want a child who will tell you to plug the lamp in!!!) • OK – come and stand next to me. (Receive volunteer and stand them next to you) Now I need you to speak to my lamp and tell it to “light up.” • Do you think that you could do that? • I have been trying to do that for days, but the lamp isn’t listening to me. • Perhaps it will listen to you. OK.... after I count to 3, please tell my lamp to “light up.” • 1,2,3 (Child says: “Light up”) • I think that the lamp might be deaf. Why don’t you shout at it? • Go for it. (Child shouts: “Light up”) Let’s see if my lamp will listen if more people tell it what to do. • I need 2 more volunteers please. (Receive another couple of volunteers) © Jane Hulme 2019 2 After 3, please shout: “Light up.” • 1,2,3 (Volunteers shout: “Light up”) This is a very stubborn lamp. • I know, why don’t we all shout: “Light up.” My lamp will have to listen then. • After 3, please can you all shout: “Light up.” • 1,2,3 (Congregation shouts: “Light up”) (Inspect the lamp) You know, I think that my lamp is trying really hard to light up, but it just isn’t happening. • Perhaps if we encourage it to try harder, it will finally manage to shine. • So for the last time, could you all shout at the top of your voices: “Try harder,” and I am sure that will do the trick. (Congregation shouts: “Try harder,” then you go and inspect the lamp) • You know, we could stay here all day shouting at my lamp and nothing would happen, and the obvious reason why it won’t light up is that the lamp has no power flowing into it. • Without power it cannot do what it was made to do. • It cannot shine. So let’s plug in the lamp. (Plug in the lamp so that it lights up) • Now the lamp can do what it was made to do. • It can shine. • Thank you volunteers, would you like to sit down again. A lamp without power cannot shine. • Christians without power cannot shine either! • They cannot do what they were made to do. Jesus has called us to love and obey Him, (Matthew 28:20) • to tell other people about Him, (Acts 1:8) • to make disciples, (Matthew 28:19-20) • to do the things that He did while He lived on earth, (John 14:12) • to shine as lights in this dark world (Matthew 5:14), • but we cannot possibly do those things in our own strength, however hard we try. • We need God’s power. Jesus knows that we need God’s power to follow Him. • Jesus promised His first disciples that when He left them, He would give them the gift of the Holy Spirit, who would actually come and live inside them. (John 14:17) • The Holy Spirit would give them the power they needed to follow Jesus. On the day of Pentecost, when the disciples were together praying, God gave the gift of the Holy Spirit to the first disciples. © Jane Hulme 2019 3 As a result, Peter, from being a frightened man, stood up and told a crowd of thousands all about Jesus, and 3000 people accepted Jesus as their Lord. • The power of the Holy Spirit gave the disciples all that they needed to follow Jesus. It’s no different today. • Trying to live the Christian life without the power of the Holy Spirit is as impossible as trying to get a lamp to shine without the power of electricity. • It is essential that we “plug-in” to God’s power source, plugging in daily. • All we need to do is ask Father God and He will fill us afresh with His Holy Spirit, giving us all that we need. (Luke 11:13) So today, as we celebrate Pentecost, let’s ask Father God to fill us again with the Holy Spirit, so that we too have the power to shine wherever we are. © Jane Hulme 2019 4