Does He Look like a King?

Short Talk (SHT125) Does He look like a King? © Jane Hulme 2018 Aim of Short talk: Use of Short talk: Main themes: Biblical references: Lectionary: Before the Service: To teach people that even though Jesus didn’t look like a King when He lived on earth, the truth is that He is in fact the King of Kings. 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, King John18:33-37 Year B – Christ the King. The Sunday next before Advent You need a member of the congregation to be involved in this short talk. They need to have a job that involves wearing some sort of recognisable work clothes eg. a police officer, chef, train driver, builder, judge, soldier, pilot, nurse, fire fighter etc. They will need to bring some of their work clothes with them in a bag where they can’t be seen until the appropriate time. Ideally you want to choose someone whom the children don’t know well. SHORT TALK: “Does He look like a King?” .................................................................................................................. Can I invite N (name of your adult volunteer) to come forward now? (N joins you at the front standing in front of the congregation. They have their bag by their side)  I need a couple of children to come and help me work out what N does for a living. (Couple of children come forward. Get them to stand in front of N) So children look at N carefully. Do you think that N is a police officer?  Do they look like a police officer? (Children answer) Do you think that they might be a builder?  Do they look like a builder? (Children answer) Do you think that they might be a surgeon?  Do they look like a surgeon? (Children answer) How about a pilot....flying planes?  Do they look like a pilot? (Children answer) [Ensure that you mention what job N, your volunteer actually does?] OK N, please could you put on some of your uniform / work clothes. (N puts on some of their work clothes) © Jane Hulme 2018 2 Now can you guess what N is? (Children answer)  That’s right, they are a ........(Mention job that N does) When N wasn’t dressed in their uniform they didn’t look like a ........(Mention job that N does) did they,  but the truth is that they are a ........(Mention job that N does)  and you can see that truth now. Thank you very much for your help ......would you all like to sit down. Sometimes it is hard to recognise what people do or who they really are,  especially if they are “out of uniform.” This was a problem for a man called Pilate who was a Roman Governor in Jerusalem over two thousand years ago.  One day Jesus was brought to stand before Him.  The Jewish people who had arrested Jesus had told Pilate that Jesus claimed to be a King. Now to Pilate’s eyes Jesus didn’t look much like a king.  Jesus looked more like a poor man because He wasn’t dressed in rich clothing.  Jesus also didn’t have a large army outside the gates, armed with swords and clubs, ready to fight for Him.  He only had a small band of followers, who had all run away. To Pilate’s eyes Jesus didn’t look much like a king at all, and so He asked Jesus: “Are you the King of the Jews?” (John 18:33) Although Jesus didn’t look like a King when He came to earth the truth is that He was and is the King of Kings.  Now He is in heaven and if we could see Him with our eyes we would see the truth that Jesus really is King,  in the same way that earlier we saw the truth that N really is a ......(Mention job that N does) So today, let me encourage you to put your faith in the truth that Jesus is King and that He wants to reign over your life.  Let’s give King Jesus the worship that He alone deserves. [Lead into a worship song about Jesus being King] © Jane Hulme 2018 3