Only God Can Change Us

Short Talk (SHT099) Only God can change us © Jane Hulme 2018 Aim of Short talk: Use of Short talk: Main themes: Biblical references: Lectionary: Props: To teach that although we can change our physical appearance in all sorts of ways, only God can bring about the radical change that is needed in our hearts if we are to come into His kingdom. 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. Transformation, Trinity, Life John 3.1-17 Year B – Trinity Sunday You need a variety of props to change the appearance of someone eg:  a fake nose, moustache and glasses,1  fake ears,2  a wig or hat etc. SHORT TALK: “Only God can change us” ........................................................................................................................ Many of us like to change the way that we look from time to time don’t we;  so we might grow our hair long or cut it short,  or even dye it a different colour. We might go on a diet and lose a load of weight so that we look slim,  or we might wear completely different clothes from normal. Some people go to really extreme lengths to change the way that they look by even having surgery. Who would like to come forward and have a makeover today? (Receive a suitable volunteer for the props you have) So let’s begin by giving you a new nose, a moustache and glasses. (Give your volunteer the fake nose, moustache and glasses to put on)  You are looking different already. Now let’s make your ears bigger shall we? (Give your volunteer the fake ears to put on) Let’s finish the transformation by giving you this wig (or hat) to wear. (Give your volunteer the wig/hat to put on) 1 You can purchase a fake nose, moustache and glasses cheaply from ebay by putting: “Funny Fake Nose Moustache” into the search bar 2 You can purchase fake ears cheaply from ebay by putting: “giant goofy ears” into the search bar © Jane Hulme 2018 2 N (name of volunteer) looks quite different now doesn’t s/he after our makeover? Now fun as it is to change how we look on the outside, there is one part of us that none of us can change, hard as we might try.  None of us can change what we are really like on the inside. Jesus said that if we want to come into God’s kingdom and become Children of God, then we need to change on the inside.  That change Jesus described as being “born again,” which essentially means a complete makeover inside. The way that this internal makeover happens is that when we come to Jesus, asking Him for forgiveness and a new life, Father God then gives us the Holy Spirit,  who actually comes to live inside us. The Holy Spirit makes us new people and enables us to live as Children of God;  loving God,  loving other people and  making those changes in our lives that we need to make. So as we look at N and see the makeover s/he has had on the outside,  let’s remember that God wants to give us all an internal makeover,  so that we can come into His kingdom and become His children. © Jane Hulme 2018 3