Jesus Has all Authority and Power

Short Talk (SHT082) Jesus Has All Authority and Power © Jane Hulme 2018 SHORT TALK: “Jesus has all authority and power” Aim of Short talk: Use of Short talk: Main themes: Biblical references: Lectionary: Props: To teach that Jesus has all authority and power, and we need to listen to Him and obey Him. 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, Authority, Power, Listening, Obedience Mark 1:21-28 Year B – The 4th Sunday of Epiphany Create 4 A4 cards as follows: 1. Write,“Mum”ononesideinlargefontandthewords:“Itis nearly ten o’clock. It is time for you to go to bed” on the other side. 2. Write,“YoungerBrother”ononesideinlargefontandthe words: “It is nearly ten o’clock. It is time for you to go to bed” on the other side. 3. Write,“Neighbour”ononesideinlargefontandthe words: “Ignore the tape. Just go under it. That’s what I’ve done” on the other side. 4. Write,“Policeman”ononesideinlargefontandthe words: “Don’t ignore the tape. Don’t go under it. The road is blocked for safety reasons” on the other side. ........................................................................................................................ All through life different people will tell us what to do.  The question we are looking at today is: “Who should we listen to and obey?” I need 4 people to come and help me...  I need a boy, 2 women and 1 man. (Receive your 4 volunteers and stand them in a line facing the congregation and hand out all of the different cards so that each person is holding one.) Imagine that this woman and this boy are your mother and younger brother.  Would you please step forward? (“Mum” and “younger brother” step forward) Imagine one night that you and your younger brother are enjoying playing a game on your play-station.  Your younger brother looks at his watch, turns to you and says, (“Younger brother” reads the words on the back of his card which say: “It is nearly ten o’clock. It is time for you to go to bed”) The question I want to ask you all is “Will you listen to your younger brother and do what he says?”  Who will listen to him and head off to bed? (Receive responses)  Who won’t listen to him? (Receive responses) © Jane Hulme 2018 2 Now what if your mum says this to you? (“Mum” reads the words on the back of her card which say: “It is nearly ten o’clock. It is time for you to go to bed”)  Who will listen to her and head off to bed? (Receive responses)  Who won’t listen to her? (Receive responses) If we are wise we will listen to our parents and obey them when they tell us do things.  You see they have been given authority in our homes by God.....which is the right to teach us and train us until we become adults, which is a huge responsibility. Now imagine that this woman and this man are your neighbour and the local policeman.  Would you please step forward? (“Neighbour” and “Policeman” step forward) Imagine one day that as you walk down your road, on your way to the sweet shop, you find tape all across the end of the road, blocking your way.  On the yellow tape is written: “Police line. Do not cross.” You aren’t quite sure what to do when you see your neighbour the other side of the tape.  She says to you, (“Neighbour” reads the words on the back of her card which say: “Ignore the tape. Just go under it. That’s what I’ve done”) Just then a policeman arrives and he says to you, (“Policeman” reads the words on the back of his card which say: “Don’t ignore the tape. Don’t go under it. The road is blocked for safety reasons.”) The question I want to ask you all is “Who will you listen to and obey?”  Who will listen to their neighbour and walk under the tape? (Receive responses)  Who will listen to the policeman and not walk under the tape? (Receive responses) If we are wise we will listen to the policeman and we will obey him.  You see he has been given authority by the government to enforce the laws of the land and if we disobey him we could end up being punished. All through life we will come across people who have authority;  who have the right to tell us what to do,  and we need to listen to them and obey them. Even more important than listening to and obeying our mums or the police is listening to and obeying Jesus,  because Jesus is The One with the greatest authority of all. (Philippians 2:9-11)  He is God. When Jesus walked on earth He spent time teaching people about the Kingdom of God.  The Bible tells us that: “The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.” (Mark 1:22) But Jesus didn’t simply teach with authority, He also acted with authority.  When Jesus told sickness to leave a person’s body, the sickness left.  When Jesus told an impure spirit to leave a man, it left.  Jesus alone has all authority and power over creation......He is Lord. The question today is: “Who should we listen to and obey?”  If we are wise we will choose to listen to and obey Jesus, the Lord of all. © Jane Hulme 2018 3