Are you Ready?

Short Talk (SHT071) Are you ready? © Jane Hulme 2017 Aim of Short talk: Use of Short talk: SHORT TALK: “ARE YOU READY?” To challenge people to prepare for the day that they meet Jesus by developing a relationship with Him now. 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. If you are looking for a more straightforwardly Remembrance themed short talk, look at SHT050 “Remembrance poppies” or SHT058 “The importance of remembering” or SHT059 “What would you do for a friend?” Preparation, Knowing Jesus, Remembrance Matthew 25:1-13 Year A – Proper 27, CW The 3rd Sunday before Advent, Remembrance Passport, Revision guide or a school text book, Remembrance Main themes: Biblical references: Lectionary: Props: Poppy, Bible ............................................................................................................... There are some things in life that we cannot leave until the last minute, aren’t there?  There are some things in life where we need to think ahead and make preparations. ImaginethatyouhavebeengiventhegiftofaholidayinAmericafor2weeksinJuly. How would you prepare for that holiday? (Receive answers)  I would prepare by checking that my passport was in date, and packing a case of the things that I would need. (Hold up passport) Now imagine that you left preparing for that holiday until the day that you were due to go.  What could go wrong? (Receive answers)  Maybe the worst thing that could happen is that your passport could be out of date and so as a result of not preparing you would probably not be able to go on holiday..... Some things are even more important to prepare for than holidays.  Many of you here will need to take exams at different points in your school or college life.  How would you prepare for an exam that was coming up in a couple of weeks’ time? I would prepare by revising for a few days before an exam to make sure that I was ready. (Hold up revision guide or school text book)  Now imagine that you didn’t bother to prepare for the exam and didn’t do any revision.  What could go wrong? (Receive answers) The worse thing that could happen is that you fail the exam.  Maybe that would affect your options in the future. © Jane Hulme 2017 2 Today it is Remembrance Day and we remember with gratitude all of those men and women who have gone to fight wars on behalf of our country,  and especially those who have made the greatest sacrifice of giving up their lives for our freedom. We remember them as we wear our poppies. (Show poppy) As we remember them we know that each one of those men and women had to prepare themselves to go to war didn’t they?  They would have gone through all sorts of training so that they were ready.  Training for war cannot be left to the last minute and done on the day of battle or the enemy will have a huge advantage and it may cost people their lives. Now there is one thing that every single one of us here needs to prepare for that is of the utmost importance.  The result of not preparing is even worse than not preparing to go to battle, because our life is affected......not just now but for all eternity. Every single one of us needs to prepare for the day when we meet Jesus face to face;  either at the end of our lives,  or when He returns to earth as King. On that day, when we stand before Him, will we hear Jesus saying to us: “Welcome into my kingdom,”  or will we hear the words, “Truly I tell you, I don’t know you”? (Matthew 25:12)  I know which words I would rather hear. If we are going to hear the words, “Welcome into my kingdom,” then we need to prepare now while we live on earth. The Bible (Show Bible) teaches us that we are so loved by Jesus that He was willing to lay down His life for us, rising from the dead three days later, so that we can enjoy eternal life with Him......  We need to respond to His love by putting our trust in Him and developing a relationship with Him.  Then we will be ready for the day when we meet Him, whenever that is. Don’t think that you can leave preparing to meet Jesus to the last minute.  It is more important that we prepare than preparing for a holiday,  Or preparing for an exam  Or even preparing to go to war. Can I encourage you not to leave it too late? © Jane Hulme 2017 3