A vision of God. March 2017 Light series 3: A vision of God. Getting started. You will need. Beginning the service

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1 March 2017 Light series 3: A vision of God A vision of God Aim: God s great glory is revealed Readings: 1 Thessalonians 4:13 18 Getting started In this Light series the age groups have been considering the idea of God s glory. This complex concept relates to such ideas as wonder, power, splendour, otherness, goodness and utter worthiness which all take our breath away! The overall series of material for children and young people has introduced different aspects of God s glory as revealed in his actions. The aim of this all-age service outline is to explore the promised return of Jesus in all his glory, as a king, coming to bring justice and peace on the earth. Paul was writing to the Christians in Thessalonians because he wanted them to understand why this was such an important truth to grasp (verse 13). These early Christians were living with the expectation that Christ would return any time soon. Understandably, there was concern about what would happen to followers of Christ who had already died. Would they miss out? This service is not so much looking at being ready for Christ s return but enabling people of all ages to explore Jesus timeline. Through this our faith may be deepened (verse 18), certain that he is going to come in a blaze of glorious sound and fury. You will need Images of the life of Jesus (optional) Six strips of card, joined with loose pins, to create a timeline: strip 1: green, 30 cm strip 2: red, 15 cm strip 3: black, 30 cm strip 4: yellow, 15 cm strip 5: white, 30 cm strip 6: gold, 15 cm there s a diagram at Web resources, showing how the strips fit together. Alternatively, use the PowerPoint from Web resource. Images or symbols of the following: something in creation, a manger, a cross, a gravestone, a picture of an empty tomb, a cloud, a trumpet Loud instruments Beginning the service Most Christians do not place Christ s return to earth as the first thing they think of when reflecting on Jesus life and ministry. This starter activity serves to point this out! (Your congregation may be an exception!) When we think of Jesus, what picture of him comes into our minds? You may need to ask people to come

2 prepared with an answer, if you think it would be a challenge to answer spontaneously. Write down the answers on a flip chart or screen and then vote which is the most popular image. For example, as a baby, a child, a storyteller, a miracle-worker, a friend, on the cross, resurrected, ascending to heaven, in heaven. Alternatively, you could show five pictures of the life of Christ excluding his second coming. Vote on these. Then ask if anything is missing. It will be interesting to discern if anyone thinks of him returning from heaven to this earth! Comment on the outcome of your discussion. Welcome Sing a song that celebrates the life of Jesus. Read Luke 19:35 38, asking everyone to close their eyes and picture Jesus coming as a king into Jerusalem. In what ways, if any, was this incident glorious? How was Jesus showing his glory? Explain the theme of the service and what people can expect in worship. You will be reflecting on another way in which Jesus will be coming. Bible reading 1 Thessalonians 4:13 18 (CEV) Reader 1: These are the facts that Paul wanted the followers of Jesus in Thessalonica (in Greece) to grasp hold of. He was very determined. He said: My friends, we want you to understand how it will be for those followers who have already died. Then you won t grieve over them and be like people who don t have any hope. Reader 2: FACT 1: We believe that Jesus died and was raised to life. Reader 3: FACT 2: We also believe that when God brings Jesus back again, he will bring with him all who had faith in Jesus before they died. Reader 1: FACT 3: Our Lord Jesus told us that when he comes, we won t go up to meet him ahead of his followers who have already died. Reader 2: FACT 4: With a loud command and with the shout of the chief angel and a blast of God s trumpet, the Lord will return from heaven. Reader 3: FACT 5: Then those who had faith in Christ before they died will be raised to life. Reader 1: FACT 6: Next, all of us who are still alive will be taken up into the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the sky. Reader 2: FACT 7: From that time on we will all be with the Lord for ever. Reader 3: Encourage each other with these words. Reader 1: In other words, get hold of these seven facts. Reader 2: Don t forget them. Reader 3: We ve all got something to look forward to! Readers 1,2,3: Be hopeful! Bible talk With: six strips of card, joined with loose pins, seven symbols or images (optional) or the PowerPoint from Web resources

3 A diagram is available at Web resources that shows how the coloured strips fit together to form the zigzag timeline and where to place the images, if you are using them. So what is Jesus doing now? Let s have a look at his zigzag timeline to work that out and find out more about each movement of Jesus. (You will either need to stick the joined-up strips to a long board or involve several children to hold the timeline and images or symbols in place.) In the beginning Jesus was in heaven. He helped to create the world. Show the image or symbol of creation. Jesus came to earth as a baby. He grew up, worked as carpenter, went around telling stories and healing the sick. Show green strip 1 and the image or symbol of a manger. If you are creating a zigzag timeline, this image needs to be at the bottom of strip 1. Jesus enemies objected to what he said. He was put to death on a cross. Show red strip 2 and the image or symbol of a cross. If you are creating a zigzag timeline, this image needs to be at the top of strip 2. Jesus was really dead and he was buried. Show black strip 3 and the image or symbol of a tombstone. If you are creating a zigzag timeline, this image needs to be at the bottom of strip 3. But Jesus did not remain dead for long. Two days later he came alive again. Show yellow strip 4 and the image or symbol of an open tomb. If you are creating a zigzag timeline, this image needs to be at the top of strip 4. For 40 days Jesus met with his followers, explaining to them why he had to die and why he had come alive. They knew he was really and truly alive. He also explained that he was going to return to heaven to be with God his Father and the Holy Spirit would come in his place. This is what happened when, before their eyes, he was lifted from the ground and was hidden by a cloud. Show white strip 5 and the image or symbol of a cloud. If you are creating a zigzag timeline, this image needs to be at the top of strip 5. This is where Jesus is right now. In heaven, seated on the right hand side of his Father s throne, where he prays for us. But we know (and this is partly because of what Paul told the Christians in Thessalonica) he is going to come back to earth, with loud shouts and trumpets. He is coming as a king to bring justice and peace to the earth. (Talk about loud sounds, excitement and wonder, the glory and splendour of Jesus will fill the earth.) Show golden strip 6 and the image or symbol of a trumpet. If you are creating a zigzag timeline, this image

4 needs to be at the bottom of strip 6. Everyone who loves Jesus, who follows him but has already died, they will come to life again with new bodies, ones like Jesus resurrected body. (Remind people of what Jesus could do in his new, resurrected body.) And those of us who are still alive, we will be taken to be with Jesus forever, where he will reign as king forever. Wow! What an amazing event we can look forward to. What hope that gives us. If we have already died when this happens, we know we will have a new body, one without aches and pains and limitations. If we are still alive, what a glorious happening to expect. If we love Jesus, we will see all this and be involved! No wonder Paul wanted the Christians in Thessalonica to grasp hold of this. The song, Lord I lift your name on high follows this movement of Jesus. It would be appropriate to include that after the Bible talk. Statement of belief If it is your custom, a good way to conclude the talk would be to say the Creed, emphasising the statement that Jesus will come again. If not, or in addition, act out the following adapted proclamation! Christ was born! (make a diagonal cross with the arms, as the end of a manger) Christ has died! (make a vertical cross shape with the arms) Christ has risen (slowly raise both arms in the air) Christ will come again (slowly bring the arms down again) Repeat several times, beginning quietly and getting louder and louder. Prayer activity As Paul wanted the Thessalonians to be filled with hope, the intercessions should be focussed upon praying for those who are without hope and nothing to look forward to. He did not want people to grieve as those without hope grieve! As you pray into the following areas, finish each section with Maranatha and invite everyone to respond with the ancient response Come Lord Jesus in all your glory! Pray for the world Use the news headlines to pray for those in countries devastated by war, where many have fled to refugee camps. Maranatha Come Lord Jesus in all your glory! Pray for your community Identify particular individuals or parts of your local and/or church community who are lonely, bereaved, sad for whatever reason, that the hope that Jesus brings will become real to them. If appropriate, invite someone who is involved in a local ministry of compassion to speak about their work, to stimulate very relevant prayer. Maranatha Come Lord Jesus in all your glory!

5 Pray for yourselves Pray for those who look at the future and are uncertain, that their attitude will be impacted by what God has been saying to you all today. Allow time for silent prayer. Maranatha Come Lord Jesus in all your glory! Ending the service Say the Lord s prayer together, drawing attention to the final phrase. Helpful Extras Music and songs Crown him with many crowns When the Lord in glory comes Junior Praise 280 Lord, I lift your name on high God is working his purpose out Amazing grace kidsource 9 Make way, make way Additional sound activity One of Paul s central statements about Christ s return is that it will be loud. Ask what sort of sounds people think there will be banging, thundering, scary, compelling, joyful, cymbals, drums, organ, clashing, human voices, animals or birds sound? Use what instruments you have available and encourage people to make suitable and glorious sounds using body percussion and the human voice. Be as adventurous and as loud as possible! Learn and remember verse The children may have learnt Isaiah 6:3 in their groups. If they have, and even if they haven t, it would be worth learning or revising it together: Holy, holy, holy! The Lord Almighty is holy! His glory fills the world. Isaiah 6:3 A PowerPoint for this verse is available at Web resources. The verse is also part of a song called Holy on the Bitesize Bible Songs 2 CD. Service written by Ro Willoughby. Scripture quotations are taken from The Bible, Contemporary English Version, published by HarperCollinsPublishers, copyright American Bible Society 1991, 1992, Used by permission. Anglicisations British and Foreign Bible Society 1997.

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