Light series 1: Living God's way

Transcription

1 Light series 1: Living God's way How should we pray? Aim: to help people understand that, through prayer, we have a relationship with Almighty God, and to encourage them to pray. Readings: Lamentations 3:22 26; Matthew 6:5 15 Getting started Prayer is a two-way relationship with our loving heavenly Father and, as such, should be the mainstay of our daily life. Prayer is the adoring submission of the creature to the Creator He knows. He cares. He is your Abba, your dear Father. So when you pray, say, Our Father in heaven (Michael Green The message of Matthew IVP 2000) As you prepare, pray that this service will help people of all ages to understand the Lord s Prayer in a way that will encourage them to pray. Ask God to meet with everyone young and old through these familiar words, so that as a result, their relationship with him will be transformed. Be bold in your requests! The Bible talk is divided into two parts and should be interspersed with songs and prayers. There are optional informal prayer activities that could be set up in your meeting area, as well as challenges encouraging people to keep prayer diaries, form prayer triplets, or join an early-morning prayer group. Go for it! You will need Lamentations 3:22 26, and Matthew 6:5 15, photocopied or downloaded as a PowerPoint The song Millennium Prayer sung by Cliff Richard (optional) A father and his child or children, to interview during the talk A large sheet of card with the words Our Father at the top Sticky notes and pens for everyone A person who can do sign language to sign the following key words: Father, name, kingdom, food, forgive and protect (optional) The Lord s Prayer PowerPoint download. Materials for the prayer activities (optional) Four tables Instructions for prayer activities and crowns downloads Scissors, staplers and gold/silver sticky stars for the crowns Baskets of bread rolls for everyone to share Small pieces of paper, pencils and a rubbish bin Sample Bible reading notes for all ages (available from SU Mail Order) Notebooks for people to take away and use as prayer diaries Sign-up sheets with pens, for people who are interested in joining a prayer triplet and/or an early-morning prayer group

2 Beginning the service With: Lamentations 3:22 26 download (optional) At the beginning of the service, encourage everyone to focus on God. Invite them to say together the words of Lamentations 3: (If you use the PowerPoint, use the instructions at the beginning of the text for antiphonal reading.) Bible talk Part 1 With: Matthew 6:5 15 PowerPoint download, the song Millennium prayer sung by Cliff Richard (optional), a father and his child or children to interview during the talk, a large sheet of card with the words Our Father at the top, a sticky note and pen or pencil for everyone. Either play the first part of the song, or start by asking what Cliff Richard s song Millennium prayer is about. Explain that it is the Lord s Prayer and it was a big hit in the year Invite a confident reader to read Matthew 6:5 15 and ask everyone to listen carefully, as it is the same prayer, but from a different translation of the Bible. After the Bible reading, ask: Who was saying the words we have just heard read? (Jesus) What are the first four words of the prayer? (Our Father in heaven) Who is our Father in heaven? (God) Say what an amazing way it is to start a prayer by talking to Almighty God, the all-powerful Creator of the universe as our Father! But that s exactly what Jesus tells us to do. We can talk to his Father as our Father. In fact, in the language Jesus would have used Aramaic the word would have been more like Daddy, or Dad. We can talk to his Dad as our Dad. At this point, you could invite a father to come and talk about their job. If appropriate, invite him to bring his child or children with them. Introduce the children and, if appropriate, rephrase a couple of the following questions to ask them: As a father, what do you do for your child? Why do you do that? Do you and your child talk to each other? How would you feel if your child only talked to you when they wanted something? Do you give your children everything they want? What do you do when your child does something wrong and then says sorry? Say how our Father God loves us and cares for us. He gives us everything we need, he forgives us when we ask him to and he wants us to talk to him! As an act of worship, invite everyone to write their name or draw a picture of themselves on a sticky note and add it to the card with the words Our Father at the top. The musicians could play the tune of Abba Father, let me be, yours and yours alone in the background while this is happening. Once everyone has finished, they could all sing the song together (the source 1).

3 Bible talk Part 2 With: A person who can do sign language to sign the following key words: Father, name, kingdom, food, forgive and protect (optional); notebooks for people to take away and use as prayer diaries, sign-up sheets with pens, for people who are interested in joining a prayer triplet and/or an early-morning prayer group Display Matthew 6:5 15, or invite people to find it in the Bible. Ask everyone to read aloud the verses on display. If there is someone available with sign language skills, ask them to come to the front and sign the key words Father, name, kingdom, food, forgive and protect (all underlined in the text). Encourage everyone to copy each action as you read through the prayer together. Invite people to see if they can spot three things we ask God at the beginning of the prayer: Help us to honour your name Come and set up your kingdom Let everyone on earth obey you Explain what those three things mean: Help us to honour your name Invite people to say short prayers of praise to God. We should use God s name in the right way when we speak, as well as living in a way that brings honour to God. Wow! That s a big challenge. Come and set up your kingdom If you are doing Prayer activities, invite the children to hold up their crowns if they have made them al ready, or encourage them to make one at the end of the service When we say this we are asking God to be King of our lives and the lives of all people on earth. Double wow! Let everyone on earth obey you Choose several people to say the name of a country where God needs to be obeyed (so that would be all 257 countries of the world!). It needs to start with us, but one day, when Jesus comes back, it will be true for everyone. Another wow! Invite people to see if they can spot three things we ask for ourselves at the end of the prayer: Give us our food for today Forgive us for doing wrong Protect us from evil Explain that each request is for God to give us what we really need (but not necessarily what we want) physical nourishment, forgiveness and spiritual strength. If you have already done the Prayer activities or are doing them at the end of the service, refer to the three activities linked with these phrases. Challenge everyone to pray more often at home as well as at church. If they have found this service helpful, suggest that people join a prayer triplet, which means meeting with two other people on a regular basis to pray together. An early-morning prayer group for people to go to on their way to work, say once a week, is another challenge. Prayer diaries can be helpful as we pray we can record our requests, and the answers as well! Finish with a time of prayer (see Prayers of confession and Prayers of intercession).

4 Prayer activities (optional) With: four tables; instructions for the prayer activities and crowns downloads; scissors, staplers and gold/ silver sticky stars for the crowns; baskets of bread rolls for everyone to share; small pieces of paper, pencils and a rubbish bin; sample Bible reading notes for all ages (available from SU Mail Order); notebooks for people to take away and use as prayer diaries; sign-up sheets with pens, for people who are interested in joining a prayer triplet and/or an early-morning prayer group In your church building or meeting room, set up four tables as described and print out the instructions for each activity from the download. Display the appropriate instructions on each table. Invite people to take part in some or all of the activities, as they wish. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for the activities. It may be more appropriate to do them after the service, while refreshments are being served. Table 1: Crowns printed from the download, scissors, sticky tape and gold/silver sticky stars to decorate them with Table 2: Baskets of bread rolls for everyone to share Table 3: Small pieces of paper, pencils and a rubbish bin Table 4: Sample Bible reading notes for all ages (available from SU Mail Order) Notebooks for people to take away and use as prayer diaries Sign-up sheets with pens, for people who are interested in joining a prayer triplet and/or an early-morning prayer group Prayers of confession With: small pieces of paper, pencils and a rubbish bin Encourage people to write the things they want to confess to God on a piece of paper. Then remind them that, because of Jesus death on the cross they are forgiven, so they can tear up the paper and throw it away. This is part of the Prayer activities, but alternatively, people could do it where they are sitting during the service. Prayers of intercession With: A hands-free microphone (if necessary) Invite everyone to think of things to pray for. Move around your meeting area (with the microphone if necessary) and invite people to say their prayer ideas. Try to get suggestions from people of all ages. Pray after each request before moving on to the next suggestion. Encourage people to focus on the needs of the world, as well as issues closer to home, not forgetting those in particular need, such as people who are ill or recently bereaved.

5 Ending the service With: The Lord s Prayer PowerPoint download Finish the service by inviting everyone to say the Lord s Prayer together. (Explain that the final phrases, added by the early church, emphasise what the prayer is all about). Encourage people to reflect on the words as they pray and have a few moments pause between each phrase. Helpful extras Music and song ideas Millennium Prayer CD single by Cliff Richard (Papillon Records) Abba father, let me be (SOF 1) Come, now is the time to worship (SOF 1205) Blessing and honour, glory and power (SOF 675) Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King (SOF 1241) King of Kings, Majesty (SOF 1404) Notes and comments The Lord s Prayer for Children by Lois Rock (Lion Hudson) is a good book for helping young children to understand The Lord s Prayer.