Resources - Don't be ashamed of Jesus
You will need:
- 1 candle in a firm candle holder, or one small candle for each member depending on how you want to run this.
- A picture of a face covered by hands - someone embarrassed
Read this story from Mark 8 (or choose your own version)
34. Then Jesus called everybody so he could talk to them. Jesus’ followers were there as well, so they could listen. Jesus said to them all, “If any of you wants to follow me, he must say ‘No’ to what he wants, and say ‘yes’ to what I want! Don’t try to be in charge of your life! Let me be in charge! The funny thing is that if you decide to do what I want you to do, you will end up suffering! But don’t run away from the suffering. Don’t be afraid of it. I am asking you to accept it and trust me. The great thing is that I will help you to cope.
35. If you try to sort out your own life, you will end up losing it - messing it up even. However, if you give your life to me, if you let me take charge of your life, and if you live the way I want you to, you really will save your life and get it sorted!
36/37 What good would it do you if you owned everything, but your life - the real you was a mess? Could you buy your life back again? Of course not!
38. There are people who live around you who don’t love me. They don’t even care about me. They live their lives just the way they want to! As you live along with them, don’t be embarrassed about me and the way I ask you to live! If you are embarrassed, I will be embarrassed about you as well. I will be embarrassed about you when I come in all the glory of my Father God with the angels!”
Show the picture of the person covering their face. Try to get responses to questions like:
- What is he doing?
- Why is he doing it?
- What makes us embarrassed?
- How does it make us feel inside?
Put the candle centrally and light it.
Ask people to say some things that stop them talking about Jesus to their friends. Give them a few ideas to spark it off!
Turn out the lights and Blow out the candle - less light.
What do we use a candle for? or a torch, or the lights in our houses. e.g. ....
When it is dark, the light helps us see where to go - stops us bumping into things and hurting ourselves. Helps us see what things are - things often look funny in the dark.
Light the candle again
Jesus called himself the “Light of the World” What does that mean?
Jesus helps us see what to do and where to go! Like a candle. He helps us to see things as they really are! Jesus will help us as we show light to others that we meet.
Pass the candle round to those who want to.
As each person holds the candle they can pray a simple prayer like this:
"Jesus, please help me not to be embarrassed about You. "
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