AGE:
Secondary |
THEME:
'Don't Look for Him Here': God, Church and the World |
AIM: |
| To encourage thinking about the resurrection of Jesus. |
INTRODUCTION: |
Ask some questions about Easter memories...
- What did you do?
- Was it a special time?
You might also ask how Easter is often depicted... Pictures of baby rabbits / chickens / flowers...
They're all meant to illustrate 'new life'.
The trouble is, rabbits grow up and become a pet, or a pest.
Chickens grow up - a little - and then get eaten.
Flowers bloom - but then they die.
(If you're feeling adventurous you might use some examples to illustrate what you're saying - perhaps a frozen chicken or some dead flowers.)
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DEVELOPMENT: |
- The resurrection of Jesus has tested people's understanding since the very day it happened. The accounts of that day in the Bible only give some help to Christians. Remember that Jesus' followers were devastated after this crucifixion; they would have had a sense of defeat, loss, confusion - even terror that the same thing might happen to them.
And so, two days after his death - remember that the Sabbath, the holy day, had happened since the death of Jesus - this is what happened...
- READING: Luke 24:1-6a (end with 'He is not here, He is risen!')
- Then something even stranger happened:
- Jesus' body went missing from a sealed tomb
- Over the next few weeks a good number of people were convinced that they saw, and spoke to, this man who had died
- Then he was seen no more.
- Since then - and it is a long time ago - millions of people have modelled their lives on this man Jesus. Organisations, called 'Churches', have grown and influenced societies, even whole cultures, claiming to represent the message of what this man Jesus was saying.
- So how do we make some sense of 'resurrection' - and Jesus - two thousand years ago and what kind of meaningful link can be made with today?
Some Christians will look at how people in the world today (and throughout history) are trying to model their life on Jesus and shape the world's events so that they reflect more closely what he seemed to be saying about God's purpose.
- This could be illustrated with three examples:
- The work of Christian Aid (focus on one aspect of their work. www.christianaid.org.uk will help). Point out that this is one of many organisations doing similar work.
- The life of a famous Christian / saint.
- The example of someone you know / admire who is living life inspired by the example of Jesus.
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REFLECTION: |
The prayer of St Teresa of Avila:
'Christ has no body on earth but yours;
Yours are the only hands with which he can do his work,
Yours are the only feet with which he can go about the world,
Yours are the only eyes through which his compassion can shine upon a troubled world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.'
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