AGE: Upper Secondary |
THEME: The Ascension |
AIM: |
| To understand the opportunities opened for us by Jesus' departure at the Ascension. NB: This unit is particularly suitable for use in Church Schools. |
PREPARATION: |
| Readers for the prayers and Bible reading. |
INTRODUCTION: |
|
Do you remember how you learned some of the skills you have now and which you think nothing of? Maybe like learning to ride a bike. Your father or mother held onto the bike as you cycled along trying to keep your balance. You were riding, but supported and helped. You were gaining confidence. You would say, 'Don't let me go!' - all the time secretly wishing they would. Then one-day when you thought it was just the same, you suddenly realised no-one was holding the bike - you were riding it alone. Of course there were still times when you fell off, but you got up, got on again and rode again. You had been given confidence. |
PRAYER: |
| Lord, Thank you for helping and supporting us. Thank you for giving us confidence. Help us to use our gifts to do your work. Help us to have the courage to pick ourselves up and carry on again when we get things wrong. Amen. |
DEVELOPMENT 1: 'Why?' |
| Reading; Acts 1: 6-11 Suddenly it was all going well. Jesus enemies were defeated, He had overcome death, and his scattered followers were reunited. It must have looked good. Then the bombshell, 'Now lads I'm leaving you!' They must have felt abandoned, even deserted, and certainly confused. It must have been like saying goodbye to a very old friend, someone you have known all your life, who is moving from the area. It is an end. You will keep in touch but it will never be the same again. Regret, but life must go on. Jesus left the disciples; He did NOT abandon them, and there is a big difference in that. He left them for a very good reason. If he were always with them, they would have been constantly referring back to him: 'What shall we do in this situation?' 'Did we get that right?' 'I need to speak to you now, my need is more important than his.' They would have wanted to stay close to him and the vision he had given them of the transformation of the world would have sunk without trace. He had trained them, inspired them and the time was right for them to scatter, spread out and do the job. They had come of age. Jesus trusted them. He was giving them freedom to be themselves. Freedom to take his ideas and make them their own and bring their own God given skills and interpretations to them. He didn't abandon them, he promised them the Spirit of God. This was his way of being able to be in and with each and every one of them, no matter how scattered they were across the face of the earth. The Risk paid off! |
READER: |
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Thank you for the Ascension story Of Jesus going back to heaven To get it ready for us; And promising the Holy Spirit To keep in touch with him. What wonderful things you do. (From There's a Time and Place, Jamie Wallace) |
DEVELOPMENT 2: 'Free for them, free for us!' |
| After the Ascension, the carrying out of Jesus vision became the responsibility of his followers. Today that includes us, all of us. For we are all God's children, we all have God given skills, which he hopes we will enjoy, develop and use to transform the world for good. And we all have the help that is needed. We call it the Spirit of God, and it is that feeling inside you that makes you feel you can do it, that urges you on and makes you feel good when it is done. |
REFLECTION: |
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Open your mind to God and let him speak to you. Think of an improvement that could be made in the world to make it a better place for people. It could be local, national, or international. Silence Think of anything you could do to bring that change about. Silence Ask God to help you to do it, no matter how small it may seem to be. Silence Thank God for allowing you to work with him. |
HYMN: |
| 'Spirit of the Living God' No.239 in New Hymns and Worship Songs, pub. Kevin Mayhew, ISBN 0-862-09885-8. |
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