To tell people that it doesn’t matter how they look, what mistakes
they make and whether they are any good academically, God still loves them all the time.
Rough Outline
This is a rough outline of what I will say and do in the talk. Of
course, everything will be explained more simply and in more detail. After all, this is
just an outline!
Ask if anybody thinks they are perfect – ask them to raise their hand if they feel
they are. (Be prepared to tackle anyone who thinks they are!!!)
Now tackle appearance. Talk about my own feelings, then ask if anyone does worry about
the way they look, or if and why they think it bothers people so much.
However, even if you cast looks aside, I guess that the majority of you still don’t
consider yourself perfect.
Now ask everyone to stand up. If they have done of the things I mention in the last week
then they will have to sit down. I will say things like:-
Anyone who has hit someone in the last week.
Anyone who has sworn/blasphemed in the last week.
Anyone who has had nasty thoughts about someone in the last week.
(Hopefully that gets rid of everyone standing up…)
Now, I guess that all these things you find wrong with you, and all the things you do
wrong get you down sometimes.
A lot of the time, I look at myself…you might do this too….and think "how
could anyone love me?"
Yet there is someone who does, and that is this God person that we continually rant on
about.
He doesn’t care that you bodge up. It doesn’t matter to him how bad your acne
is…I certainly hope is doesn’t anyway…but this God, he still loves you
whatever happens.
And he doesn’t just love you a bit, he loves you so much that 2000 years or so ago
he let something happen to show this. Anyone know what it was? (Hopefully someone will!)
Now, imagine you’ve got a baby. I know (well, anyway, I hope) that no one here has
had this experience first hand, but just imagine. Imagine how you would feel towards it.
Any ideas? If you find it hard to imagine, maybe think about a pet you’ve got, and
how you feel towards it.
(Gather peoples ideas together). OK. Well, [we all seem to agree/I think that most
people with children] would really love their child. Of course, sadly there are
exceptions, but I think this is the way most people feel.
God had a baby son, anyone know what he was called?
Yes, he was called Jesus, and God loved all of us so much that he sent his one and only
son (the only one he had) down to the harsh and cruel world to save us, and to bring us
back to God.
We’ll leave the full details of what happened throughout Jesus life for today, for
he did loads, but inevitably Jesus died. However, he didn’t just go to bed one night
and die. What happened? (Await response)
Yeah, he was crucified on a cross. He had nails hammered through his wrists. Just
imagine the pain….the crunch of the bone, the tearing of flesh and the pouring blood
as the nails were hammered into him for him.
And God had to watch all of this – he had to watch his own son being killed. He had
to watch him endure total pain and agony for the hours he hung there, dying. How do you
think God might have felt at this time? (Await responses and deal with them)
God had the power to stop Jesus dying. He could have sent angels swooping down the
rescue him…but he didn’t. Why didn’t God do that? It was because he loved
all of us, yes, me, you, the person sitting next to you, your folks at home, your
friends…God loved all of you so much that he let his son die so that you could have
know God.
Do you think you could love anyone that much? Could anyone, but God love you so much
that they would let their one and only child suffer and die when they could so easily have
stopped it?
I don’t think there is anyone on this planet who could love me that much. So, your
main question now is probably, how do I know about this God who loves me so much? Well,
there is plenty of evidence, and it can be found in the bible.
I’ve got 3(?) quotes here…anyone fancy reading any of them? (Get them read and
explain how each one links in with what we have been discussing. See below….)
So, there you are. If you want to know more about this amazing love that God has for
you, then feel free to chat to me, Nige, anyone. You may also want to pray about it, which
I reckon is what we’re about to do now.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t want to say a prayer, if you just think it in
your head, then God will hear your thoughts. So, I’ll start and then we’ll pass
the (???) around. If you get it and you fancy saying a prayer, please do so. It can be
about anything you want.
I’ll pray and we’ll get everyone else to and then we’re
about sorted!
Isaiah 44:2 - The Lord made you; he formed you in your mothers womb.
– God created you, and when he did so he created you in his own image. This means
that you are a bit like him. He didn’t make you, and then gather all his angels
around to take the micky out of his latest creation!
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that
whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. – This is the bit in
the bible that says exactly what I was saying earlier about how God gave his son so that
you could be forgiven for all the things you do wrong in life.
1 Corinthians 12:8-10 – God may give one person wisdom, and
another knowledge. To another faith, to another gifts of healing, to another the working
of miracles, to another the ability to teach, to another the ability to speak many
languages, and to another the skill to understand many languages. – That’s a
heck of a long one! What it is really saying though, is that everyone is different. We all
have different skills. For example, one of you may be great at French, but be no good in
maths. Others of you will be great at maths, but totally suck at French. Some of you may
be great at both, whereas others may be able to work with their hands rather than be good
at school. It goes on forever…what we as Christians believe is that no one is good at
everything, and there is no point in feeling bad if one person is great at something you
aren’t – there is always something you are going to be better at!
Isaiah 44:2 - The Lord made you; he formed you in your mothers womb.
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that
whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
1 Corinthians 12:8-10 – God may give one person wisdom, and
another knowledge. To another faith, and to another gifts of healing, to another the power
to work miracles, to another the ability to teach, to another the ability to speak many
languages, and to another the skill to understand many languages.
