St Pauls Wibsey WWJD This week 30 August

St Paul’s Wibsey WWJD This week: 30 August – 5 September ‘Belong, Believe, Become’

WELCOME TO YOUR WEEKLY ‘WWJD’ (What Would Jesus Do): activities for young people around the Bible. This Power. Point presentation will give you all what you need to think, read, sing and pray, alone or with others. The Presentation is divided in 5 parts: ‘The Bible’ (which gives you the text of the week and activities to read it more deeply); ‘Connect’, to actualise the text; ‘Explore’ to approach the text differently; ‘Pray’; ‘Live your faith’ with a challenge proposed for the week. Feel free to do all the parts, or only some: it’s your time. To listen to the songs, just click on the weblink, and watch on full screen.

WARM-UP

What would you like your life to look like in 20 years’ time?

We bring our crosses as we gather here today, crosses of worry, fear, hope or love. Thank you, God, that you are always ready to welcome us, whatever crosses we are carrying. Amen.

‘NEVER GONE’ by Colton Dixon

Part 1 THE BIBLE

THE TEXT

Read the text, then try to retell it with all the details that you remember. Read it a second time, and note the details you didn’t notice the first time. Matthew 16. 21 -28 (The Message)

21 -22 Then Jesus made it clear to his disciples that it was now necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, submit to an ordeal of suffering at the hands of the religious leaders, be killed, and then on the third day be raised up alive. Peter took him in hand, protesting, “Impossible, Master! That can never be!” 23 But Jesus didn’t swerve. “Peter, get out of my way. Satan, get lost. You have no idea how God works. ” 24 -26 Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for? 27 -28 “Don’t be in such a hurry to go into business for yourself. Before you know it the Son of Man will arrive with all the splendor of his Father, accompanied by an army of

get everything you have coming to you, a personal gift. This isn’t pie in the sky by and by. Some of you standing here are going to see it take place, see the Son of Man in kingdom glory. ”

Describe with ‘signposts’ what Jesus is like at each point of the story. Here are some examples of possible ‘signposts’: way shower; suffering describer; divine thinker; cross taker; self denier; life saver; life loser; death taster; kingdom greeter; time traveller.

QUESTIONS Go deeper into the text.

• What do you think about Jesus telling us to ‘take up our cross’ to follow him? • What in life is hard work but worth persevering (keeping on) with? • Do you think people tend to put others first, or themselves first, and how?

STUDY

● The passage from Matthew gives the second half of the narrative in Caesarea Philippi. Jesus is unpacking what the title that Peter has just bestowed on him (Messiah, Son of God) will mean: he will undergo great suffering, die and then be raised on the third day. His kingship will be marked by a path of rejection and suffering. Peter’s response is understandable, but it echoes the temptation narrative, when the devil offers Jesus great power if he will do things his way instead of God’s. Peter has gone from getting something spectacularly right to getting something spectacularly wrong! ● If Jesus himself will have to suffer, the implication is that his followers must be prepared for suffering, too. Jesus highlights the downside of owning his story: there is sacrifice involved. Anyone who wants to step into this story must be prepared to deny themselves and carry their cross – an image of being prepared to give up their life. But, again, there is a promise of liberation: anyone who is prepared to give up their life for the kingdom of God will find the life they were always looking for.

● Jesus’ story follows a narrative arc of life, descent into death and ascent into glory. This is the story that he invites his disciples and us to share.

Part 2 CONNECT

1. THE ELITE Find out about the training regime for an elite athlete ( e. g Mo Farrah or Ellie Symonds. Research online other examples. ) In what ways does this person have to suffer to achieve what they want to achieve? How do they ‘deny themselves’? What might we need to deny ourselves, to follow Jesus?

2. FINISH THE STORY End the story, being part of it: what happens next? Then read John 6. 60 -end. What do your think of a similar end for the story? Give 3 reasons why being a Christian is hard.

3. THE SUFFERING OF GOD’S CHILDREN Go to the ‘World Watch List’ page on the Open Doors website. Scroll down to ‘The faces behind the figures’ and read some of the stories of individual Christians being persecuted for their faith. Why do you think God allows his people to suffer in this way? How do you think you would cope in similar circumstances?

Part 3 EXPLORE

1. HOLD IT Line up against a wall, keeping your back against the wall, and walk your feet outwards until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Hold this position for as long as possible. How long could you hold this position? Would it make a difference if you could have a reward in a competition with others in which you have to hold this position? What keeps us going in difficult times in life? Does it make a difference if there is a clear reward like Jesus says?

2. TAKE UP YOUR CROSS Make a cross in paper, and write on it what could be your cross to take up. How do you feel about it? Now look at these three videos: here and here (make the message more general, looking not only at the particular temptation described in the video) What do you think about the answers you gave? Did you understand the meaning of the cross for you? Finish with this video. Is it a good illustration of our Gospel’s story?

3. PICTURE POINTERS • How does this image speak to you of the Christian way of life? • How do you respond when life is tough? • What does losing your life for Jesus’ sake mean to you?

Part 4 PRAY

‘Lead me to the cross’ by Hillsong

PRAISE Heavenly Father, thank you for your promise, that no matter how hard the path we walk, we can be confident that we will share in your reward. Amen.

‘SORRY’ Lord Jesus, thank you that you went to the cross, and that through your death we can be forgiven. We are sorry for the times when we fail to pick up our own cross and walk in your way, choosing instead to do things our way. Help us to follow you always. Amen.

(Open your heart to God’s forgiveness)

PRAYER FOR YOURSELF Lord, when I am faced with bad news, or a tricky situation, it is my human nature to make snap judgements, to do the first thing that comes into my head. Lord, help me to lay aside my own judgements, and always be willing to seek your wisdom. Amen.

PRAYER FOR OTHERS For those who carry crosses of: uncertainty or anxiety, fear or hurt, sorrow or concern, joy or laughter, goodness or hope, peace or love, we ask you to walk with them. Amen.

(Have your own prayers for others)

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be your name; Your kingdom come; Your will be done; on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.