Listen to Jesus

Matthew 3

Something to say

John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus and told people that they needed to be rescued. John baptised people and one day Jesus asked to be baptised too. As he came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit came on Jesus in the form of a dove and God spoke, telling everyone that this was his son who he was really pleased with. Later on when Jesus is transfigured on the mountain God told everyone to listen to him. Do we listen to what Jesus tells us?

Something to show

Drama:

Hello class, my name is Professor Eisenstein! Now I know some of you have come a very long way to get here today, just so that you can see my new invention. And I can understand why you would travel so far to see my invention because it will absolutely revolutionise the way that we listen and speak to each other.

I call my invention: *unveil* the two-can, one-string, long-range, talk-a-tron3000! Pretty snappy don’t you think?

Now, in order to demonstrate my new invention, who would like to be my wonderful assistant? You there, come on over here. Take this (can), and walk to the corner of the classroom. You have the easy job, your job will be talking.

Now I need another volunteer. You have got the hard job, the dangerous job. What I'd like you to do is to LISTEN! Now unlike speaking, which only requires your mouth, for listening we'll need some specialist safety equipment to ensure there is no cheating! *one at a time* These safety headphones and glasses will help make sure that there is no cheating. *Once headphones are on, mime; "Can you hear me?"

Oh good that's working then.

Now it is of the up most importance, that you keep the line between you nice and tight! Right, I'm going to show you a word over there. And I would like you to speak that word into the can. You need to listen carefully into the other can... to see if you can work out what word they are saying.

*do this three times*

So I know what you're all thinking. This is a pretty amazing invention. But it only works across the room right? That's not so impressive. Well let me tell you, that I have ambitions beyond one room. You see, by adding more string we could get it between two rooms! What do you think?

Ok, but remember if I add more string I could do it between two buildings! And more still, maybe it could work across two countries! Can you imagine that? Being able to talk and listen to someone who is thousands of miles away?! Now that would be pretty incredible wouldn't it? Truly revolutionary!

But there's still one thing I want to do with it, but I can't quite work out how. How I can use my device to listen to Jesus.

You see, I was reading a story earlier today about a man named John the Baptist. And in that story, this man Jesus came to John and asked him if he could be baptised. When he was baptised, the bible says the heavens opened and a dove came down and landed on this chap Jesus and a massive voice came from heaven saying 'This is my Son with whom I am well pleased, listen to him'

Now I've heard many different voices in my time, some through the one-string, two-can, long-range, talk-a-tron3000, some face to face like I'm talking to you now, but I have never heard a voice come from the heavens before! Now that's a voice I'd like to listen to. But it doesn't stop there because I’ve heard even more incredible stories about this man Jesus, miracles that he has performed, people whose lives have been totally changed by listening to him. And that got me thinking; how can I listen to this man Jesus? Because he's definitely a man worth listening to, very wise, I mean the heavens themselves even said so. But the problem is that I hear he went up to heaven, and I can't get my two-can... to reach the heavens?

So I'm a bit stumped with that one. Have any of you heard of this man Jesus? How do you listen to Jesus? Do you use a one-string, two-can...? No? How do you do it then?

So you're saying I don't need an invention to listen to him? I can simply read from the bible? Or even just pray and listen to him?

Well I guess I won't need these then! *throws one-string away and spins around* now in my normal voice* what did you think of that then huh? Professor Eisenstein. Pretty smart guy? You know as I walked in here I heard you giving him some advice about listening to Jesus. That sounded great because it's not always easy to listen is it? We like to talk. But look at you guys listening to me now, you're really good listeners.

Something to pray

Ask the children to touch their ears. Jesus help us to be good listeners to take time to listen to you just as we do with our friends and family, because what you say is very important.

Leave some time and space for the children to listen to Jesus and share what he is saying.

A verse to remember

“This is my son, whom I love. Listen to him.” Mark 9v7