Explore & respond

• The language and images Jesus uses, here and elsewhere, are typical of that used within the prophetic tradition – war and uprisings, earthquakes, famine, dreadful disease, tyrannical leadership, false imprisonment and betrayal. Some of these will resonate for people today: war in the Middle East; ebola and zika; terrorism, and more. Amid all this ‘end of civilisation as we know it’ talk, which never seems to go away, what does Jesus’ encouragement to ‘endurance’ (v.19) actually mean for us? How should we respond to, and how can we help those who are caught up in, these seemingly apocalyptic events?
  
  
• ‘Do not be terrified’ (v.9). When faced with uncompromising fear, rational or not, in what do we hope and trust? Have we, in better times, built the foundations of our lives on the promises of God? Foundations are so important if what is built upon them is to withstand the storms. In the words ‘do not be terrified’ there are echoes of the angel’s words to Mary, to the shepherds, and to those who found the tomb empty. When we are worried or frightened, can the incarnation and the resurrection speak of new hope, and transform our fears?
  
  
• Verses 5 to 11 in the Gospel are about the end of times. Over the centuries – and still today – people have predicted that the end is about to take place, but Jesus said that no one would know when the world will end – even he didn’t know. So the question is, how do we live in the meantime? The end of the reading suggests that every detail of our lives is known by God – what sort of story do we want our lives to tell?

Ask everyone what questions they would have, and what they might want to say. But instead of answering those questions, invite people to listen again to Jesus. Now he is saying that it’s not only the building; there will be wars and factions, earthquakes and famines. Ask people how that makes them feel. Does it remind them of anything we can recognise today? Are they worried?

Invite people to listen again to Jesus, because now he is saying, ‘Don’t worry about these things.’ Change the displayed image to the words of the well-known poster: ‘Keep calm and carry on’ (there are many examples on the internet). Ask one or two people (perhaps arranged in advance) to tell their story – of a time when God has helped them to remain or become calm in the face of fears and worries. Then invite everyone to look back over their own story, and to consider whether there have been any moments like that in their lives. Display a final poster image with words ‘Keep calm, and know that I am God (Psalm 46.10).’

Talk about

Working in small groups, ask people to use their phones or other devices (this is a good opportunity for younger members to help those less confident with such things) to find out about someone who has been persecuted for their Christian faith, or who, due to particular circumstances, has publicly told the story of their faith. You could provide some examples from books, magazines, or printed from the internet, for those who don’t have the technological means. Invite the groups to share one insight from the story that they have discovered with the whole congregation. W A

How great thou art

Listen to the hymn ‘O Lord my God’, either sung by your music/choir group or as a recording (there are both traditional and modern styles available). Ask those who are listening to pay particular attention to the words. Invite people to reflect on how the words of this hymn offer encouragement to continue to follow Jesus and keep ‘hanging on’ to God. Those who wish to share their thoughts can be encouraged to do so, but also let those who wish to reflect on their own know that this is OK, too. E S

Word cloud

Display an example of a word cloud, and give out paper and coloured pens. Invite people to design their own word cloud, based on today’s Gospel reading. Encourage them to discuss with their neighbours which words should have greater prominence in the word cloud. W

• ‘Idleness’ can be understood as truanting, playing hookey, skiving, jinking, going AWOL. Those who step away from what they know is good and true not only debar themselves from blessing, they diminish life for everyone else. Sometimes we hear people saying as they come out of church: ‘I didn’t get much out of that today.’ But you don’t come to worship God with God’s people to get something out, you come to put something in! Too often we focus on the getting not the giving: the dividend instead of the divine. There is a danger in being more interested in profits than the prophets.

• The people we hang out with declares something about the people that we are. Our shared experiences and interests become increasingly important and formative, not only in childhood and adulthood, but perhaps also in ‘church-hood’.

• Singers join choirs and young parents become Sunday school teachers. Those who value good communication could use it in evangelism together, and DIY experts can band together to serve the church and community in very practical and appreciated ways. Those who moan a lot are encouraged to do so by other moaners. Have you ever heard the following saying? ‘Our church is full of willing people — those who are willing to work, and those who are willing to let them.’ What can you and your church friends be doing, for heaven’s sake?

• There was a time when charity wasn’t very loving. People in need were divided into the deserving and the undeserving poor, and only those judged ‘deserving’ received food. The truth is that whether you are deserving or undeserving you are still in need, and it is that root cause that should drive charity, and mercy, not the reasons behind it. But there is another issue allied to this. The writer to the Thessalonians says: ‘If you are unwilling to work then you shouldn’t be fed.’ How is this to be understood in God’s kingdom? Are they like the undeserving poor? Surely we are all undeserving? Maybe the reality of the situation is that unless you are working with God, then God cannot nourish you, because you are not there ready to be nourished!