A sequence of active worship ideas; individual items can stand alone.
Ideas for a sermon or interactive talk
See also ‘Thought for the week’ to read out in place of a sermon; and 'The week in focus', linking the readings to the news.
- There are lots of verbs in Isaiah 42: some of them apply to God, describing what he does; and some of them apply to us, detailing our call to be his servants in the world. Explore what these verbs tell us about God and us, and how God’s actions renew our hope and confidence in living as we are called to in our jobs, clubs, civil society meetings, etc. Explore how verses 6-7 apply to us. Think about what new thing God could do through us.
- Tell the story of Jesus’ baptism, highlighting the following: he is often seen as the servant par excellence. How does he fulfil that role in his baptism? What does his baptism tell us about his forthcoming ministry? Pay particular attention to the voice from heaven where the language echoes that of Isaiah 42, in that Sonship is about service rather than authority – as seen in Jesus submitting to John’s baptism. Consider contemporary examples of servant leadership, e.g. former US president Jimmy Carter or pastor and social activist Tony Campolo.
- If you were an advertiser working at the time when the Israelites were in exile, how would you bring the theme ‘hope refreshed’ to life? What words and images would you use to bring hope to a defeated and disillusioned group of people? In Isaiah 42, we read how God brings the theme ‘hope refreshed’ to life. God speaks to the Israelites with the perfect blend of hope, care, encouragement and action. Through the words in Isaiah 42, God also provides ‘hope refreshed’ for all people, as these words are ultimately fulfilled through Jesus.
- In the late 1880s, a young American girl, Helen Keller, was left blind and deaf after a serious illness. At a time when support for people with hearing or sight impairments was limited, it would have been easy for this child and her family to feel despair. However, Helen never gave up hope, and she went on to become a famous disability rights advocate and political activist who brought ‘hope refreshed’ to many people. She said this: ‘Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible’. Jesus’ baptism was set at a time in history when people were feeling disillusioned and had given up hope. They were in desperate need of ‘hope that sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible’ – perhaps this might be a good definition for ‘hope refreshed’. Through Jesus’ baptism, God stepped in and provided an everlasting hope. Whether people at the time realised it, or not, God was at work through Jesus and God’s promise of renewal and restoration was coming into fulfilment through Jesus.
Thought for the week
Read out in place of a sermon if you wish
If you were an advertiser working on a campaign focused on the word ‘refreshed’, what image or images would you use? A drink? A deodorant or soap? Running water? Or something else?
Now, for a possibly harder challenge, what image would you use for the word ‘hope’?
Today’s theme is ‘hope refreshed’. On the surface this theme sounds lovely – positive, uplifting and encouraging – but when we look at the theme through the times and lens of the exiled Israelites, we may approach this theme in a slightly different way.
Imagine working for an advertising agency back in the time of the exiled Israelites. Your brief is to come up with a campaign to bring the theme ‘hope refreshed’ to the Israelites.
Who is the audience? The Israelites. They have been living in exile, in Babylon, for decades – a time that would have been physically, emotionally and spiritually difficult. They are a defeated and disillusioned group, far from home, and lacking in hope.
What is the aim of campaign? To bring hope and encouragement to the Israelites, and to instil confidence in them, so that they will be the people God wants them to be.
What is the brief? The campaign can’t be too upbeat because there’s lots of trauma and suffering. And it can’t be too gentle or informal because the Israelites need a push towards action.
This ‘hope refreshed’ campaign seems almost impossible. Thankfully, God can do the impossible!
In Isaiah 42, God speaks to the Israelites with the perfect blend of hope, care, encouragement and action. God brings the theme ‘hope refreshed’ to life.
How does God do this? God names them. God reminds the Israelites of who they are – God’s chosen, in whom God delights. The people whom God has taken by the hand and kept close. They are also named God’s servant – a gentle reminder about who God wants them to be.
God reminds them of who God is – the One who created the heavens and the earth, the One who gives breath and spirit to everyone. The Lord.
God calls them. He calls the Israelites to bring forth justice to the nations, to be a covenant to the people, and to be a light to the nations.
And God gives a vision for what is to come. Verse 9 says, ‘See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them.’
Hope refreshed for a disillusioned people.
Hope refreshed not just for the exiled Israelites but for all people, as we know that these words are supremely fulfilled in Jesus.
What images now spring to mind when you think of the words ‘hope’ and ‘refreshed’?
Let’s continue reflecting on how God brought ‘hope refreshed’ to the Israelites, and how God continues to bring hope for all people.
Active worship
Representing refreshing E S A
Create an image of today’s theme
You will need: pictures that represent the word ‘refreshed’; paper, pens.
- Invite people, in pairs or groups, to talk about what images might represent the word ‘refreshed’. Share responses with the whole group and show some pre-prepared images, e.g. drink, deodorant, running water.
- Explain that today’s theme is ‘hope refreshed’. God provided hope to the Israelites who were in desperate need of hope. Invite people, in groups, to design a picture/logo/image to give the Israelites, and people today, ‘hope refreshed’.
Epiphany challenge
Hope for our community W E A
Throughout Epiphany, one of our weekly activities will be a social-action challenge, helping churches to think about how we can shine the light of Jesus in our communities and beyond.
You will need: example of vision boards (Pinterest; YourStory), a large piece of paper; sticky notes in three different colours, pens.
- This week’s social-action challenge looks at what hope is needed in our community and how to bring refreshed hope to others.
- Discuss that people, often at this time of year, make ‘vision boards’ – images, words and drawings to help inspire them to reach their goals or aspirations. Share an example of this. Explain that today you are going to make a giant collaborative vision board together, all about ‘hope refreshed’ in your community.
- Invite people to write or draw on their three different-coloured sticky notes and then stick them onto the large piece of paper. Colour one: What hope is found in the readings? Colour two: Who in our communities and world are in desperate need of hope refreshed? Colour three: How can we share the hope of Jesus with those people and places?
Playing our part in hope E A
Planting project to encourage action
You will need: compost, pots, seeds (ideas of what to plant).
- Explore together that today’s messages of hope are not just delivered for those hearing it to sit back and feel ok, they are invitations to action. Hope is not just a feeling but something we need to act on and step into.
- Invite people to plant seeds today and discuss as they are doing so the hope of what is to come as they grow. However, encourage discussions around what is needed alongside that hope: care, nurture, action to ensure the growth happens – we cannot just sit back and hope they will grow.
- Find ways to build in time to care for the growing plants in the coming weeks.
A simple worship activity E S
Refreshing waters
You will need: containers of water, towels.
- Place several containers of water at different points around the room, with towels next to them for people to dry their hands afterwards.
- Invite the group to disperse and move to a container of water. Then encourage them to slowly move their hands through the refreshing water. As they do, invite people to reflect on their own baptism, or, if they haven’t been baptized, to reflect on the hope they have because of God. It may be helpful to have some quiet music playing during this time.
