13/11/11 Second Sunday before Advent

Theme: How do you use your talents?

Bible Reading

Matthew chapter 25 verses 14-30 Parable of the Talents

Preparation

Three photographs of well known footballers to be players A, B & C could be useful, but not vital. A football.

Introduction

Ask the children about what special skills or talents they have. Produce the football – how many think they have a talent for football – how many would like to make a career in football? Here’s a story about three talented footballers:

The Message

It was the end of the football season and the manager was giving his end of season pep- talk. He told his players that he wanted them to have a good holiday, but to remember that he wanted them match fit by the beginning of the new season.

Player A was really keen on football and perfecting his skills, he was the best player in the team. He didn’t want to let his manager down, so he went jogging every day, and went down the gym three times a week, and he even signed up to help teach skills at a football camp for ten year olds. In the evenings he watched his favourite football videos and worked out tactics. When the new season came he was ready.

Player B wanted to have a good time but he also knew it was important to stay fit, so he went off to Spain for a watersports holiday. He really enjoyed all the different sports on offer and joined in everything with enthusiasm. Yes, he did go to a few parties, and maybe he did sleep late most days, but when he got back to England he was in fairly good shape (although, he had to admit, he hadn’t done as well as Player A).

Player C heard the manager say “have a good holiday” and after that he stopped listening! He did have a good holiday – he got drunk, he ate all the things he wasn’t allowed to do when he was playing like curry and chips, and chocolate pudding, and the most exercise he did was getting up to look for the remote control for the TV. He had a great time, and he was so relaxed! It was only when he got to the first training session of the new season that he began to wonder whether he might have made a slight mistake…….

What do you think the manager said to each of the footballers when he found out how they had spent their holiday? He knew they were all talented footballers, but which one had looked after their talents and used them to the best?

The story you have just heard is a modern version of one Jesus told; Jesus’ story was about a man who gave his servants money to look after while he was away, but it had the same meaning – don’t waste your special talents which God has given you!

We all have gifts which God has enjoyed giving us – sometimes we might not even realise that they are gifts and talents, because that is just what we are like and so we think it is normal. For example you might be good at being a friend, you might be good at looking after animals or working out people’s problems. Whatever our gift is we should make the best use of it that we can, and think how we could use it for the good of everyone.

Prayer

Thank God for our gifts and ask that we should use them properly for His service and for the support of others.

Also this week you could think about other gifts and talents e.g. spiritual gifts in I Corinthians chp 12 vss4-11; or the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians chp 5 vss 22f which link with the Christian values on which your school is founded.