50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Please
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Please
by BRF - Rona Orme
Some people regard prayer as a kind of slot machine: if they can just make their prayer in the right way, then God will grant their request. It is important to teach that there is no magic or superstitious element to prayer. The Bible instructs everyone to pray for what they need…
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Ascension
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Ascension
by BRF - Rona Orme
The account of the ascension, when Jesus was taken into heaven, completes the reports of his life on earth. Jesus talked about going away so that God would send another helper, the Holy Spirit. It may be helpful to show the diagram of the church year to show the sweep of the year…
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Jesus the teacher (1)
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Jesus the teacher (1)
by BRF - Rona Orme
Jesus told stories to challenge people to think in new ways. In the parable of the greedy farmer, he says that lots of money or things do not make people well-off in God's view. There is an opportunity in this session to think about starting a social action project. Such projects…
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Pentecost
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Pentecost
by BRF - Rona Orme
When the power of the Holy Spirit came upon the first disciples, their lives were changed. Instead of meeting with the other believers indoors, to pray and talk about the resurrection, Peter found himself addressing a huge crowd. He was able to explain that Jesus was the Messiah,…
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Promise of Pentecost
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Promise of Pentecost
by BRF - Rona Orme
Before Jesus was killed, when he told the disciples that he would be going away, he promised that God would send another helper or comforter, the Holy Spirit. This session looks at human promises that are so easily broken and at the promises Jesus made and kept. Many families wil…
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Surprised by Jesus
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Surprised by Jesus
by BRF - Rona Orme
Jesus met a number of his disciples and followers after his resurrection. Some of them recognised him immediately and some did not. The two followers who met Jesus as they walked to Emmaus had no idea who was talking to them. They were blessed to hear Jesus explain all the prophe…
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Jesus the teacher (2)
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Jesus the teacher (2)
by BRF - Rona Orme
Jesus taught with authority. He taught that his words and instructions are the correct way to live - looking after people in need, not being greedy, not judging others, and asking God for the things we need. This session highlights the importance of basing our lives on his teachi…
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Jesus the friend (1)
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Jesus the friend (1)
by BRF - Rona Orme
The Bible makes it clear that God knows each of us by name. Jesus calls the man lowered through the roof 'my friend' as he forgives his sins (Luke 5:20) and he addresses the disciples as 'friends' (John 15:14-15). Most people find it helpful to think about Jesus as a friend and b…
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Trinity
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Trinity
by BRF - Rona Orme
In Genesis 1, the very beginning of the Bible, God creates the universe with his Word (Jesus), as his Spirit broods over the ocean. The opening of John's Gospel also emphasises that the Word was with God and was God at the start of everything. Session aim: To learn more about God…
John The People's Commentary - Feeding the Five Thousand
John The People's Commentary - Feeding the Five Thousand
by BRF - Richard A. Burridge
Feeding the Five Thousand Jesus’ miraculous feeding of a vast crowd is such a well-known story. This is the only miracle narrated in all four gospels—indeed, it is the only incident from Jesus’ ministry before his last week which they all include. The Synoptic gospels each descri…
John The People's Commentary - More Questions and Answers
John The People's Commentary - More Questions and Answers
by BRF - Richard A. Burridge
More Questions and Answers We have seen how John likes to move from signs into a dialogue between Jesus and others which ends with a discourse. So here, we start with three questions from the crowd, each answered by Jesus, which pick up the signs and begin to explore the themes t…
Mark The People's Commentary - The Dance of Death
Mark The People's Commentary - The Dance of Death
by BRF - Dick France
The Dance of Death Mark 6: 17-29 Mark The People’s Bible Commentary In the previous study we thought about why this story is here, and why Mark may have felt it appropriate to insert it into the story of Jesus. But now we shall look at the story of the death of John in its own ri…
Mark The People's Commentary - Jesus and John the Baptist
Mark The People's Commentary - Jesus and John the Baptist
by BRF - Dick France
Jesus and John the Baptist A change of scene The disciples, sent out on their mission in verses 7–13, will return and report back in verse 30. The intervening space is filled with an unexpected return to the person with whom Mark’s story began….
Mark The People's Commentary - Mark 4
Mark The People's Commentary - Mark 4
by BRF - Dick France
Mark 4 In the middle of both the first and third acts of Mark’s drama (see study 2 for the three acts) we find what seems like an interlude, where we are offered a concentrated collection of Jesus’ teaching before the story resumes at its previous breathless pace. In chapter 13 t…
Mark The People's Commentary - Old and New in Religion