Jesus is with us even when we are confused and scared
Mark 6:45-56 - Jesus walks on water
Explain that while we are all together online today, we are going to think about a story from the Bible when the disciples were very scared and everything went a bit weird, but they were completely amazed by Jesus.
Say that today’s story is from the book of Mark in chapter 6. Today you are going to tell it as a poem (practise beforehand so you can tell it with feeling, and emotion). Say that you want them to get comfy and to listen carefully.
Use the script available in the Downloads box below.
For this activity you will need to take photos of well-known places around your community. Take these really close or from a strange angle. You should also take a photo of each place from a normal perspective. Take photos of 8-10 places.
Introduce this activity by explaining that the disciples didn’t recognise Jesus, even though they knew him really well. Everything was strange and confusing.
Say you are going to play a game to think about how things we know well can sometimes be hard to recognise.
Share the photos on your video conference call and invite everyone to guess what the picture is and where it was taken. This will work best if you ask households to write down their answers and then go through the answers all together at the end, while sharing the “normal” photo.
Once you have had fun playing the game ask about today’s story. Invite everyone to draw the part of the story where the disciples were finding it hard to work out what they were seeing! Give plenty of time for each household to complete their drawing, and then ask people to hold their pictures up to the screen and explain what the drew.
Ask everyone to keep their picture in front of them.
Say that in this story the disciples were confused about Jesus. Ask the households to talk together about things they find confusing about Jesus. Ask them to write down these things somewhere on the picture. (If you are able, you might want to mute everyone’s microphones at this point!)
Once everyone has done this, remind them about the story: Jesus came to the disciples and said these words, “It’s me, don’t be afraid”. Invite everyone to add those words on their pictures.
Say this prayer together. Explain that after you say a line, everyone can repeat the words, “Let me know you are with me”.
Dear Jesus
When I feel you are far away
(Everyone): Let me know you are with me
When I am confused about what you are like
(Everyone): Let me know you are with me
When I am scared
(Everyone): Let me know you are with me
AMEN
