Saving Lives:
Imagine No Malaria
Written by: Lora Lea Edwards
and Rev. Phil Rogers
Based on: Imagine No Malaria
Children’s Curriculum
Edited by: Rev. Katie Dawson
Table of Contents
Session 1: Prevention
5
Small Group Handout
Prayer Sheet (for all sessions)
12
13
Session 2: Treatment
14
Session 3: Education
22
Session 4: Communication
29
Service of Baptismal Renewal
35
Terracycle Flyer
36
2
Session 1: Prevention
Jesus Calms the Storm (Matthew 8:23-27)
Just as Jesus helped keep his friends safe by calming the storm,
we can help keep our brothers and sisters in Africa safe
by providing nets and resources to keep mosquitoes
from infecting communities.
Supplies
 Bibles
 Paper
 Pencils
 dvd
 dvd player
 white index cards
or pieces of white
paper
 washable markers
 tub or wide
container of water
 copy of prayers
handout for
students
 handout of
questions for small
groups or newsprint
with questions
printed.
Introduction to study:
Say:
This study is to inform and inspire you to join the United Methodist
Church stopping deaths from malaria by 2015. This goal is called Imagine
No Malaria (INM). To accomplish this task, we need to raise 75 million
dollars and with your help, we can do it. In the next four weeks, we will
dig deep into the scripture and explore what Jesus teaches about how we
are capable of standing up and stepping out to make a difference in the
world. You will be learning about this disease and how you can help our
church and other churches imagine no malaria. The first 3 sessions will
challenge our group to plan and execute a fundraiser for a vital part of
IMN. In the last session, the group will be challenged to participate in an
ongoing fundraiser.
Opening prayer:
Pass out prayer handout
Leader: God of love and grace, You call us to hear You in your Word
People: We listen to follow your call
You call us to meet you in prayer
We listen to follow your call
You call us to draw near to you
We listen to follow your call
You call us to love you with all our hearts
We listen to follow your call
You call us to love our neighbor as ourselves
We listen to follow your call
Grant us ears to hear you Lord, and in boldness to respond. Amen
Group Discussion:
3
Say:
You are going to be using your God-given imagination in this study. A
great American preacher Henry Ward Beecher who was born 200 years
ago this year said, “The soul without imagination is what an observatory
would be without a telescope.” Sooooo... Get your imaginations pumped,
focused, and ready. You are going on a great ride. A noble and sacred
ride. A ride that calls you to love your neighbor as much as yourself.
Close your eyes and imagine something that scares you. Think about why
you are afraid and how it feels to be scared. Think about how you react
when you are scared. Is it always the same? Different?
Wait a minute or two for youth to get past giggles so they are thinking.
Ask:
Now open your eyes and popcorn answers to these questions:
 What are fears that you have? (leader might also suggest fear of
failure, disappointment, as well as spiders, heights, etc.)
 What is anxiety? Worry?
 Why are you afraid?
 How does fear make you feel?
 What are the different ways people handle fear?
Say:
We are all afraid of something. We all know what it is like to feel afraid,
freaked out, scared. And there are many ways to handle that fear.
If you were a disciple with Jesus, what would it be like to be afraid even
when Jesus is there with you? (Wait for response) Tonight, we are going
to get neck deep in that kind of fear. This story in Matthew is about what
happened when the disciples and Jesus faced a frightening situation.
Hear the
Word
Divide into groups of
four. Either pass out
the handout with
questions (see end of
session) or put the
questions on
newsprint where all
can see them. Pass
out paper and pens
to each group for
their story.
Bible Study and Activity:
Make sure everyone has a bible. Have 4 people volunteer to divide up Matthew
8:23-27 and read to whole group. They can take paragraphs, sentences, or parts.
Say:
We are going to get into small groups to create narratives based on the
passage we just read. It is very important that you use all your senses so
you aren’t just paraphrasing. I want you to imagine you are there. Your
group will use the questions on the sheet (or newsprint) to help you get
your imagination juices going. You will have no more than 10 minutes to
do this and when we are done, each group will share their narrative with
everyone.
Questions for each group to help them write their narratives:
 What do you hear, smell, taste, touch, see as you are in that boat?
 What dialogue might have been said that is not in the Bible story?
 How do you think it felt for the disciples to be with Jesus in that small
boat in that storm? Even though there were fishermen in that boat, they
were all scared.
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

Why does the water scare them so much?
How did Jesus feel about the disciples being afraid?
Each small group reads their narratives to the whole group.
Note to
Leader
Read this message
aloud like you were
telling a story to your
youth… or put the
message into your
own words.
Discussion with whole group after reading narratives:
(Note to Leader: This discussion may be optional if time is an issue.)
 If you were in the boat, how would you personally have acted? Why?
 Get past the literal part of the story where Jesus changes the weather
and look at the deeper lesson about how Jesus wants us to handle our
fears.
 How are the disciples’ reactions like ours when we are in a frightening
situation or something is happening that we can’t control?
 Why do you think Jesus asked them the question, “Why are you afraid,
you people of weak faith?”
 When you have faith that Jesus is right beside you when you are scared,
full of dread, facing something hard or sad, how does that affect how you
handle things?
 How can Jesus keep you safe?
Going Deeper:
Today’s scripture has many lessons to teach us about the divinity of Jesus and
the struggles of humanity, depending on whose point of view you focus on. Just
before the scripture we are focused on today, Jesus has healed a leper who
proclaimed Jesus as Lord. He healed the Centurions slave while never actually
meeting him, and the Centurion revealed such a faith in Jesus that Jesus said it
was unrivaled in all of Israel. Jesus healed many more including Peter’s motherin-law. The crowds had grown so large that Jesus and the disciples could find no
rest so Jesus decided they needed to cross the Sea of Galilee and go to
Gadarenes. Let us listen again to today’s scripture:
23When
Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him. 24A huge storm arose on
the lake so that waves were sloshing over the boat. But Jesus was asleep. 25They
came and woke him, saying, “Lord, rescue us! We’re going to drown!” 26He said
to them, “Why are you afraid, you people of weak faith?” Then he got up and
gave orders to the winds and the lake, and there was a great calm. 27The people
were amazed and said, “What kind of person is this? Even the winds and the lake
obey him!” -Matthew 8: 23-27 (CEB)
Now let us take a look at this story through the points of view of the disciples
and then Jesus.
Let us begin by focusing on the disciples.
The first important lesson we learn is revealed at the very beginning of the
scripture: the disciples follow Jesus onto the boat. Jesus does not lead them only
physically but spiritually as well.
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As they travel out to sea, a storm takes them by surprise. But this is not any
storm, for these men respond with great anxiety and fear. This must have been a
truly great storm for the disciples to respond this way because many of them
were sailors and fishermen. These are men who are accustomed to the ways of
water and a boat. What began as a pleasant day sailing upon peaceful waters has
descended into chaos.
In the disciples despair and fear they turn to Jesus and cry out… “What, are you
going to just sit there, or are you going to do something? We are going to die!
(Paraphrased…obviously) These very same men had been witness to all the
miracles that Jesus has so recently done… Doesn’t it make sense that as their
leader and resident miracle worker they would turn to Him?
Then Jesus rebukes the disciples, “Why are you afraid, you people of weak
faith?” Ouch, that has to sting.
I am sure the disciples wondered, “What’s His problem? We are literally in the
same boat here, if we go down, doesn’t he go down?” (Of course Jesus does not
reveal He can walk on water until Chapter 14) I am sure they also thought that
right now perhaps was not the best time for a teaching parable. What the
disciples needed was action!
Then Jesus commanded the wind and the water to settle down and peace
returned to overcome the chaos of the storm. As Jesus returns to his place in the
boat, I am sure the disciples wondered, “What just happened? Who is this guy?
We have seen him overcome disease, demons, and the Pharisees…What does He
want from me?”
Now let us view this story from Jesus point of view.
Jesus may be thinking: It has been a really long day. So many found healing, yet
there are so many more in need. So many today came forward to hear of God’s
grace as a gift for all people. Many came to call me Master and Lord.
But do they really understand? Did they understand when I spoke to them upon
the Mount that they are to be the light of God to others? Did they understand
that part about never needing to worry? In times of trial will they remember that
God loves them, knows them each by name and claims them as God’s own? Will
these people remember that if they are with me, then I will be with them always
and everywhere in every situation? Will they remember to follow my example of
accepting all people, and living to love God through serving and caring for
others?”
The disciples call Jesus away from his thoughts as they cry out in fear and
despair. “Are you going to just sit there, or are you going to do something? We
are going to die! (Paraphrased again…obviously)
I am sure about now Jesus thought something like “I guess that answers my
question… No they really do need something more because obviously they will
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not remember.” So Jesus rebukes the disciples. He wants to tell them, “You guys
are forgetting something huge! Remember we are all in this boat together,
literally and figuratively… You have to believe I am with you and then you will
know together we can overcome any storm.”
Jesus commanded the wind and the water to be still and peace overcame chaos.
Jesus returned to his place in the boat to quietly consider what more he must do
so that his followers will believe and trust fully in Him.
Stepping back into today:
God knows our weak points and excuses before we make them. I am sure that
God wonders if we will recognize that He has come near to be in personal
relationship with us, to love and redeem us, but to do so He had to take on the
human form of His Son, though fully God is still limited by the reality of being
fully human. People get tired. For how long will we serve our neighbor as
ourselves? Will humanity respond to God’s call for us to serve Him so that ‘God
with Us’ can be in relationship with those we serve? Will humanity remember for
all time that we can do all things in the name of Jesus who is with us and will
strengthen us?
How do you see the story differently between the two different points of view?
So often people feel overwhelmed during times of trial, many times we look to
others to either attach blame for our affliction, or to respond to the needs of
others. But in Jesus view we are all in this together, and we each are responsible
to care for one another. God will respond when we step out in faith.
Remember the words of our founder. John Wesley put it this way:
“Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all
the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as
ever you can.”
Imagine No Malaria Connection:
Say:
Video Info
These video clips are
on the Imagine No
Malaria DVD or can
be found at
http://www.youtube
.com/user/ImagineN
oMalaria
You have been thinking about your own fears, the disciples’ fears, now
listen to the fear of a child in Africa.
Show “Malaria is My Name” (:52 sec)
Say:
655,000 people died from malaria in Africa in the year 2010, alone.
85% of them live below the Sahara Desert. 85% are under 5 years old.
Together, we can help keep our brothers and sisters in Africa safe by
providing nets and resources to keep mosquitoes from infecting
communities.
We used to have malaria in the US but efforts to get rid of stagnant water
where mosquitoes bred, education, and developing good treatments,
7
malaria has been prevented in the US since the 1950’s. The dream of no
malaria has been true in the US for over 60 years. We can imagine no
malaria in Africa and make it happen.
What we know is that clean water and bed nets are the best ways to
prevent this disease.
Since we started distributing bed nets in 2006, the death rate for children
has gone from one every 30 seconds to one every 45 seconds and now
one every minute. Our efforts are already making a difference. Bed nets
cost only $10.00. We can imagine no malaria at all.
Watch this video about this great goal that the United Methodist Church
has about Imagine No Malaria.
Show “Ministry Overview” (2:30)
Say:
Let’s commit to raise money for bed nets and make it happen this week.
Below is an idea to get the word out next Sunday and raise money for the
prevention of malaria.
Idea for this coming week to raise money:
Talk to your pastor and get permission to tell the congregation next Sunday what
you learned this week in the Imagine No Malaria bible study. Ask the people
present to give $10 for bed nets to help with prevention right now by getting out
their cell phones and texting “malaria ??” to 27722.
Every conference has their own code for getting credit for these calls. For
example: “Malaria IA” gives credit to Iowa. “Malaria MO” to Missouri. Contact
your field coordinator to find out your specific code.
Do this:
Have notecards or
pieces of white
paper, washable
markers, and a basin
of water ready.
Move the tub into the
center of your space.
Closing:
Move the water with your hand.
Say:
We are called to have enough faith in Christ that He will lead us through
any storm in life and bring us peace, a way forward, a good purpose. (put
your hand on the water to help it calm) Sometimes faithful people are the
way to calm the storm for those in need. We are called by Jesus to keep
the people of Africa safe from this disease.
Hear these words from 1 Peter 5:7, “Throw all your anxiety onto him,
because he cares about you.” (CEB)
What does it mean to throw all your anxiety and fears on Jesus?
How does that change your life?
8
Pass out pieces of paper, markers unless they available for youth reach.
Say:
We are going to experience what it feels like to throw our fears onto
Christ .
Think about a fear, anxiety, or worry you have about getting involved in
Imagine No Malaria.
Please write down on the paper, any of fear, anxiety or worry you have
thought of on the piece of paper with the marker.
Now wad it up. This symbolizes the storm in your life that Jesus can calm.
Each person comes forward to cast their fears into the water that Jesus
calms.
Don’t be in a hurry. Pause and watch what happens to your fear and let
the leader say to each,
“Throw all your fears on Him because He cares about you.”
Everyone joins together in the closing prayer.
Loving God,
Please give me eyes to see those in need.
Give me ears to hear them cry
Give me a heart to share in their fear.
Give me the character to desire change.
Give me hands compelled by Your Love in Action to make the world a better
place.
All praise and Glory to you Loving God. Amen
9
Session 1: Small Group Handout
Matthew 8:23-27 Narratives
In your small group, you are going to create a narrative based on the passage we
just read using all your senses. It is very important that you use all your senses so
you aren’t just paraphrasing.
Imagine you are there.
Make sure everyone is participating.
Questions to get your imaginations going:
 What do you hear, smell, taste, touch, see as you are in that boat?
 What dialogue might have been said that is not in the Bible story?
 How do you think it felt for the disciples to be with Jesus in that small
boat in that storm? Even though there were fishermen in that boat, they
were all scared.
 Why does the water scare them so much?
 How did Jesus feel about the disciples being afraid?
10
Imagine No Malaria Youth Bible Study
Prayer Sheet for all sessions
Opening prayer
God of love and grace, You call us to hear You in your Word
We listen to follow your call
You call us to meet you in prayer
We listen to follow your call
You call us to draw near to you
We listen to follow your call
You call us to love you with all our hearts
We listen to follow your call
You call us to love our neighbor as ourselves
We listen to follow your call
Grant us ears to hear you Lord, and in boldness to respond
Amen
Closing Prayer
(Unison prayer)
Loving God,
Please give me eyes to see those in need.
Give me ears to hear them cry
Give me a heart to share in their fear.
Give me the character to desire change.
Give me hands compelled by Your Love in Action to make the world
a better place.
All praise and Glory to you Loving God.
Amen
11
Session 2: Treatment
Jesus Heals the Paralytic (Mark 2:1-12)
Supplies
 newsprint and
marker for each
small group
 Quart size zipper
seal bag
 red food coloring
 baking soda
 water
 white vinegar
 measuring cup
 paper towel
 clear glass or
Tupperware
container
 Music to play
quietly in the
background Music
to play in
background to
quiet everyone
 video “Malaria
Ravages the Poor”
Just as Jesus healed the sick,
we can help others get medicine and treatments they need.
Review:
Say:
Remember that you are participating in a four session study to inform
and inspire you to join the United Methodist Church in getting rid of
malaria in the world by 2015. It is called Imagine No Malaria.
In Session 1 we talked about how Jesus can help us get through every
storm, calm our fears, and how we are called to be that help for others to
calm their fears. We learned about how malaria can be prevented with
our help. We raised (fill in amount raised) for Bed Nets. At the end of this
study, you will be challenged to raise money for treatments!
Opening Prayer:
Pass out prayer handout
Leader: God of love and grace, You call us to hear You in your Word
People: We listen to follow your call
You call us to meet you in prayer
We listen to follow your call
You call us to draw near to you
We listen to follow your call
You call us to love you with all our hearts
We listen to follow your call
You call us to love our neighbor as ourselves
We listen to follow your call
Grant us ears to hear you Lord, and in boldness to respond
Amen
Group Discussion:
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This can be left out if time is short. Divide into small groups and give each group
a sheet of newsprint and marker. If you have space, post them when they are
done. Have a representative from each group go over their list with the group.
Hear the
Word
Transition into a quiet,
tranquil atmosphere in
the room.
You can achieve this
with light, quiet music
for white noise, and
worshipful elements
like candles or a cross.
Use your imagination.
A soft bell or chime
can help call everyone
back together.
The setting is not as
important as the
leader. Practice
reading the scripture
ahead of time slowly,
pausing and with
expression. The
seconds allotted are
just suggestions.
However, be sure to
not rush. Youth need
time to hear you and
then process. Don’t be
nervous about the
silence.
adapted from
Imaginative Prayer for
Youth Ministry by
Jeannie Oestreicher
and Larry Warner
published in 2006.
Say:
You are going to be getting into groups to make a top 10 list of the
qualities of a true friend. Make your list as a group and then rank them
from #1 as least important to #10 most.
Give students time to work. Hopefully, their lists will have something like love
deeply, be willing to sacrifice, always speaks well of their friend, keeps their
promises, encourages friend to live the way God wants them to. Summarize the
themes you heard in the lists from the groups.
Bible Study and Activity:
Say:
We are going to use our imaginations again tonight to experience what it
means to be a true friend. Remember God gave you an imagination and it
is a great place to let go and listen to God. We are going to experience an
imaginative prayer through the scriptures. It is a way to open up to God,
listen, feel God’s touch, experience God. It isn’t magic. It can’t be forced.
It might feel a little weird at first but give it a try and trust you are in
God’s hands. The Christian writer Richard Foster said, “Using the
imagination …brings emotion to the equation, so that we come to God
with both mind and heart. It is vitally important to understand the
scripture (with our minds) but if we have not felt it emotionally, we have
not fully understood it.”
You are going to get comfortable, sit or lie down, and get into an attitude
of prayer. I am going to read the story of the four friends who brought
their paralyzed friend to be healed by Jesus and you will imagine that you
are there. Use all your senses to imagine you are there. Pay attention to
everything around you. I will guide you through it. I will ask you some
questions to think about as you continue to be in an attitude of prayer
and I will close the prayer.
Have everyone get comfortable at least arms length from one another. Middle
school youth will have the hardest time with this so they need the most space.
You may want to pass around paper and pens for those who want to write down
what they are thinking.
Say:
Close your eyes. To help you quiet your mind and be open to God, breath
in slowly counting to 4, hold it for count of 5, slowly exhale counting to 8.
Repeat this slow breathing and counting.
(When you think they are settling into this, move on.)
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Now inhale and imagine you are breathing in the love of God and
exhaling everything in the way. Be aware that God is with you and invites
you to be in communion with Him.
Hear these words from the Gospel of Mark:
After a few days, Jesus went back to Capernaum, and people heard that
he was at home.
So many gathered around that there was no longer space, not even near
the door.
Jesus was speaking the word to them.
Some people arrived, and four of them were bringing to him a man who
was paralyzed.
They couldn’t carry him through the crowd, so they tore off part of the
roof above where Jesus was.
When they had made an opening,
they lowered the mat on which the paralytic was lying.
When Jesus saw their faith,
he said to the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven!”
Some legal experts were sitting there, muttering among themselves,
“Why does he speak in this way?
He is insulting God! Only God can forgive sins.”
Jesus immediately recognized what they were discussing,
and he said to them, “Why do you fill your minds with these questions?
Which is easier, to say to the paralyzed person, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or
to say, ‘Get up, take up your bed, and walk’?
But so you know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive
sins”
---he said to the man who was paralyzed,
“Get up, take your mat and go home.”
Jesus raised him up, and right away he picked up his mat and walked out
in front of everybody.
They were all amazed and praised God, saying,
“We’ve never seen anything like this!” (Mark 2:1-12, CEB)
(After 5 seconds of silence)
Imagine yourself as one of the four holding a corner of a stretcher.
Take a moment to see who God places on the stretcher for you to help
carry and receive him or her in love.
(Pause 5 seconds)
Imagine you are helping to carry your friend toward Jesus.
Notice obstructions that are in your way. Who or what is in the way?
(Pause 5 seconds)
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Now imagine yourself feeling determined to find a way to get help for
your friend. You have got to find a way to get your friend to Jesus.
Imagine you are on the roof, pulling the boards off above where you
think Jesus is standing. Imagine digging through the rest to get to Jesus.
How is what you are doing affecting others? What are you hoping for?
And then you see Jesus.
(Pause 5 seconds)
Lower your friend into Jesus’ presence. Watch and see how Jesus
receives your friend, what he does and what he says. See your friend
being restored to wholeness in the glow of Christ’s love.
(Pause 5 seconds)
Release your friend to Jesus’ care. Give thanks to God. Return home.
(Pause 5 seconds)
AMEN
Group Discussion:
Say:
Turn to a person near you and share something that you experienced in
this prayer. For example, something you received or something that was
a struggle. (Give them a few minutes.)
In large group discuss:
 What stands out to you about Jesus in this prayer time?
 Imagine for a minute what it would be like for the person in need of
healing on the stretcher. What might you feel then?
 Now imagine for a minute that you were one of the disbelievers watching
and doubting that Jesus had God’s permission to forgive and heal. What
body language would you be showing? What would be going through
your mind?
Going Deeper:
This is only the beginning of chapter 2 of the Gospel according to Mark and
already Jesus has attained “rock star” status among the people! Jesus has been
baptized by John, called together His Disciples, driven out an evil spirit, healed
many people, including a Leper who recognized the Divine Authority of Jesus and
proclaimed it to all he saw…Even though Jesus told him to keep it a secret! In the
midst of all this Jesus has begun teaching His message of the Good News; God
has come near, free grace available for all!
In this story in Mark 2:1-12, there are four distinct points of view in this scripture
that come together in an epic way, that might be missed unless you stop to view
this drama from each individual perspective.
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Let us look at it from the point of view of the paralyzed man. We do not know if
this is a result of illness, injury, or if this man has been paralyzed since birth.
What we do know is that this man had some amazing friends. As I consider what
this man may have been feeling as his friends came to carry him to this newly
famous healer and teacher would I experience joy for their friendship, shame for
my ailment, would I dare hope that there is a possibility of wholeness for me?
When I saw the crowd would I lose heart because they cannot get me before
Jesus? Would I try and talk my friends out of digging through the roof, because it
sounded scary to me and might be big trouble for them? What must it had been
like to be suspended from a hole in the roof, would I know Joy or fear; would
there be any shred of hope or only despair? But Jesus looks upon the face of the
afflicted man with only acceptance and love. He looks to another. Jesus
somehow seems distracted?
Let us take a look at it from the point of view of the friends. We do not know
much about these men other than they cared deeply for the paralyzed man and
were willing to go to any lengths to see that he would get any possible care they
could find for him. These are friends of action, they did not hope a cure was
found, but instead went about finding it and delivering their friend where it is to
be found. These friends must have been encouraged by what they had heard
about this Jesus, a teacher and healer like never before known. I can imagine
their response when they found they could not get into the house because of the
crowd. I doubt they even hesitated; these men were problem solvers who did
not stop to consider any inconvenience to them. Their mission was to get their
friend before Jesus, to do less was just not an option. I can envision them
lowering their friend through the roof, being very careful to work as a team, so
they do not drop their friend or allow him to roll off the mat. I am sure they were
nervous about Jesus’ reaction to the hole in the roof, a dramatic interruption, at
their plea for the healing of their friend. I wonder if they were able to see the
caring look on Jesus face. I wonder what they thought when Jesus turned his
attention to one seated in the front of the crowd.
Let us take a look at it from the point of view of the Scribes. A Scribe is a unique
position within Jewish culture. A Scribe is one who has studied the Law of Moses,
and teaches and interprets it to the people. A Scribe relies on the rich and
powerful within their society for their education and also position. But they also
have great power themselves as they are called in to render a judgment in a time
of dispute between two parties. The Scribe is the one who keeps track of records
for their community, and is empowered to make copies of holy scripts. So, in a
way they are like a copy machine who is also a teacher who also has the
authority of judge and jury in a dispute. So, to be a Scribe is to be among the
Jewish elite, a leader with much power in their society. Notice how these Scribes
had seats in the front where they could see and hear all that was happening. I
wonder what they were doing there. Were they there to hear this new teaching,
to draw near to God who has come near to them? Are they there because they
are threatened by this man who claims to have the authority to give the good
news of repentance and grace? Does teaching about the love God and to love
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neighbor by this man diminish their authority? What will happen to their place in
society if people truly began to love and pray for their enemies? I can imagine
how the Scribes were indignant; this is not of God, only we have the authority to
say what is of God! I wonder what they thought as the first parts of the ceiling
came down, and then a man is lowered on a mat. But the look on Jesus face was
not one of alarm or anger… Jesus’ response seemed caring, then he looked up
and his eyes fell upon us…
Now we will explore how all of this unfolds through the point of view of Jesus.
It is so crowded, and people look to Jesus to be amazed by the miracles, but do
they understand what this means. God has come near to them, not just to bless
some of them through healing, but all through grace and teaching. But now
there are so many people, and they are so enthusiastic, this is why Jesus did not
want those who have already been blessed to say anything…Not until the proper
time where people could have heard the blessed good news first. Now all they
are interested in is what Jesus can do for them physically, rather than
emotionally, spiritually, and eternally. But what is Jesus to do? So Jesus begins to
teach of repentance and grace, knowing that the Scribes in the front row will not
be very happy with Him. Suddenly parts of the ceiling begin to fall followed by a
man who is lame on a mat. Jesus sees the fear, shame, and small hope in the
eyes of the paralyzed man and his heart goes out to him. Perhaps Jesus at first
wondered how He would ever be able to share the good news if he begins with
this healing, but then Jesus would also understand that this teaching is already
understood and being lived out loud by the friends of this paralyzed man. I bet
Jesus was overjoyed by the example of love and care these friends had revealed.
Then Jesus looks up and His eyes find those of the Scribes who were there to
confront and challenge his authority. Then Jesus speaks…
And this is where the separate agendas of our four main characters collide.
Jesus eyes remain on the Scribes as he said to the paralyzed man “Your sins are
forgiven.” The paralyzed man probably thought “which sin?” While the friends
still on the roof thought “what sin?” The scribes began to whisper together
“Who does this guy think he is that he can forgive sin?” Jesus probably thought
“it’s not about sin.” Then Jesus goes on to challenge the Scribes, “is it easier to
say your sins are forgiven, or to heal this man and make him walk?” Then Jesus
heals the paralyzed man for all to see and he gets up and walks out the door
praising God. Jesus shows he has the authority to heal and thus also to forgive.
The Scribes are speechless, what is the meaning of this new teaching? Who is
this man? Jesus took an awkward situation and turned it into a teaching moment
for all people for all time. Love God like the friends did, so much that you will put
your trust in Him. Just like the friends in this story love your neighbor
compassionately. Do all in your power to care for them and see that their needs
are met. I am sure that the four friends jumped down from the roof to join their
healed friend to celebrate by praising God and giving Him the glory!
Imagine No Malaria connection:
17
Say:
Ahead of
Time:
Before the session:
 Fill the quart sized
bag with water to
ensure there are no
leaks.
 Take the paper
towel, place 1
Tablespoon of
baking soda in the
center of it and fold
it up like an
envelope. (bottom
up than each side
and down with top)
It will be about 1 ½
inches square.
 If you prefer, do
step 1 ahead of
time and have
ready to hold up
 Take time to
practice the whole
demonstration
ahead of time!!!
Remember the story of the little boy in the last session who played the
part of a malaria parasite? It was called “My Name is malaria.”
Now hear the story of a mother who has lost everyone in her family to
malaria.
Show “Malaria Ravages Poor” (2:33 min)
Say:
The kind of mosquito that carries malaria is small… but it does so much
damage. The parasite transmitted by the mosquito’s bit heads for the
liver and then gets back into the bloodstream with a mission to destroy
red blood cells—which help carry oxygen all through the body.
You know you have malaria when you have a high fever, chills, joint pain,
and severe headaches. If it isn’t treated, you have convulsions, vomiting,
organ failure and death. Imagine watching a baby go through this agony
and you can’t get help fast enough for them.
Demonstration of what malaria does to a red blood cell.
Say:
This is what the parasite does to a child’s body:
Step 1: Put the sandwich bag in a glass to help hold it open. Pour in 1/2 cup of
water, 1/2 cup of vinegar and red food coloring (5 drops).
Say:
This is a red blood cell
Step 2: Hold up the paper towel envelope of baking soda
Say:
This is a malaria parasite.
Step 3: Drop the paper towel packet inside the bag and seal it quickly, keeping
most of the air out.
Step 4: Put the bag into a clear container so everyone can see what happens.
Step 5: Shake the bowl or pan until the bag explodes.
Video Info
These video clips are
on the Imagine No
Malaria DVD or can
be found at
http://www.youtube
.com/user/ImagineN
oMalaria
This takes awhile, maybe 45 seconds. The water/vinegar has to penetrate all the
layers of the paper towel to get to the baking soda and then the gas needs to
build up. You can tell when it is close because it swells up like a balloon. The
mess *should* stay inside the bowl.
Say:
This is what the parasite does to a red blood cell. This is malaria. As much
as 80% of a person’s red blood cells can be destroyed. With that going on
in the body, it’s no wonder so many die. What’s really sad is that it is
treatable and not even expensive by American standards. The treatment
includes 3 pills over three days for the total cost of $5.00! A single child
18
surviving beyond this disease to grow into their full potential for a cost
that is less than a movie ticket. Sound like a good investment?
Our challenge this week is to raise money to buy medicine to treat
malaria.
Idea for this coming week to raise money:
Take time during announcements on Sunday morning to share what you learned
in your last session about malaria and the healing power of Jesus Christ. Talk
about how just $5.00 can provide treatments for malaria and ask the
congregation for a special offering to help provide those $5.00 treatments. The
students can pass a bucket or collection plate for the surprise offering.
Closing:
Say:
Jesus said that because of the faith of the friends of the sick man, he was
healed. Just as you imagined what it was like to bring a friend to Jesus
and see him/her healed, I want you to close your eyes and imagine
carrying a child with malaria to Jesus.
With your eyes closed, picture what it is like to turn around and to see
rows of children watching and wondering which one of them is going to
get malaria next. You can make a difference in their lives. There is no
obstacle that can’t be overcome when you love others like Jesus loves
you.
Everyone joins together in the closing prayer.
Loving God,
Please give me eyes to see those in need.
Give me ears to hear them cry
Give me a heart to share in their fear.
Give me the character to desire change.
Give me hands compelled by Your Love in Action to make the world a better
place.
All praise and Glory to you Loving God. Amen
19
Session 3: Education
Jesus and the Woman at the Well
( John 4:3-30, 39-42)
Supplies
 Small drinking cups
for everone
 Pitcher of cold
water
 Bowl or bucket of
water
 Bibles
 Paper and pen for
each group
 Video resources
(DVD or download)
 Media player (tv or
computer)
Jesus taught and overcame misunderstandings that divided people.
We can help clear up misunderstandings about malaria, its spread and how to
stop it by helping fund community workers in Africa.
Review:
Say:
Remember that you are participating in a four session study to inform
and inspire you to join the United Methodist Church in getting rid of
malaria in the world by 2015. It is called Imagine No Malaria.
The first week we imagined Jesus calming the storms in peoples’ lives,
challenging us to have more faith and how to prevent malaria. How much
do Bed Nets cost? ($10) How much did we raise to help in this cause?
(Insert amount raised here)
The second week we imagined taking a person to Jesus to be healed… no
matter how hard it is and talked about what happens to people who
don’t get treatment for malaria. How much does a dose of medicine cost
to treat malaria? ($5) How much did we raise to help in this cause?
(Insert amount raised here)
In this session, we are going learn about another vital way to fight
malaria, community education in Africa. There is a huge need to fund this
part of Imagine No Malaria.
20
Opening Prayer:
Pass out prayer handout
Do this:
Have pitcher with
cold water and bowl
or bucket of water.
Invite students to
take their turn getting
a drink of water.
They can receive
water poured from
the pitcher or they
can scoop from the
bucket/bowl.
Leader: God of love and grace, You call us to hear You in your Word
People: We listen to follow your call
You call us to meet you in prayer
We listen to follow your call
You call us to draw near to you
We listen to follow your call
You call us to love you with all our hearts
We listen to follow your call
You call us to love our neighbor as ourselves
We listen to follow your call
Grant us ears to hear you Lord, and in boldness to respond. Amen
Group Discussion:
Ask:
What is good about a drink of water?
Hear various responses as you pass out small drinking cups.
Say:
You can line up and take your turn getting a drink of water. I can pour you
a glass from the pitcher or you can scoop a glass from the bowl. You
choose.
Let everyone get water. Make sure you have enough water in the pitcher to go
around because odds are they will choose that. Have everyone take their seat.
Ask:
Did you prefer a drink from the pitcher or the bowl? Why?
Tie their comments to running water is a preference over still water. Tie also to
the stagnant water that breeds disease and mosquitoes.
Say:
At the time of Jesus, another word for running water was living water.
Why do you think that was so?
In this session we are going to experience how a drink of water shows us
that God knows everything about us and loves us unconditionally. That
love is enough for us to never thirst for God again because the Living
Water from God fills our souls. We are going to find out more about what
this means in this session.
Bible Study and Activity:
Say:
Before we move into groups for our bible study, we need to explore
some background on the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman. For us,
seated in this room in the 21st Century, we might ask, “What is the big
21
deal about a woman giving Jesus a drink of water?” It is a big deal and
here is why.




Because of this, Jews considered Samaritans as a lesser people, but still
greater than the gentiles. Samaritans viewed Jews as snobby and didn’t
like them either. So for a teacher or rabbi, like Jesus, to speak to a
Samaritan was not only strange, but would have been considered
something unclean. Added to all of this, scripture alludes to the
scandalous nature of this Samaritan woman.
Hear the
Word
Everyone needs a
bible.


Divide the group into
small groups of no
more than 5 and make
the assignments of the
person they are
imagining.
Possible roles are:
 Samaritan Woman
 Jesus
 a woman in the town
or a man in the town
who hears the
woman at the well
tell them what
happened
Pass out a sheet of
paper and pen for
each group
Samaria is situated between Israel to the north and Judah to the
south so that a Jew would have to pass through Samaria when
traveling from one place to the other.
There is a long standing animosity between Jews and Samaritans. One
author, Griff Ruby, describes it this way; “Samaritans were a mixed
group, believed to have been the descendants of intermarriages
between Jews and local Gentiles.
The Samaritan scriptures contained only the Torah (the five books of
Moses), unlike the Jewish people, which also included the "writings"
(Psalms and other historic, poetic, and metaphorical works) and the
"prophets" (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and so forth to Malachi).
Their worship was centered around a temple on a mountain in
Samaria rather than the temple in Jerusalem, and their version of the
scriptures was different in that regard.


First, she is drawing her own water from the well. This would indicate
that she does not have a servant and is poor.
Second, she is there at mid-day. Where are all the other women of
her community? She has apparently been alienated from the rest of
her community for something, because in their society the women
would have gone together to gather the water needed for their day
early in the morning. This Samaritan woman has waited until all the
rest have already been to the well and have left before she goes.
Third, when Jesus speaks of her living with a man who is not her
husband and she has had five husbands before this tells us that
perhaps she has been separated from her community by a
disreputable past.
Fourth, it is violates the social rules for a single man and woman to be
alone or speaking together.
Considering all this, this is not an innocent encounter, but this is an
encounter of epic proportions!
Say:
We are going to divide into groups to read the passage where Jesus talks
with this Samaritan woman. It is found in John 4:3-30 & 39-42. Because
the scripture is long, your group can decide how you want to read it
together:
 One line for each person
22


Assign speaking parts and a narrator
Paragraphs
Each group will be assigned a character in this story. As a group, you are
to imagine you are that person and experience the story through their
eyes. Use all your senses to imagine what the person you are assigned is
thinking before during and after the experience.
Say:
Then, as a group, you will pretend that the person you were assigned is
writing a letter to a friend to describe what they experienced. When your
letters are done, we will hear one of your group read your group’s letter.
You can have one person in your small group start the letter and then
pass it around for each person to write another line… you could assign
paragraph subjects and put them together… or you could compose the
whole letter together. It is up to your group.
Divide the youth into small groups and assign a role. They can be assigned the
Samaritan woman, townsperson, or Jesus. Give them time to first read the
scriptures out loud together.
Discussion with the group: (optional, for time) Try to do at least the last question.
 What did you learn about the person in the story that you were
imagining you were?
 What did you learn in this story that was unexpected?
 What do you think God wants you as a group learn or take to heart
from experiencing this scripture?
 Each one of you has a unique set of circumstances in your life when
you come to this story. Think for a moment. What does God want you
to learn personally or take to heart from experiencing this scripture?
An option for the last question is to hand out index cards and pens for them to
write down and keep their answer.
Going Deeper:
Let us consider this encounter through the point of view of the Samaritan
Woman. Have you ever felt left out, or unwelcomed? It can be a very lonely
feeling that you are not welcomed or even disliked by people. I am sure that
getting water at mid-day was a much greater burden than doing it in the
coolness of the morning. I wonder if they forbade her company in the morning,
or if they just teased or bullied her to make her want to stay away from the rest
of the community. I wonder if this Samaritan woman was sorry for some of her
previous decisions and was just doing her best to survive and care for her family
as best she could. Does she ever consider how those who shun her have not
always made the best choices either? Why does she have to be singled out as
one unworthy of fellowship with the others? Does she hesitate as she
approaches the well and sees someone there? Does she only go forward when
23
she knows that this man is a stranger, and so will not judge her as her
community does. Then the man speaks to her, asking for a drink. She can tell he
is Jewish by his dress and the way he talks. I can see her wondering “Why does
he talk to me? Jews consider Samaritans beneath then, and even my own
Samaritan community views me as something even less, why would he even
consider talking to me?”
Jesus confuses her by talking about “living water” that once you have tasted, you
will never again thirst. I can see her considering “Is this man mad?” She tells the
stranger, “Yes, give me this living water so that I will no longer have to shame
myself coming here to the well alone during the heat of the day!” Then this
stranger amazed her by telling her to go and retrieve her husband. “I have no
husband” she said. Then Jesus told her he knew this, and then told her so much
more. I wonder if she thought “this stranger knows my whole life story! He
speaks gently about all my indiscretions and failures. I should feel shame, but
there is something special about this man, something in His eyes that lets me
know He does not judge me, in fact I feel as if He accepts me as I am, even when
He knows all that I have done.” The Samaritan woman questions the stranger,
how do you know all of these things, are you a prophet? Why would you speak
to me when our peoples have not for many generations? How can you speak to
me of God when we do not even worship alike?
The stranger goes on to explain we are not so different, and in fact one day,
when humanity figures it all out we will worship God the Father together, within
our hearts, within our spirits we will know to love God and one another beyond
the differences of our cultures, beyond the differences of our speech, beyond
the differences of our looks, beyond the differences of our traditions. We will
worship united as one people, God’s people in spirit and in truth! The Samaritan
woman has heard this before, and tells the stranger, “Yes, this will be true, when
the anointed one of God returns.”
I wonder what she thought when the stranger proclaimed “I am He, the
Anointed One, the one you are talking to!” The Samaritan woman is overjoyed,
did she not already feel accepted, wanted, even loved by the messiah? She runs
to her village and proclaims to all, come to the well! Meet this stranger who is
the Anointed One of God! She went to share the Good News with even those
who shunned her, even those who rejected her, even those who would not
speak to her… Why? I wonder if she thought “I am forgiven, and found worthy,
even lovable by the Anointed One of God, How you choose to judge me is no
longer relevant, I am accepted, and I cannot remain silent in the face of this
great Good news!
Now let us consider this encounter through the point of view of Jesus. Jesus
knows where He is and what His “religious peers” would think of what He was
doing, But Jesus did not care. When the woman approached the well Jesus felt
nothing but compassion for this woman. Being Divine, Jesus knows her story,
and being human, Jesus felt her shame, shared in here pain of being rejected by
her community. Jesus was compelled by His love of God, and for his love of the
24
image of God that dwelt within this woman to raise her up, to share grace, to
grant her the gift of personal value for herself, and also within her community.
Jesus shares with her Living Water, that which flows directly from his heart to all
humanity. Water that will quench the thirst of despair, overcome thirst of
shame, and will even satisfy the thirst for acceptance. I can imagine Jesus as she
meets his offer with doubt, even sarcasm. So Jesus goes on to share her life
story, to show her He is aware of her personal loathing and shame, Jesus shows
her that she is not defined by a single choice or situation, but instead she is
defined as a beloved creation of God! And then Jesus proclaims His Divinity, He is
the Messiah! I can imagine how Jesus’ heart warmed as he saw understanding in
this woman’s eyes, as she understood to whom she was speaking, as she
celebrated that through God’s grace she is accepted, as she experiences for the
first time in a very long time self-worth. I can imagine Jesus smiling as she
dropped her burden of the water jar and ran back to town proclaiming God’s
glory and grace.
Last let us consider this story through the eyes of the community where this
Samaritan woman lives. Here comes that woman running through town
shouting acclamations of the glory of God. Who does she think she is? We all
know the scandalous way she lives. She has had many husbands, and now
despite the judgment of the community she lives with a man to whom she is not
married. She knows she is not welcomed and is but tolerated by us, why does
she come running into town creating such a spectacle? She speaks of a stranger
at the well, one who has been able to tell her about her whole life, what
treachery is this; I will go and put a stop to this! As I approached the well, I can
see the stranger, and truly there is something remarkable about Him. If He
knows of the misdeeds of that woman, then does that mean he will know of my
own? How will this stranger judge my secrets? Tell me of this living water; teach
me to quench my own personal doubts and fears! I can see it, I can feel it, God’s
grace is flowing through this stranger, He must be the Messiah foretold! How
does God love us? That God’s grace is sufficient for me, and even her? We must
get this stranger to stay with us at least for a while. He must stay and tell us
more of this great good news! We thirst to know more!
Imagine No Malaria Connection:
Say:
Living water is refreshing, life affirming, and draws people back for more.
Living water is safe to drink. Living water is a basic necessity of life. Living
water doesn’t breed mosquitoes that carry diseases like malaria. Instead
of burning cow dung that might ward off mosquitoes for a little while,
communities can be more effective in preventing malaria by removing
standing, stagnant, foul water where mosquitoes breed. Bed nets and
medication can save lives but the word has to get out to the people…
especially the poor who are most likely to live near standing water and
need bed nets or medicine.
Community workers are Africans who are committed to be on the front
lines of the battle against malaria by living in communities, educating
25
them on how to prevent and treat this disease, and organizing ways to
distribute nets and medicine. It is no easy task but what parent doesn’t
want to protect their children from this painful and deadly disease?
For only $50.00 or $.14 a day, a community worker can be empowered to
work with villages in Africa. Their job is to teach their neighbors how to
stop malaria, help remove stagnant water, offer bed nets and help get
medical care for those afflicted. But there is a huge problem. Right now
there are 5400 community workers in Africa and they are all volunteers.
To quote the UMCOR coordinator for Africa, “Currently our projects
cannot afford to pay these people… We do provide free training, along
with supplies/materials and uniforms in some cases. Travel and lodging
reimbursements are also provided by INM when they are called upon.
This remains a true challenge because as many of them are doing a very
important job for free, we also know that they are often poor farmers
who must provide for their families. Some of our government partners
are beginning to pay a minimal stipend (which is more sustainable than a
project payment), however, in order to acquire these stipends, they must
be trained or certified – which is where INM is playing a big role.”
Video Info
These video clips are
on the Imagine No
Malaria DVD or can
be found at
http://www.youtube
.com/user/ImagineN
oMalaria
Show “Congo Video Diary” (3:00 min) video clip
Say:
You and I are on the frontlines for making this dream of ending malaria in
Africa a reality. We can provide the resources needed to make it happen.
What can we do this week to provide more community workers that are
a vital link in educating and empowering people to make their world safer
for their children?
What can we do this week to meet the challenge to raise money to pay
community workers?
Idea for this coming week to raise money:
A fundraising idea for this session is for youth to go before the congregation at
the beginning of the service on Sunday morning, explain what they learned
about Imagine No Malaria in the education session and say that support for
community workers costs only $50 a year or $.14 a day. Youth will pass the
offering plates and the congregation is invited to put all their change in the
plates to show how far even our pocket change can go to help this great cause.
Closing:
Everyone joins together in the closing prayer.
Loving God,
Please give me eyes to see those in need.
26
Session 4:
Communication
Jesus Sends Disciples Into All the World
(Matthew 7:24-27)
Supplies
 Copies of the
“Terracycle Flyer”
 Video resources
(DVD or download)
 Media player (tv or
computer)
 You may want to
have a picture of
guards at the Tomb
of the Unknown at
Arlington
 Copies of Baptism
reaffirmation
 Prayer handout
 Bowl of water
(clear)
 A clean rock, large
enough to be seen
by all
Give me ears to hear them cry
Give me a heart to share in their fear.
Give me the character to desire change.
Give me hands compelled by Your Love in Action to make the world a better
place.
All praise and Glory to you Loving God. Amen.
Just as Jesus sent the disciples to the ends of the earth to tell the story,
we can tell the story in our own communities
and support efforts to share the message across Africa.
Review:
Say:
This is the week we commit to a sustaining, long term effort to end
malaria by 2015.
The first week we imagined Jesus calming the storms in peoples’ lives,
challenging us to have more faith and how to prevent malaria. How much
do Bed Nets cost? ($10)
The second week we imagined taking a person to Jesus to be healed no
matter how hard it is and what happens to people who don’t get
treatment for malaria. How much does a dose of medicine cost to treat
malaria? ($5)
In the third week we imagined what it means to receive the Living Water
of Christ like the Samaritan woman at the well and the community
workers educating people is vital and underfunded. How much is the
salary for a community worker for a year? ($50, $.14 a day)
How many workers are there now? 5800
How many are getting paid? 0
Opening Prayer:
27
Pass out prayer handout
Leader: God of love and grace, You call us to hear You in your Word
People: We listen to follow your call
You call us to meet you in prayer
We listen to follow your call
You call us to draw near to you
We listen to follow your call
You call us to love you with all our hearts
We listen to follow your call
You call us to love our neighbor as ourselves
We listen to follow your call
Grant us ears to hear you Lord, and in boldness to respond. Amen.
Group Discussion
Say:
Think about people or professions that are willing to take risks,
sometimes their lives, to do their job.
As a large group discuss:
 Who do you think of?
 Why do you think they have such commitment to do those things?
Say:
The Tomb of the Unknown [Soldier] in Arlington Cemetery, Washington,
D.C. is guarded around the clock every day since 1930. Guards are
changed every 30 minutes.
To be one of these guards takes extreme commitment. These soldiers
commit for 2 years to guard the tomb and live in barracks under the
tomb.
During the first 6 months of duty, a guard cannot talk to anyone or watch
television. All off-duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people
buried in Arlington Cemetery. They are to memorize who they were and
where they are buried.
Guards spend 5 hours a day getting their uniforms ready for duty. There
are no wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform. Their shoes are specially
made with very thick soles to keep the heat and cold from their feet.
There are metal heel plates that go to the top of the shoe in order to
make the loud click as they come to a halt.
They commit to not drink alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives.
They commit to not swear in public for the rest of their lives and pledge
to never disgrace the uniform or the tomb in any way.
After completing their 2 years of guard duty, a guard is given a wreath pin
that is worn on their lapel showing that they served as a guard at the
28
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The guard must obey the rules they
commit to for the rest of their lives or give up the pin. There are only
about 400 presently worn.
When a hurricane was bearing down on Washington, the guards were
given permission to suspend their duty. They respectfully refused saying
that guarding the tomb was the highest honor that a soldier could do.
They continued their duty soaked to the skin, with the winds and rain of
the hurricane pelting them.
Video Info
These video clips are
on the Imagine No
Malaria DVD or can
be found at
http://www.youtube
.com/user/ImagineN
oMalaria


Where does this commitment come from?
What are the guards communicating to others by their commitment?
Imagine No Malaria Connection:
Say:
There is an African proverb, “If you think you are too small to make a
difference, try sleeping in a room with a mosquito.” Each of us… no
matter how small or insignificant, troubled or weak… is called by Jesus to
go into the world and commit to putting God’s love into action. God
promises to be with us as we do, equipping us along the way.
Each one of us is called by Jesus to make a difference in the world.
Show ‘Inmate Fights Malaria’ (1:50 min.)
Say:
In this final session, our youth group can make an ongoing difference in
INM, even more than what we have done the last three weeks. We can
work together on a continuous fundraiser. by saving what we would
throw away, send it to a company that recycles and upcycles, and
donates money to Imagine No Malaria for what we send.
AHEAD OF TIME: Go to www.terracycle.com and sign up as an organization. Ask
for volunteers to help meet after this session or at another time to help organize
and promote this ongoing fundraiser. You can work together to pick the types of
items you will be collecting.
Going Deeper:
Matthew 7:24-27
24“Everybody who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a
wise builder who built a house on bedrock.25 The rain fell, the floods came, and
the wind blew and beat against that house. It didn’t fall because it was firmly set
on bedrock.26 But everybody who hears these words of mine and doesn’t put
them into practice will be like a fool who built a house on sand.27 The rain fell, the
floods came, and the wind blew and beat against that house. It fell and was
completely destroyed.”
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Jesus said, “Everyone who hears these words of mine, and puts them into
practice.” Jesus did not call us into a scholastic exercise, but instead he calls us
into action, we are to listen, learn, and then do. Our faith if built upon the
foundation of God’s Word is like the rock you see placed in the bowl. The rock
does not conform to the water, but instead the water conforms around the rock.
The water may rise and fall but the rock remains constant, as our contemporary
society suffers to redefine truth, God’s truth remains the same. God’s truth will
always be relevant, always contemporary, and always honorable. Society is
always seeking the next good thing, while God’s Word will for all time be the one
great thing! And what are the most important truths revealed in God’s Word?
Matthew 22:36-40 teach us that what is most important, that upon which all
other truths are fulfilled, is to love God with all that we are, and to love our
neighbor as ourselves. But this is not a passive love, but a love in action to help
our neighbors, to care about their struggles and to care so deeply that it causes
us to move, to speak, to respond, to transform their struggle into a victory of
God’s grace. How can we here in this place make a difference to people living so
far away struggling to grow up in the midst of this deadly menace?
Do you know in your heart that Jesus is this close to you? Sitting beside you, in
your head, in your heart? Let’s look at another example in Scripture of the
encouragement and confidence that Jesus has in you to make a difference in
God’s world.
Matthew 14:22-33
25Very early in the morning he came to his disciples, walking on the lake. 26When
the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified and said, “It’s a
ghost!” They were so frightened they screamed.
27Just then Jesus spoke to them, “Be encouraged! It’s me. Don’t be afraid.”
28Peter replied, “Lord, if it’s you, order me to come to you on the water.”
29And Jesus said, “Come.”
Then Peter got out of the boat and was walking on the water toward Jesus. 30But
when Peter saw the strong wind, he became frightened. As he began to sink, he
shouted, “Lord, rescue me!”
31Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him, saying, “You man of weak
faith! Why did you begin to have doubts?”
Video Info
Show Charles
Blondin cartoon
depiction
http://www.youtube
.com/watch?v=9HyrfmqmGc
Some of you may have watched Nic Wallenda walk a wire across Niagara Falls in
2012. He walked a cable held by a crane on each side of the falls, 13 feet above
the ground. The cable was 2” thick and 2200’ long. We held our breaths at the
wonder of that kind of skill and courage. Yet, when Nic was asked how scared he
was, he said that if he got in trouble, he could always sit on the wire and have a
helicopter come get him.
Well, there was a man that may have been braver than Wallenda. His name was
Charles Blondin and on June 30, 1859, 2 years before the Civil War, walked a
wire across the Falls. He was 34 years old. His rope was made of hemp, 2’ thick,
tied to a tree on each side with guy wires as far as they could reach, 1,300’ long
and nothing and no one to save him. 25,000 people came to watch him succeed
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or fall to his death that day. In his life, he crossed Niagara Falls 300 times and
probably wire walked a lifetime total of 10,000 miles. He died when he was 73.
Hear the
Word
Prepare a large, clear
bowl by placing in it a
large rock and adding
water. The rock
should not be
completely covered
with the water.
Bring out the bowl at
this point.
Watch this video about Blondin and how his life challenges us to take to a
chance, to stand up, and to step out because we love Jesus.
Where do we get this courage to take a chance, stand up and step out? How do
we keep from talking ourselves out of it or say this is not a good time, maybe
later, and later never comes?
Because we are with Jesus, and we know Jesus is with us, anything is possible. All
we need to do is follow Jesus’ simple instruction.
If you want to walk on water… if you want to put your faith into action and do
the impossible… you just need to get out of the boat, and trust in Jesus.
As we close this study, hopefully we have moved together from hearing about
malaria for the first time, to actually being able to Imagine No Malaria. We dare
to imagine a time when this disease is controlled and we move beyond a reality
of fear, death, and grief for all our neighbors.
Sitting before you is a bowl with water and a rock.
I want you imagine that this rock represents the foundation upon which our faith
is built. The water represents those outside distractions that the world has to
offer. Distractions like but not limited to drugs, sex, money, popularity, video
games, and so much more. The water can be still, or troubled, it can rise, or fall…
But the rock remains unchanged.
What is the purpose of the rock? The rock’s purpose it to be present, to be
uncorrupted, to be unmoved by the forces of the world around it. It will remain
unchanged even if the water freezes or boils out in steam…The rock will remain.
God’s love is like this rock. Our culture seems focused on minimizing God’s
influence, yet God remains steadfast, unmoved, and unchanged, and God’s grace
is still freely given to all who choose to accept it. This is the foundation upon
which our faith is built, our faith which calls us to place all of our hope and trust
into God’s unconditional love and grace. As God’s love fills our hearts and God’s
grace overwhelms our spirits something amazing happens, we find ourselves
drawn into loving our neighbors wherever they are, reaching out with God’s
hands, speaking with God’s voice, and loving them with God’s heart. This is the
outward and visible sign of the inward love and grace we have received from a
personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
In our baptisms, we promise to set aside the powers of this world and put our
whole self into God’s hands. In just a few minutes we will hear again the words
of our baptismal service… Listen carefully for the promises made by you or on
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your behalf. Are these just the words of some ancient ritual or do these words
have power and meaning in your life?
The water in this bowl represents our surroundings. We talked about the
temptations that surround us… but I want you to also think about the blessings.
Imagine what would happen if everyone in this community loved God so much
loved one other like Jesus does. What would happen if every community loved
their neighbors like that? How would that change our culture? Would anyone be
left hungry, or thirsty, or left out in the cold?
That is what the living water of baptism does. It transforms us and it transforms
our world.
Imagine how different this world would be if we all understood we are
unconditionally loved, thoroughly cleansed and joyfully welcomed and accepted
at the Kingdom table!
If you were baptized as a child, someone in your life wanted to make sure you
knew this was true. And if you were baptized recently… or even if you have not
yet made that commitment… your baptism means that YOU know God loves you.
As we bless this water, it is transformed from representing the chaos of our
world into the living water of baptism. You will each have the opportunity to
touch these waters and remember those who led you to this place of spiritual
awareness, remember those who have loved you and kept you safe, remember
those who seek to help you in this journey called life, remember that God loves
you unconditionally, and remember God calls you into loving relationship with all
humanity.
As you touch the water and then touch your brow in the sign of the cross,
remember your baptism and be thankful!
Pass out “Baptismal Renewal” sheets and lead the liturgy. Everyone lines up to
come forward and dip their hand in the living water and make the sign of the
cross on their foreheads. If there is a place to kneel, invite them kneel and pray or
return to their seats and silently talk with Jesus.
Closing:
Everyone joins together in the closing prayer.
Loving God,
Please give me eyes to see those in need.
Give me ears to hear them cry
Give me a heart to share in their fear.
Give me the character to desire change.
Give me hands compelled by Your Love in Action to make the world a better
place.
All praise and Glory to you Loving God. Amen.
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A Service of Baptismal Renenewal
Sending Forth:
Say:
May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be blessed! He is the
compassionate Father and God of all comfort. He’s the one who comforts
us in all our trouble so that we can comfort other people who are in
every kind of trouble. We offer the same comfort that we ourselves
received from God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
As we go from this place O God, let it be so… Amen
Brothers and sisters in Christ: Through the Sacrament of Baptism we are initiated into Christ’s holy church. We
are incorporated into God’s mighty acts of salvation and given new birth through water and the Spirit. All this
is God’s gift, offered to us without price. Through the reaffirmation of our faith we renew the covenant
declared at our baptism, acknowledge what God is doing for us, and affirm our commitment to Christ’s holy
church.
On behalf of the whole church, I ask you: Do you renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil
powers of this world, and repent of your sin? I do.
Do you accept the freedom and power God gives you to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms
they present themselves? I do.
Do you confess Jesus Christ as your Savior, put your whole trust in his grace, and promise to serve him as your
Lord, in union with the church which Christ has opened to people of all ages, nations, and races? I do.
According to the grace given to you, will you remain faithful members of Christ’s holy church and serve as
Christ’s representatives in the world? I will.
Let us join together in professing the Christian faith as contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New
Testaments. Do you believe in God the Father?
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
Do you believe in Jesus Christ?
I believe in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin
Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the
third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the Father, and will come
again to judge the living and the dead.
Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the
resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
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Eternal Father, your mighty acts of salvation have been made known through water— from the moving of
your Spirit upon the waters of creation, to the deliverance of your people through the flood and through the
Red Sea. In the fullness of time you sent Jesus, nurtured in the water of a womb, baptized by John, and
anointed by your Spirit. He called his disciples to share in the baptism of his death and resurrection and to
make disciples of all nations. Pour out your Holy Spirit, and by this gift of water call to our remembrance the
grace declared to us in our baptism. For you have washed away our sins, and you cloth us with righteousness
throughout our lives, that dying and rising with Christ we may share in his final victory. Amen.
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