Epiphany 3 A (25th January 2026):Discipleship 101/ Abandoning the Boats/God Confidence/One Heart, One Hope, One Love

  

Under Construction at the moment

Bible Readings:

Isaiah 9:1-4, Psalm 27:1,4-9, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, Matthew 4:12-23

About the Images:
Above Left: Abandoned whaler on Norfolk Island - it's my photo so feel free to use it for worship related activities. If you want to know more about Norfolk Island please visit http://www.norfolkisland.com.au

Above Right: This is a microsoft free clipart image with text from the unnamed poem by Philip Andrews (see below under Meditation/Poem).

Middle Left:  The words from the psalm with an image I have on paper from 40 years ago - I have no idea who to attribute this to - if anyone knows the artist, please let me know.

Middle Right: This is a free image from Imagebank (see my link column at left).
Lower Left: This is a free image from the amazing Heartlight site - see my link column at left.

Lower Right: This is my image.  Please feel free to use it for worship and related activities.  It is an image of the Separation Barrier built by the Israelis between Palestine and Israel which appropriates large areas of Palestinian land, separates families and shuts down businesses - a perfect example of what the Corinthians reading encourages us not to do. 

Bottom Left and Right: These excellent images come from the Sundaygraphx site. 

Listening Song: Jesus Freak
By dc Talk on their album, Jesus Freak (pictured at left). This song is about discipleship.

Listening Song: In the Light

By dc Talk on their album Jesus Freak (pictured at left). This song goes well with the Corinthians reading.

Listening Song: One

By U2 on their album Achtung Baby, 1991 (pictured at right)

Kids Story: Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes
By Mem Fox and Helen Oxenbury, Penguin, 2009, ISBN 9780143503583 (pictured at left). This story is just a delight and goes very well with the Corinthians reading.

Film Clip: Oh My God
This clip seems to have disappeared off the web however one of the major speakers, Rabbi Froman, is part of a new film about to be released, called A Third Way - a film about Israeli and Palestinians working together. Any clips you can access on this topic fit in beautifully with the Corinthians reading and if you can watch any of them without tearing up then you are better than me.

Film Clip: Meet the Parents

(pictured at left) Show the clip where Kevin shows off his carpentry skills and says he does it because he wants to follow in Jesus' footsteps. (about 55 minutes from the start)

Discussion: On Meet the Parents

1. What does it mean to be one of Jesus' disciples? Will being a good carpenter do it?

2. What should we do to be good disciples?

Discussion:
1. Was there a definable moment when you became a Christian?
2. What changed most for you if you did have a definable moment?

3. Is conversion the end of the story?

Drama: Leftovers

By Eric Stapleton and found at http://www.dramatix.org/archive/family/Leftovers.html This drama fits in well with the Corinthians reading.

Story: If Jesus Showed Up at Your School
Found in Could Someone Wake Me Up Before I Drool On The Desk by Kevin Johnson, Bethany House Publishers, 1995, ISBN 1556614160, pp11 (pictured at left) This is a story about youth and discipleship.

Story: Soren Kierkegaard's Train Passenger

I don't know which book of his this is in but I found reference to this illustration in Rivers in the Desert edited by Rowland Croucher, Albatross books, 1991, ISBN 086760137X, page 253 (pictured at right). This story is based on the gospel reading.

Story: To Have It Within
Found in Speakers Source Book of New Illustrations by Virgil Hurley, Word Publishing,1995, ISBN 0849936756, page 40 (pictured at left). This story is based on the Psalm.

Story: Fishers of Men Part 2 

In When You Walk by Adrian Plass, The Bible Reading Fellowship, 1997, ISBN 0745935524, page 130-1 (pictured at right). This story is based on the gospel reading.

Meditation: We Did Not Want to Go

In He Was in the World: Meditations for Public Worship by John Bell, Wild Goose, 1995, ISBN 094798870X, pp 87 (pictured at left). This meditation is like the song Jesus Freak above and centres on our unwillingness sometimes to be a disciple because we foresee difficulties.

Meditation/Poem: Unnamed
By Philip Andrews and found in Imaging the Word Volume 2 by Susan A. Blain, Sharon Iverson Glouwens, Catherine O'Callaghan, Grant Spradling (Eds.), United Church Press, 1995, ISBN 0829810331, page 125. (pictured  at left). I put images with this and used Look Back In by Moby from his album, 18 (pictured at right), as backing. This is connected with the Psalm.

Response Activity:
Display heaps of printed images and words around the worship space and ask people to choose a couple which most explain how they feel about or what they think in response to the Bible reading. Ask people to share why they chose the cards and or words which they did.
NB. www.innovativeresources.org make an amazing set of cards called Signposts which work really well with this activity.

Also:

Poem and prayer: repent - turn around.

Found in Dad and Daughter by Ron Gordon and Jennie Gordon, 2012, ISBN 9780646586601, page 12 (pictured at left).  These are based on the gospel reading.

Response Activity: Invited to Bring the Light

Found in Bringing the Word To Life Together: Year A by Andrew Collis and Dorothy McRae-McMahon, Mediacom, Adelaide, 2010, ISBN 9780949656919, page 36ff (pictured at right). This is based on the gospel reading.

Lots of Useful Stuff
Found in The Abingdon Creative Preaching Annual by Jenee Woodard (Ed.), Abingdon Press, Nashville, 2013, page 26ff. 

Drama: Gone Fishing - at the Mall
Found in Mega Drama 1 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book, 2001, ISBN 0859109151v1, page 34. This has been written for the gospel reading.

Psalm 27

Found in The Psalms: An Artist's Impression by Anneke Kaai and Eugene Peterson, Piquant, 1999, ISBN 0 9535757 0 5, page 18.    

Prayer: Sand

Found in Multi-Sensory Prayer by Sue Wallace, Scripture Union, 2001, ISBN 1859994652, page 38 and based on the Matthew reading.

Sharing Stories: Families Working Together

Found in Welcome by Beth Barnett and Keith Dyer, Scripture Union, 2011, ISBN 978 0 9871500 2 8, page 90. These are based on the Matthew reading. 

Prayer/Action: Light

By Neil Paynter and found in Going Home Another Way by Neil Paynter, Wild Goose Publications, 2008,pages 106 and based on the Psalm reading. 

Jesus Calls Us

Found in Welcome Mat: A Resource for Opening the Bible with Children, Families and teens by Beth Barnett, Scripture Union, Victoria, 2010, pages 26 (small group resources) , 99 (preschool resources), 124 (adult resources) and 146 (dramas). All based on the Matthew reading. 

Listening Song:

Psalm 27 stars four times on the Sons of Korah album, Wait, Wordsong Artists, 2011 (pictured at right).

Epiphany 2 A (18th January 2026): Following/Keeping our Feet Upon the Rock

 

Bible Readings: Isaiah 49:1-7, Psalm 40:1-11, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, John 1:29-42

About the Images:

Upper Left: My photo, my foot, my boot :-) ...feel free to use as you want. This image goes well with Psalm 40:2 and the Gospel reading.

Upper Right, Lower Left and Bottom Left: These images come from Heartlight - see my link to their site at left.

Middle Left: A homemade wordle.

Middle Right:  A free clipart from the wonderful Church Galleries site - not functioning at present. 

Lower Right: Another spectacular liberation theology line drawing from Cerezo Barredo - see my link column at left

Listening Song: Dancing on the Wall

By Iona on their self-titled album (pictured at left). This song goes well with the gospel reading.

Listening Song: 40
By U2 on their album, War or on their album, Under a Blood Red Sky (pictured at left). This, of course, is a version of Psalm 40. It is pre-recorded on the War album and live on the other.

Listening Song: It's Alright (Send Me)
By Winans Phase2 on their album We Got Next (pictured at left) or on WOW 2000. This goes well with the gospel reading.

Kids:

A great idea and activity sheet found in Sermon Resources in Forbid Them Not by Carolyn C Brown, Abingdon Press, 1992, ISBN 0 687 13255, page 34-35 (pictured at left)

Drama: For Me
By Pastor Keith Stiller and found in Drama Resources 2, Lutheran Publishing House, 1986, page 29 (pictured at right). This is a drama about discipleship.

Discussion Questions: Plenary, Group or with a Neighbour

1. What is the one thing you would need to know about them before you followed somebody?
2. Have you ever followed somebody (other than Jesus)?
3. What is it about Jesus that made you want to follow him? (This would also make a good interview question for one or two (three or four?) members of your congregation - their answers could take the place of the sermon for the week - you would have to give them prior warning in order for this to work well).4. Define "disciple".

Poem and prayer: path of discipleship

Found in Dad and Daughter by Ron Gordon and Jennie Gordon, 2012, ISBN 9780646586601, page 11 (pictured at right).  These are based on the gospel reading.

Story: The Journey Thus Far

By Athol Gill in his book Life on the Road, Herald Press, 1989, ISBN 0836135881, page 11 (pictured at right). This links in well with the gospel reading.

Story: Rigby

Index 1158 from Bible Illustrator for Windows Version 1.0d, Parsons Technology Inc., 1990 or find the story on-line at http://bible.org/illustration/john-141. This story is based on the gospel reading.

Story: Uncompromising Determination
Found in Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks by Wayne Rice, Youth Specialties Inc, 1994, ISBN 031040261, page 214 (pictured at left). I matched this story with the Isaiah reading because it talks about how we are valued and how much we matter in a rather comic manner.

Prayer/Poem: Deny Self and Imitate Christ

Found in Of The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A'Kempis, Whitaker House, 1981, ISBN 0883680947, page 207 (pictured at right).

Also:

Drama: It Could Change Your Life
Found in Mega Drama 1 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book, 2001, ISBN 0859109151v1, page 43 (pictured at left). This has been written for the gospel reading.

Beautiful Illustrations of John's Gospel connected to the Australian  Outback

Found in The Gospel According to John Illuminated by Fiona Pfennigwerth, Tien Wah Press, Singapore, 2013, ISBN 9780646912462, page 4 (pictured at right)

Sermon ideas: Come and Meet the Messiah

Found in Life on the Road by Athol Gill, Herald Press, 1992, page 43 (pictured above right).  This is based on the Gospel reading. 

Meditation: Behold the Lamb of God
Found in He Was in the World by John L. Bell, Wild Goose Publications, 1995, ISBN 094798870X, page 71 (pictured at left) and based on the John reading.

Meditation: Behold the Lamb of God

Found in Present on Earth by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 2002, ISBN 0 901557 64 2, page 21ff (pictured at right).  This is based on the John reading.

Reflection and Prayer:

By Norman Shanks and found in Going Home Another Way by Neil Paynter, Wild Goose Publications, 2008, pages 70ff (pictured at left) and based on the John reading. 

Listening Song: Song of Redemption

Based on Psalm 40 and is found on the Sons of Korah album, Redemption Songs, Wordsong Artists, 2000 (pictured at right).

Activity: A Dramatic Meal

Found in Multi-Sensory Scripture by Sue Wallace, Scripture Union, 2005, ISBN 1 84427 166 8, number 21 (pictured at left). This is based on the John reading.