“Take Time”
A Celebration in Joy
Written & Developed by Glen Dawursk, Jr.
www.yuthguy.com
INTRODUCTION:
My God is a 24-hour God, is yours?
Many Christians don’t think so. They think God is only around on Sunday morning
or whenever a major tragedy arises. But
listen to what Jesus says to us in Matthew 28, verse 20, “And remember, I am with you always till the end of the world.” Is that statement conditional? Does Jesus say, “Only on Sundays?” No, He clearly states ALWAYS! That’s a promise from God
Himself, and remember – God cannot lie.
(Titus 1:2)
God does have enough time for us. In fact, all of God’s time is available to
us, but few Christians take full advantage of this 24-hour service. Why must we wait until some problem engulfs
our lives before we take time for the Lord?
Why can’t we set time aside each day for a quiet time alone with our
God? God doesn’t want “lukewarm” Christians
who come to church on Sunday but forget about Him the rest of the week.
(Revelations 3:15, 16) If we’re not
maturing in the Lord daily, we’re dying!
God doesn’t let us to be on our knew 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but
with over 160 hours in a week, surely we can spend more that an hour on
Sunday. Why if we would tithe 10% of the
weekly time the Lord gives us, we would owe the Lord over two hours a day. Let’s get our priorities straight. Let’s start stepping out in faith (trust) and
start taking more time for the Lord.
Don’t hesitate. Do it now,
because there isn’t much time left – the Lord is coming back soon.
“There is an appointed
time for everything and a right time for everything we want to do under the sun
…” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
Take Time for Jesus. He took the time to die on a cross for you.
Glen E. Dawursk, Jr.
December, 1978
“TAKE TIME”
A Celebration in Joy!
PROGRAM – Time Schedule
BUT WAIT …
#1 Prayer
Do we take time to remember Jesus?
#2 People
Do we take time to remember and care
about others?
#3 Us
– Words and actions
Do we take
time to mean what we say or do? Do we take time for our own spiritual growth?
A) In
each skit, what was each person’s priority?
How did Jesus fit in?
B) What did they neglect to do?
C) Have we ever done this?
D)
What should our priorities be?
Who should be first? Second?
How do we fit in?
RIGHT ON TIME …
“There is an appointed time for everything
and a right time for everything we want to do under the sun …” (Ecclesiastes
3:1)
“The joy of
the Lord is our strength!” (Nehemiah 8:10)
“They gave
themselves to the Lord first and then to us, doing just what the Lord wanted.”
(II Corinthians 1:5b)
Leaders Guide
Detailed Description of Program
Welcome to our celebration in Jesus’ name. We’ve come to worship and praise, and
especially to have fun doing it. But
before we can do that, we’ve got to get our thoughts on our purpose. So let’s synchronize our thoughts. What was the one reason God created us, and
why does He continue to sustain us? Why
are we here? To tell
others about Jesus? Not
really. We didn’t need a Savior until
after Adam and Eve sinned. God’s main
purpose in creating us was to give glory to Him in all we do or say. (Palm 145:10, 21) That’s what God expects from His people. Now that we have our thoughts on praise,
let’s do just that. Now we’re ready to
celebrate! So, keep your eyes on Jesus!
There is a word in Scripture, which means the same
thing in every language. It’s Hallelujah! It means simply, “Praise the Lord.” Those words are used numerous times
throughout the Psalms as well as, the rest of the Bible. Let’s have a little fun praising the Lord
together in the words of two easy songs “Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord,” and
“Praise the Lord Together.”
(If you have any songs you feel would
be better PRAISE songs, feel free to substitute them or add them to the
program.)
Jesus
says to come to Him as children (Mk
(Have everyone introduce themselves.
Maybe have them tell a color that best shows how they are feeling
today.)
Great,
now “Children of the Kingdom,” we’re going to play a game. It’s easy, and I want everyone to be free
enough to participate when it’s your turn.
It’s called, “Darling, if you love me, won’t you please smile?” The rules are simple. A girl will start by walking over to any
gentleman. She will sit on his lap or
knee, and say as dramatically as possible, “Darling, if you love me, won’t you
please smile?” If the girl can make the
gentleman smile or laugh, she may sit down and the gentleman does it next. If he doesn’t laugh or smile, then the girl
must do it again until she finds someone who will laugh. To make it even more interesting, substitute
the person’s name for the word, “Darling” in the phrase. (Don’t let the game go more than 10 or 15 minutes. Keep an eye on the attention span of the
group. If you have any other
“icebreakers,” feel free to substitute or add them to the program.)
Is everyone enjoying themselves so far? I sure hope so. As we said before, God created us to praise
Him. Therefore, our attitude in all things
should be one of praise to God, right?
So, whenever I yell the words, “Attitude Check,” I want all of you to
respond with what our attitude should be – Praise the Lord! Let’s try it, ready?
(Do it until everyone is free with the expression and the concept of our
attitude being praise.)
Let’s
have a little more fun by singing some children’s songs. What better way to come to Jesus as a child
then in song! Let’s sing, “This Little
Gospel Light of Mine” and “If You’re Saved and You Know It clap your hands,”
Don’t be afraid to do the motions. Let’s
sing!
Let’s
stop. Not everyone can give praise to
the Lord. Why? Because they fail to have the JOY in their
lives needed to praise. Maybe someone
here doesn’t have that JOY. Watch the following
three skits, and ask yourself truthfully the questions on your hand out. We’ll talk about them later.
(The skits are all done” Improvisational” and the following is an
explanation of the plots and how to do them.
The parts should be given out with ample amount of time for the people
to prepare their parts -- use all ages for the skits.)
IMPROVISATIONAL DRAMA
Definition: Given a situation or basic plot, the actor
or actress must create the dialogue and movement as the scene is played out.
Rules: 1. Concentrate and think creatively on
your feet but…
2. Keep within the boundaries of the situation
and character.
3. Don’t be afraid to exaggerate the part.
4. You have about five minutes to prepare your
skit, and
5. Speak loud enough for everyone to hear
you. Have FUN.
(In
this situation, it would be best to have the skits prepared and ready for
presentation prior to the rally.)
Purpose: 1. To free youth and adults of inner
inhibitions
2. To open youth and adults up for free
expression and creativity
3. To promote and encourage imagination and
brainstorming
4. To use as another technique for spiritual
renewal and growth.
Take Time: SKIT 1
Number of characters possible: Indefinite
Key characters: Jesus: male or female
Scene: Starts
at home
Plot: The alarm clock
rings. It’s time to start the day. The person crawls out of bed only to see that
the clock is wrong, and he is late for his first appointment (school, work, etc.). (Why not make a human alarm clock?)
Jesus,
standing near the bed, says, “Why don’t
you start the day with a prayer to me?”
The person goes through the entire day having problems and overall
grief. Throughout the day, Jesus follows
the person trying to encourage the person to take time to pray to Him. When the person finally gets back home from a
completely rotten day, he crawls into bed.
He then feels obligated to pray, “Well,
I guess I better pray.” His prayer
should go something like this:
Dear God, where were you? I really needed you today. I had the worst day of my life, and you weren’t anywhere to be found. I sure could have used your help. Thanks a lot, Lord. Where were you?
Jesus should respond by saying, “But I was here!”
The scene should
freeze as another person steps out on the stage and reads the following: God says, “Call
upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver you, and you shall praise
me.”
(Psalm
50:15)
Adapted by Glen Dawursk, Jr. / www.yuthguy.com
Take Time: SKIT 2
Number of possible
characters: Indefinite
Key characters: Husband,
wife (or two roommates), and three guests
Scene: At
home, or in the dorm room
Plot: The
house is a royal mess, with trash thrown everywhere.
The
husband sits watching television, possibly drinking a beer when the phone
rings. The wife goes to answer it, only
to find out it is Jesus “Oh, my God. I mean, I’m sorry!” Jesus is coming over to their house sometime
that very afternoon. As she hangs the
phone receiver up, she attempts to tell her husband about the phone call. When he finally believes her, they decide
that it would be nice if they would clean their house up for their special
guest.
They
begin to clean the house when someone knocks at the door. The husband goes to answer it. It is one of the three visitors coming with a
problem (make one up – I was just hit by a Mac truck. I’m really hurt bad, I’m selling Girl Scout
cookies…. Or I’m lost, and I can’t find my way back home. These are just examples; try to make one of
your own.) The husband doesn’t have
time, because a “very special guest is
coming over.” Hey, I’m really sorry, but
I just can’t help you right now, why not try the neighbors. Hey, God blesses you, and good luck.” SLAM DOOR!
Go back to cleaning the house.
Someone
knocks on the door again. It’s another
visitor with a problem. The wife can
take this one, and the husband the third one.
After the third visitor has left, one of the two should suggest putting
an open Bible on the table for Jesus to see.
But there is one problem; neither of the two knows where the Bible
is. After a brief search, they find the
Bible hidden somewhere full of dust.
They blow the dust off, and begin to cough and chock. The husband may suggest turning it open to a
favorite verse. The two can begin
rattling off chapter names such as: II
Tiger 3:5, Herbert 5:12, Hezekiah 1, the book of Contents, III Thessalonians
3:9, and Maps.
They
finally resort to looking on the page where an old Sunday school book mark or
Baptismal certificate was placed. One of
the two should read the passage from Matthew 25:37-40. After a brief pause, the other one responds
to the passage by saying, “Ya know, I think He’s been here already. THREE TIMES”
Adapted by Glen Dawursk, Jr. / www.yuthguy.com
Take Time: SKIT 3
Number
of possible characters: Indefinite
Key
characters: Mother, little boy or girl, Jesus
Scene: Home,
kitchen table
Plot: Everyone
is preoccupied in a different section of the house.
Dad
could be watching a football game on television; the little boy or girl
coloring in a book; a big brother working on his car; etc., when Mother calls
everyone to the kitchen table for dinner.
Among several complaints, the family all gathers around the table to
eat. Just as the family is about to “dig
in,” mother reminds them to say their prayers.
Stubbornly everyone folds their hands, closes their eyes, bows their
head, and then recites the common table prayer as fast as they can. Only the little boy or girl tries to say it
slow, but stops when everyone else finishes.
The
common table prayer – Come Lord Jesus be
our guest, and let they gifts to us be blest.
Amen
After
the “prayer” race is over, everyone begins to eat. Everyone should “dig in” at once creating a
mass hysteria at the center of the table.
One by one, each person at the table except for the little boy or girl,
should make an excuse of why they cannot finish dinner. Example;
“Hey, I’m sorry, Honey, but I’ve got to
finish watching the football game. The
Packers are winning. I just can’t miss
it!”
“Mom, I’ve got a date with a real hunk,
and so I’ve got, got to get ready.”
Everyone
should go back to their original places.
The little girl or boy is still sitting at the table when Mother says,
“It’s okay, you just go ahead and finish dinner.” The little boy or girl stops and thinks for a
moment, then begins to recite the common table prayer again, only this time
slowly with meaning. As this is begin
done, everyone in the background should freeze.
All through the skit, the person playing Jesus should be observing
everything taking place. He or she
should be disappointed when the family says the prayer. When the little girl or boy says the prayer
again, Jesus should walk over at the end of the prayer, and sit next to the
child. At this point, Jesus and the
child should stop all movement just as the rest of the cast has. Someone from off stage reads Matthew 7:21.
Adapted by Glen Dawursk, Jr. / www.yuthguy.com
In
skit one, do we take time to
remember Him – Jesus, in prayer or Bible study?
In
skit two, do we take time to
remember and care about others? How
about those in our forever family – the church?
In
skit three, do we take time to mean
what we say and do? Are we too much in a
hurry to really take time to strengthen our Christian faith, or exercise it?
God
wants and expects us to praise Him, but how can we praise Him if we keep
forgetting to take time for Him? How can
we have a meaningful relationship with a God who loves us if we keep putting
our God at the bottom of our priorities?
God took enough time to send His only Son, Jesus, to suffer and die on a
cross for our sin so we could spend eternity in Heaven. Jesus continues to take time enough for us,
why can’t we seem to take enough time out of our busy schedules for Him? Let’s think awhile about our own lives. What are your priorities? Where does the Lord fit in? Where do your children, brother and sister,
wife or mom and dad fit in? How about
your friends or enemies? Where are you?
(You could sing a song
here. “Wedding Banquet” is a good song
It talks about “I cannot come” and why.)
Let’s
break up into groups now. Each of you
should be wearing a name tag with an animal’s name written in the far right
corner. When I give you the signal, I
want you to make the noise of that animal, and try to get into groups. Listen close to other animals so you can all
get together quickly. No talking is
allowed! Ready, go! (Give time for the
groups to form. If anyone needs help,
feel free to assist them. Have fun!)
Okay,
now that we are into groups, please sit down where you are, re-introduce
yourselves to the group members, and then answer the questions on the handout.
(After everyone is
finished, regroup, and ask the questions to the entire group.)
1. in each skit, what was
each person’s number one priority?
#1 Get
the day over. He was more concerned
about himself.
#2 Get the house cleaned.
They were more worried about their personal pride, then about
others. They were more concerned about
themselves.
#3 Get done with the meal.
They wanted to get back to their own projects. They were more interested in their time, than
God’s. They were more interested in
themselves.
2. What did they neglect to do?
#1 Take time for a talk with Jesus in prayer.
#2 Take time for others.
#3 Take time for their own spiritual food. Just as we need
physical food for
our bodies, we also need spiritual food for our faith to grow.
3. Have we ever done any of these?
Yes!
4.
What should our priorities
be?
Who
should be first in our lives?
Jesus
5. Who should be second?
Others. This includes
family, friend and enemies.
5.
Who should be last? How do we fit in?
We should be
last.
The
Bible says that in our weaknesses, God will make us strong. (II Corinthians
12:7-10). For us to be strong in the Lord,
we first must have our priorities straight.
Jesus suffered and died on a cross to give us new life and joy within
our lives. He made it possible for us to
live eternally in Heaven, therefore, He deserves first place in our lives. The rest of the world should be second, and
our own sinful flesh last (a good example of this from Scripture is II
Corinthians 8:2-5). If we put this order
of priorities into practice, our lives will be strong for the Lord.
Remember it this way: J – Jesus first
O – Others second, and
Y – Yourself last.
J-O-Y,
Joy, that’s praise and that’s strength.
Remember, the Bible says that the JOY of the Lord is our strength
(Nehemiah
God, Father,
Creator, we thank you for praise and the power it can hold within our
lives. We thank you for the Joy it can
bring when we know you are our strength.
Create in us a desire to take time for you daily and to make you first
in our lives, others second, and our own sinful flesh last. Keep us in your Joy all our lives, until we
experience it forever in Heaven. In
Jesus’ name, Amen!
When
we have our relationship right on time with God, then we can continue to
“celebrate.” Let’s continue to sing our
praises to God in the words of two more songs, “Pass It On” and “The Lord’s
Prayer.”
(If these songs are unfamiliar, pick one or two songs, which
are of a quiet, praiseful nature, in which everyone could sing along. The doxology is one everyone should know.)
Close
with a circle prayer celebrating God’s goodness. Praise Him in a one or two sentence prayer.
BLESSING – Begin with an Attitude Check (Praise the
Lord).
Let’s
step out in faith (trust) today, and put the Lord first in our life. No more putting Him in the back seat when He
deserves to be the driver. Pray for His
guidance and strength through our daily living so that He can have complete
control. As you leave tonight, take time
to wish the Lord’s blessings on another member, another child in the Lord’s
forever family. May the Lord continue to
bless each on of us.
God in peace!
“There is an appointed time for
everything and a right time for everything we want to do under the sun …”
Ecclesiastes. 3:1
“The Joy of the Lord is our strength.”
Nehemiah 8:10
“They gave themselves to the Lord first
and then to us, doing just what the Lord wanted.” II Corinthians 8:5b
Some Suggestions…
TAKE
TIME can be used as a rally for local churches and is designed specifically to
allow 25-50 people of all ages to participate.
It is excellent for a youth group meeting as a special topic study or as
a happening for a weekend retreat. The
first time I presented TAKE TIME was for a church in
TAKE
TIME, I find, is done best in a ¾ round.
This allows people to see the actions of the skits better; breaks down
the barriers between the actors and the audience; and especially makes for a
more “free” atmosphere. TAKE TIME
requires a leader; someone who loves the Lord, and whose enthusiasm in
contagious. He should be well prepared
and comfortable with the text, but not have it memorized. There is nothing wrong with using the
notes. A pastor, DCE, or youth counselor
is a good candidate. If no one is
interested in leading TAKE TIME, then split the narration with several of the
youth or adults of your congregation.
For better participation in singing, it is best to have a guitarist or
pianist and a few lead singers to help the people get started.
Finally,
I feel it is important to realize that TAKE TIME is not something extra
special. It can’t guarantee any
miracles. It is just another tool for
the Holy Spirit to use to the Glory of God.
Remember two things throughout the entire program: one -“It isn’t you
speaking but your Father’s Spirit speaking through you” and two – “All things
turn out for good to them that love the Lord.”
Trust Him and it will be great!
--Glen