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But I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail.

(Luke 22,32)

Game as an introduction:

A group member sits on a stool and is blindfolded. The others try to creep up and take away objects which are placed under the stool.

Speech and transfer to the bible text

In the above game, it is not really a big deal if someone takes something away, even if we are annoyed. However sometimes people take things away which are terribly important.

The story of the annual slogan

Jesus sat together with his friends. He knew that it would become difficult very soon. They will come and take me prisoner. It will then become difficult for my friends. Jesus looked at Simon.

Then he said to him: „Simon, Simon, God’s enemy, Satan, wants to break up our friendship. He wants to take you away from me. I have prayed for you that your belief does not give up. I have prayed that your trust will remain on my side. If you turn to me again, strengthen your brothers.“

„I would never leave you. I will go to prison with you. I will suffer with you and if it comes to it, I will die with you. “ Explained Simon but Jesus explained: „Simon, believe me:

You will deny, that we are friends. You will betray me three times and then the cock will crow. That will happen tonight.“ Simon could not believe this. He loved Jesus. „Jesus, you are my friend. Even if I have to die, I never want to betray you. I never want to say that I do not know you.“ The other disciples also said: „We never want to betray you. “ They talked for a while longer.

Later in the evening Jesus and his friends went to the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus asked them: „Stay here and wait for me. I want to be alone for a little while. I want to talk and pray to God.“ They were in the garden for a while. Men suddenly appeared. They took Jesus with them and brought him to the town. Simon waited for a little while and ran after them. He kept just enough paces behind them so that he could see where they were going. He was scared but Simon wanted to know “what are they doing with Jesus?“ Jesus was being tried. Simon waited in the yard. A woman came up to him. „You are one of Jesus’ friends!“ „I do not know what you are talking about“, lied Simon. A little white later a man pointed to Simon and shouted: „Him there, he belongs to Jesus of Nazareth. „No, that’s not true,“ said Simon quickly with fear.

Shortly afterwards, several people came to Simon and claimed: „yes, you are one of Jesus of Nazareth’s friends.“ „No I do not know this many Jesus.“ Then the cock crowed.

Simon thought about Jesus’ words immediately. „You will betray three times before the cock crows. “ Simon ran away. He cried and he cried. He loved Jesus. Jesus was his friend and he had said: I do not know this man Jesus. Simon was ashamed. He despaired and cried. What type of friend was he?

His friend Jesus was crucified and died for him. 3 day later he rose from the dead and was alive again. A few days later Simon met Jesus. The two of them talked for a while. Jesus asked Simon: „Do you love me?“ „YES!“, answered Simon relieved. Jesus asked three times and Simon said yes three times to Jesus’ question. Simon now knew. He and Jesus would always be friends and he remembered that Jesus had said: „Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you[a] as wheat. 32But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. (Luke 22,32)

„How great,“ thought Simon, „that Jesus prayed that we would stay friends.

Possible questions

Who wanted to take something from Jesus? How did Jesus react?

Jesus is also sad if God’s enemy takes away his friends. God’s enemy wants to pull us away from Jesus but Jesus prays that he cannot pull us away. Jesus’ prayer is so powerful, that the devil cannot break up the friendship between us and God. Jesus’ prayer is like a protective wall. Even if I distance myself from him, like Simon did, because I am scared, God still pulls me towards him, then nothing can distort this friendship. Just like Simon.
What is important if it does not quite work and God’s opponent has managed to pull us slightly onto his side?

Quite simple: Let yourself be pulled back onto Jesus’ side. Just like Simon. He had said: „Yes, Lord Jesus I (still) love you!“ and he let himself be helped by Jesus, because he had realised that he is only a failure without Jesus. You too can place your trust in Jesus that he will help you. With HIM everything works. Without HIM nothing works.

A possible game for in between

Tug o’ war as a sign that we are pulled in one direction and then the other. The question is: Which side will win?

Prayer

„Lord Jesus Christ! You love me so much! I thank you that you came to take away the things we separate me from you. I thank you that you died for my sins on the cross, so that we can be friends. I thank you for being a friend who I can count on. I also want to be your friend.

I am sorry for the bad things I have done. Please forgive me. Help me to be a good friend and help me to have the courage to tell others what a great friend you are. I thank you for always staying with me and for wanting to help me and thank you for praying for me.
Amen.“

That was the annual slogan from 2005.

These thoughts were sent in by Caroline H.