Luke
(**denotes very visual devotion)
**Luke 1:37 - Impossible!
Luke 1:68 - Redeemed! How I Love to Proclaim It!
**Luke 2:11 - A Son is Given
**Luke 2:52 - Jesus as a Child
Luke 3:6 - Salvation
**Luke 4:4 - Three Choices
Luke 4:19 - Jubilee! (Holy Day Lesson - Passover)
**Luke 5:32 - Dinner With Sinners
Luke 6:31 - The Golden Rule
Luke 6:36 - Mercy (Holy Day Lesson - Days of Unleavened Bread)
** Luke 6:38 - Giving and Forgiving
Luke 9:23 - Following Jesus - and - Participation, Not Imitation
**Luke 10:27 - Who is My Neighbor?
Luke 11:28 - The Blessing of God's Law
Luke 12:15 - Watch out for Covetousness
**Luke 12:15 - Growing Greedy (YEA Lesson)
Luke 12:34 - Treasure Hunt
**Luke 15:10 - Whiter Than Snow
**Luke 18:1 - Keep on Praying
Luke 18:27 - Impossible!!
**Luke 19:10 - Up a Tree (YEA lesson)
**Luke 19:38 - A Royal Ride (YEA lesson)
Luke 19:40 - The Stones Would Cry Out
Luke 21:19 - Endurance and Solving the Puzzle (Holy Day Lesson - Pentecost)
Luke 24:35 - Recognizing Jesus
**Luke 24:49 - Clothed With Power (Holy Day Lesson - Pentecost)
**Impossible
For nothing will be impossible with God. Luke 1:37
Materials: a piece of paper, scissors
Demonstration: (It takes a while to make all these cuts, so plan to talk while you’re cutting.) Fold a piece of paper in half the long way. Make cuts parallel to the top and bottom starting about 3/4 inches from the top. The first cut will start on the side which has the fold. Cut almost all the way through, but stop about an inch from the edge. Make your next cut from the other side, cutting almost all the way through, stopping about an inch from the edge. Continue cutting your paper, alternating the side from which you start, until you have cuts which are parallel to the top and the bottom all the way down the paper. Your last cut should start from the folded side. Then go back and cut along the fold on every strip where it’s not cut all the way through. Be careful not to cut the top or the bottom. When you lift the top edge, you’ll have one large circle of paper that you could step through.
Discussion: When I think of our Great God, I automatically think about the great miracles that He has done. Think about:
*The parting of the Red Sea when God brought the Israelites out of Egypt. The Israelites stood at the edge of the sea, terrified because the Egyptian army was behind them, the sea was in front of them. They were trapped. There was no way out. Not only did God part the water, the people walked across on dry ground. They weren’t tramping though the mud!! (Exodus 15)
*Their clothes and shoes didn’t wear out for 40 years!! Although the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, they didn’t have to worry about their clothes or shoes wearing out!! Talk about wearing your old favorites! (Deut 8:4; Deut 29:5)
*Daniel in the lions’ den. When Daniel was thrown into the lions’ den, God shut the mouths of the lions and didn’t let them eat Daniel! But when the wicked advisors (who had schemed for Daniel’s death) and their families were thrown in - that same day - the lions ate them immediately. (Daniel 6)
*Water to wine. When a wedding celebration in Cana ran out of wine, Jesus turned the water into wine. This gospel of John says that those who drank it complimented the groom on saving the best wine (what Jesus had changed) until last! (John 2)
*Feeding the 5000. Jesus took five loaves and two fish, thanked God, divided the food, fed 5000, and then picked up 12 basketfuls of left-overs!! (John 6)
*Walking on water. In the middle of the night, Jesus walked across the Sea of Galilee - walking on top of the water. (John 6)
These are recorded miracles that our Great God has done. He is the Creator of the universe; He certainly can do anything He wants - whether it’s making water stand up in a pile, changing water into wine, or giving life back to those who had died. Those miracles are not just tricks; they aren’t stories to entertain. They are facts in which we believe - and our beliefs are reflected in what we do. That is, if you believe God can do anything - He can shut the mouths of lions, He can heal a person born blind - then you choose to worship Him because He is God and He is Great!
Now, if I asked you if you could walk through a piece of paper, you’d probably say no. That’s silly. No one can walk through paper. But I’ve cut the paper so that it’s one big circle now - a circle large enough for me to walk through. The difference between what people can do and what God can do is the difference between tricking you and something that is a solid miracle. God’s miracles aren’t tricks. They are real.
Don’t put your faith in people. Put your faith in God. He is great. He is good. He is awesome and mighty. For nothing will be impossible with God. Luke 1:37
Redeemed! How I Love to Proclaim It!
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people . . . Luke 1:68
We sing about Jesus visiting us and redeeming us. There’s a plethora of songs! Seriously!
Joy to the World! The Lord is come! Let earth receive her King!
Redeemed! How I love to proclaim it! Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb!
Redeemed in His infinite mercy; His child and forever I am!
Man of Sorrows! What a name for the Son of God who came -
ruined sinners to reclaim! Hallelujah! What a Savior!
We even sing about how Jesus redeemed us!
I’ve been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; filled with the Holy Spirit I am.
All my sins are washed away; I’ve been redeemed!
Jesus paid it all; all to Him I owe!
Sin had left a crimson stain - He washed it white as snow.
We understand that Jesus is our Savior. He has saved us from the penalty of our sins. He has reconciled us to the Father, making it possible for us to be adopted into the Family of God. So now what?
There’s another whole set of hymns and songs which talk about Jesus being the Light.
Light of the world, You step down into darkness, opened my eyes. Let me see.
Shine, Jesus shine. Fill this land with the Father’s glory.
Why do we need light? If it’s night and you’re trying to sleep, the light can keep you awake. But if it’s night and you’re trying to do something, you have to have light to see!
Part of the chorus in “Shine, Jesus Shine” sings, Blaze, Spirit blaze. Set our hearts on fire. Set our hearts on fire for what? For following the Light, Jesus Christ, in His ways!
We also sing about that. Sweetly Lord have we heard Thee calling, “Come, follow me.” If we’re going to follow Jesus, we have to have light to see where we’re going.
Lead, Kindly Light amid th’encircling gloom. Lead Thou me on.
The night is dark and I am far from home. Lead Thou me on.
The truth is that this world is growing darker - which means it’s become more evil and more rebellious against God. The pulls of society and the people around us are away from God and His ways. We have to rely on the Light of God to show us what to do and where to go. Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
So when Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, began his prophecy (in Luke 1:68-79) Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people . . . it’s very appropriate that Zechariah would end the prophecy with whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
These verses form the bookends, the A and A’, of Zechariah’s prophecy because it’s a chiasm. (We can talk about the rest of the chiasm at another time.) Isn’t it interesting that Zechariah prophecies that Jesus Christ will visit and redeem His people - because they need to be redeemed; they’re sitting in darkness and have no hope. Without the redemption from Jesus’ death and resurrection, we have nothing to look forward to except death! But once redeemed, God’s people don’t continue to just sit there. We don’t take the attitude, “O.K. I’m saved. Guess I can do whatever I want.” We walk in the Light. We walk in newness of life through Jesus Christ, following His leading into the way of peace.
There are even songs about that!
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
We trust Jesus that He has visited us and redeemed us. He’s the Light who shows us which way to walk. Now we just need to obey.
Isn’t it wonderful how God has inspired hymn writers and poets and musicians to compose music which encourages us! It assures us we’ve been redeemed. It reminds us that Jesus is the Light which guides our path. It exhorts us to walk worthy of the calling we have received. I hope you use these musical tools to prepare your hearts as we approach the anniversary of Jesus’ death and resurrection, when He redeemed us.
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people . . . Luke 1:68
**A Son is Given
“Today. . .a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11
Materials needed: two small spice bottles, one filled with sugar, one filled with salt; YEA books and resources (https://www.borntowin.net/yea/primaries/primaries-life-of-christ/) Primaries, book one, lesson one
Suppose I had two small bottles, one filled with salt and one filled with sugar. It would be very important to know which was which before I used either one. The salt would be good for making playdough or salt maps. The sugar would be good for making candy or cookies or sweetening my tea. What would happen if I got them mixed up? I might be in for a shock at how it turned out! Salty cookies and tea doesn’t sound very appealing. And sugary playdough would just be a mess. In some instances, using the wrong substance would be downright disastrous. I’m remembering a time when someone used salt instead of sugar when making meringue for a lemon pie.
It’s very important to be discerning about many things in this life. For instance, let’s talk about the birth of Jesus Christ. Because we don’t celebrate Christmas, we sometimes neglect to talk about the birth of Christ, but that would be like never using sugar because it is similar in appearance to salt. And while Christmas is nowhere mentioned in the Bible, the birth of Jesus Christ is very much in the Bible (detailed in Luke) and is of vital importance to Christians.
So let’s be discerning for a moment between what belongs with the birth of Jesus and what is part of the pagan Christmas celebration. Time: December 25th? Obviously pagan. Nowhere in the Bible does God tell us exactly when Jesus was born, but some clues lead us to believe it was sometime in the fall. So was there snow on the ground? No. The sheep certainly wouldn’t have been out in the fields if there was snow on the ground, in the bleak mid-winter. Place: Bethlehem? A stable? A manger? These are all part of the story of the birth of Christ. Who? Obviously Joseph and Mary were there, but who else came to see the newborn Jesus? Shepherds? Yes. Three wise men? Well, no. We don’t even know how many wise men there were, but they didn’t come to the stable. Matthew 2:11 says that Jesus was with Mary in the house. After the wise men did not return to Herod, Herod killed all the babies who were two years and younger. It’s even possible that Jesus was already close to two years old before the wise men visited him. So what about presents and Santa Claus? Jesus Christ is the greatest gift ever given!! Thinking that you need to buy everyone a present pulls the attention away from what God the Father has given to us! What about a Christmas tree? Reindeer? Lights? People have tried to say that the Christmas tree represents life (evergreen), but nowhere does God tell us to worship Him using a tree. Flying reindeer? They are in the same category as Santa Claus and his elves. Lights? Some people rightly point out that Jesus is the Light of the world - the Light has come into the world and the world has not understood it (John 1:5). When the Light of God shines in this world, there will be no doubt that it is Jesus Christ. The Christmas lights are pretty, but they are a pale imitation of the shekinah glory of God.
How do you feel when you read the first two chapters of Luke? Do you rejoice in the birth of the Son of God? Or do you feel a little guilty? The birth of Jesus Christ has nothing to do with Christmas or any of its trappings. But the birth of Jesus Christ was real and we should remember to praise God often for the gift of His Son to us. Don’t avoid the birth of Jesus because we don’t celebrate Christmas. Be discerning - like figuring out which is salt and which is sugar in my jars.
(**denotes very visual devotion)
**Luke 1:37 - Impossible!
Luke 1:68 - Redeemed! How I Love to Proclaim It!
**Luke 2:11 - A Son is Given
**Luke 2:52 - Jesus as a Child
Luke 3:6 - Salvation
**Luke 4:4 - Three Choices
Luke 4:19 - Jubilee! (Holy Day Lesson - Passover)
**Luke 5:32 - Dinner With Sinners
Luke 6:31 - The Golden Rule
Luke 6:36 - Mercy (Holy Day Lesson - Days of Unleavened Bread)
** Luke 6:38 - Giving and Forgiving
Luke 9:23 - Following Jesus - and - Participation, Not Imitation
**Luke 10:27 - Who is My Neighbor?
Luke 11:28 - The Blessing of God's Law
Luke 12:15 - Watch out for Covetousness
**Luke 12:15 - Growing Greedy (YEA Lesson)
Luke 12:34 - Treasure Hunt
**Luke 15:10 - Whiter Than Snow
**Luke 18:1 - Keep on Praying
Luke 18:27 - Impossible!!
**Luke 19:10 - Up a Tree (YEA lesson)
**Luke 19:38 - A Royal Ride (YEA lesson)
Luke 19:40 - The Stones Would Cry Out
Luke 21:19 - Endurance and Solving the Puzzle (Holy Day Lesson - Pentecost)
Luke 24:35 - Recognizing Jesus
**Luke 24:49 - Clothed With Power (Holy Day Lesson - Pentecost)
**Impossible
For nothing will be impossible with God. Luke 1:37
Materials: a piece of paper, scissors
Demonstration: (It takes a while to make all these cuts, so plan to talk while you’re cutting.) Fold a piece of paper in half the long way. Make cuts parallel to the top and bottom starting about 3/4 inches from the top. The first cut will start on the side which has the fold. Cut almost all the way through, but stop about an inch from the edge. Make your next cut from the other side, cutting almost all the way through, stopping about an inch from the edge. Continue cutting your paper, alternating the side from which you start, until you have cuts which are parallel to the top and the bottom all the way down the paper. Your last cut should start from the folded side. Then go back and cut along the fold on every strip where it’s not cut all the way through. Be careful not to cut the top or the bottom. When you lift the top edge, you’ll have one large circle of paper that you could step through.
Discussion: When I think of our Great God, I automatically think about the great miracles that He has done. Think about:
*The parting of the Red Sea when God brought the Israelites out of Egypt. The Israelites stood at the edge of the sea, terrified because the Egyptian army was behind them, the sea was in front of them. They were trapped. There was no way out. Not only did God part the water, the people walked across on dry ground. They weren’t tramping though the mud!! (Exodus 15)
*Their clothes and shoes didn’t wear out for 40 years!! Although the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, they didn’t have to worry about their clothes or shoes wearing out!! Talk about wearing your old favorites! (Deut 8:4; Deut 29:5)
*Daniel in the lions’ den. When Daniel was thrown into the lions’ den, God shut the mouths of the lions and didn’t let them eat Daniel! But when the wicked advisors (who had schemed for Daniel’s death) and their families were thrown in - that same day - the lions ate them immediately. (Daniel 6)
*Water to wine. When a wedding celebration in Cana ran out of wine, Jesus turned the water into wine. This gospel of John says that those who drank it complimented the groom on saving the best wine (what Jesus had changed) until last! (John 2)
*Feeding the 5000. Jesus took five loaves and two fish, thanked God, divided the food, fed 5000, and then picked up 12 basketfuls of left-overs!! (John 6)
*Walking on water. In the middle of the night, Jesus walked across the Sea of Galilee - walking on top of the water. (John 6)
These are recorded miracles that our Great God has done. He is the Creator of the universe; He certainly can do anything He wants - whether it’s making water stand up in a pile, changing water into wine, or giving life back to those who had died. Those miracles are not just tricks; they aren’t stories to entertain. They are facts in which we believe - and our beliefs are reflected in what we do. That is, if you believe God can do anything - He can shut the mouths of lions, He can heal a person born blind - then you choose to worship Him because He is God and He is Great!
Now, if I asked you if you could walk through a piece of paper, you’d probably say no. That’s silly. No one can walk through paper. But I’ve cut the paper so that it’s one big circle now - a circle large enough for me to walk through. The difference between what people can do and what God can do is the difference between tricking you and something that is a solid miracle. God’s miracles aren’t tricks. They are real.
Don’t put your faith in people. Put your faith in God. He is great. He is good. He is awesome and mighty. For nothing will be impossible with God. Luke 1:37
Redeemed! How I Love to Proclaim It!
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people . . . Luke 1:68
We sing about Jesus visiting us and redeeming us. There’s a plethora of songs! Seriously!
Joy to the World! The Lord is come! Let earth receive her King!
Redeemed! How I love to proclaim it! Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb!
Redeemed in His infinite mercy; His child and forever I am!
Man of Sorrows! What a name for the Son of God who came -
ruined sinners to reclaim! Hallelujah! What a Savior!
We even sing about how Jesus redeemed us!
I’ve been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; filled with the Holy Spirit I am.
All my sins are washed away; I’ve been redeemed!
Jesus paid it all; all to Him I owe!
Sin had left a crimson stain - He washed it white as snow.
We understand that Jesus is our Savior. He has saved us from the penalty of our sins. He has reconciled us to the Father, making it possible for us to be adopted into the Family of God. So now what?
There’s another whole set of hymns and songs which talk about Jesus being the Light.
Light of the world, You step down into darkness, opened my eyes. Let me see.
Shine, Jesus shine. Fill this land with the Father’s glory.
Why do we need light? If it’s night and you’re trying to sleep, the light can keep you awake. But if it’s night and you’re trying to do something, you have to have light to see!
Part of the chorus in “Shine, Jesus Shine” sings, Blaze, Spirit blaze. Set our hearts on fire. Set our hearts on fire for what? For following the Light, Jesus Christ, in His ways!
We also sing about that. Sweetly Lord have we heard Thee calling, “Come, follow me.” If we’re going to follow Jesus, we have to have light to see where we’re going.
Lead, Kindly Light amid th’encircling gloom. Lead Thou me on.
The night is dark and I am far from home. Lead Thou me on.
The truth is that this world is growing darker - which means it’s become more evil and more rebellious against God. The pulls of society and the people around us are away from God and His ways. We have to rely on the Light of God to show us what to do and where to go. Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
So when Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, began his prophecy (in Luke 1:68-79) Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people . . . it’s very appropriate that Zechariah would end the prophecy with whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
These verses form the bookends, the A and A’, of Zechariah’s prophecy because it’s a chiasm. (We can talk about the rest of the chiasm at another time.) Isn’t it interesting that Zechariah prophecies that Jesus Christ will visit and redeem His people - because they need to be redeemed; they’re sitting in darkness and have no hope. Without the redemption from Jesus’ death and resurrection, we have nothing to look forward to except death! But once redeemed, God’s people don’t continue to just sit there. We don’t take the attitude, “O.K. I’m saved. Guess I can do whatever I want.” We walk in the Light. We walk in newness of life through Jesus Christ, following His leading into the way of peace.
There are even songs about that!
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
We trust Jesus that He has visited us and redeemed us. He’s the Light who shows us which way to walk. Now we just need to obey.
Isn’t it wonderful how God has inspired hymn writers and poets and musicians to compose music which encourages us! It assures us we’ve been redeemed. It reminds us that Jesus is the Light which guides our path. It exhorts us to walk worthy of the calling we have received. I hope you use these musical tools to prepare your hearts as we approach the anniversary of Jesus’ death and resurrection, when He redeemed us.
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people . . . Luke 1:68
**A Son is Given
“Today. . .a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11
Materials needed: two small spice bottles, one filled with sugar, one filled with salt; YEA books and resources (https://www.borntowin.net/yea/primaries/primaries-life-of-christ/) Primaries, book one, lesson one
Suppose I had two small bottles, one filled with salt and one filled with sugar. It would be very important to know which was which before I used either one. The salt would be good for making playdough or salt maps. The sugar would be good for making candy or cookies or sweetening my tea. What would happen if I got them mixed up? I might be in for a shock at how it turned out! Salty cookies and tea doesn’t sound very appealing. And sugary playdough would just be a mess. In some instances, using the wrong substance would be downright disastrous. I’m remembering a time when someone used salt instead of sugar when making meringue for a lemon pie.
It’s very important to be discerning about many things in this life. For instance, let’s talk about the birth of Jesus Christ. Because we don’t celebrate Christmas, we sometimes neglect to talk about the birth of Christ, but that would be like never using sugar because it is similar in appearance to salt. And while Christmas is nowhere mentioned in the Bible, the birth of Jesus Christ is very much in the Bible (detailed in Luke) and is of vital importance to Christians.
So let’s be discerning for a moment between what belongs with the birth of Jesus and what is part of the pagan Christmas celebration. Time: December 25th? Obviously pagan. Nowhere in the Bible does God tell us exactly when Jesus was born, but some clues lead us to believe it was sometime in the fall. So was there snow on the ground? No. The sheep certainly wouldn’t have been out in the fields if there was snow on the ground, in the bleak mid-winter. Place: Bethlehem? A stable? A manger? These are all part of the story of the birth of Christ. Who? Obviously Joseph and Mary were there, but who else came to see the newborn Jesus? Shepherds? Yes. Three wise men? Well, no. We don’t even know how many wise men there were, but they didn’t come to the stable. Matthew 2:11 says that Jesus was with Mary in the house. After the wise men did not return to Herod, Herod killed all the babies who were two years and younger. It’s even possible that Jesus was already close to two years old before the wise men visited him. So what about presents and Santa Claus? Jesus Christ is the greatest gift ever given!! Thinking that you need to buy everyone a present pulls the attention away from what God the Father has given to us! What about a Christmas tree? Reindeer? Lights? People have tried to say that the Christmas tree represents life (evergreen), but nowhere does God tell us to worship Him using a tree. Flying reindeer? They are in the same category as Santa Claus and his elves. Lights? Some people rightly point out that Jesus is the Light of the world - the Light has come into the world and the world has not understood it (John 1:5). When the Light of God shines in this world, there will be no doubt that it is Jesus Christ. The Christmas lights are pretty, but they are a pale imitation of the shekinah glory of God.
How do you feel when you read the first two chapters of Luke? Do you rejoice in the birth of the Son of God? Or do you feel a little guilty? The birth of Jesus Christ has nothing to do with Christmas or any of its trappings. But the birth of Jesus Christ was real and we should remember to praise God often for the gift of His Son to us. Don’t avoid the birth of Jesus because we don’t celebrate Christmas. Be discerning - like figuring out which is salt and which is sugar in my jars.
**Jesus as a Child
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man. Luke 2:52
Materials needed: poster board (cut into jigsaw pieces - one side is lesson words - the other side is the memory verse. So as I ask the kids about the lesson, I can put the puzzle together, revealing the memory verse at the end. see photo)
We are using the CEM sabbath school materials. To download a copy, here’s the link: https://www.borntowin.net/yea/primaries/primaries-life-of-christ/
On that page, you’ll find a pdf link for the student book, the teacher book, and activities to extend the lesson (REACH).
We don’t have a lot of information about Jesus as a child, just a few pieces found in two chapters in the Bible (Matthew 2 and Luke 2). Matthew relates the visit of the wise men, Herod’s attempt to kill Jesus, Joseph and Mary fleeing to Egypt with Jesus until Herod’s death, and their subsequent return to Nazareth.
It’s interesting in that short chapter, there are three separate accounts of divine instruction: 1) the wise men were warned in a dream not to return to Herod; 2) Joseph was warned to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt to avoid Herod; and 3) Joseph was told to take Mary and Jesus back to Israel because Herod was dead.
And there are four separate prophecies that are fulfilled: 1) The wise men knew that Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem because of Micah 5:2; 2) Hosea 11:1 foretells, “Out of Egypt I called my son;” 3) The weeping because of all of the children killed by Herod was prophesied in Jeremiah 31:15; and 4) Because Joseph took Mary and Jesus to Nazareth in Galilee, Matthew states . . . ‘that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled: “He shall be called a Nazarene.” ’
Luke 2 relates Jesus’ birth and the visit by the shepherds, Jesus presented at the Temple as a newborn, living in Nazareth as a child, and visiting the Temple in Jerusalem when he was 12. It’s interesting that Luke also focuses on fulfillment of prophecy to two specific, godly individuals: The Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he would not die before he saw the Lord’s Christ. Anna was a prophetess who began speaking of Jesus to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. They saw Jesus when He was presented at the Temple as a newborn, in accordance with the Law of God.
Then, at the time of the Passover, when Jesus was 12 years old, He was also found in the Temple. After the Feast was over, His family was traveling home.They had gone a day’s journey before they missed Him, thinking that Jesus must have been with someone else in the party. His parents returned to Jerusalem and began looking for Him. They found Him in the Temple, three days later. Jesus was sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. All who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. He knew, even at 12, that God was His Father!
From these two chapters and the pieces of Jesus’ childhood comes the picture of a young person who was growing and learning just as His Father wanted Him to. Here’s Luke 2:52: And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
Jesus left us an example. What would the pieces of your childhood say about you? Do you love God? Love celebrating His sabbath and Holy Days? Honor your father and mother as you should? Do you know the Bible? Some of your pieces are still being written. What will they say?
Salvation
And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Luke 3:6
There are all sorts of summer jobs. Some high school or college students work at Six Flags. Some work in the bean fields or the corn fields. Some work in fast food restaurants. Some get to life guard at community pools. I spent one summer detasseling corn. That was probably the hardest physical job I ever had! I spent three summers cooking for a hay crew on a ranch in Western Nebraska. Two summers I worked in a chocolate factory. You could eat as much as you wanted, but the overpowering smell of chocolate rather curbed our desire to eat any of it! Three summers I taught swimming lessons in the morning and life guarded in the afternoon and evening. That was probably the most stressful job I ever had.
Most people think that lifeguards just sit on their chairs, blow their whistles at rowdy kids, and work on getting a great tan. Actually, lifeguards are there to do just what their name says: to guard lives. You see, many kids underestimate their swimming abilities. If they can’t swim well and they get into water over their head, they are in serious trouble right away. Water is not very forgiving. The first year I guarded, I dove in to save one kid. For ten weeks, that’s not too bad. The next year, I saved two kids. The third year, I went in for ten saves in ten weeks! I started dreaming that I was saving kids. It was very stressful because I knew just how quickly a kid could get into trouble.
But it’s not just kids who can quickly get into trouble. Trouble comes in many shapes and sizes, and we all, at different times in our lives, need to be rescued. Sometimes other people can help you get out of a bad situation. Sometimes money can solve your troubles. Sometimes it’s a pet that rescues its owner. But ultimately, God is the One who saves us. He sends the right person just at the right time to rescue us. He helps us earn money so we can pay our debts. He instills the desire in us to take home the pet that might one day save our life. He gives the doctor the wisdom to know how to treat a patient, but God is the One who heals that person. He gives the life guard the swimming skills, strength, and alertness to potential problems.
How often do you stop to thank God for all the times He’s rescued you out of trouble? Sometimes I wonder if God rescues us from trouble to remind us that we need a Savior to rescue us from sin. We can’t rely on other people, or money, or our good looks to save us from our sin. There is only One person who is able to save us - Jesus Christ.
So when Luke says, “And all flesh shall see the salvation of God” (Luke 3:6), what salvation is he talking about? He’s talking about Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is the One who saves us. Even His name, Jesus or Joshua, means salvation. So, think about this: Jesus can rescue us from trouble in this life - from problems and catastrophes. But even if He doesn’t, Jesus can save us from our sin. He’s the One who took our sin for us and makes it possible for us to have eternal life in God’s kingdom. Hebrews 7:25 puts it this way: Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. Jesus is our Savior. There is no other! In Him we have salvation.
Because Jesus is the Son of God, and God the Son, He is able to rescue us in this life from major and minor troubles, and He’s able to give eternal life because He saves us from our sin. There is no One like our God!!!
I saw a sign the other day that I really liked - maybe because I spent those three summer lifeguarding, and maybe just because it just sums up so well how great our God is. It said: My Lifeguard walks on water.
**Three Choices
It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone’(KJV). Luke 4:4
Materials needed: clay, fired clay pot, https://www.borntowin.net/yea/primaries/primaries-life-of-christ/ (YEAH activity - Tried in the Fire)
A few weeks ago, we played with some clay and talked about pushing and squeezing and stretching and, sometimes, smashing. It’s the whole idea of God forming us into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. But compare your clay creation to this candy dish. What’s the difference between the two - generally-speaking? A fired piece of clay pottery is hardened - that’s why you put it in the kiln - to give it strength so that it can be used. Otherwise, if you try to use a clay vessel that hasn’t been fired, it will not withstand the use, even if it’s been thoroughly dried.
Jesus went through a trial by fire (both in the temptation in the wilderness and again in the Garden of Gethsemane). He did not fail the test. He persevered; He obeyed His Father; He fulfilled the purposes God sent Him to fulfill. There are many verses which similarly talk about us being tried in the fire, God purifying His people, and the necessity of us persevering through all of it (1 Peter 1:7; 1 Cor. 3:13; Zech 13:9; Isaiah 48:10; Daniel 11:35; Daniel 3; Isaiah 43:2; 1 Peter 4:12). How comforting and encouraging to know that Jesus Christ, our Elder Brother, our Savior, the Captain of our Salvation, knows what it’s like to go through the fire!
You can’t avoid the fire. But you can keep your eyes on Jesus and follow His example: use the Bible as your foundation and defense against the wiles of the devil.
If you notice, Satan tempted Jesus three times. Knowing that Jesus was hungry, Satan challenged Jesus to turn stones into bread. Satan will do the same thing to you: he will try to get you to dishonor or disobey God because you think you need food, clothing or shelter immediately. God knows what you need. Trust Him.
Satan told Jesus that God would protect Him if He was in danger of getting hurt. Satan will do the same thing to you: he will try to make you doubt whether God loves you or will protect you because of the things that happen to you in this life. God can (and will) use everything that happens to you in this life to mold you into the image of His Son. If Jesus had to suffer in this life, we should expect to as well. Don’t let Satan plant seeds of doubt. Trust God.
Satan tried to get Jesus to worship Him to get a reward right then. Satan will try to do the same thing to you: he will try to entice you to disobey or dishonor God to take a short cut to getting a reward. But God knows that you need to be tried in the fire, hardened and strengthened, so that you will be a useful vessel (servant) for His glory. Resolve to do what is right - honoring and pleasing to God - always. God will reward you. Trust Him.
What was Jesus’ example for withstanding the schemes of the devil? Know what God says is pleasing to Him. Study your Bible. Go to church. Talk about God often. Pray. Trust God always.
Jubilee!
. . . to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. Luke 4:19
Happy New Year’s!!
Today is New Year’s Day. Most people think that New Year’s comes in January, but not according to God’s calendar. God created the year to start during the spring - when everything is getting green, new buds are popping out on the trees, and everything is new. What a beautiful time for the new year to begin!!
God also designed in His calendar a very special year: the year of Jubilee. Once every fifty years, on the year of jubilee, slaves were released, debts were forgiven, and everyone returned to the land that was their inheritance given to them by God. Think about that!! If you had made some really bad decisions and had gotten yourself into debt, those debts were wiped clean. If you’d made some really, really bad decisions and had to sell your family’s inheritance to pay those debts, the debts were wiped clean and you got the land back! If you’d really, really, really made some bad decisions, so bad that you had to sell yourself into slavery - to work for someone else to pay off a debt - in that fiftieth year, not only would your debt be forgiven, you were also set free! The Year of Jubilee was a time to proclaim liberty throughout the land! It was a wonderful year. It was a time for great celebration! Everyone was free from debt to other people!
God designed the Year of Jubilee, and the idea of freedom from debt, to demonstrate to His people that they were also in debt to Him. Once they sinned, they had a debt that could only be paid in blood.
Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Hebrews 9:22
Once they sinned, they were sold as slaves to sin.
Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, geveryone who practices sin is a slave to sin. John 8:34
and
For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. Romans 7:14
But Isaiah prophesied about a time when the Messiah would come, when things would be set right again:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.
This is what Jesus found in the scroll on that Sabbath in the synagogue in Nazareth. He read this out loud to the people, and then sat down and began to teach them. We don’t know what all He said, but he started by saying, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:22)
In a powerful say, Jesus began His ministry by telling the people in His hometown that He was the Messiah, that good news would be proclaimed to the poor, that the blind would be healed, that the oppressed would be liberated. Think about Jesus’ ministry. He healed blind people. He set people free from demon possession and long-term illnesses. He proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of heaven. He also forgave people of their sins. He even brought back to life those that had died. Jesus lived His life on this earth, giving people a taste of what it means to be free from their sin debt.
And then, Jesus died on the cross so that the sin debt of all who would believe on Him might be canceled.
But what Jesus did, in dying for your sin and for my sin, was even greater than that! He restored to us the inheritance that we lost - the inheritance that Adam sold way back in the Garden of Eden when he sinned. Jesus gives us back our inheritace as children of God, with the assurance of eternal life in His kingdom.
What Jesus did is so huge, it’s hard to comprehend all the ramifications! So God, in His mercy, gives us pictures to help us understand. One of those pictures was the Year of Jubilee - called the year of the Lord’s favor. Remember: it was a year when all debts were forgiven, when the inheritance was given back, when slaves were set free.
But Christians don’t have to wait for that fiftieth year for their sin debts to be forgiven and to be given the promise of their inheritance. They know that Jesus is the Jubilee! He is the One who has set us free and the Holy Spirit inside us testifies that we are the children of God. We’ve been adopted into His family! When you respond to God’s call and confess that Jesus is Lord of your life, you get to experience Jesus as your Jubilee. You get to experience being set free from sin and death.
I can just imagine the joy people must have felt when the high priest would proclaim the Jubilee, the year of the Lord’s favor. Jesus is our Jubilee, and because of what He did, we get to experience the Lord’s favor.
It’s New Year’s today. You’ve got two weeks before Passover will be here, two weeks to think about the liberty that Jesus gave to each of us when He died. As we celebrate the Passover, we proclaim the Lord’s death ‘til He comes. But He proclaims the year of the Lord’s favor.
**Dinner With Sinners
I have come to get sinners to turn away from their sins. Luke 5:32 (NIrV)
Materials: shallow dish, cookie cutter, glitter, baking soda, vinegar, eye dropper, paper towels
Resources: https://team-cartwright.com/fireworks-experiment/; https://www.borntowin.net/yea/primaries/primaries-life-of-christ/ (Book Two, Lesson 9)
We are going to celebrate Independence Day this week. I love to watch the fireworks. There’s something very satisfying about hearing the boom and whistle and then seeing the cascading colorful lights against the night sky. Even though July 4th is fun and we’re celebrating our independence from the tyrrany of Great Britian, there’s an even more important freedom to celebrate - the freedom from sin.
How do we get freedom from sin? It’s because of Jesus. Remember the verse in Luke 5:32? Jesus came to get sinners to turn away from their sins. Believing in Jesus, accepting that Jesus is your Savior, repenting of the sins you have committed, and resolving not to continue sinning - it’s all part of the freedom process which leads to eternal life in God’s kingdom. It’s what Jesus came to do. It’s why he ate with tax collectors and people the Pharisees thought were unworthy for anyone important to notice!
So what does this have to do with you? There’s an interesting verse in Daniel 12:3:
Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.
In other words, God expects you to share the good news about Jesus. Sometimes that means telling people what you believe when they ask. Sometimes it means living in such a way that people will want to ask what you believe.
Here’s what it looks like. There’s a cookie cutter in the dish. I sprinkle in some glitter. The glitter represents you shining like the stars forever and ever. Then I sprinkle some baking soda over the glitter - that’s when you aren’t an ambassador for Jesus Christ, when you don’t share Him with the people around you. Then I drop some vinegar over the powder. That’s you deciding to do what Christians are supposed to do - share Jesus with others. When God uses you to reach someone, to call them away from their sin, then you have the opportunity to shine like the stars forever and ever. That’s better than fireworks!
The Golden Rule
and as you wish others would do to you, do so to them. Luke 6:31
What does this mean? Does it mean that if you like roses on your birthday, you should give everyone else roses on their birthday? If you like to be taken to Italian restaurants on special occasions, should you take your friends to Italian restaurants on special occasions? If you like to play video games, should you insist that your friends play video games when they come over to visit? If you love chocolate, should you give everyone else chocolate?
When you look at it that way, it doesn’t make sense. We all like different things. I might appreciate a homegrown ripe cantaloup, but I know a lady who thought it was disgustingly smelly. A good friend eats a piece of dark chocolate every day (at least once), but other people don’t like the bitter taste and would prefer not to ever have to eat dark chocolate. Someone else likes really hot stuff, but really hot stuff makes me sick.
So, many people take the Golden Rule to mean that whatever you want others to do to you, you should do them. But that’s not what it says. There are two little words that make all the difference: as and so. As you wish others would do to you, do so to them. In other words, if you want to be treated in a certain way, that’s the way you should treat others.
We get this. We have sayings which reflect this verse.
If you want a friend, be a friend.
What goes around, comes around.
What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
If you are rude and obnoxious to people around you, they are likely to respond in kind. If you talk disrespectfully to them, they are likely to respond the same way. If you yell at someone, they will probably yell back. If you are gentle and soft-spoken, people are likely to respond to you that way.
It truly is the law of the harvest: whatever you sow, that shall you reap. If you sow peace, you reap peace. If you sow lies and deceit, you’ll get lies and deceit. If you sow discord, fighting, and chaos, that’s exactly what you’ll get back - and likely much more than you could ever imagine.
There’s a direct correlation to getting back what you sow. Most of the time, how you act towards others is how they will act towards you.
O.K. So let’s say that you have a friend. You call them on the phone every once in a while, but you only talk about your day and what’s gone wrong. And, usually you only call when you’re upset and in trouble and you want them to help. You never call just to talk to them and hear what they have to say. You don’t express your appreciation that they are your friend. Would that friend consider you a good friend, a close friend? Are you kidding?
Unfortunately, some people think they can treat God this way and still think they have a good relationship with the Lord. They only pray when they’re upset or in trouble. They want God to rescue them from their problems. Their prayers are a grocery list of what they want God to do but there’s no expression of appreciation for how great He is and how worthy of praise.
And as you wish others would do to you, do so to them.
If you want your friend to listen to you, you have to listen to him. But we all know it doesn’t always work that way. You can treat people nicely, and they still are mean to you. You can be polite, and they still yell. You can be quiet, and they are still rude. You can listen all day long, and your friend doesn’t even pause to listen to you. So here’s the hard part: you continue to listen to your friend, even if your friend doesn’t do a good job of listening to you.
If you want your older brother to treat you nicely, you treat him nicely - even if he continues to tease you. You do the right thing no matter what he does. If you do the right thing and he responds badly, you continue to do the right thing. Do you know why? Because you serve God - and God says to do good - even to those who are not treating you well. Why? Because then you will be like your Father in heaven, who is kind to the unmerciful and the evil (Luke 6:27-36).
And as you wish others would do to you, do so to them.
This is not about forcing others to treat you well. This is about honoring God with your life, in all of your choices, big or small. You know how you want to be treated. That’s how you treat other people - no matter what they do. It’s not an if-then proposition. If they are nice to me, then I’ll be nice to them. God simply says, “And as you wish others would do to you, do so to them.” If you want to be treated respectfully, nicely, fairly, honestly, then that’s how you treat others - not to necessarily get anything back, but because God says to.
It’s a much different idea than most people have about the Golden Rule, isn’t it?!
Mercy
Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:36
What is mercy? When you have the power and authority to punish someone because of their bad behavior, and you choose to show forgiveness and compassion instead - that’s mercy.
So when you’ve been bad, when you’ve done something that you know will get you into trouble with your parents, you expect to be punished. You could be grounded. You could lose privileges. You could be spanked. But you know that you’ve done the wrong thing. You know that you made a bad choice. Now you’re going to have to suffer the consequences. It’s a natural progression: if you’re bad, then you’ll be punished. But sometimes, just sometimes, your parents don’t punish you. They forgive you without you suffering the consequence of your bad behavior. Parents have to make a wise choice - because they love you - what will be better for you? Is it better that you suffer for your bad choice so that you won’t do it again? Or do they think you’ve learned your lesson and don’t need the consequence?
Regardless, the definition of mercy means that justice - the administration of consequences and punishment - is the expected, usual, normal result of transgressing the laws of your parents! Mercy is the exception, not the rule! Still, God has quite a bit to say about mercy - and how prevalent it should be in our lives.
Micah 6:8 - . . . what does the Lord require of you but to act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
God expects you to do what is right, but He also wants you to love mercy - to look for the oportunities to be merciful to other people.
Why do you think mercy would be so important to God? Part of the answer is the law of the harvest: whatever you sow, that’s what you reap. If you are merciful to others, you will receive mercy.
Matthew 5:7 - Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
And we have to work at showing mercy to others. If it’s in our power to punish someone because of their bad behavior, many times that’s what we want to do. They did the crime, we’re more than willing that they do the time.
But twice in Matthew (9:13 and 12:7) Jesus told the religious leaders that they didn’t know and needed to learn what this meant: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. It’s a quote from Hosea 6:6
For I desire steadfast love (mercy) and not sacrifice,
the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
You can make a sacrifice, offer something to God, and think that you’re a good person because you’ve given something to God. But then you go out and you’re nasty to your older brother or to your neighbor or to the dog. God can see what’s really in your heart by how you treat other people. It’s one thing to go through the motions of a relationship with God, but when you demonstrate that you have the love of God within you because of how you act towards others, that’s evidence of God in your life.
But why is mercy so important to God? This is the same God who caused the ground to open up and swallow Korah, Dothan, and Abiram and to consume 250 elders in Israel with fire because of their rebellion (Numbers 16). We often think of the wrath and judgment of God against all unrighteousness. But Jeremiah says
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end. Lamentations 3:22
God, in describing Himself says,
The LORD, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness . . . (Exodus 34:6)
The first attribute God applies to Himself, in this verse, is merciful.
We know God is merciful. He has not given us what we all deserve - which is death! In fact, He made a way that we would be forgiven, through the death and resurrection of His Son. Jesus died a horrible death so that we might be forgiven for what we did. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we are adopted into the family of God and given the hope of eternal life! No, God did not give us what we deserved; He gave us mercy.
So Jesus says, “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”
We just celebrated and commemorated what God the Father and Jesus Christ did for us in their mercy towards us. Now we get to demonstrate that we understand just how great that mercy is - by being merciful to those around us. We are acting like our Father as well as our Older Brother and Savior - who are merciful.
But then, that’s what these seven days picture - taking into ourselves Jesus Christ, learning to live as He would have us to live. That’s the symbolism of eating the unleavened bread every day. It’s not enough to avoid leavening - to avoid sin; that’s like the sacrifice God was talking about in Hosea 6:6. We are commanded to eat the unleavened bread - which represents living without sin, living as Christ lived, which means being merciful to those around us. As you sacrifice your leavened bread this week - you don’t get to eat pizza or cheese and gherkin sandwiches or pancakes, as you instead eat the unleavened bread, remember that it is supposed to be teaching you to live God’s way. It’s supposed to be teaching you to be merciful.
**Giving and Forgiving
. . . for with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38
When Jennifer was very little, I was working on her obedience. I gave her two M-n-Ms and told her to give them to Jonathan. She really wanted to just eat them, and I had to scold her to get her to obey me. She gave the candy to him. Jonathan took them and said, “Thank you,” and then he gave one back to her. Sometimes when you give to someone else, there’s a reward.
. . . for with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38
If you are giving and generous, people will tend to be generous with you.
If you smile at someone in church, you will likely get a smile right back.
If you want a friend, you have to be friendly.
. . . for with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38
Out in the sandhills where my grandparents’ ranch is, the neighbors all help each other with cattle work. It’s hard to brand all of your calves by yourself. And no one wants to hire help to brand; it’s hard enough to make all of the ends meet. But if everyone helps, the job can be done quickly and then you can enjoy the rest of the day with your neighbors. So the ranchers take turns having brandings. One day it’s over here. Two days later, it’s over at another ranch. Everyone knows who works really hard at all the brandings. And everyone knows who kind of slacks off and let’s everyone else work hard. Think about it: If someone works really hard at your branding, you’re a lot more likely to be willing to jump in and work hard at his.
. . . for with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38
But it gets really tricky if you’re focused on what you get back. If you give just so you’ll get something back, you’re likely to be disappointed.
What if Jonathan hadn’t given an M-n-M back to Jennifer? He didn’t have to. It was his right to eat both of them, if he’d wanted to.
What if you are generous to someone, and they never give you anything in return? Are you then angry at them because you helped them so much and they didn’t give back? Were you only giving because you wanted to get gifts in return?
What happens if you smile at someone at church because you want a smile back - and the person you smile at is having a bad day? Are you then sorry you smiled at them? Are you just smiling for what you can get out of it? Or are you smiling because you genuinely like them?
If I give you a sticker or a sea shell, what’s my motivation? Am I giving them to you because I expect you to bring me a gift next week? Or am I giving them to you because I want to see you happy, because I like you?
God is very pleased when we are generous with our time and the things that we have, when we give because of our gratefulness to Him for the abundance that He’s given us. And the truth is, if we give because we sincerely like people, because we sincerely want to see them happy, because we are sincerely grateful for what God has done, God has a way of blessing us in return in ways that we could never have imagined!
Imagine a group of kids going to help at a local food pantry. They work hard packing bags and carrying groceries for people. Then, when the day is all done, the people in charge at the food pantry are so grateful for the help that they send home bags of potatoes. The kids didn’t help because they were expecting a reward, and potatoes may be, well, small potatoes, but it’s a reward that they wouldn’t have gotten if they had not given of their time and effort.
. . . for with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38
This becomes really important when we start talking about forgiveness. Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
. . . for with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38
If you easily forgive, truly from your heart, then God likewise will forgive you when you ask. But if you forgive, but are still mad and wish you could get even, then that’s not really forgiving someone. And God likewise doesn’t forgive us. That’s a scary thought! We all want God to forgive us!! Do you see how very important it is to forgive others, not to hold a grudge against them?
I hope each one of you learns to be very giving and forgiving - and that you will be greatly blessed by the measure you have given to others!
Following Christ
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23
Have you ever seen a mama duck and a line of ducklings trailing behind her? Why do they do that? Or perhaps you’ve seen a dad with his son, doing what he’s doing, acting like he’s acting? Why do they do that?
My family laughs because Pepper, and sometimes Velvet, follow me. If Ron finds the dogs upstairs, he knows there’s a pretty good chance I’m up there too. One day, they were laughing about Pepper following me, so I got up and started walking around the living room. Pepper started following me as I wove my way around chairs and the coffee table. But the really funny thing was when Velvet fell in line! Why do they do that?
My mom sometimes takes her chickens for a walk. She’ll let them out of the chicken coop and call to them. Dad says they follow her all over the backyard. Why do they do that? Well, the chickens follow Mom because she points out grasshoppers to eat. And I suspect that’s why Pepper and Velvet follow me, although the dogs likely follow me for other reasons too: I might be doing something interesting or I might give them some attention.
But the ducklings following Mama and the little boy following his father are after more than just food or entertainment. The parent is instructing the little one in how to live. Finding food and entertainment might be part of it, but following mama or daddy also involves life lessons along the way. Mama duck is teaching the little ones how to grow up to be a duck. Daddy is teaching his son how to grow up to be a man.
It’s called mentoring or discipleship. Discipleship is a relationship, usually with someone you hopefully like, or at least, respect. In that discipleship relationship, you learn to be like that person, to learn how to do what that person can do. You learn more than just the skill they know (like carpentry or plumbing or farming), you learn how to think about various situations, how to react to circumstances, and how to interact with others. As you follow that person, you become very much like that person - not just in behavior, but in thoughts and words too, because you spend so much time with them.
So why did people follow Jesus? After He fed the 5000, some of them might have followed Jesus because they wanted more food. In fact, Jesus said that to them! (John 6:26) Maybe though, some followed him because he was doing or saying something interesting. They liked the entertainment. Others may have followed him because of what he could do for them, healing them or casting out demons. How many of them really wanted to learn how to truly live as a child of God, as only the Son of God could mentor them to do?
So it’s very curious in our own lives today: we see a lot of people around us who say they are following Jesus. Why are they doing that? Some are looking for what He can do for them. They talk a lot about how God provided in certain situations. Some are looking for the entertainment value. That is, church is just the social club they belong do; they attend meetings once a week to see what everyone else is wearing, what Bible study they’re doing, what trials they’ve endured this week. Then there are those who truly follow Jesus because they want to be like Him.
Sometimes when the mama duck leads her little ones, most of them on right on her tail. But sometimes there’s one straggler who keeps getting distracted. He catches up, gets a scolding from mama, but over and over he’s the one who falls behind, goes off on his own, and basically does his own thing. He’s following mama duck in a sense, but he’s not learning how to act like a duck from her. He’s doing his own thing. He’s not learning where to find food. He’s not learning how to interact with other ducks. He’s not learning how to anticipate danger. He’s following mama’s trail, but he’s not very close to her.
People are sometimes like these baby ducks in how they follow Jesus. There are those read their Bible selection for the day, do Bible studies, and do the things that look “Christian.” But they are like that last little duck: they’re just trailing Jesus, imitating in some ways what Jesus would do, but they don’t have the relationship with Him that they should. They’re not walking their way down the road of life in company with the Lord. There’s a big difference between trailing Jesus and walking with Jesus. When you live your life seeking God, in a covenant relationship with Jesus, you become more and more like Him because you’re with Him. You’re being changed from the inside out. You’re not just acting like a Christian, you are a Christian. Your thoughts and your words and your deeds all flow naturally, and Christlike, from you because of the relationship you have with God.
It’s a very good thing to think about: Are you really following Jesus? Or are you just trailing behind?
Participation, Not Imitation
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23
When we were small, Mom would put us kids down for a nap after lunch. Then she would sit in her rocking chair, with her feet up, and read. It was her habit and we three were very used to seeing Mom that way. One day, Mom walked into the living room. Tricia had pulled her rocking chair over next to Mom’s. Tricia was sitting with her feet propped up, reading. I remember that Mom got out the camera to take a picture because it really was cute. But there was one problem with Tricia’s imitation of Mom’s habit: her book was upside down. She wasn’t really reading; she was just imitating.
Yesterday we talked about trailing Jesus vs. following Jesus. That is, people can make choices they think make them look like a Christian, or they can make choices because they are truly in a relationship with the One who can guide them into making good choices. In other words, you can act like you think a Christian should act. Or you can act like God thinks a Christian should act. You can decide for yourself what Christian behavior looks like. Or you can follow God’s definition of what Christian behavior looks like. The difference between trailing Jesus and following Jesus all comes down to relationship. Do you have a close relationship with Jesus?
Do you know what a relationship is? It is the interaction you have with another person. A distant relationship is one where there’s not much communication, you don’t have much in common, and you don’t care too much about the opinion of the other person. A close relationship depends upon lots of communication, common interests and goals, and valuing the other person’s thoughts and opinions. So if you really like talking about baseball and you have a friend who can’t stand baseball, you might find your relationship becoming more distant. If you find a person who loves watching hummingbirds, you might find yourself talking with that person more and more; as you spend more time with them, you find other things in common. Eventually, they are the person you talk with the most, you share your thoughts and goals with, and they become more and more important to you. When that happens, you have a close relationship with them.
A relationship with God works much the same way. God, because He is our Creator, our King, our Redeemer, He has the right and the authority to decide the terms of the relationship. In order for us to have a relationship with Him, there are certain requirements that have to be met. First, we have to be willing to follow His ways. God’s ways are beautiful and right. He’s not going to go any other way. So if we want a relationship with God, we have to do things His way. Secondly, if we want a relationship with God, we have to communicate with Him. That means reading the Bible and praying to Him daily. Thirdly, if we want a relationship with God, we have to value what He says and what’s important to Him. In any relationship, the more I do what pleases the other person, the more I communicate with them, and the more I value them and their ideas, the closer my relationship will be with them.
That’s the point of Luke 9:23: And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. If we’re going to follow Him, to come after Him, to truly be a Christian, we have to be wiling to have a relationship with God on His terms. We give up what we want, because what the carnal nature wants is not good for us and it’s the opposite of what God wants (Romans 8:7). Secondly, Jesus says that we have to take up our cross daily. That means we have to do violence to those things which are against God’s way. We have to be willing to put to death the carnal nature. We have to be willing to render ineffectual the pull of our flesh. That is, we have to learn to bring every thought into submission to Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). He’s our Savior and the Captain of our Salvation. He’s our Sovereign and our King. He’s the Creator and Sustainer of all things. If we want to truly be a Christian, we have to give up everything we are and follow Him without reservation.
If you don’t seek a close relationship with God, then you’ll find yourself trailing along behind Jesus - having a form of godliness, but denying its power (2 Timothy 3:5). You might look like a Christian to other people, but you aren’t one in your heart. You may do many great things and say, “Lord, Lord,” but if you don’t have a relationship with Him, He’s going to say, “Depart from me, you workers of iniquity. I never knew you.” (Matthew 7:23). If God is not your God in everything, then you haven’t really submitted your life to Him. You are either all in or all out. You are either a Christian all the time, a follower of the Messiah. Or you’re not. You are either in a relationship with Jesus, allowing Him to participate in your daily decisions, or you aren’t. It’s not enough to just imitate Jesus. You have to participate with Him in living out your life.
Otherwise, when it all comes down to the end, you might find yourself sitting in a chair, reading your book upside down.
**Who Is My Neighbor?
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul (NIrV). Luke 10:27
Materials needed: lesson #10 from Primaries book (https://www.borntowin.net/yea/primaries/primaries-life-of-christ/); band-aid with memory verse on it.
Do you know what Jesus said is the greatest commandment? To love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. The second greatest commandment is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.
So then, the question is “Who is my neighbor?” Is it just the person who lives next door to me? Is that the one I’m supposed to love like myself?
When Jesus was asked this question, He told the story that we call the Parable of the Good Samaritan. There was a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by thieves. They robbed him, beat him, and left him bruised and bleeding on the side of the road. Pretty soon a priest came down the road, saw the man, and crossed to the other side of the road to walk by him. A Levite did the same thing. But when a Samaritan, a person who was despised by the Jewish people, saw the man, he stopped to help. He cleaned up his wounds and took him to an inn where he paid for the man’s care. This Samaritan - a person that the Jews wouldn’t have wanted to associate with - this person was a true neighbor to the man. He treated the man the way he would have wanted to be treated, if he’d been the one robbed, beaten, and left for dead.
So what about you? When you come across someone who needs help, do you help them? It’s important to use wisdom when helping others; don’t put yourself in a position where you could be harmed. But you can start practicing being helpful today. You can hold the door for people who are carrying things. You can help straighten chairs. You can help put things away after church. There are many ways that you can help people in need.
You never know when you give someone a drink of water that God won’t consider that you have done it for Him. It’s important that we all get into the habit of making someone’s day a little brighter, helping where we can, and learning to love our neighbors as ourselves.
The Blessing of God’s Law
But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear God’s word and keep it!” Luke 11:28
Jesus made this statement in response a woman in the crowd saying, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” In other words, she was saying, “Blessed is your mom.” Have you ever heard that? “Your mom is so blessed because you are her child. You must make your mom so happy.” And truly, the relationship between a mother and her child is very special. In most cases, it’s very close. The bond between a parent and a child is unmatched by any other relationship, except perhaps marriage. And that’s the way God designed it. We see it in nature. We see it in our own families. This parent-child bond is very special.
So it’s very striking that Jesus would respond to this woman’s blessing upon Jesus’ mother by saying, “Blessed rather are those who hear God’s word and keep it.” Think about Jesus’ response when the crowd was close around Him and His mother and brothers couldn’t get to Him. Someone told Him that His mother and brothers wanted to see Him. Do you remember Jesus’ response? But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” (Luke 8:21)
That’s how important God’s law is to God! That’s how important it is that we hear and obey God’s law!
To help us understand how important it is to hear and obey His law, God gives us parents. Parents give us rules to obey - for our own good. If we break those rules, there are consequences. If you eat the cookies you were told to stay out of, you might get spanked. If you break your sister’s toy, maybe you won’t be allowed to watch tv that evening and you will have to buy her a new toy. If you come into the house with mud on your shoes, you have to clean it up and you have to sweep the living room every day for a week. We understand that when we break our parents’ rules, there are consequences. But somewhere along the line in our maturing process, we realize that it’s not being grounded, or having extra chores assigned to us, or even being spanked - those consequences aren’t the big deterrent anymore. We have grown up enough to realize that when we break Mom and Dad’s rules, we impair our relationship with them. We’ve damaged it. If we tell a lie (and get caught), they may impose a consequence like being grounded. But once we’ve been caught in a lie, they now know that we will lie and they can’t trust us anymore - not completely. Our behavior, our lie, our sin has impaired that relationship. And when we don’t want to impair that relationship, then we no longer have any desire to break the rules. But even more than that, we start thinking in these terms: I don’t want to do anything that might disappoint Mom and Dad. Suddenly, that relationship is so important to you that you view everything from your parents’ perspective. You don’t have to call and see if they’ll give you permission to do something; you don’t call because you know they wouldn’t approve, so you naturally wouldn’t consider doing such a thing.
It’s the same way with God. God gives us His laws for our good. If we break His laws, there are consequences. And sometimes, we, as children of God, fail to see the most serious consequence of our sin - the damage we do to our relationship with God.
If asked what sin is, many people could quote 1 John 3:4: Sin is the transgression of the law. We know that it’s missing the mark, being off target, missing the way, missing the true goal in life. We could define sin this way. We might even say that sin is falling short of God’s standard. That’s also true. But the most important part of the definition of sin is that it is the serious breakdown in our relationship with God. Somehow we don’t think of that part of the definition of sin. We think about natural consequences, but we don’t think about being so close to God that we don’t want to disappoint Him. We don’t think of God’s law this way: I value my relationship with God more than my desire to go my own way. Somehow there’s still an immature child within us thinking that if we sin, God’s going to hit us with a lightning bolt or a 2x4. But that’s not the biggest consequence to our sin. The health of our relationship with God should be the first consideration always when we’re choosing our path. When we see that our choice will cause us to miss the mark, our first thought should be not wanting to disappoint God, not what sort of consequence there might be.
It all comes down to this: If we love our parents, we do those things which please them, including hearing their rules and obeying them. It’s the same thing with God: If we love God, if we truly value our relationship with Him, we will hear and keep His laws. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments . . . . If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:15, 23, ESV).
This is the blessing of God’s law.
Watch out for Covetousness
And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:15
If you had to pick one word that would sum up what many of these devotionals focus on, what would you say? You might say “relationship” or “Savior.” And you would be right. But the word that came to my mind when I read this memory verse was “seek.” Go back and look. Do you see “seek” anywhere in Luke 12:15. Why would “seek” be the word that comes to my mind?
It has to do with the word “covetousness.” The lexicon defined it as “wanting more; forsaking God, thinking to fill oneself with lower objects of nature.”
Did you get that? Covetousness, wanting more than you have, is equated with rejecting God and His sovereignty. Why? It means that you don’t think that God is giving you enough. You don’t think that God cares enough about you to give you what you need, to say nothing of what you want. So you decide that you know more than God. You will supply your own need from the things around you. It’s short-sighted. It’s self-serving. It’s gratification of the flesh and elevation of self over God.
When you don’t covet, you are, in effect, saying that God will supply all your needs. He is Sovereign and has your best interest at heart. He loves you and only wants what is best for you because His vision is you living in His kingdom with Him forever.
I would submit to you that anytime your wanter is getting out of balance, when you feel that discontent of covetousness start to rear its ugly head, seek God. Seek His character. Remind yourself of how awesome and good God is. Recite the wonderful things He’s already done for you in your life. Submit to His will in your life, acknowledging that He knows the end of the story and what it will take to get you there. Seek first the kingdom of God, and nothing else will really matter because you know that God will give you what you need.
Watch out for covetousness; seek God!
**Growing Greedy
“Life is not made up of how much a person has” (NIrV). - Luke 12:15
Materials: Miscellaneous collection of stuff (rocks, marbles, stickers); https://www.borntowin.net/yea/primaries/primaries-life-of-christ/ (Book Three, Lesson 4)
If someone asked if you had enough toys, what would you say? What about clothes? Books? Time? Money? Marbles? The famous oil tycoon and billionaire John D. Rockefeller when asked how much money would be enough, reportedly answered, “Just one more dollar.” He wanted just a little more than what he had. So . . . what was he willing to do to get just one more dollar? What are you willing to do to get just a little more of what you want?
It all depends on what it is, doesn’t it. If you are trying to grow a garden and it’s been a very dry summer, you might be very thankful for a couple of inches of rain. But when is it more than enough and you wish it would stop raining?! If you really like ice cream, and you really wish your mom would let you have as much as you wanted, how much would you have? Would you take so much that you made yourself sick? What about marbles or rocks or toys? Could you ever get so many that you said, “I don’t want any more”?
What about money? How do you feel about how much you have? Are you like John D. Rockefeller? Do you want just one more dollar?
What do you do with your stuff? Do you share it with others . . . or do you keep it for yourself? Do you pat yourself on the back for being so smart and strong that you were able to get it all, or do you remember to thank God for providing it for you?
There’s a story in the Bible - the one your lesson is based on today - about a man who had so much produce that he decided to tear down his barns and build bigger ones. God was not pleased! The man had so much already! He didn’t really need more. He had enough. But instead of sharing it with a needy person or giving a thank offering to God, he decided he’d build bigger barns to keep it all for himself. God decreed that he would die that night. All of his stuff didn’t save him. It wasn’t really what was important.
We all like stuff - marbles and doughnuts and money and toys. But we have to remember a couple of things:
What you do with what God has blessed you with says a whole lot about how much you love God and are grateful you are to Him.
Treasure Hunt
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Luke 12:34
When I was a kid, I loved treasure hunts. I don’t remember any of the treasures we found, but I remember the process of figuring out the clues and searching for the next one. When I was older, I loved making treasure hunts for my fourth grade students. But I still think of the fun of the process more than the finding of the treasure itself.
So what is treasure? When I say the word treasure, I think of pirates’ treasure: a chest of gold and jewels. But treasure can be almost anything. It is simply something that holds great value to you. For instance, you might think that money is treasure. Many people do. It’s valuable. It can buy you lots of things.
What else is valuable? What else could be a treasure? It might be an antique lamp or pocket watch. It could be an expensive car. It could be a horse that has won lots of ribbons at horse shows. That horse becomes very valuable and is a treasure both because of its money-making abilities and its potential descendants.
Land can be a treasure. If you have a piece of property where there is water and good soil, relatively pleasant neighbors, and peace and quiet, then you have a treasure. It’s hard to find a place where you can be at home and be at rest.
But other people might say that treasure is the family photo album. It can have photos that could never be replaced. You’ll never be in that exact same place with those exact same people again. Puppies and children grow up. Grandparents get old and die. Accidents happen. A family photo album is precious because it contains so many memories of people that are special to you.
So a treasure can be many things to different people. But, basically, it is the thing that has great value to you. You would give up everything, or perhaps a lot, to have that one thing. But a treasure also tugs at your heart strings. You value this treasure so much that you want to be where that treasure is.
Some people value their job so much that it consumes their entire life. They are motivated not only by the money, but by the power and prestige they can get. Some people spend all their time working with dogs or horses or alpacas, to get them ready for shows so they can win ribbons. The prestige of having the best drives them and they spend incredible amounts of time pursuing that treasure.
The first year my two sons spent a couple of weeks with Grandma and Grandpa, I called at least once a day. It was obvious that I was spending a lot of time thinking about them because every time the phone rang, Grandpa knew it was going to be me - checking on the boys. That’s where my heart and my thoughts were those two weeks. Two of my treasures were far away from me.
So, let me ask you again, what is your treasure? What do you spend most of your time thinking about? What do you spend most of your time pursuing? Money, pleasure, friends, power, prestige, a healthy body? What is at the top of the list of your priorities, what you can’t quit thinking of every day?
I hope it’s God.
Yes, we need to work to get money to live in this world. Yes, we need to spend time with friends and family. Yes, we should take care of our bodies. There’s nothing wrong with hobbies which can bring you pleasure and even prestige. But, when it’s all said and done, where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. If we’re truly Christians, if we truly belong to God, then we should be spending a lot of our day thinking about God, talking with God in prayer, reading our Bible, talking about Him with others, and living our life in a way that pleases Him. God is our Provider, Sustainer, our Guide and Savior. He’s everything that we need and more. And if we treasure Him and a relationship with Him, it will be obvious because that’s where our heart will be.
I find it so interesting that what I loved about treasure hunts as a kid was the process. The treasure at the end wasn’t all that valuable. In a similar way, many people live their lives in such a way that the treasure at the end isn’t all that valuable. In a word, they aren’t seeking God. I believe that this life is preparation for God’s kingdom. I believe that this life is not the goal and shouldn’t be our focus. But God, in His mercy, has made this life pleasurable in many ways. He gives us bright colors to look at in nature. He gives us good food to eat and wonderful friends to spend time with. But our goal isn’t this life and accumulating things in in. Our goal is living this life in a way that pleases and honors God, looking forward to His kingdom and life with God eternally.
So, where is your heart? What do you treasure?
[The following is a lesson with a very visual object lesson/demonstration. You’ll need three clear glasses. One is half full of water - labeled “you;” one is half full of water with enough iodine to make the water stained - labeled “sin;” the third is half full of water with a good dose of chlorine in it - labeled “Jesus.”]
**Whiter Than Snow!!
Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:10
Why, do you suppose, are the angels of God so joyful over a sinner who repents?
Have you ever been really dirty - I mean the roll-in-the-mud, change-your-hair-color kind of dirty? There have been a few times - staining the house, working on tractors - when I wasn’t sure I was ever going to be clean again, to say nothing of my clothes.
That’s what sin does. It makes us unclean, in the Biblical sense. God says in Isaiah 1:18, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” Isaiah 64:6 says that even our righteous acts are like filthy rags. But sin does more than make us unclean, it separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2).
So, here’s how it works:
1. You were born a carnal human being, with carnal nature that is enmity against God (Romans 8:7). Because of the choice that Adam made in the Garden of Eden, all of humanity is born with a carnal, sinful nature (1 Cor. 15:21; Romans 5:12). [Pour some of the “sin” cup into the “you” cup, discoloring the “you” cup.]
2. There is nothing you can do to get the “sin” out of your cup; it’s thoroughly mixed with “you.” Similarly, there’s nothing you can do, by yourself, to get rid of your sin nature. You can’t clean yourself up enough to make you righteous in God’s eyes. But Jesus can cleanse you. We sing “Washed By the Blood of the Lamb” because of the verses in Revelation (7:14; 22:14) which talk about the saints washing their robes and making them white in the blood of the Lamb. Psalm 51:7 says, “Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.” [Pour “Jesus” cup into “you” cup.]
3. But, while “sin” makes you unclean, stained scarlet, “sin” has no effect on “Jesus.” God cannot sin. He never becomes unclean. God is never even tempted by evil (James 1:13). [Pour some of the “sin” cup into the “Jesus” cup.]
4. Even more than that, there is coming a time when Jesus will deal with sin forever. Because the wages of sin is death, and death will be swallowed up in victory (Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:54; Revelation 21:4-5), there will be no more sin. Jesus will conquer sin forever. [Pour “Jesus” cup into “sin” cup.]
When one sinner repents, there is joy before the angels of God. It’s not only one more person who will be in God’s kingdom, it’s also a harbinger of a time when sin is dealt with forever, for all of humanity. It will be a time of great joy and rejoicing because there is no more sin, no more death, no more crying or mourning. There will be peace and love and joy. The Sovereignty of our God and of His Christ will be manifest everywhere. Nowhere will it be more profound than those sin-stained garments which are washed whiter than snow.
[You can watch a youtube video of this demonstration at https://youtu.be/sc3-Vmnt9w0]
**Keep On Praying
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. Luke 18:1 (NIV)
Materials needed: enough candy for each child
How many times have we read this passage. The widow is persistent is going back to the unjust judge to get justice against her adversary. Eventually, he grants her request - not because it’s the right thing to do, but because he wants her to quit bothering him. Jesus tells his disciples that if a judge who cares for neither God nor man will grant justice, how much more will God answer those He loves! (paraphrased)
What does that look like? Well, suppose I tell one of the children to go ask my husband if they can have a piece of candy. He’s going to ask them if they have brushed their teeth this morning. If they say yes, he may say that he’s going to think about it and tell them to go away. I’ll tell the child to go back and ask again. This time Ron may ask if they ate breakfast. If they say yes, then Ron may say that he’s going to think about it and to go sit down. When they come back to me, I’ll ask them to go ask again. This time Ron may ask their parent if they can have a piece of candy. If the answer is yes, then he may give them a piece.
The point is that God doesn’t say yes or no just because He’s in a good mood or a bad mood. God loves us. He wants the very best for us. So, as Ron was asking about their teeth, their breakfast, their parent’s approval, it emphasizes that God answers our requests because He has a reason - a reason for our good.
I will ask the child to go back to Ron and tell Him thank you, if he didn’t already do so. I want to emphasize that when God answers our prayers, we must remember to say thank you!! It is from God that all blessings flow and Deuteronomy 28:47 comes to mind.
Next I’ll ask the child to go back to Ron one more time and ask Him if everyone else can have a piece of candy. The point is that our prayers shouldn’t be just about us and what we want. We diligently need to be praying for others as well.
We should always pray and not give up.
Impossible!!
But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” Luke 18:27
One of my most favorite scenes in The Princess Bride is when the rope is cut, but the man in black doesn’t fall down the Cliffs of Insanity.
Vizzini: HE DIDN'T FALL? INCONCEIVABLE.
Inigo Montoya: You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
Can’t you just see the non-believer’s reaction to God’s greatness in a similar way?!
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are thrown into the furnace, a furnace whose temperature is so high that the guards throwing them in are killed by the heat. Then, what does King Nebuchadnezzar see? There are four men walking around in the fire!! And when he calls for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to come out, not even their hair is so much as singed! Impossible!
How about when Jesus fed the 5000 with five loaves and two fish - and the disciples picked up twelves baskets of food that were left over after everyone had eaten their fill!! Impossible! That just doesn’t happen.
How about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead - after he had been dead for four days!? Decay would have already started to set in! Impossible!
Some people think that these Bible stories are just stories. There must be some other explanation for what happened.
So let’s talk about some other things that my God can do:
Psalm 147:4 and Isaiah 40:26 says that not only did God create all the stars, He can also count them all. Have you ever tried to count all the stars? Impossible - for you and me! But not for God, and He calls each of them by name.
Can you number every hair on your head? (Matthew 10:30; Luke 12:7) How would you keep track of which hair was what number? Impossible for you and me! But not for God.
Do you know whenever a sparrow falls to the ground? Are you kidding? How in the world would anyone ever be able to keep track of every single bird all the time? Impossible -for you and me. But not only does God know whenever a sparrow falls to the ground, they cannot fall unless it is His will (Matthew 10:29). He’s in control!
Can you walk on water (Matthew 14:22-33)? Jesus did. Can you restore the sight of a man born blind (John 9)? Can you speak the world into existence (Psalm 33:9; Hebrews 11:3)? The non-believer would say each of these is impossible. They are - for you and me. But our great God can, and did, do each!
I love the joke about the atheist scientists who tell God that they have figured out how to create life from dirt and they don’t need Him anymore. God tells them to get their own dirt. But the joke gets even better: even if scientists could get all of the elements and DNA strands in the right order, they still can’t put the spark of life into anything! And the reality is that we can’t create anything out of nothing. But God can . . . and did.
We cannot save ourselves. People have been looking for a way to live forever - outside of a relationship with God - and they’ve never been able to find the Holy Grail, the Fountain of Youth. But God can save to the uttermost those who come to Him (Hebrew 7:25) through the blood of Jesus Christ.
We can’t make ourselves clean. But God can (1 John 1:7). The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.
When you start to think about how great our God is, you find yourself echoing David’s words (Psalm 8:4), “What is man that you are mindful of him?” Our great God created us, redeemed us from our sin, provides for us, protects us, and loves us enough to adopt us into His family. And then He throws in delightful tastes and vivid colors and tantalizing smells and hysterical puppies just because He can.
At the end of the day, we find ourselves knowing with all of our heart that “impossible” doesn’t apply to God - either that or impossible just doesn’t mean what we think it means.
“What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
**Up a Tree
“The Son of Man came to look for the lost and save them” (NIrV). - Luke 19:10
Materials Needed: box with “treasures” (pencils, erasers, small blank books); https://www.borntowin.net/yea/primaries/primaries-life-of-christ/ (Book Three, Lesson 6)
Do you want to see what’s in my box? What might you have to do in order to do that?
There once was a tax collector named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and very wealthy. But like most of the people around him, he was very interested in Jesus. He had heard a lot about Jesus, what Jesus had been doing and what Jesus had been saying. So when Zacchaeus heard that Jesus was coming, he was curious. He wanted to see this person everyone was talking about. But Zacchaeus had a problem: he was short.
Have you ever had that problem? Have you ever wanted to see something but you were too short to see over the people around you? What did you do? What do you think Zacchaeus did? He climbed a tree - a sycamore-fig tree. (This is not like an American sycamore; it’s indigenous to Africa and the Middle East. It’s not even the same genus as the American sycamore.)
And you know what? He saw Jesus. But more than that, when Jesus got to the tree, he looked up and told Zacchaeus to come down, that he (Jesus) was going to his house. Zacchaeus was so excited! He promised, that if he’d ever mistreated anyone in collecting their taxes he would repay them four times over. And he would give to the poor. Jesus recognized his sincerity because He said salvation had come to Zacchaeus’ house that day!
Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus and put in some extra effort to do so. He was rewarded. It’s kind of like you all wanting to see what’s in my box. I require a little extra effort. Who knows the memory verse for today? That’s what’s required to look inside my box. But those who do say the memory verse are also rewarded with a “treasure” they can take home.
Now, you may not think that a pencil is a great “treasure,” and in the large scheme of things, it’s not. But when you use that pencil, I want you to remember that if you work really hard to see Jesus, you’ll get a much greater reward. Oh! How can you see Jesus? Read your Bible. Think about what you learn in Sabbath school, at church, and at home about God. Pray to Him. God has promised that if you seek Him, He will be found by you.
Right now, God is on a rescue mission - to rescue and save all who will come to Him. How hard are you looking for Jesus? The reward is much, much greater than just a pencil.
**A Royal Ride
Memory Verse: Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord . . . Luke 19:38 (NIV)
Materials Needed: paper crowns, fake jewels, markers, tape/stapler, YEA Lesson (YE2E.1 - borntowin.net/yea/primaries/)
Why would you have a crown on your head? If you were the monarch of a country, you would have a crown. The crown is a symbol of being the one in charge.
But the crown isn’t just a symbol of highest authority. Think about it. Most mayors, governors, and presidents don’t wear crowns because, although they are the highest authority in their position, they aren’t royalty. That is, they are not part of a royal family of monarchs.
O.K. So what does this have to do with being a Christian? Well, there’s an interesting verse in Revelation 4. This is the throne room of God Almighty. In verses 9 - 11, it says, And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
We have no verifiable idea of who these 24 elders are, but they throw their crowns before the throne of God, recognizing His authority and sovereignty and royalty always. And they give us a picture of what all people will do when Jesus returns: every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of the Father (Philippians 2:10-11). All people everywhere will acknowledge Jesus’ authority, sovereignty, and royalty.
When Jesus came into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey, the people lay palm branches before Him to recognize that He is King.
But here’s the thing: you can recognize Jesus’ authority and sovereignty and royalty today, now. It isn’t about throwing your crown before Him (Do you have a crown?); throwing your crown before Him is just a symbol of your willingness to submit your life to His will in every way. So here’s the question for you today: why would you submit to Jesus, aka do what He says to do? Do you obey because you’re being forced to? If that’s the case, then you haven’t really submitted to Him in your heart! Or are you doing it because you love Him? If you love Him, you will keep His commandments. (Exodus 20:3-6; Deuteronomy 5:8-10; John 14:15, 21; 1 John 5:2-3; 2 John 1:6) That’s how you show your love to Him; that’s how He wants you to show that you love Him. Metaphorically-speaking, that’s how you throw your crown at His feet.
The Stones Would Cry Out
He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” Luke 19:40
I’ve seen a lot of stones. I’ve never heard one of them make a noise. Oh, there’s a click when you strike two of them together. There’s a satisfying splash when one is thrown into the lake. There’s a terrifying rumbling thunder when hundreds roll together in an avalanche. But individually, I’ve never heard one make a noise. Not a chirp. Not a whistle. Not a word.
But Jesus said, as He was walking into Jerusalem before His crucifixion, death, and resurrection, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” That’s how important Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was! This is the entry of the King into the capital city. And that’s what Jesus’ disciples were saying: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!”
This whole event was a fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy (Zechariah 9:9):
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
It was another witness that Jesus was, and is, the Son of God, the Savior of the world, the soon coming King of kings and Lord of lords.
So the disciples of Jesus were spreading their cloaks on the road, signifying that Jesus is the King. And they were shouting, “Blessed is the King who comes in name of Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
Hmm. That’s very reminiscent of another time, another very special coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: when He was born. There were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night. An angel appeared to them to tell them of the birth of Jesus. “Fear not, for behold I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:8-14)
Did you notice the similarities between the announcements? The angels said “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.” The disciples, at Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem said, “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
So we have prophecies which tell us what each of these events will look like (the angel telling the shepherds the sign and Zechariah prophesying about the colt), and we have announcements of peace and glory to God!
There is another event, still in the future, when Jesus will come again. Like His birth and the events surrounding His death and resurrection, there are many prophecies about Jesus’ second coming. Zechariah 14:4 says, “On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives . . . and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two . . .” The angels told Jesus’ disciples in Acts 1:10-11 that “this Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Paul tells us in his first letter to Thessalonica, “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God” (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
This is going to be incredibly exciting! But nowhere does the Bible tell us what God’s people are going to be saying as Jesus returns as the conquering King. Or maybe it does. Revelation 19 is filled with exclamations of “Hallelujah!!” John records (19:6), “Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns!’ ” Then in vision, John sees heaven open and Jesus Christ sitting on a white horse, coming to conquer the world. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16).
There’s a popular Christian song, “I Can Only Imagine.” One of the verses goes,
I can only imagine what my eyes will see
when Your face is before me.
Will I stand in Your presence
or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing Hallelujah?
Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine.
If the first two recorded events are any indication, we will be shouting with joy - shouts of hallelujah, exclamations of glory to God, and affirmations of the coming of the Prince of Peace. I don’t think there’s any way we will be silent.
It will be such an incredible, fantastic event! This coming of Jesus Christ, this ushering in of the Creator of the Universe, the King of kings, it will ultimately bring such joy and peace. We almost certainly will be praising God will all of our being. And you know, even as we are praising God, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear the stones praising God too!
Endurance
By your endurance you will gain your lives. Luke 21:19
Winston Churchill gave a speech in October 1941. He said, “Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never-in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense.” Now, that may not seem like a big thing some people, but knowing that someone never gives up, someone continues to fight, matters a whole lot to his opponent. In Winston Churchill’s case, his opponent was Adolf Hitler. When Hitler heard that Great Britain had installed Churchill as prime minister, he is reported to have said, “Now we’re going to have to fight.” He had assessed the former prime minister of Great Britain and figured that Germany and the Third Reich could run right over the top of England.
Never, never, never give in.
How many stories there are of people who were so close to winning a game, so close to finding their way out of a forest, so close to finishing a degree - but they didn’t persevere. They gave up. They figured it wasn’t worth the fight. They just didn’t have the endurance to get to the goal.
That’s what endurance is. It is the determination to continue, to persevere to reach a goal.
Have you ever demonstrated endurance? When I was thirteen, I spent the summer (or part of the summer) detasseling corn. We’d start early in the morning. It’d be cold, so the crew would all be wearing jeans and long sleeved shirts. By about ten o’clock in the morning, we were very warm and were shedding that heavy outside layer down to the shorts and t-shirts. Sometimes we were required to detassel corn in a field where the herbicides hadn’t worked very well. We waded through velvet leaf (and I sneezed the whole time) trying to pull the tassels out of the tops of the corn. There were fields that had had the irrigation system going until we got there, so we had mud to tramp through as we pulled the tassels. There was even one field where the farmer ran the irrigation system while we worked the field. What a shock to be pulling tassels and suddenly get hit by the spraying water! De-tasseling itself was not easy. We pulled the top of the corn out of the corn plant so that it couldn’t pollinate the corn. Obviously then, if we missed any tassels, the whole purpose of detasseling was defeated; we weren’t doing our job. I remember having to go back and do a field over again because we’d done such a lousy job! It was tough! The field boss wanted us to go fast, pulling tassels out of the rows on either side of us, and we couldn’t miss any plants! On top of that, corn leaves are sharp and it’s very easy to slice open the sides of your hands. After a couple of weeks, I was ready to quit. I wasn’t sure minimum wage was worth the misery. But one night when I’d gotten home, sunburned and exhausted - because once I got done in the field, the bus would drop us at the city bus terminal. I’d ride the city bus to within a couple of miles to our house and then walk uphill all the way home - so one night, exhausted beyond belief, I remember thinking that I was going to tell Mom that I was quitting. She started the conversation. I’ll never forget what she said, “Dad is so proud of you and Bob for working so hard. He doesn’t think he would’ve stuck with it when he was your ages.” I couldn’t quit. There was no way I wanted to diminish the pride my dad had in me. All of a sudden, detasseling corn wasn’t about earning money; it was about my relationship with my dad.
All these years later, I think about that experience and can’t help comparing it to the relationship I have with my Heavenly Father. Where does he expect me to demonstrate endurance - because I know He does?
Think about these verses:
To him who endures I will
I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance . . .(Rev 2:2).
I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance (Rev 2:19).
Because you have kept my word about patient endurance . . .(Rev 3:10).
By your endurance you will gain your lives (Luke 21:19, ESV).
I want you to think about endurance and why a Christian needs endurance.
Solving the Puzzle
By your endurance you will gain your lives. Luke 21:19
I have a little puzzle box. It’s not a difficult puzzle. There are only four pieces. But whenever I give it to someone, they always want to figure out so they can see what’s inside.
I have a nine-piece puzzle. It’s only nine pieces, but it’s very difficult. I know that it kept Steve and Jon busy for hours!
Whether you’re figuring out a hard puzzle or an easy puzzle, you have to work at it. You have to show some endurance. That means you don’t give up when you can’t figure it out right away! But the question is: Is it worth it? What do you get at the end? I have to tell you: I rarely keep anything in my puzzle box, and every time someone opens it, they are disappointed. You can see it all over their faces!
Our lives as Christians are a little like the puzzle box or the nine-piece puzzle. All of our lives are different. No one’s life looks just like the person next to them, just as none of your puzzles are the same. Some puzzles are harder than others. Some people have harder things to endure in their lives than others. Nevertheless, we all have a life to live, and today, you have a puzzle to solve. We all have a choice of which piece to put where. If it doesn’t work, we can try something else. But unlike solving the puzzle, sometimes the choices we make in our lives can have serious consequences. We want to make our choices wisely.
Like solving the puzzle, living our lives in a way that is pleasing to God requires us to persevere, to endure, to keep trying.
Sometimes people get frustrated with puzzles and they just give up. They don’t care if they get the puzzle figured out or not. Sometimes people get frustrated with life. They don’t want to put out the effort to solve the puzzle. They don’t care if they follow God’s laws; they’re going to live any way they want to.
If you don’t solve a puzzle, it doesn’t really matter. But if you don’t live your life trusting and obeying God, it can have eternal consequences.
Life is often hard. The choices we have to make are sometimes difficult. It’s like putting a puzzle together where it’s just a solid color. There’s no picture to help you figure out what the puzzle is supposed to look like.
The blessing of Pentecost is that God has poured out His Holy Spirit on all believers. The Holy Spirit teaches us (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit helps us pray (Romans 8:26). The Holy Spirit strengthens us (Ephesians 3:16). The Holy Spirit helps us to solve the puzzle of how to live right.
It’s kind of like God giving us a puzzle to solve - and then He gives us the picture, a few hints of how to solve it, and encouragement to keep trying.
You’re here right now because your parents brought you. You might not have any idea why we celebrate Pentecost. But your parents will teach you. All of the people in this room are willing to encourage you. And this day, Pentecost, is about God giving the Holy Spirit to people so they will endure, never give up, but rather become the people we should be to live forever.
By your endurance you will gain your lives. Luke 21:19
Recognizing Jesus
Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. Luke 24:35
How do you eat oreos? Do you take the cookie apart? Do you eat the inside first? Do you eat it as a sandwich? Do you eat it in one bite - like my black labs like to do? How do you eat an oreo?
How does your mom eat an oreo? How does your little sister eat an oreo? I know one little cutie who has more oreo on her face when she’s finished than actually ends up in her tummy.
You may not have paid any attention to how your family eats oreos. So I’ll give you another question: when someone comes down the stairs, do you know who it is before you see them? I can usually tell which of my children is coming down the stairs just by the way they sound.
In the middle of the night, when the dogs come up to tell me they have to go outside, I know which one is there without even being able to see. I know how they sound. I know what they do.
So it’s hard to understand how it could be that the disciples, having met Jesus on the road to Emmaus after His crucifixion and resurrection, wouldn’t have recognized Him. After all, they’d followed Him. They’d walked down the road with Him. They’d heard Him teach. As the disciples walked down the road to Emmaus with Jesus, He explained scriptures to them that they’d never before understood. When they got to the village, they strongly urged Jesus to stay and eat with them. How many times had they eaten with Him? But it was when Jesus broke the bread and gave it to them that their eyes were opened so they could realize Who had been with them, walking on the road, explaining the scriptures to them.
Luke 24:16 says that they were kept from recognizing Him. And later, when they talked about what had happened, they knew the whole event was something out of the ordinary - even before they’d recognized who He was. They said, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32)
What made it possible for them to recognize Jesus?
What makes it possible for you to recognize who’s coming into the room before you see them? What makes it possible for you to know, beforehand, how a family member or friend will eat an oreo?
You know because you spend time with them. You have a relationship with them. You know them.
In the same way, the disciples knew Jesus. They’d spent time with Him. They had a relationship with Him. If their eyes hadn’t been closed, if they hadn’t been kept from recognizing Jesus, they probably would have recognized Him just as soon as He started teaching. They definitely knew Jesus as soon as He broke the bread.
There is a day coming, sometime soon probably, when Jesus will return. There will be no doubt about who He is, but will you know Him, really know Him? If you’re not sure, maybe you’d better spend some more time talking with Him in prayer. Maybe you’d better spend some more time reading His word. Maybe you’d better spend some more time with people who love Him, who talk about Him, and who encourage you to live like He wants you to live. Then, when He comes, you’ll be confident about your relationship with Him, even if you don’t know how he might eat an oreo.
**Clothed With Power
And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high. Luke 24:49
Materials: mini flashlights
How do these flashlights work? They have to have a power source - a source that is not part, exactly, of the flashlight. There’s a battery inside that flashlight which provides the energy, the power, to shine the light.
It’s an interesting analogy. You see, people think that they have power. They can do great things. There are contests and awards to celebrate great feats.
The reality is that the power people have is nothing compared with the power of our great God. God illustrates the vastness between man’s power and God’s power when he begins to ask Job questions, starting with, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” (Job 38:4) “Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?” (38:35) “Does the eagle soar at your command and build its nest on high?” (39:27)
Knowing that our great God is so incredibly powerful, what do you think the disciples thought when Jesus said, “And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” This was after Jesus’ death and resurrection. The disciples had just seen a phenomenal display of God’s power. Now Jesus was telling them that they would be clothed with power from on high.
Yesterday we talked about the Living Water (which John 7:39 says is the Holy Spirit). Water is what gives life to all things. Where there is no water, there is no life. But here’s another picture of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2:1-3, the disciples heard a mighty rushing wind. Then they saw what seemed to be tongues of fire which separated and came to rest upon each of them. Then they were filled with the Holy Spirit, which enabled them to speak in tongues. Being filled with the Holy Spirit, the disciples now had an ability that they had not had before. They had power from on high.
Pentecost is the memorial of that day, the empowerment of the Church, when 3000 people were baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:41).
The little flashlight is very much like what happens to believers. We live in this physical body. We can do some things. But to shine the light of Jesus Christ to people around us, to have the power to live lives which glorify God, we must have the Holy Spirit living in us - just like the flashlight can’t shine unless it has the battery inside it. We can’t buy this power of the Holy Spirit. We can’t earn this power. It only comes from having a close relationship with Jesus Christ.
The Day of Pentecost is a truly great Holy Day, one in which we celebrate the pouring out of God’s Holy Spirit, His power, on those who believe in Him.
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man. Luke 2:52
Materials needed: poster board (cut into jigsaw pieces - one side is lesson words - the other side is the memory verse. So as I ask the kids about the lesson, I can put the puzzle together, revealing the memory verse at the end. see photo)
We are using the CEM sabbath school materials. To download a copy, here’s the link: https://www.borntowin.net/yea/primaries/primaries-life-of-christ/
On that page, you’ll find a pdf link for the student book, the teacher book, and activities to extend the lesson (REACH).
We don’t have a lot of information about Jesus as a child, just a few pieces found in two chapters in the Bible (Matthew 2 and Luke 2). Matthew relates the visit of the wise men, Herod’s attempt to kill Jesus, Joseph and Mary fleeing to Egypt with Jesus until Herod’s death, and their subsequent return to Nazareth.
It’s interesting in that short chapter, there are three separate accounts of divine instruction: 1) the wise men were warned in a dream not to return to Herod; 2) Joseph was warned to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt to avoid Herod; and 3) Joseph was told to take Mary and Jesus back to Israel because Herod was dead.
And there are four separate prophecies that are fulfilled: 1) The wise men knew that Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem because of Micah 5:2; 2) Hosea 11:1 foretells, “Out of Egypt I called my son;” 3) The weeping because of all of the children killed by Herod was prophesied in Jeremiah 31:15; and 4) Because Joseph took Mary and Jesus to Nazareth in Galilee, Matthew states . . . ‘that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled: “He shall be called a Nazarene.” ’
Luke 2 relates Jesus’ birth and the visit by the shepherds, Jesus presented at the Temple as a newborn, living in Nazareth as a child, and visiting the Temple in Jerusalem when he was 12. It’s interesting that Luke also focuses on fulfillment of prophecy to two specific, godly individuals: The Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he would not die before he saw the Lord’s Christ. Anna was a prophetess who began speaking of Jesus to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. They saw Jesus when He was presented at the Temple as a newborn, in accordance with the Law of God.
Then, at the time of the Passover, when Jesus was 12 years old, He was also found in the Temple. After the Feast was over, His family was traveling home.They had gone a day’s journey before they missed Him, thinking that Jesus must have been with someone else in the party. His parents returned to Jerusalem and began looking for Him. They found Him in the Temple, three days later. Jesus was sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. All who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. He knew, even at 12, that God was His Father!
From these two chapters and the pieces of Jesus’ childhood comes the picture of a young person who was growing and learning just as His Father wanted Him to. Here’s Luke 2:52: And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
Jesus left us an example. What would the pieces of your childhood say about you? Do you love God? Love celebrating His sabbath and Holy Days? Honor your father and mother as you should? Do you know the Bible? Some of your pieces are still being written. What will they say?
Salvation
And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Luke 3:6
There are all sorts of summer jobs. Some high school or college students work at Six Flags. Some work in the bean fields or the corn fields. Some work in fast food restaurants. Some get to life guard at community pools. I spent one summer detasseling corn. That was probably the hardest physical job I ever had! I spent three summers cooking for a hay crew on a ranch in Western Nebraska. Two summers I worked in a chocolate factory. You could eat as much as you wanted, but the overpowering smell of chocolate rather curbed our desire to eat any of it! Three summers I taught swimming lessons in the morning and life guarded in the afternoon and evening. That was probably the most stressful job I ever had.
Most people think that lifeguards just sit on their chairs, blow their whistles at rowdy kids, and work on getting a great tan. Actually, lifeguards are there to do just what their name says: to guard lives. You see, many kids underestimate their swimming abilities. If they can’t swim well and they get into water over their head, they are in serious trouble right away. Water is not very forgiving. The first year I guarded, I dove in to save one kid. For ten weeks, that’s not too bad. The next year, I saved two kids. The third year, I went in for ten saves in ten weeks! I started dreaming that I was saving kids. It was very stressful because I knew just how quickly a kid could get into trouble.
But it’s not just kids who can quickly get into trouble. Trouble comes in many shapes and sizes, and we all, at different times in our lives, need to be rescued. Sometimes other people can help you get out of a bad situation. Sometimes money can solve your troubles. Sometimes it’s a pet that rescues its owner. But ultimately, God is the One who saves us. He sends the right person just at the right time to rescue us. He helps us earn money so we can pay our debts. He instills the desire in us to take home the pet that might one day save our life. He gives the doctor the wisdom to know how to treat a patient, but God is the One who heals that person. He gives the life guard the swimming skills, strength, and alertness to potential problems.
How often do you stop to thank God for all the times He’s rescued you out of trouble? Sometimes I wonder if God rescues us from trouble to remind us that we need a Savior to rescue us from sin. We can’t rely on other people, or money, or our good looks to save us from our sin. There is only One person who is able to save us - Jesus Christ.
So when Luke says, “And all flesh shall see the salvation of God” (Luke 3:6), what salvation is he talking about? He’s talking about Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is the One who saves us. Even His name, Jesus or Joshua, means salvation. So, think about this: Jesus can rescue us from trouble in this life - from problems and catastrophes. But even if He doesn’t, Jesus can save us from our sin. He’s the One who took our sin for us and makes it possible for us to have eternal life in God’s kingdom. Hebrews 7:25 puts it this way: Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. Jesus is our Savior. There is no other! In Him we have salvation.
Because Jesus is the Son of God, and God the Son, He is able to rescue us in this life from major and minor troubles, and He’s able to give eternal life because He saves us from our sin. There is no One like our God!!!
I saw a sign the other day that I really liked - maybe because I spent those three summer lifeguarding, and maybe just because it just sums up so well how great our God is. It said: My Lifeguard walks on water.
**Three Choices
It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone’(KJV). Luke 4:4
Materials needed: clay, fired clay pot, https://www.borntowin.net/yea/primaries/primaries-life-of-christ/ (YEAH activity - Tried in the Fire)
A few weeks ago, we played with some clay and talked about pushing and squeezing and stretching and, sometimes, smashing. It’s the whole idea of God forming us into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. But compare your clay creation to this candy dish. What’s the difference between the two - generally-speaking? A fired piece of clay pottery is hardened - that’s why you put it in the kiln - to give it strength so that it can be used. Otherwise, if you try to use a clay vessel that hasn’t been fired, it will not withstand the use, even if it’s been thoroughly dried.
Jesus went through a trial by fire (both in the temptation in the wilderness and again in the Garden of Gethsemane). He did not fail the test. He persevered; He obeyed His Father; He fulfilled the purposes God sent Him to fulfill. There are many verses which similarly talk about us being tried in the fire, God purifying His people, and the necessity of us persevering through all of it (1 Peter 1:7; 1 Cor. 3:13; Zech 13:9; Isaiah 48:10; Daniel 11:35; Daniel 3; Isaiah 43:2; 1 Peter 4:12). How comforting and encouraging to know that Jesus Christ, our Elder Brother, our Savior, the Captain of our Salvation, knows what it’s like to go through the fire!
You can’t avoid the fire. But you can keep your eyes on Jesus and follow His example: use the Bible as your foundation and defense against the wiles of the devil.
If you notice, Satan tempted Jesus three times. Knowing that Jesus was hungry, Satan challenged Jesus to turn stones into bread. Satan will do the same thing to you: he will try to get you to dishonor or disobey God because you think you need food, clothing or shelter immediately. God knows what you need. Trust Him.
Satan told Jesus that God would protect Him if He was in danger of getting hurt. Satan will do the same thing to you: he will try to make you doubt whether God loves you or will protect you because of the things that happen to you in this life. God can (and will) use everything that happens to you in this life to mold you into the image of His Son. If Jesus had to suffer in this life, we should expect to as well. Don’t let Satan plant seeds of doubt. Trust God.
Satan tried to get Jesus to worship Him to get a reward right then. Satan will try to do the same thing to you: he will try to entice you to disobey or dishonor God to take a short cut to getting a reward. But God knows that you need to be tried in the fire, hardened and strengthened, so that you will be a useful vessel (servant) for His glory. Resolve to do what is right - honoring and pleasing to God - always. God will reward you. Trust Him.
What was Jesus’ example for withstanding the schemes of the devil? Know what God says is pleasing to Him. Study your Bible. Go to church. Talk about God often. Pray. Trust God always.
Jubilee!
. . . to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. Luke 4:19
Happy New Year’s!!
Today is New Year’s Day. Most people think that New Year’s comes in January, but not according to God’s calendar. God created the year to start during the spring - when everything is getting green, new buds are popping out on the trees, and everything is new. What a beautiful time for the new year to begin!!
God also designed in His calendar a very special year: the year of Jubilee. Once every fifty years, on the year of jubilee, slaves were released, debts were forgiven, and everyone returned to the land that was their inheritance given to them by God. Think about that!! If you had made some really bad decisions and had gotten yourself into debt, those debts were wiped clean. If you’d made some really, really bad decisions and had to sell your family’s inheritance to pay those debts, the debts were wiped clean and you got the land back! If you’d really, really, really made some bad decisions, so bad that you had to sell yourself into slavery - to work for someone else to pay off a debt - in that fiftieth year, not only would your debt be forgiven, you were also set free! The Year of Jubilee was a time to proclaim liberty throughout the land! It was a wonderful year. It was a time for great celebration! Everyone was free from debt to other people!
God designed the Year of Jubilee, and the idea of freedom from debt, to demonstrate to His people that they were also in debt to Him. Once they sinned, they had a debt that could only be paid in blood.
Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Hebrews 9:22
Once they sinned, they were sold as slaves to sin.
Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, geveryone who practices sin is a slave to sin. John 8:34
and
For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. Romans 7:14
But Isaiah prophesied about a time when the Messiah would come, when things would be set right again:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.
This is what Jesus found in the scroll on that Sabbath in the synagogue in Nazareth. He read this out loud to the people, and then sat down and began to teach them. We don’t know what all He said, but he started by saying, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:22)
In a powerful say, Jesus began His ministry by telling the people in His hometown that He was the Messiah, that good news would be proclaimed to the poor, that the blind would be healed, that the oppressed would be liberated. Think about Jesus’ ministry. He healed blind people. He set people free from demon possession and long-term illnesses. He proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of heaven. He also forgave people of their sins. He even brought back to life those that had died. Jesus lived His life on this earth, giving people a taste of what it means to be free from their sin debt.
And then, Jesus died on the cross so that the sin debt of all who would believe on Him might be canceled.
But what Jesus did, in dying for your sin and for my sin, was even greater than that! He restored to us the inheritance that we lost - the inheritance that Adam sold way back in the Garden of Eden when he sinned. Jesus gives us back our inheritace as children of God, with the assurance of eternal life in His kingdom.
What Jesus did is so huge, it’s hard to comprehend all the ramifications! So God, in His mercy, gives us pictures to help us understand. One of those pictures was the Year of Jubilee - called the year of the Lord’s favor. Remember: it was a year when all debts were forgiven, when the inheritance was given back, when slaves were set free.
But Christians don’t have to wait for that fiftieth year for their sin debts to be forgiven and to be given the promise of their inheritance. They know that Jesus is the Jubilee! He is the One who has set us free and the Holy Spirit inside us testifies that we are the children of God. We’ve been adopted into His family! When you respond to God’s call and confess that Jesus is Lord of your life, you get to experience Jesus as your Jubilee. You get to experience being set free from sin and death.
I can just imagine the joy people must have felt when the high priest would proclaim the Jubilee, the year of the Lord’s favor. Jesus is our Jubilee, and because of what He did, we get to experience the Lord’s favor.
It’s New Year’s today. You’ve got two weeks before Passover will be here, two weeks to think about the liberty that Jesus gave to each of us when He died. As we celebrate the Passover, we proclaim the Lord’s death ‘til He comes. But He proclaims the year of the Lord’s favor.
**Dinner With Sinners
I have come to get sinners to turn away from their sins. Luke 5:32 (NIrV)
Materials: shallow dish, cookie cutter, glitter, baking soda, vinegar, eye dropper, paper towels
Resources: https://team-cartwright.com/fireworks-experiment/; https://www.borntowin.net/yea/primaries/primaries-life-of-christ/ (Book Two, Lesson 9)
We are going to celebrate Independence Day this week. I love to watch the fireworks. There’s something very satisfying about hearing the boom and whistle and then seeing the cascading colorful lights against the night sky. Even though July 4th is fun and we’re celebrating our independence from the tyrrany of Great Britian, there’s an even more important freedom to celebrate - the freedom from sin.
How do we get freedom from sin? It’s because of Jesus. Remember the verse in Luke 5:32? Jesus came to get sinners to turn away from their sins. Believing in Jesus, accepting that Jesus is your Savior, repenting of the sins you have committed, and resolving not to continue sinning - it’s all part of the freedom process which leads to eternal life in God’s kingdom. It’s what Jesus came to do. It’s why he ate with tax collectors and people the Pharisees thought were unworthy for anyone important to notice!
So what does this have to do with you? There’s an interesting verse in Daniel 12:3:
Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.
In other words, God expects you to share the good news about Jesus. Sometimes that means telling people what you believe when they ask. Sometimes it means living in such a way that people will want to ask what you believe.
Here’s what it looks like. There’s a cookie cutter in the dish. I sprinkle in some glitter. The glitter represents you shining like the stars forever and ever. Then I sprinkle some baking soda over the glitter - that’s when you aren’t an ambassador for Jesus Christ, when you don’t share Him with the people around you. Then I drop some vinegar over the powder. That’s you deciding to do what Christians are supposed to do - share Jesus with others. When God uses you to reach someone, to call them away from their sin, then you have the opportunity to shine like the stars forever and ever. That’s better than fireworks!
The Golden Rule
and as you wish others would do to you, do so to them. Luke 6:31
What does this mean? Does it mean that if you like roses on your birthday, you should give everyone else roses on their birthday? If you like to be taken to Italian restaurants on special occasions, should you take your friends to Italian restaurants on special occasions? If you like to play video games, should you insist that your friends play video games when they come over to visit? If you love chocolate, should you give everyone else chocolate?
When you look at it that way, it doesn’t make sense. We all like different things. I might appreciate a homegrown ripe cantaloup, but I know a lady who thought it was disgustingly smelly. A good friend eats a piece of dark chocolate every day (at least once), but other people don’t like the bitter taste and would prefer not to ever have to eat dark chocolate. Someone else likes really hot stuff, but really hot stuff makes me sick.
So, many people take the Golden Rule to mean that whatever you want others to do to you, you should do them. But that’s not what it says. There are two little words that make all the difference: as and so. As you wish others would do to you, do so to them. In other words, if you want to be treated in a certain way, that’s the way you should treat others.
We get this. We have sayings which reflect this verse.
If you want a friend, be a friend.
What goes around, comes around.
What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
If you are rude and obnoxious to people around you, they are likely to respond in kind. If you talk disrespectfully to them, they are likely to respond the same way. If you yell at someone, they will probably yell back. If you are gentle and soft-spoken, people are likely to respond to you that way.
It truly is the law of the harvest: whatever you sow, that shall you reap. If you sow peace, you reap peace. If you sow lies and deceit, you’ll get lies and deceit. If you sow discord, fighting, and chaos, that’s exactly what you’ll get back - and likely much more than you could ever imagine.
There’s a direct correlation to getting back what you sow. Most of the time, how you act towards others is how they will act towards you.
O.K. So let’s say that you have a friend. You call them on the phone every once in a while, but you only talk about your day and what’s gone wrong. And, usually you only call when you’re upset and in trouble and you want them to help. You never call just to talk to them and hear what they have to say. You don’t express your appreciation that they are your friend. Would that friend consider you a good friend, a close friend? Are you kidding?
Unfortunately, some people think they can treat God this way and still think they have a good relationship with the Lord. They only pray when they’re upset or in trouble. They want God to rescue them from their problems. Their prayers are a grocery list of what they want God to do but there’s no expression of appreciation for how great He is and how worthy of praise.
And as you wish others would do to you, do so to them.
If you want your friend to listen to you, you have to listen to him. But we all know it doesn’t always work that way. You can treat people nicely, and they still are mean to you. You can be polite, and they still yell. You can be quiet, and they are still rude. You can listen all day long, and your friend doesn’t even pause to listen to you. So here’s the hard part: you continue to listen to your friend, even if your friend doesn’t do a good job of listening to you.
If you want your older brother to treat you nicely, you treat him nicely - even if he continues to tease you. You do the right thing no matter what he does. If you do the right thing and he responds badly, you continue to do the right thing. Do you know why? Because you serve God - and God says to do good - even to those who are not treating you well. Why? Because then you will be like your Father in heaven, who is kind to the unmerciful and the evil (Luke 6:27-36).
And as you wish others would do to you, do so to them.
This is not about forcing others to treat you well. This is about honoring God with your life, in all of your choices, big or small. You know how you want to be treated. That’s how you treat other people - no matter what they do. It’s not an if-then proposition. If they are nice to me, then I’ll be nice to them. God simply says, “And as you wish others would do to you, do so to them.” If you want to be treated respectfully, nicely, fairly, honestly, then that’s how you treat others - not to necessarily get anything back, but because God says to.
It’s a much different idea than most people have about the Golden Rule, isn’t it?!
Mercy
Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:36
What is mercy? When you have the power and authority to punish someone because of their bad behavior, and you choose to show forgiveness and compassion instead - that’s mercy.
So when you’ve been bad, when you’ve done something that you know will get you into trouble with your parents, you expect to be punished. You could be grounded. You could lose privileges. You could be spanked. But you know that you’ve done the wrong thing. You know that you made a bad choice. Now you’re going to have to suffer the consequences. It’s a natural progression: if you’re bad, then you’ll be punished. But sometimes, just sometimes, your parents don’t punish you. They forgive you without you suffering the consequence of your bad behavior. Parents have to make a wise choice - because they love you - what will be better for you? Is it better that you suffer for your bad choice so that you won’t do it again? Or do they think you’ve learned your lesson and don’t need the consequence?
Regardless, the definition of mercy means that justice - the administration of consequences and punishment - is the expected, usual, normal result of transgressing the laws of your parents! Mercy is the exception, not the rule! Still, God has quite a bit to say about mercy - and how prevalent it should be in our lives.
Micah 6:8 - . . . what does the Lord require of you but to act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
God expects you to do what is right, but He also wants you to love mercy - to look for the oportunities to be merciful to other people.
Why do you think mercy would be so important to God? Part of the answer is the law of the harvest: whatever you sow, that’s what you reap. If you are merciful to others, you will receive mercy.
Matthew 5:7 - Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
And we have to work at showing mercy to others. If it’s in our power to punish someone because of their bad behavior, many times that’s what we want to do. They did the crime, we’re more than willing that they do the time.
But twice in Matthew (9:13 and 12:7) Jesus told the religious leaders that they didn’t know and needed to learn what this meant: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. It’s a quote from Hosea 6:6
For I desire steadfast love (mercy) and not sacrifice,
the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
You can make a sacrifice, offer something to God, and think that you’re a good person because you’ve given something to God. But then you go out and you’re nasty to your older brother or to your neighbor or to the dog. God can see what’s really in your heart by how you treat other people. It’s one thing to go through the motions of a relationship with God, but when you demonstrate that you have the love of God within you because of how you act towards others, that’s evidence of God in your life.
But why is mercy so important to God? This is the same God who caused the ground to open up and swallow Korah, Dothan, and Abiram and to consume 250 elders in Israel with fire because of their rebellion (Numbers 16). We often think of the wrath and judgment of God against all unrighteousness. But Jeremiah says
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end. Lamentations 3:22
God, in describing Himself says,
The LORD, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness . . . (Exodus 34:6)
The first attribute God applies to Himself, in this verse, is merciful.
We know God is merciful. He has not given us what we all deserve - which is death! In fact, He made a way that we would be forgiven, through the death and resurrection of His Son. Jesus died a horrible death so that we might be forgiven for what we did. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we are adopted into the family of God and given the hope of eternal life! No, God did not give us what we deserved; He gave us mercy.
So Jesus says, “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”
We just celebrated and commemorated what God the Father and Jesus Christ did for us in their mercy towards us. Now we get to demonstrate that we understand just how great that mercy is - by being merciful to those around us. We are acting like our Father as well as our Older Brother and Savior - who are merciful.
But then, that’s what these seven days picture - taking into ourselves Jesus Christ, learning to live as He would have us to live. That’s the symbolism of eating the unleavened bread every day. It’s not enough to avoid leavening - to avoid sin; that’s like the sacrifice God was talking about in Hosea 6:6. We are commanded to eat the unleavened bread - which represents living without sin, living as Christ lived, which means being merciful to those around us. As you sacrifice your leavened bread this week - you don’t get to eat pizza or cheese and gherkin sandwiches or pancakes, as you instead eat the unleavened bread, remember that it is supposed to be teaching you to live God’s way. It’s supposed to be teaching you to be merciful.
**Giving and Forgiving
. . . for with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38
When Jennifer was very little, I was working on her obedience. I gave her two M-n-Ms and told her to give them to Jonathan. She really wanted to just eat them, and I had to scold her to get her to obey me. She gave the candy to him. Jonathan took them and said, “Thank you,” and then he gave one back to her. Sometimes when you give to someone else, there’s a reward.
. . . for with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38
If you are giving and generous, people will tend to be generous with you.
If you smile at someone in church, you will likely get a smile right back.
If you want a friend, you have to be friendly.
. . . for with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38
Out in the sandhills where my grandparents’ ranch is, the neighbors all help each other with cattle work. It’s hard to brand all of your calves by yourself. And no one wants to hire help to brand; it’s hard enough to make all of the ends meet. But if everyone helps, the job can be done quickly and then you can enjoy the rest of the day with your neighbors. So the ranchers take turns having brandings. One day it’s over here. Two days later, it’s over at another ranch. Everyone knows who works really hard at all the brandings. And everyone knows who kind of slacks off and let’s everyone else work hard. Think about it: If someone works really hard at your branding, you’re a lot more likely to be willing to jump in and work hard at his.
. . . for with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38
But it gets really tricky if you’re focused on what you get back. If you give just so you’ll get something back, you’re likely to be disappointed.
What if Jonathan hadn’t given an M-n-M back to Jennifer? He didn’t have to. It was his right to eat both of them, if he’d wanted to.
What if you are generous to someone, and they never give you anything in return? Are you then angry at them because you helped them so much and they didn’t give back? Were you only giving because you wanted to get gifts in return?
What happens if you smile at someone at church because you want a smile back - and the person you smile at is having a bad day? Are you then sorry you smiled at them? Are you just smiling for what you can get out of it? Or are you smiling because you genuinely like them?
If I give you a sticker or a sea shell, what’s my motivation? Am I giving them to you because I expect you to bring me a gift next week? Or am I giving them to you because I want to see you happy, because I like you?
God is very pleased when we are generous with our time and the things that we have, when we give because of our gratefulness to Him for the abundance that He’s given us. And the truth is, if we give because we sincerely like people, because we sincerely want to see them happy, because we are sincerely grateful for what God has done, God has a way of blessing us in return in ways that we could never have imagined!
Imagine a group of kids going to help at a local food pantry. They work hard packing bags and carrying groceries for people. Then, when the day is all done, the people in charge at the food pantry are so grateful for the help that they send home bags of potatoes. The kids didn’t help because they were expecting a reward, and potatoes may be, well, small potatoes, but it’s a reward that they wouldn’t have gotten if they had not given of their time and effort.
. . . for with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38
This becomes really important when we start talking about forgiveness. Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
. . . for with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38
If you easily forgive, truly from your heart, then God likewise will forgive you when you ask. But if you forgive, but are still mad and wish you could get even, then that’s not really forgiving someone. And God likewise doesn’t forgive us. That’s a scary thought! We all want God to forgive us!! Do you see how very important it is to forgive others, not to hold a grudge against them?
I hope each one of you learns to be very giving and forgiving - and that you will be greatly blessed by the measure you have given to others!
Following Christ
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23
Have you ever seen a mama duck and a line of ducklings trailing behind her? Why do they do that? Or perhaps you’ve seen a dad with his son, doing what he’s doing, acting like he’s acting? Why do they do that?
My family laughs because Pepper, and sometimes Velvet, follow me. If Ron finds the dogs upstairs, he knows there’s a pretty good chance I’m up there too. One day, they were laughing about Pepper following me, so I got up and started walking around the living room. Pepper started following me as I wove my way around chairs and the coffee table. But the really funny thing was when Velvet fell in line! Why do they do that?
My mom sometimes takes her chickens for a walk. She’ll let them out of the chicken coop and call to them. Dad says they follow her all over the backyard. Why do they do that? Well, the chickens follow Mom because she points out grasshoppers to eat. And I suspect that’s why Pepper and Velvet follow me, although the dogs likely follow me for other reasons too: I might be doing something interesting or I might give them some attention.
But the ducklings following Mama and the little boy following his father are after more than just food or entertainment. The parent is instructing the little one in how to live. Finding food and entertainment might be part of it, but following mama or daddy also involves life lessons along the way. Mama duck is teaching the little ones how to grow up to be a duck. Daddy is teaching his son how to grow up to be a man.
It’s called mentoring or discipleship. Discipleship is a relationship, usually with someone you hopefully like, or at least, respect. In that discipleship relationship, you learn to be like that person, to learn how to do what that person can do. You learn more than just the skill they know (like carpentry or plumbing or farming), you learn how to think about various situations, how to react to circumstances, and how to interact with others. As you follow that person, you become very much like that person - not just in behavior, but in thoughts and words too, because you spend so much time with them.
So why did people follow Jesus? After He fed the 5000, some of them might have followed Jesus because they wanted more food. In fact, Jesus said that to them! (John 6:26) Maybe though, some followed him because he was doing or saying something interesting. They liked the entertainment. Others may have followed him because of what he could do for them, healing them or casting out demons. How many of them really wanted to learn how to truly live as a child of God, as only the Son of God could mentor them to do?
So it’s very curious in our own lives today: we see a lot of people around us who say they are following Jesus. Why are they doing that? Some are looking for what He can do for them. They talk a lot about how God provided in certain situations. Some are looking for the entertainment value. That is, church is just the social club they belong do; they attend meetings once a week to see what everyone else is wearing, what Bible study they’re doing, what trials they’ve endured this week. Then there are those who truly follow Jesus because they want to be like Him.
Sometimes when the mama duck leads her little ones, most of them on right on her tail. But sometimes there’s one straggler who keeps getting distracted. He catches up, gets a scolding from mama, but over and over he’s the one who falls behind, goes off on his own, and basically does his own thing. He’s following mama duck in a sense, but he’s not learning how to act like a duck from her. He’s doing his own thing. He’s not learning where to find food. He’s not learning how to interact with other ducks. He’s not learning how to anticipate danger. He’s following mama’s trail, but he’s not very close to her.
People are sometimes like these baby ducks in how they follow Jesus. There are those read their Bible selection for the day, do Bible studies, and do the things that look “Christian.” But they are like that last little duck: they’re just trailing Jesus, imitating in some ways what Jesus would do, but they don’t have the relationship with Him that they should. They’re not walking their way down the road of life in company with the Lord. There’s a big difference between trailing Jesus and walking with Jesus. When you live your life seeking God, in a covenant relationship with Jesus, you become more and more like Him because you’re with Him. You’re being changed from the inside out. You’re not just acting like a Christian, you are a Christian. Your thoughts and your words and your deeds all flow naturally, and Christlike, from you because of the relationship you have with God.
It’s a very good thing to think about: Are you really following Jesus? Or are you just trailing behind?
Participation, Not Imitation
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23
When we were small, Mom would put us kids down for a nap after lunch. Then she would sit in her rocking chair, with her feet up, and read. It was her habit and we three were very used to seeing Mom that way. One day, Mom walked into the living room. Tricia had pulled her rocking chair over next to Mom’s. Tricia was sitting with her feet propped up, reading. I remember that Mom got out the camera to take a picture because it really was cute. But there was one problem with Tricia’s imitation of Mom’s habit: her book was upside down. She wasn’t really reading; she was just imitating.
Yesterday we talked about trailing Jesus vs. following Jesus. That is, people can make choices they think make them look like a Christian, or they can make choices because they are truly in a relationship with the One who can guide them into making good choices. In other words, you can act like you think a Christian should act. Or you can act like God thinks a Christian should act. You can decide for yourself what Christian behavior looks like. Or you can follow God’s definition of what Christian behavior looks like. The difference between trailing Jesus and following Jesus all comes down to relationship. Do you have a close relationship with Jesus?
Do you know what a relationship is? It is the interaction you have with another person. A distant relationship is one where there’s not much communication, you don’t have much in common, and you don’t care too much about the opinion of the other person. A close relationship depends upon lots of communication, common interests and goals, and valuing the other person’s thoughts and opinions. So if you really like talking about baseball and you have a friend who can’t stand baseball, you might find your relationship becoming more distant. If you find a person who loves watching hummingbirds, you might find yourself talking with that person more and more; as you spend more time with them, you find other things in common. Eventually, they are the person you talk with the most, you share your thoughts and goals with, and they become more and more important to you. When that happens, you have a close relationship with them.
A relationship with God works much the same way. God, because He is our Creator, our King, our Redeemer, He has the right and the authority to decide the terms of the relationship. In order for us to have a relationship with Him, there are certain requirements that have to be met. First, we have to be willing to follow His ways. God’s ways are beautiful and right. He’s not going to go any other way. So if we want a relationship with God, we have to do things His way. Secondly, if we want a relationship with God, we have to communicate with Him. That means reading the Bible and praying to Him daily. Thirdly, if we want a relationship with God, we have to value what He says and what’s important to Him. In any relationship, the more I do what pleases the other person, the more I communicate with them, and the more I value them and their ideas, the closer my relationship will be with them.
That’s the point of Luke 9:23: And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. If we’re going to follow Him, to come after Him, to truly be a Christian, we have to be wiling to have a relationship with God on His terms. We give up what we want, because what the carnal nature wants is not good for us and it’s the opposite of what God wants (Romans 8:7). Secondly, Jesus says that we have to take up our cross daily. That means we have to do violence to those things which are against God’s way. We have to be willing to put to death the carnal nature. We have to be willing to render ineffectual the pull of our flesh. That is, we have to learn to bring every thought into submission to Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). He’s our Savior and the Captain of our Salvation. He’s our Sovereign and our King. He’s the Creator and Sustainer of all things. If we want to truly be a Christian, we have to give up everything we are and follow Him without reservation.
If you don’t seek a close relationship with God, then you’ll find yourself trailing along behind Jesus - having a form of godliness, but denying its power (2 Timothy 3:5). You might look like a Christian to other people, but you aren’t one in your heart. You may do many great things and say, “Lord, Lord,” but if you don’t have a relationship with Him, He’s going to say, “Depart from me, you workers of iniquity. I never knew you.” (Matthew 7:23). If God is not your God in everything, then you haven’t really submitted your life to Him. You are either all in or all out. You are either a Christian all the time, a follower of the Messiah. Or you’re not. You are either in a relationship with Jesus, allowing Him to participate in your daily decisions, or you aren’t. It’s not enough to just imitate Jesus. You have to participate with Him in living out your life.
Otherwise, when it all comes down to the end, you might find yourself sitting in a chair, reading your book upside down.
**Who Is My Neighbor?
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul (NIrV). Luke 10:27
Materials needed: lesson #10 from Primaries book (https://www.borntowin.net/yea/primaries/primaries-life-of-christ/); band-aid with memory verse on it.
Do you know what Jesus said is the greatest commandment? To love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. The second greatest commandment is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.
So then, the question is “Who is my neighbor?” Is it just the person who lives next door to me? Is that the one I’m supposed to love like myself?
When Jesus was asked this question, He told the story that we call the Parable of the Good Samaritan. There was a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by thieves. They robbed him, beat him, and left him bruised and bleeding on the side of the road. Pretty soon a priest came down the road, saw the man, and crossed to the other side of the road to walk by him. A Levite did the same thing. But when a Samaritan, a person who was despised by the Jewish people, saw the man, he stopped to help. He cleaned up his wounds and took him to an inn where he paid for the man’s care. This Samaritan - a person that the Jews wouldn’t have wanted to associate with - this person was a true neighbor to the man. He treated the man the way he would have wanted to be treated, if he’d been the one robbed, beaten, and left for dead.
So what about you? When you come across someone who needs help, do you help them? It’s important to use wisdom when helping others; don’t put yourself in a position where you could be harmed. But you can start practicing being helpful today. You can hold the door for people who are carrying things. You can help straighten chairs. You can help put things away after church. There are many ways that you can help people in need.
You never know when you give someone a drink of water that God won’t consider that you have done it for Him. It’s important that we all get into the habit of making someone’s day a little brighter, helping where we can, and learning to love our neighbors as ourselves.
The Blessing of God’s Law
But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear God’s word and keep it!” Luke 11:28
Jesus made this statement in response a woman in the crowd saying, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” In other words, she was saying, “Blessed is your mom.” Have you ever heard that? “Your mom is so blessed because you are her child. You must make your mom so happy.” And truly, the relationship between a mother and her child is very special. In most cases, it’s very close. The bond between a parent and a child is unmatched by any other relationship, except perhaps marriage. And that’s the way God designed it. We see it in nature. We see it in our own families. This parent-child bond is very special.
So it’s very striking that Jesus would respond to this woman’s blessing upon Jesus’ mother by saying, “Blessed rather are those who hear God’s word and keep it.” Think about Jesus’ response when the crowd was close around Him and His mother and brothers couldn’t get to Him. Someone told Him that His mother and brothers wanted to see Him. Do you remember Jesus’ response? But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” (Luke 8:21)
That’s how important God’s law is to God! That’s how important it is that we hear and obey God’s law!
To help us understand how important it is to hear and obey His law, God gives us parents. Parents give us rules to obey - for our own good. If we break those rules, there are consequences. If you eat the cookies you were told to stay out of, you might get spanked. If you break your sister’s toy, maybe you won’t be allowed to watch tv that evening and you will have to buy her a new toy. If you come into the house with mud on your shoes, you have to clean it up and you have to sweep the living room every day for a week. We understand that when we break our parents’ rules, there are consequences. But somewhere along the line in our maturing process, we realize that it’s not being grounded, or having extra chores assigned to us, or even being spanked - those consequences aren’t the big deterrent anymore. We have grown up enough to realize that when we break Mom and Dad’s rules, we impair our relationship with them. We’ve damaged it. If we tell a lie (and get caught), they may impose a consequence like being grounded. But once we’ve been caught in a lie, they now know that we will lie and they can’t trust us anymore - not completely. Our behavior, our lie, our sin has impaired that relationship. And when we don’t want to impair that relationship, then we no longer have any desire to break the rules. But even more than that, we start thinking in these terms: I don’t want to do anything that might disappoint Mom and Dad. Suddenly, that relationship is so important to you that you view everything from your parents’ perspective. You don’t have to call and see if they’ll give you permission to do something; you don’t call because you know they wouldn’t approve, so you naturally wouldn’t consider doing such a thing.
It’s the same way with God. God gives us His laws for our good. If we break His laws, there are consequences. And sometimes, we, as children of God, fail to see the most serious consequence of our sin - the damage we do to our relationship with God.
If asked what sin is, many people could quote 1 John 3:4: Sin is the transgression of the law. We know that it’s missing the mark, being off target, missing the way, missing the true goal in life. We could define sin this way. We might even say that sin is falling short of God’s standard. That’s also true. But the most important part of the definition of sin is that it is the serious breakdown in our relationship with God. Somehow we don’t think of that part of the definition of sin. We think about natural consequences, but we don’t think about being so close to God that we don’t want to disappoint Him. We don’t think of God’s law this way: I value my relationship with God more than my desire to go my own way. Somehow there’s still an immature child within us thinking that if we sin, God’s going to hit us with a lightning bolt or a 2x4. But that’s not the biggest consequence to our sin. The health of our relationship with God should be the first consideration always when we’re choosing our path. When we see that our choice will cause us to miss the mark, our first thought should be not wanting to disappoint God, not what sort of consequence there might be.
It all comes down to this: If we love our parents, we do those things which please them, including hearing their rules and obeying them. It’s the same thing with God: If we love God, if we truly value our relationship with Him, we will hear and keep His laws. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments . . . . If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:15, 23, ESV).
This is the blessing of God’s law.
Watch out for Covetousness
And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:15
If you had to pick one word that would sum up what many of these devotionals focus on, what would you say? You might say “relationship” or “Savior.” And you would be right. But the word that came to my mind when I read this memory verse was “seek.” Go back and look. Do you see “seek” anywhere in Luke 12:15. Why would “seek” be the word that comes to my mind?
It has to do with the word “covetousness.” The lexicon defined it as “wanting more; forsaking God, thinking to fill oneself with lower objects of nature.”
Did you get that? Covetousness, wanting more than you have, is equated with rejecting God and His sovereignty. Why? It means that you don’t think that God is giving you enough. You don’t think that God cares enough about you to give you what you need, to say nothing of what you want. So you decide that you know more than God. You will supply your own need from the things around you. It’s short-sighted. It’s self-serving. It’s gratification of the flesh and elevation of self over God.
When you don’t covet, you are, in effect, saying that God will supply all your needs. He is Sovereign and has your best interest at heart. He loves you and only wants what is best for you because His vision is you living in His kingdom with Him forever.
I would submit to you that anytime your wanter is getting out of balance, when you feel that discontent of covetousness start to rear its ugly head, seek God. Seek His character. Remind yourself of how awesome and good God is. Recite the wonderful things He’s already done for you in your life. Submit to His will in your life, acknowledging that He knows the end of the story and what it will take to get you there. Seek first the kingdom of God, and nothing else will really matter because you know that God will give you what you need.
Watch out for covetousness; seek God!
**Growing Greedy
“Life is not made up of how much a person has” (NIrV). - Luke 12:15
Materials: Miscellaneous collection of stuff (rocks, marbles, stickers); https://www.borntowin.net/yea/primaries/primaries-life-of-christ/ (Book Three, Lesson 4)
If someone asked if you had enough toys, what would you say? What about clothes? Books? Time? Money? Marbles? The famous oil tycoon and billionaire John D. Rockefeller when asked how much money would be enough, reportedly answered, “Just one more dollar.” He wanted just a little more than what he had. So . . . what was he willing to do to get just one more dollar? What are you willing to do to get just a little more of what you want?
It all depends on what it is, doesn’t it. If you are trying to grow a garden and it’s been a very dry summer, you might be very thankful for a couple of inches of rain. But when is it more than enough and you wish it would stop raining?! If you really like ice cream, and you really wish your mom would let you have as much as you wanted, how much would you have? Would you take so much that you made yourself sick? What about marbles or rocks or toys? Could you ever get so many that you said, “I don’t want any more”?
What about money? How do you feel about how much you have? Are you like John D. Rockefeller? Do you want just one more dollar?
What do you do with your stuff? Do you share it with others . . . or do you keep it for yourself? Do you pat yourself on the back for being so smart and strong that you were able to get it all, or do you remember to thank God for providing it for you?
There’s a story in the Bible - the one your lesson is based on today - about a man who had so much produce that he decided to tear down his barns and build bigger ones. God was not pleased! The man had so much already! He didn’t really need more. He had enough. But instead of sharing it with a needy person or giving a thank offering to God, he decided he’d build bigger barns to keep it all for himself. God decreed that he would die that night. All of his stuff didn’t save him. It wasn’t really what was important.
We all like stuff - marbles and doughnuts and money and toys. But we have to remember a couple of things:
- It all comes from God;
- We didn’t get our stuff through our own efforts; we’re merely stewards of what God gives us;
- We need to learn to be content with enough;
- We have to remember to thank God for what He’s blessed us with; and
- We can show our gratitude to God by sharing our blessings with others.
What you do with what God has blessed you with says a whole lot about how much you love God and are grateful you are to Him.
Treasure Hunt
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Luke 12:34
When I was a kid, I loved treasure hunts. I don’t remember any of the treasures we found, but I remember the process of figuring out the clues and searching for the next one. When I was older, I loved making treasure hunts for my fourth grade students. But I still think of the fun of the process more than the finding of the treasure itself.
So what is treasure? When I say the word treasure, I think of pirates’ treasure: a chest of gold and jewels. But treasure can be almost anything. It is simply something that holds great value to you. For instance, you might think that money is treasure. Many people do. It’s valuable. It can buy you lots of things.
What else is valuable? What else could be a treasure? It might be an antique lamp or pocket watch. It could be an expensive car. It could be a horse that has won lots of ribbons at horse shows. That horse becomes very valuable and is a treasure both because of its money-making abilities and its potential descendants.
Land can be a treasure. If you have a piece of property where there is water and good soil, relatively pleasant neighbors, and peace and quiet, then you have a treasure. It’s hard to find a place where you can be at home and be at rest.
But other people might say that treasure is the family photo album. It can have photos that could never be replaced. You’ll never be in that exact same place with those exact same people again. Puppies and children grow up. Grandparents get old and die. Accidents happen. A family photo album is precious because it contains so many memories of people that are special to you.
So a treasure can be many things to different people. But, basically, it is the thing that has great value to you. You would give up everything, or perhaps a lot, to have that one thing. But a treasure also tugs at your heart strings. You value this treasure so much that you want to be where that treasure is.
Some people value their job so much that it consumes their entire life. They are motivated not only by the money, but by the power and prestige they can get. Some people spend all their time working with dogs or horses or alpacas, to get them ready for shows so they can win ribbons. The prestige of having the best drives them and they spend incredible amounts of time pursuing that treasure.
The first year my two sons spent a couple of weeks with Grandma and Grandpa, I called at least once a day. It was obvious that I was spending a lot of time thinking about them because every time the phone rang, Grandpa knew it was going to be me - checking on the boys. That’s where my heart and my thoughts were those two weeks. Two of my treasures were far away from me.
So, let me ask you again, what is your treasure? What do you spend most of your time thinking about? What do you spend most of your time pursuing? Money, pleasure, friends, power, prestige, a healthy body? What is at the top of the list of your priorities, what you can’t quit thinking of every day?
I hope it’s God.
Yes, we need to work to get money to live in this world. Yes, we need to spend time with friends and family. Yes, we should take care of our bodies. There’s nothing wrong with hobbies which can bring you pleasure and even prestige. But, when it’s all said and done, where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. If we’re truly Christians, if we truly belong to God, then we should be spending a lot of our day thinking about God, talking with God in prayer, reading our Bible, talking about Him with others, and living our life in a way that pleases Him. God is our Provider, Sustainer, our Guide and Savior. He’s everything that we need and more. And if we treasure Him and a relationship with Him, it will be obvious because that’s where our heart will be.
I find it so interesting that what I loved about treasure hunts as a kid was the process. The treasure at the end wasn’t all that valuable. In a similar way, many people live their lives in such a way that the treasure at the end isn’t all that valuable. In a word, they aren’t seeking God. I believe that this life is preparation for God’s kingdom. I believe that this life is not the goal and shouldn’t be our focus. But God, in His mercy, has made this life pleasurable in many ways. He gives us bright colors to look at in nature. He gives us good food to eat and wonderful friends to spend time with. But our goal isn’t this life and accumulating things in in. Our goal is living this life in a way that pleases and honors God, looking forward to His kingdom and life with God eternally.
So, where is your heart? What do you treasure?
[The following is a lesson with a very visual object lesson/demonstration. You’ll need three clear glasses. One is half full of water - labeled “you;” one is half full of water with enough iodine to make the water stained - labeled “sin;” the third is half full of water with a good dose of chlorine in it - labeled “Jesus.”]
**Whiter Than Snow!!
Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:10
Why, do you suppose, are the angels of God so joyful over a sinner who repents?
Have you ever been really dirty - I mean the roll-in-the-mud, change-your-hair-color kind of dirty? There have been a few times - staining the house, working on tractors - when I wasn’t sure I was ever going to be clean again, to say nothing of my clothes.
That’s what sin does. It makes us unclean, in the Biblical sense. God says in Isaiah 1:18, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” Isaiah 64:6 says that even our righteous acts are like filthy rags. But sin does more than make us unclean, it separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2).
So, here’s how it works:
1. You were born a carnal human being, with carnal nature that is enmity against God (Romans 8:7). Because of the choice that Adam made in the Garden of Eden, all of humanity is born with a carnal, sinful nature (1 Cor. 15:21; Romans 5:12). [Pour some of the “sin” cup into the “you” cup, discoloring the “you” cup.]
2. There is nothing you can do to get the “sin” out of your cup; it’s thoroughly mixed with “you.” Similarly, there’s nothing you can do, by yourself, to get rid of your sin nature. You can’t clean yourself up enough to make you righteous in God’s eyes. But Jesus can cleanse you. We sing “Washed By the Blood of the Lamb” because of the verses in Revelation (7:14; 22:14) which talk about the saints washing their robes and making them white in the blood of the Lamb. Psalm 51:7 says, “Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.” [Pour “Jesus” cup into “you” cup.]
3. But, while “sin” makes you unclean, stained scarlet, “sin” has no effect on “Jesus.” God cannot sin. He never becomes unclean. God is never even tempted by evil (James 1:13). [Pour some of the “sin” cup into the “Jesus” cup.]
4. Even more than that, there is coming a time when Jesus will deal with sin forever. Because the wages of sin is death, and death will be swallowed up in victory (Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:54; Revelation 21:4-5), there will be no more sin. Jesus will conquer sin forever. [Pour “Jesus” cup into “sin” cup.]
When one sinner repents, there is joy before the angels of God. It’s not only one more person who will be in God’s kingdom, it’s also a harbinger of a time when sin is dealt with forever, for all of humanity. It will be a time of great joy and rejoicing because there is no more sin, no more death, no more crying or mourning. There will be peace and love and joy. The Sovereignty of our God and of His Christ will be manifest everywhere. Nowhere will it be more profound than those sin-stained garments which are washed whiter than snow.
[You can watch a youtube video of this demonstration at https://youtu.be/sc3-Vmnt9w0]
**Keep On Praying
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. Luke 18:1 (NIV)
Materials needed: enough candy for each child
How many times have we read this passage. The widow is persistent is going back to the unjust judge to get justice against her adversary. Eventually, he grants her request - not because it’s the right thing to do, but because he wants her to quit bothering him. Jesus tells his disciples that if a judge who cares for neither God nor man will grant justice, how much more will God answer those He loves! (paraphrased)
What does that look like? Well, suppose I tell one of the children to go ask my husband if they can have a piece of candy. He’s going to ask them if they have brushed their teeth this morning. If they say yes, he may say that he’s going to think about it and tell them to go away. I’ll tell the child to go back and ask again. This time Ron may ask if they ate breakfast. If they say yes, then Ron may say that he’s going to think about it and to go sit down. When they come back to me, I’ll ask them to go ask again. This time Ron may ask their parent if they can have a piece of candy. If the answer is yes, then he may give them a piece.
The point is that God doesn’t say yes or no just because He’s in a good mood or a bad mood. God loves us. He wants the very best for us. So, as Ron was asking about their teeth, their breakfast, their parent’s approval, it emphasizes that God answers our requests because He has a reason - a reason for our good.
I will ask the child to go back to Ron and tell Him thank you, if he didn’t already do so. I want to emphasize that when God answers our prayers, we must remember to say thank you!! It is from God that all blessings flow and Deuteronomy 28:47 comes to mind.
Next I’ll ask the child to go back to Ron one more time and ask Him if everyone else can have a piece of candy. The point is that our prayers shouldn’t be just about us and what we want. We diligently need to be praying for others as well.
We should always pray and not give up.
Impossible!!
But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” Luke 18:27
One of my most favorite scenes in The Princess Bride is when the rope is cut, but the man in black doesn’t fall down the Cliffs of Insanity.
Vizzini: HE DIDN'T FALL? INCONCEIVABLE.
Inigo Montoya: You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
Can’t you just see the non-believer’s reaction to God’s greatness in a similar way?!
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are thrown into the furnace, a furnace whose temperature is so high that the guards throwing them in are killed by the heat. Then, what does King Nebuchadnezzar see? There are four men walking around in the fire!! And when he calls for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to come out, not even their hair is so much as singed! Impossible!
How about when Jesus fed the 5000 with five loaves and two fish - and the disciples picked up twelves baskets of food that were left over after everyone had eaten their fill!! Impossible! That just doesn’t happen.
How about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead - after he had been dead for four days!? Decay would have already started to set in! Impossible!
Some people think that these Bible stories are just stories. There must be some other explanation for what happened.
So let’s talk about some other things that my God can do:
Psalm 147:4 and Isaiah 40:26 says that not only did God create all the stars, He can also count them all. Have you ever tried to count all the stars? Impossible - for you and me! But not for God, and He calls each of them by name.
Can you number every hair on your head? (Matthew 10:30; Luke 12:7) How would you keep track of which hair was what number? Impossible for you and me! But not for God.
Do you know whenever a sparrow falls to the ground? Are you kidding? How in the world would anyone ever be able to keep track of every single bird all the time? Impossible -for you and me. But not only does God know whenever a sparrow falls to the ground, they cannot fall unless it is His will (Matthew 10:29). He’s in control!
Can you walk on water (Matthew 14:22-33)? Jesus did. Can you restore the sight of a man born blind (John 9)? Can you speak the world into existence (Psalm 33:9; Hebrews 11:3)? The non-believer would say each of these is impossible. They are - for you and me. But our great God can, and did, do each!
I love the joke about the atheist scientists who tell God that they have figured out how to create life from dirt and they don’t need Him anymore. God tells them to get their own dirt. But the joke gets even better: even if scientists could get all of the elements and DNA strands in the right order, they still can’t put the spark of life into anything! And the reality is that we can’t create anything out of nothing. But God can . . . and did.
We cannot save ourselves. People have been looking for a way to live forever - outside of a relationship with God - and they’ve never been able to find the Holy Grail, the Fountain of Youth. But God can save to the uttermost those who come to Him (Hebrew 7:25) through the blood of Jesus Christ.
We can’t make ourselves clean. But God can (1 John 1:7). The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.
When you start to think about how great our God is, you find yourself echoing David’s words (Psalm 8:4), “What is man that you are mindful of him?” Our great God created us, redeemed us from our sin, provides for us, protects us, and loves us enough to adopt us into His family. And then He throws in delightful tastes and vivid colors and tantalizing smells and hysterical puppies just because He can.
At the end of the day, we find ourselves knowing with all of our heart that “impossible” doesn’t apply to God - either that or impossible just doesn’t mean what we think it means.
“What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
**Up a Tree
“The Son of Man came to look for the lost and save them” (NIrV). - Luke 19:10
Materials Needed: box with “treasures” (pencils, erasers, small blank books); https://www.borntowin.net/yea/primaries/primaries-life-of-christ/ (Book Three, Lesson 6)
Do you want to see what’s in my box? What might you have to do in order to do that?
There once was a tax collector named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and very wealthy. But like most of the people around him, he was very interested in Jesus. He had heard a lot about Jesus, what Jesus had been doing and what Jesus had been saying. So when Zacchaeus heard that Jesus was coming, he was curious. He wanted to see this person everyone was talking about. But Zacchaeus had a problem: he was short.
Have you ever had that problem? Have you ever wanted to see something but you were too short to see over the people around you? What did you do? What do you think Zacchaeus did? He climbed a tree - a sycamore-fig tree. (This is not like an American sycamore; it’s indigenous to Africa and the Middle East. It’s not even the same genus as the American sycamore.)
And you know what? He saw Jesus. But more than that, when Jesus got to the tree, he looked up and told Zacchaeus to come down, that he (Jesus) was going to his house. Zacchaeus was so excited! He promised, that if he’d ever mistreated anyone in collecting their taxes he would repay them four times over. And he would give to the poor. Jesus recognized his sincerity because He said salvation had come to Zacchaeus’ house that day!
Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus and put in some extra effort to do so. He was rewarded. It’s kind of like you all wanting to see what’s in my box. I require a little extra effort. Who knows the memory verse for today? That’s what’s required to look inside my box. But those who do say the memory verse are also rewarded with a “treasure” they can take home.
Now, you may not think that a pencil is a great “treasure,” and in the large scheme of things, it’s not. But when you use that pencil, I want you to remember that if you work really hard to see Jesus, you’ll get a much greater reward. Oh! How can you see Jesus? Read your Bible. Think about what you learn in Sabbath school, at church, and at home about God. Pray to Him. God has promised that if you seek Him, He will be found by you.
Right now, God is on a rescue mission - to rescue and save all who will come to Him. How hard are you looking for Jesus? The reward is much, much greater than just a pencil.
**A Royal Ride
Memory Verse: Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord . . . Luke 19:38 (NIV)
Materials Needed: paper crowns, fake jewels, markers, tape/stapler, YEA Lesson (YE2E.1 - borntowin.net/yea/primaries/)
Why would you have a crown on your head? If you were the monarch of a country, you would have a crown. The crown is a symbol of being the one in charge.
But the crown isn’t just a symbol of highest authority. Think about it. Most mayors, governors, and presidents don’t wear crowns because, although they are the highest authority in their position, they aren’t royalty. That is, they are not part of a royal family of monarchs.
O.K. So what does this have to do with being a Christian? Well, there’s an interesting verse in Revelation 4. This is the throne room of God Almighty. In verses 9 - 11, it says, And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
We have no verifiable idea of who these 24 elders are, but they throw their crowns before the throne of God, recognizing His authority and sovereignty and royalty always. And they give us a picture of what all people will do when Jesus returns: every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of the Father (Philippians 2:10-11). All people everywhere will acknowledge Jesus’ authority, sovereignty, and royalty.
When Jesus came into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey, the people lay palm branches before Him to recognize that He is King.
But here’s the thing: you can recognize Jesus’ authority and sovereignty and royalty today, now. It isn’t about throwing your crown before Him (Do you have a crown?); throwing your crown before Him is just a symbol of your willingness to submit your life to His will in every way. So here’s the question for you today: why would you submit to Jesus, aka do what He says to do? Do you obey because you’re being forced to? If that’s the case, then you haven’t really submitted to Him in your heart! Or are you doing it because you love Him? If you love Him, you will keep His commandments. (Exodus 20:3-6; Deuteronomy 5:8-10; John 14:15, 21; 1 John 5:2-3; 2 John 1:6) That’s how you show your love to Him; that’s how He wants you to show that you love Him. Metaphorically-speaking, that’s how you throw your crown at His feet.
The Stones Would Cry Out
He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” Luke 19:40
I’ve seen a lot of stones. I’ve never heard one of them make a noise. Oh, there’s a click when you strike two of them together. There’s a satisfying splash when one is thrown into the lake. There’s a terrifying rumbling thunder when hundreds roll together in an avalanche. But individually, I’ve never heard one make a noise. Not a chirp. Not a whistle. Not a word.
But Jesus said, as He was walking into Jerusalem before His crucifixion, death, and resurrection, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” That’s how important Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was! This is the entry of the King into the capital city. And that’s what Jesus’ disciples were saying: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!”
This whole event was a fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy (Zechariah 9:9):
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
It was another witness that Jesus was, and is, the Son of God, the Savior of the world, the soon coming King of kings and Lord of lords.
So the disciples of Jesus were spreading their cloaks on the road, signifying that Jesus is the King. And they were shouting, “Blessed is the King who comes in name of Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
Hmm. That’s very reminiscent of another time, another very special coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: when He was born. There were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night. An angel appeared to them to tell them of the birth of Jesus. “Fear not, for behold I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:8-14)
Did you notice the similarities between the announcements? The angels said “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.” The disciples, at Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem said, “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
So we have prophecies which tell us what each of these events will look like (the angel telling the shepherds the sign and Zechariah prophesying about the colt), and we have announcements of peace and glory to God!
There is another event, still in the future, when Jesus will come again. Like His birth and the events surrounding His death and resurrection, there are many prophecies about Jesus’ second coming. Zechariah 14:4 says, “On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives . . . and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two . . .” The angels told Jesus’ disciples in Acts 1:10-11 that “this Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Paul tells us in his first letter to Thessalonica, “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God” (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
This is going to be incredibly exciting! But nowhere does the Bible tell us what God’s people are going to be saying as Jesus returns as the conquering King. Or maybe it does. Revelation 19 is filled with exclamations of “Hallelujah!!” John records (19:6), “Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns!’ ” Then in vision, John sees heaven open and Jesus Christ sitting on a white horse, coming to conquer the world. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16).
There’s a popular Christian song, “I Can Only Imagine.” One of the verses goes,
I can only imagine what my eyes will see
when Your face is before me.
Will I stand in Your presence
or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing Hallelujah?
Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine.
If the first two recorded events are any indication, we will be shouting with joy - shouts of hallelujah, exclamations of glory to God, and affirmations of the coming of the Prince of Peace. I don’t think there’s any way we will be silent.
It will be such an incredible, fantastic event! This coming of Jesus Christ, this ushering in of the Creator of the Universe, the King of kings, it will ultimately bring such joy and peace. We almost certainly will be praising God will all of our being. And you know, even as we are praising God, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear the stones praising God too!
Endurance
By your endurance you will gain your lives. Luke 21:19
Winston Churchill gave a speech in October 1941. He said, “Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never-in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense.” Now, that may not seem like a big thing some people, but knowing that someone never gives up, someone continues to fight, matters a whole lot to his opponent. In Winston Churchill’s case, his opponent was Adolf Hitler. When Hitler heard that Great Britain had installed Churchill as prime minister, he is reported to have said, “Now we’re going to have to fight.” He had assessed the former prime minister of Great Britain and figured that Germany and the Third Reich could run right over the top of England.
Never, never, never give in.
How many stories there are of people who were so close to winning a game, so close to finding their way out of a forest, so close to finishing a degree - but they didn’t persevere. They gave up. They figured it wasn’t worth the fight. They just didn’t have the endurance to get to the goal.
That’s what endurance is. It is the determination to continue, to persevere to reach a goal.
Have you ever demonstrated endurance? When I was thirteen, I spent the summer (or part of the summer) detasseling corn. We’d start early in the morning. It’d be cold, so the crew would all be wearing jeans and long sleeved shirts. By about ten o’clock in the morning, we were very warm and were shedding that heavy outside layer down to the shorts and t-shirts. Sometimes we were required to detassel corn in a field where the herbicides hadn’t worked very well. We waded through velvet leaf (and I sneezed the whole time) trying to pull the tassels out of the tops of the corn. There were fields that had had the irrigation system going until we got there, so we had mud to tramp through as we pulled the tassels. There was even one field where the farmer ran the irrigation system while we worked the field. What a shock to be pulling tassels and suddenly get hit by the spraying water! De-tasseling itself was not easy. We pulled the top of the corn out of the corn plant so that it couldn’t pollinate the corn. Obviously then, if we missed any tassels, the whole purpose of detasseling was defeated; we weren’t doing our job. I remember having to go back and do a field over again because we’d done such a lousy job! It was tough! The field boss wanted us to go fast, pulling tassels out of the rows on either side of us, and we couldn’t miss any plants! On top of that, corn leaves are sharp and it’s very easy to slice open the sides of your hands. After a couple of weeks, I was ready to quit. I wasn’t sure minimum wage was worth the misery. But one night when I’d gotten home, sunburned and exhausted - because once I got done in the field, the bus would drop us at the city bus terminal. I’d ride the city bus to within a couple of miles to our house and then walk uphill all the way home - so one night, exhausted beyond belief, I remember thinking that I was going to tell Mom that I was quitting. She started the conversation. I’ll never forget what she said, “Dad is so proud of you and Bob for working so hard. He doesn’t think he would’ve stuck with it when he was your ages.” I couldn’t quit. There was no way I wanted to diminish the pride my dad had in me. All of a sudden, detasseling corn wasn’t about earning money; it was about my relationship with my dad.
All these years later, I think about that experience and can’t help comparing it to the relationship I have with my Heavenly Father. Where does he expect me to demonstrate endurance - because I know He does?
Think about these verses:
To him who endures I will
- grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God (Rev 2:7)
- give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it (Rev 2:17).
- give authority over the nations (Rev 2:26).
- clothe in white garments and I will never blot his name out of the book of life (Rev 3:5).
- make a pillar in the temple of my God . . . I will write on him the name of my God (Rev 3:12).
- grant him to sit with with me on my throne (Rev 3:21).
I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance . . .(Rev 2:2).
I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance (Rev 2:19).
Because you have kept my word about patient endurance . . .(Rev 3:10).
By your endurance you will gain your lives (Luke 21:19, ESV).
I want you to think about endurance and why a Christian needs endurance.
Solving the Puzzle
By your endurance you will gain your lives. Luke 21:19
I have a little puzzle box. It’s not a difficult puzzle. There are only four pieces. But whenever I give it to someone, they always want to figure out so they can see what’s inside.
I have a nine-piece puzzle. It’s only nine pieces, but it’s very difficult. I know that it kept Steve and Jon busy for hours!
Whether you’re figuring out a hard puzzle or an easy puzzle, you have to work at it. You have to show some endurance. That means you don’t give up when you can’t figure it out right away! But the question is: Is it worth it? What do you get at the end? I have to tell you: I rarely keep anything in my puzzle box, and every time someone opens it, they are disappointed. You can see it all over their faces!
Our lives as Christians are a little like the puzzle box or the nine-piece puzzle. All of our lives are different. No one’s life looks just like the person next to them, just as none of your puzzles are the same. Some puzzles are harder than others. Some people have harder things to endure in their lives than others. Nevertheless, we all have a life to live, and today, you have a puzzle to solve. We all have a choice of which piece to put where. If it doesn’t work, we can try something else. But unlike solving the puzzle, sometimes the choices we make in our lives can have serious consequences. We want to make our choices wisely.
Like solving the puzzle, living our lives in a way that is pleasing to God requires us to persevere, to endure, to keep trying.
Sometimes people get frustrated with puzzles and they just give up. They don’t care if they get the puzzle figured out or not. Sometimes people get frustrated with life. They don’t want to put out the effort to solve the puzzle. They don’t care if they follow God’s laws; they’re going to live any way they want to.
If you don’t solve a puzzle, it doesn’t really matter. But if you don’t live your life trusting and obeying God, it can have eternal consequences.
Life is often hard. The choices we have to make are sometimes difficult. It’s like putting a puzzle together where it’s just a solid color. There’s no picture to help you figure out what the puzzle is supposed to look like.
The blessing of Pentecost is that God has poured out His Holy Spirit on all believers. The Holy Spirit teaches us (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit helps us pray (Romans 8:26). The Holy Spirit strengthens us (Ephesians 3:16). The Holy Spirit helps us to solve the puzzle of how to live right.
It’s kind of like God giving us a puzzle to solve - and then He gives us the picture, a few hints of how to solve it, and encouragement to keep trying.
You’re here right now because your parents brought you. You might not have any idea why we celebrate Pentecost. But your parents will teach you. All of the people in this room are willing to encourage you. And this day, Pentecost, is about God giving the Holy Spirit to people so they will endure, never give up, but rather become the people we should be to live forever.
By your endurance you will gain your lives. Luke 21:19
Recognizing Jesus
Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. Luke 24:35
How do you eat oreos? Do you take the cookie apart? Do you eat the inside first? Do you eat it as a sandwich? Do you eat it in one bite - like my black labs like to do? How do you eat an oreo?
How does your mom eat an oreo? How does your little sister eat an oreo? I know one little cutie who has more oreo on her face when she’s finished than actually ends up in her tummy.
You may not have paid any attention to how your family eats oreos. So I’ll give you another question: when someone comes down the stairs, do you know who it is before you see them? I can usually tell which of my children is coming down the stairs just by the way they sound.
In the middle of the night, when the dogs come up to tell me they have to go outside, I know which one is there without even being able to see. I know how they sound. I know what they do.
So it’s hard to understand how it could be that the disciples, having met Jesus on the road to Emmaus after His crucifixion and resurrection, wouldn’t have recognized Him. After all, they’d followed Him. They’d walked down the road with Him. They’d heard Him teach. As the disciples walked down the road to Emmaus with Jesus, He explained scriptures to them that they’d never before understood. When they got to the village, they strongly urged Jesus to stay and eat with them. How many times had they eaten with Him? But it was when Jesus broke the bread and gave it to them that their eyes were opened so they could realize Who had been with them, walking on the road, explaining the scriptures to them.
Luke 24:16 says that they were kept from recognizing Him. And later, when they talked about what had happened, they knew the whole event was something out of the ordinary - even before they’d recognized who He was. They said, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32)
What made it possible for them to recognize Jesus?
What makes it possible for you to recognize who’s coming into the room before you see them? What makes it possible for you to know, beforehand, how a family member or friend will eat an oreo?
You know because you spend time with them. You have a relationship with them. You know them.
In the same way, the disciples knew Jesus. They’d spent time with Him. They had a relationship with Him. If their eyes hadn’t been closed, if they hadn’t been kept from recognizing Jesus, they probably would have recognized Him just as soon as He started teaching. They definitely knew Jesus as soon as He broke the bread.
There is a day coming, sometime soon probably, when Jesus will return. There will be no doubt about who He is, but will you know Him, really know Him? If you’re not sure, maybe you’d better spend some more time talking with Him in prayer. Maybe you’d better spend some more time reading His word. Maybe you’d better spend some more time with people who love Him, who talk about Him, and who encourage you to live like He wants you to live. Then, when He comes, you’ll be confident about your relationship with Him, even if you don’t know how he might eat an oreo.
**Clothed With Power
And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high. Luke 24:49
Materials: mini flashlights
How do these flashlights work? They have to have a power source - a source that is not part, exactly, of the flashlight. There’s a battery inside that flashlight which provides the energy, the power, to shine the light.
It’s an interesting analogy. You see, people think that they have power. They can do great things. There are contests and awards to celebrate great feats.
The reality is that the power people have is nothing compared with the power of our great God. God illustrates the vastness between man’s power and God’s power when he begins to ask Job questions, starting with, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” (Job 38:4) “Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?” (38:35) “Does the eagle soar at your command and build its nest on high?” (39:27)
Knowing that our great God is so incredibly powerful, what do you think the disciples thought when Jesus said, “And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” This was after Jesus’ death and resurrection. The disciples had just seen a phenomenal display of God’s power. Now Jesus was telling them that they would be clothed with power from on high.
Yesterday we talked about the Living Water (which John 7:39 says is the Holy Spirit). Water is what gives life to all things. Where there is no water, there is no life. But here’s another picture of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2:1-3, the disciples heard a mighty rushing wind. Then they saw what seemed to be tongues of fire which separated and came to rest upon each of them. Then they were filled with the Holy Spirit, which enabled them to speak in tongues. Being filled with the Holy Spirit, the disciples now had an ability that they had not had before. They had power from on high.
Pentecost is the memorial of that day, the empowerment of the Church, when 3000 people were baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:41).
The little flashlight is very much like what happens to believers. We live in this physical body. We can do some things. But to shine the light of Jesus Christ to people around us, to have the power to live lives which glorify God, we must have the Holy Spirit living in us - just like the flashlight can’t shine unless it has the battery inside it. We can’t buy this power of the Holy Spirit. We can’t earn this power. It only comes from having a close relationship with Jesus Christ.
The Day of Pentecost is a truly great Holy Day, one in which we celebrate the pouring out of God’s Holy Spirit, His power, on those who believe in Him.