Sometimes a very visual demonstration drives home the reality of scripture so much better than just talking about it.
Romans 5:19 - More Than Saved (Passover lesson)
Deuteronomy 30:14 - So You Can Do It (Days of Unleavened Bread/Wave Sheaf Day/Counting to Pentecost)
Judges 16:20 - The Presence of the LORD (Days of Unleavened Bread)
Ephesians 2:10 - God's Workmanship
Matthew 7:20 - Measure Carefully
Matthew 25:21 - Well Done
Philippians 2:15 - Shine!
Philippians 3:8 - Rubbish!
Matthew 13:38 - Harvest Time
Matthew 13:38 - Bow the Knee
More Than Saved
For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Romans 5:19
Materials needed: candle, matches
The first half of Romans 5:19 says, “For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners.” What does that mean? What man? How were we then all made sinners? Adam chose to disobey God’s command in the Garden of Eden. By intentionally choosing to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, Adam was sinning. Sin is transgressing God’s law, disobedience. Because Adam did that, everyone born after him (That’s everyone.) was born with a carnal nature, born into sin. Genesis 1:26 and Genesis 5:1 says that Adam was made in God’s image, made after God’s likeness. But Genesis 5:3 says that Adam’s son was made in Adam’s image, after Adam’s likeness. Romans 5:17 says that sin and death came into the world through Adam.
We are like a candle. Sin is the flame which consumes us. It will continue to burn until the candle is gone - unless it is stopped. Romans 8:13, 20-22, 2 Corinthians 4, and many other verses talk about our earthen vessels (our bodies) which are growing older, getting weaker, subjected to decay. We are headed for death unless something - or Someone - intervenes. (Put out the candle.)
Here’s where the second half of Romans 5:19 comes in: so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Because Jesus was obedient to His Father, even to death on the cross (Phil 2:8), so that we might be reconciled to God (Colossians 1:20). This is more than just having our sins paid for by Jesus’ death. This is repairing the relationship with God, being adopted into God’s family, and being given the gift of eternal life.
It’s interesting, isn’t it. Candles were designed to shine light. And if they burn long enough, they’ll use up all of the wick and wax and be gone. Believers and disciples of Jesus Christ were also designed to shine. In Matthew 5:14, Jesus said, “You are the light of the world,” (Relight candle.) and Daniel 12:3 says, “Then the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever.” The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 9:10). There’s no better way to start on the path to wisdom and shining like the stars forever and ever than to keep His holy days and to recognize that righteousness only comes through what Jesus has done for us.
For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Romans 5:19
***So You Can Do It
But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it. Deut. 30:14
Materials needed: unleavened bread, calendars, stickers
Have you ever looked at a task and been so overwhelmed that you just wanted to go back to bed, pull the covers over your head, and go to sleep? Or maybe you decide that it’s all still going to be there tomorrow, so you decide to do something else like going for a walk or going shopping? Sometimes that’s how people approach obedience to God as well: it’s too hard and they’ll do it later.
I love that God knew people would say this. So He gave us verses like Deuteronomy 30:14: But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that God tells His people to eat unleavened bread for seven days. See, the spring feasts tell a story. Before we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we were sinners in need of the Savior. Recognizing your need is the starting point. It’s kind of like starting with a messy room - where do you start to get it all straightened up? You just start. First, acknowledge that you need Jesus. Then start obeying Him. When you see something in His Word, do it. For instance, in Leviticus 23:6, God tells us to eat unleavened bread for seven days. It’s not enough to not eat leavened bread; God specifically tells us to eat unleavened bread. In that way we are reminded that all of the leavening is out prior to the Feast, just as Jesus Christ dealt with our sin when He died. Once He has dealt with our sin, it’s time for us to let Him completely fill our lives. You know that old saying “You are what you eat”? Well, we want to be like Jesus, the unleavened Bread of Life, so we eat unleavened bread every day of the Feast to remind ourselves to let Jesus reign in our hearts and lives. That is, we choose to obey Him in everything. As we obey Him, we become more like Him, and we want to obey Him more and more. Those small steps add up!
This first feast of the year is called the Days of Unleavened Bread. In it we are commanded to eat unleavened bread every day. But this year, today is also the Wave Sheaf Day. It starts the countdown to Pentecost. In Leviticus 23:15-16 we are commanded to count the next 50 days. We may need a calendar to help us keep track of our counting. That will help us remember that it’s not too hard! After all, the desire to obey Jesus is in our hearts.
But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.
The Presence of the LORD
But he did not know that the LORD had left him. Judges 16:20
Material needed: small toy, stuffed animal, etc. (During the following discussion, have someone swipe the toy/stuffed animal. If the kids don’t notice, bring it up. If the kids do notice, use it as an example of being aware of God’s presence.)
Here we are - at the end of the Days of Unleavened Bread. We’ve eaten unleavened bread for seven days. Do you remember why we did that? Well, first, because God said to! But also, we eat unleavened bread as a reminder to seek God and His ways, to choose Him when making decisions, to take Jesus into our hearts (thoughts, words, and deeds) always. Regardless of how you say it, it’s a matter of being totally devoted to Him, seeking to do His will in all things. The discipline of eating unleavened bread for seven days is a good reminder to eschew the ungodly choices that are all around us.
So someone might ask why we don’t eat unleavened bread all the time and keep the leavening out always. If we did that, we soon would lose the awareness of how easily sin can manifest itself in our lives from the most unexpected places. And really, yeast isn’t bad for 51 weeks out of the year. Just for one week it becomes a symbol for us - an object lesson - a teaching tool.
As we go back to eating yeasty bread again, we are reminded that it’s not that the yeast is sin, but that we need to carry the lessons of the Days of Unleavened Bread through the rest of the year. As we go back to our lives and to eating bread, we can’t become so distracted that we forget to keep God first, to seek His ways first, to want to please Him first!
That’s why this scripture scares me! Samson was so caught up in his life that he didn’t even realize that the LORD had left him!! Saul knew that God’s presence had left him, and he was scared of David because the LORD was with David!! (1 Samuel 18:12) And then there’s the Presence of the LORD leaving the temple in Ezekiel 10. For the people to become so wicked that God’s Presence would leave the place that was called by His Name!! That should scare you half to death!!
It’s a valuable lesson! We’re going back to eating leavened bread tomorrow. But we mustn’t forget to keep God first! We must keep our eyes on Him, seeking Him will all of our hearts. It would be terrible if He left us and we didn’t even notice.
***God’s Workmanship
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
Materials needed: cookie cutters and homemade sugar cookies
What is your most favorite part of God’s creation? Horses, puppies, kittens, lilacs, roses, streams, mountains, a warm sweater? What comes to mind when thinking about this question?
Do you know what is the pinnacle of God’s creation? That is, what was His best achievement? Not the giraffe with valves in the veins of his neck to prevent the blood from rushing out of his head when he lifts it high to reach leaves. Not the kangaroo which can suspend its pregnancy up to two years if Australia is in drought conditions. Not the hummingbird! Did you know the Giane Hummingbird flaps its wings 10-15 times a second; the Amethyst Wood-star Hummingbird flaps its wings a record 80 times a second; the average North American hummingbird flaps its wing an average of 53 beats per second in normal flight. Not the peregrine falcon whose hunting speeds are around 240 mph as it drops from a height of 2/3 of a mile. Human beings are the pinnacle of God’s creation.
When I look around at all the amazing creatures in this world, I don’t want to believe that I am more amazing that any of them. What makes a person more special than any other thing in all of creation? Genesis 1:26 says that God made man in His image. Nothing else in all of creation was made after the image of God! In addition, Jesus Christ came to this earth as a baby, lived as a human, died a horrible death, and was resurrected again to life just for humans. He didn’t do all of that for dogs or cats or trees. He did that for you and for me.
Ephesians 2:10 says that we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
We are a very special part of God’s creation - made in His image, redeemed by Jesus for eternal life as part of God’s family, and given dominion over (given the responsibility to take care of) the rest of creation.
Yes. We are special: God’s workmanship. But that’s not where it stops. We were not just created to be. We were created to do. God has work for us to do. The first step in doing the work that God prepared for us to do is obedience. So how are you doing in your count to Pentecost? What day is this?
Measure Carefully
and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:2
Materials Needed: tape measure, yard stick, ruler
If I measure your shoe with my ruler, I would expect to get the same answer if I measured your shoe with my tape measure or my yard stick. If I don’t get the same answer, I’m going to be confused. What is the right answer? How can I do what I needed to do with that information?
Think of all the things that need precise measurements: building a house, sewing clothes, making a cake, measuring out medicine, cutting hair - or how about doing alterations for a wedding dress!! For any one of these endeavors, it’s not going to work too well if I just eyeball it. I rely on a ruler, tape measure, yard stick to all give me the same answer. It will not turn out well otherwise!!
So what do you think Jesus was talking about in Matthew 7:2? Was He talking about tape measures and rulers? In context, He was talking about the way you treat people around you. Specifically He’s talking about how you want to be treated and how you treat others. Do you want mercy? Do you want people to be nice to you and help you out? Do you want forgiveness? Do you want hugs and smiles? Then that’s what you had better be showing to others. You’d better show mercy and forgiveness. You’d better be generous and kind to others. You’d better hug and smile at others.
But He was also talking about how you measure others and their behavior. Do you want your brother to be punished for doing something that you just want forgiveness for? What happens if your brother accidentally pinches your finger? Do you want your parent to spank him? It’s important to remember that if you want him punished severely, then if you accidentally hurt someone, you will also be punished severely. It’s funny - many adults have a hard time with this one. They want other people to be punished, but they want mercy for their own wrongdoings. Jesus said that’s not the way it works.
So whether it’s how you treat others or how severely you want others punished, remember that the ruler doesn’t change. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Well Done!
His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ Matthew 25:21
Materials needed: hand prints in plaster, cloth, fabric paint, bucket, water, cleaning cloths for clean up.
One of my most favorite parts of pouring concrete is getting to put your hand print or initials in the concrete, as if to say, “This is my work. I’m proud of it. I did well.” That’s a great feeling, isn’t it, knowing that you had a hard job to do and you did well?
This month is graduation month for so many young people - high school or college or graduate school. They worked for years to achieve a goal. They’ve reached the end of this time. Some of them did ok. Some of them did well. Some of them did very well. In college, those who succeed at the highest level graduate summa cum laude - with highest honors. They are recognized for having done very well.
Those who graduate summa cum laude went to class, listened to their professors, did their assignments, learned the lessons, and demonstrated that they learned well on their exams and papers. They put in a lot of effort and the university recognizes that in a commencement ceremony.
We all need to set goals in our lives - and then, when we’ve reached those goals, we need to think about how well we did. Did we do just the bare minimum? Did we do ok? Or did we work very hard to receive that commendation of “well done?”
We’re going to put your hand prints on our Sabbath school blanket. I want it to be a reminder to each of you of two things (Here’s your goal.): 1) Honor God in everything you do (playing with your brothers and sisters, cousins and friends; obeying your parents; being respectful at church); and 2) Seek God with all of your heart (reading your Bible, praying to God, memorizing Bible verses, coming to church) so that He will be found by you. If you do these two things (honoring God and seeking Him), when Jesus comes back, it will be incredible to hear Him say, “Well done.”
Shine!
. . . among whom you shine as lights in the world. Philippians 2:15
Materials needed: glow sticks
Do you think Jesus was talking to you when He said, . . . “let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven”? If you think He was talking to you, if you count yourself as one of His disciples (a learner and follower of Jesus), have you thought of what it might mean to let your light shine? It likely has something to do with how you act, doesn’t it.
When you are a Christian, you take the name of Christ on you, what you do can bring dishonor to God or your actions can bring honor and glory to God. Think about it: if you are calling yourself a Christian, then you are telling me that you’re doing what God approves of. When you do things that are not right, people either think that God doesn’t care what we do or they think that they wouldn’t want to be part of a religion that allowed that kind of behavior. Either way, it’s not good.
But when you make good choices and act in the right way, then you bring glory to God - especially if you are making good choices when people all around you are not. After all, a light is the most visible in the darkness.
Your memory verse is just a portion of Philippians 2:15: . . . among whom you shine as lights in the world. O.K. We want to shine for God in this world, to bring Him glory and honor. But let’s back up a little. Just before this phrase in Philippians 2:15, Paul says, “children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world.” You live in a dark world! Paul called it crooked and perverse two centuries ago. Think of how bad it is now.
Let’s back up just a little further. Paul starts in Philippians 2:14: Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world.
We like the idea of being blameless and pure. We like being children of God without fault. We like shining for His glory. So let me ask you: Do you ever complain or argue? Uh oh. Do you complain or argue when Mom says it’s time to come in for supper or time to go to bed? Do you complain when bad things happen (like everything getting washed away by water, or burned up in the fire, or destroyed by a tornado)? Do you complain when life doesn’t go the way you think it should?
Hmmm. These light sticks won’t shine until what happens? We have to break them - kind of like going through difficult life circumstances. If we praise God regardless of what happens in our lives, then we’re doing what Paul said; we are doing everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world.
Isn’t it interesting that these light sticks show up the best in the dark? And if these light sticks are connected together, they really shine in a darkened place.
So there are three points today. Do everything without complaining or arguing even when things aren’t going your way (being broken). Then you can shine your light for God’s glory in a world that really needs Him. And if you stick together, you can shine even more brightly - as lights in the world.
Rubbish
For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ. Philippians 3:8
Materials needed: trash can, valuable stuff
When was the last time you went dumpster diving and found something valuable? The dumpster is for trash, rubbish, things that are broken, worn out, worthless, or filthy. And things in the dumpster are taken to either the dump or an incinerator or a recycling plant. (It is to our shame as a country that we actually routinely find things in the dumpster that are worth keeping. It’s not supposed to be that way.) So if we pull the trash can over here and pour everything out on the floor, are you going to look at it the same way as you would if I opened a treasure chest full of gold and jewels and money?
So my next question is this: what is the thing that is most precious to you? What is it that you have that you value the most? Think of the thing that if you lost it, you would cry and be very sad.
It’s a good exercise because the physical stuff around us is just that: it’s stuff. And yes, we enjoy the stuff we have. Our stuff makes life easier - cell phones and toasters and cars and bicycles and . . . all of the stuff in our lives.
But the apostle Paul says that he suffered the loss of all things. He had lost all of his stuff. But then he says this, “I could them as rubbish.” Wow! All of the stuff that we think is so valuable! Paul says that he looked at all his stuff as if it were trash. And no, he wasn’t weird.
He did it, he said, that he might gain Christ. How does counting all of your stuff as garbage help you gain Christ? It’s a very evocative picture of taking stock of what you have and then putting your relationship with Christ first. There’s nothing more important than knowing God, talking with God, trusting that God is going to take care of you in all situations. A car, a video game, a cell phone . . . what is that stuff in comparison to the relationship you have with the King and Creator of the Universe - that He would call you His friend and His brother (or sister)?
As you’re counting to Pentecost this last week, consider carefully what you value most highly in your life. In other words, while you’re counting, do you count all the things you have as rubbish compared with your relationship with Christ?
Harvest Time
The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, Matthew 13:38
Materials needed: grasses
Do you know what has been happening in the fields over the past seven weeks? Planting and harvesting. Yes, really! We tend to think of spring as the time to plant, and it is - for some crops. But there are other crops which were planted last fall and they are ready to harvest in spring - like barley, oats, and wheat. Here in Missouri, there are already farmers out in the fields harvesting hay. We’ve had enough rain and warm temperatures to have a good crop of grass already! Seeing those big round bales in the fields means that cows and horses will have something to eat this coming winter.
But unless the farmer tilled and sowed alfalfa, the fields of grass are a mixture of grasses. There’s timothy, brome, alfalfa, clover, ryegrass, fescue, Bermuda grass, and orchard grass. And there’s usually a mixture of other plants too. We have daisies, plants that look like daisies, sunflowers, Queen Anne’s Lace which dot the pasture. And there are some weeds - thistles, stinkweed, etc. There’s a lot of variety.
So when Jesus said that the field is the world, this is something we can understand because we see it in front of us. Then He said (in Matthew 13:38) that the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one.
When I stand back and look at the pasture, all I see are green plants and a few white flowers. I can’t identify the really nutritious plants or the weeds from a distance. But I know they are there. In the same way, we live in a world where there are sons of the kingdom - Christians - people who belong to God. And there are evil people - people who reject God and do evil things.
And, it’s going to be that way - with good and bad people in our world - until the harvest, until Jesus Christ returns. It’s our job to grow where we are planted and produce fruit for the Landowner, the King, our God.
And we’ll talk about that tomorrow on Pentecost.
Bow the Knee
The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, Matthew 13:38
Materials needed: grasses
Wheat and tares look very similar as they are growing. You can’t really tell which is which until the wheat produces fruit - the head of grain. Tares don’t produce a head of grain. They don’t produce any fruit. Do you understand why it’s a problem to have tares growing in your field of wheat? The tares use the nutrients in the soil, nutrients that could be used by the wheat, but then they don’t produce anything. There’s no reward for the farmer for having these weeds in his field!
In this parable in Matthew 13, the servants asked the landowner if he planted the weeds!!! When the landowner said that an enemy had done it, the servants wanted to know if they should go pull up the weeds. The landowner said that in pulling up the weeds, the wheat could be damaged. The weeds were allowed to grow with the wheat until the harvest.
Knowing that Jesus was using a parable, a picture, to describe what our world is like means that God allows evil people to live in the world with His people. Does that mean we should live like the evil people we see around us? No!! Does that mean we are excused from producing fruit for the kingdom? No.
In fact, we should be producing more fruit for the kingdom, for our Master and Lord, because we owe Him everything and we know that we do. He’s the One who called us by name and redeemed us. He’s the One who blesses us and helps us to grow. He’s the One who gives us hope and a future.
Have you ever seen an apple tree so loaded with fruit that the branches were breaking? Have you ever seen a tomato plant or a pepper plant so full of fruit that it looks like it’s going to fall over? Do you know what happens when a stalk of wheat is filled with fruit? The head, the top of the stalk of wheat, gets so full and heavy, that the heads bows over. Hmm. Isn’t that interesting?! One of the ways that you can tell, immediately, the difference between wheat and tares is that the wheat’s head bows; the tare’s head doesn’t because it has no fruit.
It’s a great visual reminder that we need to bow our head because of the abundance that God has blessed us with - even the ability to produce fruit for His glory.
Deuteronomy 30:14 - So You Can Do It (Days of Unleavened Bread/Wave Sheaf Day/Counting to Pentecost)
Judges 16:20 - The Presence of the LORD (Days of Unleavened Bread)
Ephesians 2:10 - God's Workmanship
Matthew 7:20 - Measure Carefully
Matthew 25:21 - Well Done
Philippians 2:15 - Shine!
Philippians 3:8 - Rubbish!
Matthew 13:38 - Harvest Time
Matthew 13:38 - Bow the Knee
More Than Saved
For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Romans 5:19
Materials needed: candle, matches
The first half of Romans 5:19 says, “For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners.” What does that mean? What man? How were we then all made sinners? Adam chose to disobey God’s command in the Garden of Eden. By intentionally choosing to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, Adam was sinning. Sin is transgressing God’s law, disobedience. Because Adam did that, everyone born after him (That’s everyone.) was born with a carnal nature, born into sin. Genesis 1:26 and Genesis 5:1 says that Adam was made in God’s image, made after God’s likeness. But Genesis 5:3 says that Adam’s son was made in Adam’s image, after Adam’s likeness. Romans 5:17 says that sin and death came into the world through Adam.
We are like a candle. Sin is the flame which consumes us. It will continue to burn until the candle is gone - unless it is stopped. Romans 8:13, 20-22, 2 Corinthians 4, and many other verses talk about our earthen vessels (our bodies) which are growing older, getting weaker, subjected to decay. We are headed for death unless something - or Someone - intervenes. (Put out the candle.)
Here’s where the second half of Romans 5:19 comes in: so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Because Jesus was obedient to His Father, even to death on the cross (Phil 2:8), so that we might be reconciled to God (Colossians 1:20). This is more than just having our sins paid for by Jesus’ death. This is repairing the relationship with God, being adopted into God’s family, and being given the gift of eternal life.
It’s interesting, isn’t it. Candles were designed to shine light. And if they burn long enough, they’ll use up all of the wick and wax and be gone. Believers and disciples of Jesus Christ were also designed to shine. In Matthew 5:14, Jesus said, “You are the light of the world,” (Relight candle.) and Daniel 12:3 says, “Then the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever.” The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 9:10). There’s no better way to start on the path to wisdom and shining like the stars forever and ever than to keep His holy days and to recognize that righteousness only comes through what Jesus has done for us.
For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Romans 5:19
***So You Can Do It
But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it. Deut. 30:14
Materials needed: unleavened bread, calendars, stickers
Have you ever looked at a task and been so overwhelmed that you just wanted to go back to bed, pull the covers over your head, and go to sleep? Or maybe you decide that it’s all still going to be there tomorrow, so you decide to do something else like going for a walk or going shopping? Sometimes that’s how people approach obedience to God as well: it’s too hard and they’ll do it later.
I love that God knew people would say this. So He gave us verses like Deuteronomy 30:14: But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that God tells His people to eat unleavened bread for seven days. See, the spring feasts tell a story. Before we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we were sinners in need of the Savior. Recognizing your need is the starting point. It’s kind of like starting with a messy room - where do you start to get it all straightened up? You just start. First, acknowledge that you need Jesus. Then start obeying Him. When you see something in His Word, do it. For instance, in Leviticus 23:6, God tells us to eat unleavened bread for seven days. It’s not enough to not eat leavened bread; God specifically tells us to eat unleavened bread. In that way we are reminded that all of the leavening is out prior to the Feast, just as Jesus Christ dealt with our sin when He died. Once He has dealt with our sin, it’s time for us to let Him completely fill our lives. You know that old saying “You are what you eat”? Well, we want to be like Jesus, the unleavened Bread of Life, so we eat unleavened bread every day of the Feast to remind ourselves to let Jesus reign in our hearts and lives. That is, we choose to obey Him in everything. As we obey Him, we become more like Him, and we want to obey Him more and more. Those small steps add up!
This first feast of the year is called the Days of Unleavened Bread. In it we are commanded to eat unleavened bread every day. But this year, today is also the Wave Sheaf Day. It starts the countdown to Pentecost. In Leviticus 23:15-16 we are commanded to count the next 50 days. We may need a calendar to help us keep track of our counting. That will help us remember that it’s not too hard! After all, the desire to obey Jesus is in our hearts.
But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.
The Presence of the LORD
But he did not know that the LORD had left him. Judges 16:20
Material needed: small toy, stuffed animal, etc. (During the following discussion, have someone swipe the toy/stuffed animal. If the kids don’t notice, bring it up. If the kids do notice, use it as an example of being aware of God’s presence.)
Here we are - at the end of the Days of Unleavened Bread. We’ve eaten unleavened bread for seven days. Do you remember why we did that? Well, first, because God said to! But also, we eat unleavened bread as a reminder to seek God and His ways, to choose Him when making decisions, to take Jesus into our hearts (thoughts, words, and deeds) always. Regardless of how you say it, it’s a matter of being totally devoted to Him, seeking to do His will in all things. The discipline of eating unleavened bread for seven days is a good reminder to eschew the ungodly choices that are all around us.
So someone might ask why we don’t eat unleavened bread all the time and keep the leavening out always. If we did that, we soon would lose the awareness of how easily sin can manifest itself in our lives from the most unexpected places. And really, yeast isn’t bad for 51 weeks out of the year. Just for one week it becomes a symbol for us - an object lesson - a teaching tool.
As we go back to eating yeasty bread again, we are reminded that it’s not that the yeast is sin, but that we need to carry the lessons of the Days of Unleavened Bread through the rest of the year. As we go back to our lives and to eating bread, we can’t become so distracted that we forget to keep God first, to seek His ways first, to want to please Him first!
That’s why this scripture scares me! Samson was so caught up in his life that he didn’t even realize that the LORD had left him!! Saul knew that God’s presence had left him, and he was scared of David because the LORD was with David!! (1 Samuel 18:12) And then there’s the Presence of the LORD leaving the temple in Ezekiel 10. For the people to become so wicked that God’s Presence would leave the place that was called by His Name!! That should scare you half to death!!
It’s a valuable lesson! We’re going back to eating leavened bread tomorrow. But we mustn’t forget to keep God first! We must keep our eyes on Him, seeking Him will all of our hearts. It would be terrible if He left us and we didn’t even notice.
***God’s Workmanship
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
Materials needed: cookie cutters and homemade sugar cookies
What is your most favorite part of God’s creation? Horses, puppies, kittens, lilacs, roses, streams, mountains, a warm sweater? What comes to mind when thinking about this question?
Do you know what is the pinnacle of God’s creation? That is, what was His best achievement? Not the giraffe with valves in the veins of his neck to prevent the blood from rushing out of his head when he lifts it high to reach leaves. Not the kangaroo which can suspend its pregnancy up to two years if Australia is in drought conditions. Not the hummingbird! Did you know the Giane Hummingbird flaps its wings 10-15 times a second; the Amethyst Wood-star Hummingbird flaps its wings a record 80 times a second; the average North American hummingbird flaps its wing an average of 53 beats per second in normal flight. Not the peregrine falcon whose hunting speeds are around 240 mph as it drops from a height of 2/3 of a mile. Human beings are the pinnacle of God’s creation.
When I look around at all the amazing creatures in this world, I don’t want to believe that I am more amazing that any of them. What makes a person more special than any other thing in all of creation? Genesis 1:26 says that God made man in His image. Nothing else in all of creation was made after the image of God! In addition, Jesus Christ came to this earth as a baby, lived as a human, died a horrible death, and was resurrected again to life just for humans. He didn’t do all of that for dogs or cats or trees. He did that for you and for me.
Ephesians 2:10 says that we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
We are a very special part of God’s creation - made in His image, redeemed by Jesus for eternal life as part of God’s family, and given dominion over (given the responsibility to take care of) the rest of creation.
Yes. We are special: God’s workmanship. But that’s not where it stops. We were not just created to be. We were created to do. God has work for us to do. The first step in doing the work that God prepared for us to do is obedience. So how are you doing in your count to Pentecost? What day is this?
Measure Carefully
and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:2
Materials Needed: tape measure, yard stick, ruler
If I measure your shoe with my ruler, I would expect to get the same answer if I measured your shoe with my tape measure or my yard stick. If I don’t get the same answer, I’m going to be confused. What is the right answer? How can I do what I needed to do with that information?
Think of all the things that need precise measurements: building a house, sewing clothes, making a cake, measuring out medicine, cutting hair - or how about doing alterations for a wedding dress!! For any one of these endeavors, it’s not going to work too well if I just eyeball it. I rely on a ruler, tape measure, yard stick to all give me the same answer. It will not turn out well otherwise!!
So what do you think Jesus was talking about in Matthew 7:2? Was He talking about tape measures and rulers? In context, He was talking about the way you treat people around you. Specifically He’s talking about how you want to be treated and how you treat others. Do you want mercy? Do you want people to be nice to you and help you out? Do you want forgiveness? Do you want hugs and smiles? Then that’s what you had better be showing to others. You’d better show mercy and forgiveness. You’d better be generous and kind to others. You’d better hug and smile at others.
But He was also talking about how you measure others and their behavior. Do you want your brother to be punished for doing something that you just want forgiveness for? What happens if your brother accidentally pinches your finger? Do you want your parent to spank him? It’s important to remember that if you want him punished severely, then if you accidentally hurt someone, you will also be punished severely. It’s funny - many adults have a hard time with this one. They want other people to be punished, but they want mercy for their own wrongdoings. Jesus said that’s not the way it works.
So whether it’s how you treat others or how severely you want others punished, remember that the ruler doesn’t change. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Well Done!
His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ Matthew 25:21
Materials needed: hand prints in plaster, cloth, fabric paint, bucket, water, cleaning cloths for clean up.
One of my most favorite parts of pouring concrete is getting to put your hand print or initials in the concrete, as if to say, “This is my work. I’m proud of it. I did well.” That’s a great feeling, isn’t it, knowing that you had a hard job to do and you did well?
This month is graduation month for so many young people - high school or college or graduate school. They worked for years to achieve a goal. They’ve reached the end of this time. Some of them did ok. Some of them did well. Some of them did very well. In college, those who succeed at the highest level graduate summa cum laude - with highest honors. They are recognized for having done very well.
Those who graduate summa cum laude went to class, listened to their professors, did their assignments, learned the lessons, and demonstrated that they learned well on their exams and papers. They put in a lot of effort and the university recognizes that in a commencement ceremony.
We all need to set goals in our lives - and then, when we’ve reached those goals, we need to think about how well we did. Did we do just the bare minimum? Did we do ok? Or did we work very hard to receive that commendation of “well done?”
We’re going to put your hand prints on our Sabbath school blanket. I want it to be a reminder to each of you of two things (Here’s your goal.): 1) Honor God in everything you do (playing with your brothers and sisters, cousins and friends; obeying your parents; being respectful at church); and 2) Seek God with all of your heart (reading your Bible, praying to God, memorizing Bible verses, coming to church) so that He will be found by you. If you do these two things (honoring God and seeking Him), when Jesus comes back, it will be incredible to hear Him say, “Well done.”
Shine!
. . . among whom you shine as lights in the world. Philippians 2:15
Materials needed: glow sticks
Do you think Jesus was talking to you when He said, . . . “let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven”? If you think He was talking to you, if you count yourself as one of His disciples (a learner and follower of Jesus), have you thought of what it might mean to let your light shine? It likely has something to do with how you act, doesn’t it.
When you are a Christian, you take the name of Christ on you, what you do can bring dishonor to God or your actions can bring honor and glory to God. Think about it: if you are calling yourself a Christian, then you are telling me that you’re doing what God approves of. When you do things that are not right, people either think that God doesn’t care what we do or they think that they wouldn’t want to be part of a religion that allowed that kind of behavior. Either way, it’s not good.
But when you make good choices and act in the right way, then you bring glory to God - especially if you are making good choices when people all around you are not. After all, a light is the most visible in the darkness.
Your memory verse is just a portion of Philippians 2:15: . . . among whom you shine as lights in the world. O.K. We want to shine for God in this world, to bring Him glory and honor. But let’s back up a little. Just before this phrase in Philippians 2:15, Paul says, “children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world.” You live in a dark world! Paul called it crooked and perverse two centuries ago. Think of how bad it is now.
Let’s back up just a little further. Paul starts in Philippians 2:14: Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world.
We like the idea of being blameless and pure. We like being children of God without fault. We like shining for His glory. So let me ask you: Do you ever complain or argue? Uh oh. Do you complain or argue when Mom says it’s time to come in for supper or time to go to bed? Do you complain when bad things happen (like everything getting washed away by water, or burned up in the fire, or destroyed by a tornado)? Do you complain when life doesn’t go the way you think it should?
Hmmm. These light sticks won’t shine until what happens? We have to break them - kind of like going through difficult life circumstances. If we praise God regardless of what happens in our lives, then we’re doing what Paul said; we are doing everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world.
Isn’t it interesting that these light sticks show up the best in the dark? And if these light sticks are connected together, they really shine in a darkened place.
So there are three points today. Do everything without complaining or arguing even when things aren’t going your way (being broken). Then you can shine your light for God’s glory in a world that really needs Him. And if you stick together, you can shine even more brightly - as lights in the world.
Rubbish
For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ. Philippians 3:8
Materials needed: trash can, valuable stuff
When was the last time you went dumpster diving and found something valuable? The dumpster is for trash, rubbish, things that are broken, worn out, worthless, or filthy. And things in the dumpster are taken to either the dump or an incinerator or a recycling plant. (It is to our shame as a country that we actually routinely find things in the dumpster that are worth keeping. It’s not supposed to be that way.) So if we pull the trash can over here and pour everything out on the floor, are you going to look at it the same way as you would if I opened a treasure chest full of gold and jewels and money?
So my next question is this: what is the thing that is most precious to you? What is it that you have that you value the most? Think of the thing that if you lost it, you would cry and be very sad.
It’s a good exercise because the physical stuff around us is just that: it’s stuff. And yes, we enjoy the stuff we have. Our stuff makes life easier - cell phones and toasters and cars and bicycles and . . . all of the stuff in our lives.
But the apostle Paul says that he suffered the loss of all things. He had lost all of his stuff. But then he says this, “I could them as rubbish.” Wow! All of the stuff that we think is so valuable! Paul says that he looked at all his stuff as if it were trash. And no, he wasn’t weird.
He did it, he said, that he might gain Christ. How does counting all of your stuff as garbage help you gain Christ? It’s a very evocative picture of taking stock of what you have and then putting your relationship with Christ first. There’s nothing more important than knowing God, talking with God, trusting that God is going to take care of you in all situations. A car, a video game, a cell phone . . . what is that stuff in comparison to the relationship you have with the King and Creator of the Universe - that He would call you His friend and His brother (or sister)?
As you’re counting to Pentecost this last week, consider carefully what you value most highly in your life. In other words, while you’re counting, do you count all the things you have as rubbish compared with your relationship with Christ?
Harvest Time
The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, Matthew 13:38
Materials needed: grasses
Do you know what has been happening in the fields over the past seven weeks? Planting and harvesting. Yes, really! We tend to think of spring as the time to plant, and it is - for some crops. But there are other crops which were planted last fall and they are ready to harvest in spring - like barley, oats, and wheat. Here in Missouri, there are already farmers out in the fields harvesting hay. We’ve had enough rain and warm temperatures to have a good crop of grass already! Seeing those big round bales in the fields means that cows and horses will have something to eat this coming winter.
But unless the farmer tilled and sowed alfalfa, the fields of grass are a mixture of grasses. There’s timothy, brome, alfalfa, clover, ryegrass, fescue, Bermuda grass, and orchard grass. And there’s usually a mixture of other plants too. We have daisies, plants that look like daisies, sunflowers, Queen Anne’s Lace which dot the pasture. And there are some weeds - thistles, stinkweed, etc. There’s a lot of variety.
So when Jesus said that the field is the world, this is something we can understand because we see it in front of us. Then He said (in Matthew 13:38) that the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one.
When I stand back and look at the pasture, all I see are green plants and a few white flowers. I can’t identify the really nutritious plants or the weeds from a distance. But I know they are there. In the same way, we live in a world where there are sons of the kingdom - Christians - people who belong to God. And there are evil people - people who reject God and do evil things.
And, it’s going to be that way - with good and bad people in our world - until the harvest, until Jesus Christ returns. It’s our job to grow where we are planted and produce fruit for the Landowner, the King, our God.
And we’ll talk about that tomorrow on Pentecost.
Bow the Knee
The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, Matthew 13:38
Materials needed: grasses
Wheat and tares look very similar as they are growing. You can’t really tell which is which until the wheat produces fruit - the head of grain. Tares don’t produce a head of grain. They don’t produce any fruit. Do you understand why it’s a problem to have tares growing in your field of wheat? The tares use the nutrients in the soil, nutrients that could be used by the wheat, but then they don’t produce anything. There’s no reward for the farmer for having these weeds in his field!
In this parable in Matthew 13, the servants asked the landowner if he planted the weeds!!! When the landowner said that an enemy had done it, the servants wanted to know if they should go pull up the weeds. The landowner said that in pulling up the weeds, the wheat could be damaged. The weeds were allowed to grow with the wheat until the harvest.
Knowing that Jesus was using a parable, a picture, to describe what our world is like means that God allows evil people to live in the world with His people. Does that mean we should live like the evil people we see around us? No!! Does that mean we are excused from producing fruit for the kingdom? No.
In fact, we should be producing more fruit for the kingdom, for our Master and Lord, because we owe Him everything and we know that we do. He’s the One who called us by name and redeemed us. He’s the One who blesses us and helps us to grow. He’s the One who gives us hope and a future.
Have you ever seen an apple tree so loaded with fruit that the branches were breaking? Have you ever seen a tomato plant or a pepper plant so full of fruit that it looks like it’s going to fall over? Do you know what happens when a stalk of wheat is filled with fruit? The head, the top of the stalk of wheat, gets so full and heavy, that the heads bows over. Hmm. Isn’t that interesting?! One of the ways that you can tell, immediately, the difference between wheat and tares is that the wheat’s head bows; the tare’s head doesn’t because it has no fruit.
It’s a great visual reminder that we need to bow our head because of the abundance that God has blessed us with - even the ability to produce fruit for His glory.
