The lesson is based on Acts 16:9-16 and the theme is dreams and visions.
I've NO IDEA what I'm going to say or how to present the story; I am waiting on God for inspiration.
However, the exciting bit is: there's going to be an opportunity to present God's offer of salvation to the children!
It's uncanny how our pastor has the same idea as one I've been nourishing in my heart since I started reading Tim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins' The Rapture this week. Obviously this is a subject that is very close to God's heart, but isn't the timing telling?
In the book, a devout Christian woman and her God-loving son are raptured while her I've-no-time-for-religion pilot husband and brainy-but-bored-with-church teenage daughter are Left Behind.
Beth tells me she is interested in the Left Behind movies, and I plan to get the DVDs from our church bookstore this week so we can watch them together.
This morning, I spent an hour watching a DVD by Creation Ministries: The Origins Of The Modern World - Why It Matters. It's funny that I've had the DVD for eons but never bothered to unwrap it till today. There was so much info to absorb and distill, I could barely jot down half of what the presenter said.
Afterward, I read through the Book of Romans and began to highlight verses I'd never noticed before.
What a cogent, authoritative and persuasive writer Paul is. He would have made the perfect barrister. To think he once persecuted Christians because he believed they were betrayers of the Jewish cause, and then God sent him to preach to the Gentiles! God sure has a sense of humor.
Paul is my favorite NT writer. I just love his writing style. There is so much rhythm and beauty even as he makes his case for Christ.
16I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
Romans 1:16, 20-2120Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
Righteousness Through Faith
21But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.Romans 3:20-23
1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Romans 5:1-5
This chain of events is just a continuation of many conversations Beth and I have had about God, and - I feel - a nudge from God in the direction He wants me to take.
How do we know He exists?
How do you know if you will go to heaven when you die?
What about people who don't know God?
What about babies and pets?
How do you invite Jesus into your heart?
Somewhere in this Sunday's lesson, I need to make time to present the Good News, impress on the children their need for salvation, and invite them to say yes to Jesus. This could be the most important decision of their young lives. I know the angels will be getting ready to shout Hallelujah for every new soul that enters the Kingdom.
I'm so excited!
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