Fiesta Series

INTRODUCTION

• Slide #1

• What a great week of Vacation Bible School! We had over 40 children at VBS each evening. I want to thank everyone who played a part in this ministry opportunity.

• Today we have enjoyed the young people who helped lead worship. I hope as you looked at these you people you realized that they are the future and providing programs for them is an investment in the future!

• Today I want to give everyone a taste of what we taught the children during the past week at VBS.

• Each day we had a Bible Point (or theme), a Bible Story, a Treasure Verse (Bible Memory passage) along with Hot Bible Adventure stories along with snacks, games, singing, and crafts.

• Today I want us to examine the Bible Point and Treasure Verse from each day.

• The VBS Theme was Fiesta which means celebrate. Because of Jesus, our live should be a celebration!

• Let’s begin our Fiesta Adventure today!

• SLIDE #2

SERMON

I. JESUS IS OUR FRIEND.

• One of the reasons that we can celebrate is because Jesus is our friend!

• It is important for ALL of us to realize that Jesus is our friend; Jesus is not someone who is looking for and hoping that you will fail in life.

• Can you imagine what life would be like without friends?

• The Bible story used to illustrate this was found in Luke 5:17-25, it is the story of the paralytic that Jesus healed.

• This man was not able to walk and some friends tried to get him in front of Jesus, but the crowd was so large they could not get their friend to Jesus. Then they decided to lower him through the roof in a hole they made so the paralyzed man could be lowered into the house in which Jesus was teaching.

• Jesus of course heals to man and the crowd was in awe of Him because of it.

• This man would have been trouble had it not been for a couple of friends who were there for him to help him.

• Our key verse for this day was part of John 15:15. Jesus was speaking to His disciples and He told them they were not slaves, but His friends.

• SLIDE #3

• True friends are always there for you through thick or thin. Jesus is someone that you can trust will be there in your corner; He is with you during both the good times and the bad!

• It is important to realize that Jesus is not your enemy or adversary; we MUST understand that He only has our best interests at heart.

• When God gave us His Word, He did not do so to enslave us, but He gave it to us so that we could have freedom within the boundaries He sets for our protection.

• True friends will not always tell you what you want to hear, they will tell you what you NEED to hear.

• The world is getting to be a lonely place for many; people will let you down, but Jesus is the friend who will never fail you, who will not forsake you, who will always care for and love you!

• Let us look at a second reason we can celebrate!

• SLIDE #4

II. JESUS IS OUR LIFE.

• The Bible story used to help the children understand this concept was the story of Jesus raising His friend Lazarus from the dead in John 11:1-44.

• Jesus had been given word that His friend Lazarus was sick and Jesus did not get into a hurry to see him because Jesus knew what He was going to do with the situation.

• For Lazarus, Jesus was his life.

• There are many thing in which we give our lives. For some money, power and prestige is their life. For some, entertainment and pleasure is their life.

• We need to understand that Jesus is our life!

• What does that really mean?

• SLIDE #5

• Our treasure verse in Deuteronomy 6:5 says: “and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart.”

• If Jesus is going to be our life, it has to start with loving Him with all your heart. WE all know what we love; we know what our lives are really about.

• We wanted the children to understand that before Jesus can be our life, we must love Him.

• Think about the things you give your life to; you love what you give yourself to. Those who farm do it because they love it. I do what I do because I love it. You will never make Jesus your life until you love Him.