Mission Statement Making a difference in our community through Christian outreach in a fun and safe environment.

Purpose Statement Our primary purpose is to expand the knowledge of Christ among youth by setting a positive example and providing a safe place for recreation.

Vision Statement To be Washington's premier skatepark and recreational facility by providing each guest with a variety of activities in a friendly, affordable, Christian environment.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Bible Session - 6-3-13 All Ages - Jesus Is God


Jesus Is God
*Adapted from Creative Bible Lessons on the Life of Christ
Presented by Brett Spore 6-3-13
 
Introduction:
Sometimes we ask some silly questions. Here are a few questions from the book 101 Questions Children Ask About God.
            Does God sleep, or does He just rest?
            How does God make the sun and moon go up and down?
            Did God make people in outer space?
            If God made spiders, why do people squish them?
            How can Jesus fit in my heart?
            Is there a McDonalds in heaven?
            Why doesn’t God just zap the bad people?

Message:
It’s normal to have questions about God.  There are a lot of things about God that are difficult to understand.  One thing many people struggle to understand is how Jesus could be a human and also be God, and that’s what we are talking about today. 

Some of you might remember the movie Bruce Almighty in which Jim Carrey plays a man who wants to be God, so God lets him “be God” for a while.  Let’s see what happens.  (To view the video clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0cG11lTS1E )

As you can see, Bruce is really struggling with just one aspect of being God – handling prayers.  The movie goes on to show what a mess he’s created by answering “Yes” to all prayers.  It’s pretty insane to think that we can be equal to God or take over his job.

Is it possible that since Jesus claimed to be human and God, we also can be human and god? Many people, churches, and religions claim to know the way to God and to know the truth about God.  Some even claim that you can be a god.  But, only Jesus can be both God and man.

John 14:5-11 Thomas said to him, “Lord we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?  Jesus answered, “I am the way the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you really know me, you will know my Father as well.  From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”  Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”  Jesus answered, “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?  Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.  How can you say, “Show us the Father? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me?  The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority.  Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.  Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.”

Even the disciples, the men closest to Jesus day in and day out, struggled with believing that Jesus was God.  It was and is a concept our human minds grapple with understanding.

John 20:24-29 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.  So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”  A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them.  Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”  Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands.  Reach out your hand and put it into my side.  Stop doubting and believe.”  Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”  Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Thomas was a disciple.  He followed Jesus, saw his miracles, listened to him speak day in and day out, and yet he required evidence that Jesus was God and had risen from the dead.  Then when Jesus proved he was the same man who had died on the cross by showing his nail scarred hands and allowing Thomas to feel the wound in his side, Thomas believed. 

Jesus wasn’t just a human. He was also God.  Jesus is both fully human and fully God.  He did not give up his divine nature when he became human.  Many of us get frustrated, because we cannot understand this.  How can God be 100% human and 100% God?  Let’s try to demonstrate that this can be true in another way using two things you know very well.

Demonstration:
Hold up a glass of ice.
What element is ice made of? Water
Hold up a glass of water.
What element is water made of? Water
*Water and ice are 2 manifestations of the same element.  Although ice and water have different properties, they come from the same source.  They are essentially “one.”

This is similar to Jesus’ two natures.  They are different and yet the same.  Jesus was 100% human and yet 100% God as well.

Even when we have doubts and questions, the fact remains that Jesus is God!  He isn’t surprised or bothered by our questions, so let’s ask Him some.

Task:
Write a brief letter to Jesus.  Put it in this envelope.  Seal it.  Put your name on the envelope and hand it in.  We will give these back at the end of summer. We will not open them.  This your private letter to God.

 
 
 
 

 

 

 


 

Dear Jesus,

 

Here are a few things I know about You. I know…

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Here is how I feel about You. I feel…

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Here are some questions I have about You.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

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