... the help we can get if we're to do certain jobs. Maybe if I worked real hard and took all day I could unscrew that bolt with my bare hands, but I probably could not. With one little wrench I can do it in a second. We need the advantage of a wrench. Now you are wondering what this has to do with Jesus. Perhaps you will remember a week or so ago I told you that Jesus wanted to go back to heaven to be with his Father. In today's lesson he not only told us that he ...
... let's all sit down again and think about this for a minute. If you are the tallest one, you might think you have a special advantage over short people. You can reach things some of them cannot reach. Or if you are the smallest, you might be able to scramble into a ... think that means? (Let them offer some answers.) I think it means that we let each other know that even if we have certain advantages that nobody else has, we will not use them to act as if we are better. Instead, we will use our special gifts to ...
... money. Or to live somewhere else. Or to have different friends. Children often want to be adults instead of children. And in some ways that is good. God made us so that we would mature and grow up. But today I want to remind you about one of the special advantages of being a child. Can you think of anything? (See what they may suggest.) Yes, you're right. In many ways life is easier when you are a child. You don't have to worry about making a living yet. You can spend a lot of time playing and enjoying ...
... . But sometimes, even he got angry. That day in Jerusalem, he shouted at the people in the Temple, 'This is a house of prayer, and you have turned it into a den of thieves!' He was angry because the people who came to worship were being taken advantage of; he was angry because what the money-changers and animal inspectors were doing was dishonest and unfair. "Sometimes it is okay to be angry. Sometimes it's even important to be angry. When something is truly wrong and we are moved to action by anger, then ...
... to move into your own home and community. This illustration says many things, but let me point out just two of them. First, it says to you, "The things you learn now are very important. They will determine what you will be like in later years. Therefore, take advantage of your opportunities to learn so that you will have all you need when you grow up. Remember also that religious training is a very important part of what you need to know for life. The best time to obtain it is now while you are young." To ...
... test or we strike out at a baseball game, or we miss the mark in one way or another. What should we do when we get a zero? We should ask ourselves a number of questions. First, we should ask: "Did I do the best I could? Did I take advantage of the time I had to prepare myself as best I could; or was I lazy? To avoid zeros we need to use our time wisely. We need to prepare ourselves for what we know is coming. Secondly, if you did the best you could and still received a zero ...
... or long noses. I don't want pretty noses or turned-up noses, but I want noses that can smell good. Now, who has a nose that can smell real good? (Wait for volunteers.) They sure do look like good noses. A nose that can smell good is a real advantage. I have a couple of things that I want to show you this morning. I am going to ask you to use your noses and tell me any differences that you smell. (Bring out the candles.) How many of you know what I have here? (Wait for the answer.) That ...
... know wht this pet is feeling or thinking would probably be to become another animal just like him or her. Of course, that's impossible for us to do. And it would be scary too, because if we did that we would have to give up all the power and advantages that we have of being a human being. And if we became an animal like this one, we don't know what somebody might do to us. They could put a rope around our neck or lock us up or forget to feed us. I'm telling you all of ...
... Defense. Note: In terms of individuals, computer scientist Vinton Cerf is considered to be the "father of the Internet." Application: Who else wants to be a millionaire? (response) I'd like to be a millionaire myself but let me read something to you. Jesus said, "What is the advantage if we gain the whole world and we lose our soul?" What do you think Jesus was saying? (response) He was saying that our hearts and our souls are of greater worth than all the money in the world. If you want to please God don't ...
... that you would like for your very own. Now be very careful in your selection, and when you have made up your mind, tap me on the arm and I will talk your choice over with you. [If they both choose the same one you can use this to good advantage in the fact that it must be special to both of them just as Paul was special to God. Later you can give them both a piece of the fruit and not make anything out of it. If they choose different pieces, then you can proceed as outlined.] Now that ...