Why Did God Give Us the Bible?

WHY GOD GAVE US THE BIBLE (Have copy of Candyland directions or Powerpoint of Candyland directions) I want you to think back to when you were about 4 or so years old. Can you remember if you played any board games? (ask clubbers) So let’s imagine you have a friend over, and you’re trying to explain how to play Candy Land. You COULD try to explain it just by what you remember. What’s good about that approach? What’s not so good? (we forget things, we can be confusing) So if you’re little, maybe you ask Mom or Dad to help you by taking something out of the box, or maybe it’s on the lid of the box – (take out directions). Maybe something like this…(start powerpoint) So why are directions a good idea? • It keeps you from getting all mixed up • It lets you know how to win the game • It keeps arguments from happening When I know the directions, I have more fun, I don’t get into a big argument with my friends, I know how to win, and why I might loose. It’s good to know directions. Now I went to the Milton Bradley website and downloaded these directions. They let you download the instructions to any game they make. Sometimes don’t you wish that life had instructions? Don’t you wish you knew how to win at life? Well, there isn’t something like these Candyland instructions, but maybe there’s something even better. We talk a lot at AWANA about the Bible. The Bible is the only book that is written by God. And he wrote it for you and me. Inside are important things that keep us from getting all mixed up, and it keeps us from having arguments and fights. It helps us know how to live a life that is great!! I want to give you 4 ways the Bible can be a real help to you, and I have 4 things inside this bag to help. First, (get out food) So what is this? Right, food. Why is food important to things that are alive? What happens to people when they don’t get ANY food? Right, finally they get weaker and weaker, and if we get no food at all, we finally die. One way God talks about the Bible si that it is food, not for our bodies, but for our spirits – who we are on the inside. Just like your body gets hungry and needs food, you rspirit desperately needs food. People’s spirits can be horribly hungry, and when we are hungry inside, we sometimes try to fill ourselves up with other things – maybe food, or maybe computer games. Adults choose some things like alcohol. One way God talks about his book, the Bible, is that it is food for our spirits. God says – fill up with this! It’s the best food. And it’s delicious Psalm 119:103 (give our Hershey kisses) Okay, here’s another way the Bible can help you (get out teddy bear). Even though you aren’t adults yet, you know that there are sad things in life. Maybe you heard about the Hurricane that hit Texas last weekend. Life has lots of happy times, but Jesus said in this world, there will be sad times. And when we’re sad, or something ad happens to us, we need comfort. And God gave us the Bible to help us feel better. When bad stuff happens, we sometimes forget that nothing – nothing at all – can keep God’s love from us – Psalm 119:64. Here’s another way the bible can help you and me. (Lantern) When you watch tv, do you ever feel that all commercials want to do is sell you more and more stuff? They seem to want you to believe that if you have lots and lots of stuff, you’ll really be happy and have lots of friends, and feel great. But I think you’re smart enough to figure out that isn’t true. But what WOULD make us happy? How can we figure out what is stupid stuff and what is really, really solid? We can feel in the dark about this. (turn on lantern). God gave you and me the Bible so we wouldn’t have to be in the dark. You learn verses from the Bible to help you trust that what God says is really, really true. You can count on it. It will light your way so you won’t fall. If you don’t have a Bible, we want you to have one, so please talk with me afterwards. If you don’t have a bible with you, please reach in front of you and get one out of the slot in the chair in front of you. If you Do have your own Bible, please get it out. I want you to put one hand under the Bible and another above it, like 2 pieces of bread in a sandwich, and I’m going to close us with prayer. Dear God, you must really love us to take the time to give us a book like the Bible. But we have to tell you that sometimes it’s hard to understand, and it’s hard to read it. Please help us not to get discouraged, but to ask for your help. We also want you to know that sometimes we feel sad about bad things in the world. Please help us to believe what the Bible says – that you love us no matter what. Finally, we also want to tell you that sometimes we feel like we’re walking in the dark. We don’t know what to do. We’re like someone playing Candyland without any directions. Please be that light to us that helps us each day to know what’s important and what’s not. Thanks, God, that you want to help us, and we put our trust in you today. Amen.