Scoop: This week, we have been exploring wonderful Bible stories and the sport of hot-air ballooning. We have all been learning about soaring to new heights…with God! Now I know that you parents are anxious to hear about everything we learned this week, so I want to introduce to you someone the kids have been learning from all week. Please meet Skylar, the scampering, skimming, scholarly, skillful, and squealing sky squirrel!
(Skylar squeals and appears)
Skylar: Hello, friends! My name is Skylar the Sky Squirrel—I’m an expert at flying, floating, and having fun!
Scoop: I’m glad you’re here today, Skylar. There are a lot of people here today want to know what we have been talking about this week.
Skylar: Well, let’s get started! We’ve been learning about God’s love, folks!
Scoop: That’s a great place to start, Skylar! Soaring to new heights with God means having a strong relationship with God. What did we learn on our first day?
Skylar: Some of you have seen a hot air balloon in the sky. But I bet there is something you didn’t notice—something very important. There are people who follow the balloon in a car or truck. They are called the chase crew. Their job is to know where the balloon is at all times.
Scoop: That’s right, Skylar. We learned that following is very important. On our first day at VBS, we learned about Abraham and how he followed God. On the second day we learned…
Skylar: We learned that hot air ballooning requires us to trust something we can’t see—the air inside the balloon that lifts the balloon high in the air.
Scoop: We also learned that trust was a vital part of the story of Joseph. All through his life he always trusted God.
Skylar: On day 3, we learned that balloonists usually fly in the early morning hours—that’s when the wind is the calmest. And we learned that being calm and quiet and listening is important in our relationship with God.
Scoop: In learning to listen to Jesus, we learned about Mary and Martha, and how important it is to take time to listen. Now, on day 4, we learned how the pilot of the hot air balloon has to go around obstacles like trees, wires, mountains, or buildings.
Skylar: We also learned that the obstacles we face aren’t always on the outside—sometimes we need to repent of the things that separate us from God, and each other.
Scoop: Finally, on Friday, we learned about Peter and how he was called to serve.
Skylar: So this week we have learned that God wants us It would be great if we could do that every day! Hey Scoop, why don’t you talk to these folks a little more about Peter and what Jesus calls us to do?
Scoop: Alright, Skylar. Why don’t you just relax for a while, and maybe we’ll see you later?
Skylar: OK, Scoop! See you later, folks!
This past week at VBS, I have watched as the kids have been encouraged to follow, to trust, to listen, to repent, and to serve. And in some cases, I have even seen them put it into action!
You see, God has been working through those who have been ministering to the children all week. I have seen children learn in games and through stories, show creative streaks in crafts, rejoice and dance in song, and celebrate with snacks!
I have to share with you one particular story of God at work this week. A little girl was dancing during music time and fell, hurting her finger. The tears just rolled down her cheeks as she cried. I asked her if she would let me see her finger, if she wanted some ice, if she wanted to sit on the pew, all to no avail. All she was going to do, it seemed was cry. At this point, I called the other kids over to gather around her and told them that because we had been talking about prayer all week that it was time to pray right now for their friend. Together, we prayed that her finger wouldn’t hurt anymore and that she would know how special she was to all of us and to God. I said amen, and looked at her as she looked at her finger in amazement. She began to laugh and we celebrated together.
The last day we focused on the Bible passage you heard earlier. The children were told that Jesus told Peter to serve those around him with the words “Feed my Sheep.” I would like to suggest to you that those words take on particular meaning when you explore the Greek that this passage was originally written in.
In our English translation, we lose sight of the questions Jesus asked, Peter’s answers, and Jesus’ commands. Jesus told Peter to feed his sheep three times, but he uses a different word the first time. Instead of adult sheep – probaton – Jesus uses the word that describes a very young sheep, a lamb – arnion.
It has been suggested that Jesus asks this same question of whether he loves him three times in order to help Peter fully understand the forgiveness Christ has given to him. Remember Peter denied Jesus three times the night he was betrayed. Do you remember who asked him the questions? Peter’s denial begins in John 18:17 as he is asked by a slavegirl if he knows Jesus. The word translated slavegirl here refers to a very young girl, what we might consider a child. The other two times he is asked by others in the courtyard, and by the servant of the high priest.
But remember our focus on the command “feed my sheep?” I want to suggest to you that Jesus was forgiving Peter for the betrayals of that night, and further, giving him a mission of service. The first was to children and teens—the young girl who asked Peter first, to which Jesus replied “feed my young sheep.” The second is to those who are our peers—those who were gathered with Peter in the courtyard, and the third is to those whose status in society may be different from ours, the poor and the oppressed, the servant of the high priest. In reference to both of these groups, Jesus gave the command, “feed my sheep.”
So how do we apply that in our world today? How do we “feed his sheep?” As followers of Christ we are called to minister to each of these groups of people. The young—maybe that means VBS, or Sunday School, being an advocate for children, or simply helping them to grow in the right direction. Our peers?—that might mean meeting together for worship, or in a small group, discussing how God is working in your lives. Those other than our peers?—that might be ministries providing food for mission programs or sending care packages to service members.
No matter the ministry, we are called to participate and to pray. We are called to serve—to Feed His Sheep. And I promise that when you do, you will be exhilarated—you will soar to a new life with God!
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