Welcome everybody. It's Halloween once again... and what do you kids say when
you stand in front of that door? ("Trick or Treat" will be the answer)
That's right, but look on the board and figure out what I propose you are
getting in this program tonight: "TRICK AND TREAT"! Yes, you do not
have to choose between a trick or a treat, you are going to get both!!! And the
treat will be something you can keep for ever! A gift like this we call Eternal!
But I am jumping ahead of myself, let me do a trick for you first!
(In my original program I used the 4 Chinese ring/globe illustration as well as
animal balloons to talk about creation. I leave this out and go directly to the
boomerang illusion.)
Can you guess which one of those 2 boomerang-shaped cardboards is bigger? (Take
them off the board and hold them over each other etc.) Some people think they
only have a little sin in their life, but look - now it has become bigger than
the other one.... our eyes are tricked - because in God's eyes we are all
sinners just the same much! Whenever somebody does a trick for you, it is
usually an illusion, short: a LIE. Do you know who is the biggest liar? (A child
may call out the name of another child...go for it!) No, this is the devil and
he wants you to become a good liar too... but is it right to lie?? If we do
God's Word says we have sinned, that means we could never enter Heaven, because
that place is perfect!
Happily, God has a solution. He sent His Son Jesus Christ (downward arrow) to
show us what it means to live up to God's rules. He lived that perfect life we
could not. But still, folks took Him and nailed Him to this cruel cross!
(vertical arrow - blood) Tell me, for what sin was He punished like this? Right,
he did not have any, for even with words He always spoke the TRUTH! He became
that spotless lamb to die for our (yours and mine) sin(s)!! Did you already
thank Him for this? Let's do it right now!
(Prayer of acceptance etc.)
Where did they put Jesus after He had died?? Yes into the tomb which they closed
up with a big stone (paint it - they also sealed it / read dot on edge of rock)
and guarded it with Roman soldiers (paint 1 soldier). The people were afraid of
a dead man... because Jesus had promised that He would raise again on the 3rd
day. Did He really do this? You bet He did! The soldiers fell to the ground
(arrow down) and later spread the rumor that Jesus' disciples stole the body.
For this they even got money and a lot of people still believe this lie today.
But I know that God cannot lie and therefore I rejoice in the historical fact of
Christ's resurrection. He not only paid for my sin(s), but also conquered death
for me, so that I can be forgiven and live with God for ever. Yes, E.L. stands
for eternal life - you will not get a better treat anywhere else! And you don't
even need a bag to carry it home. If you really meant the prayer we prayed a
while ago - then Jesus already came into your heart through the Holy Spirit and
will be with you for ever. He said: "I am the way, the truth and the life,
no one will come to the Father but through me!
Presented by Kurt Schafli
kurt.Schafli@oaci.org
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