Good Words from God’s Word
 
God has given our church one of the most wonderful Vacation Bible School weeks that I can remember. We have enrolled this week over 60 children and young people. This means that, including our workers, over 80 people have participated in the study of God’s word, fellowship of God’s people, and the joy of the Lord every night. I wish every member of our church could have watched our children dance, move their arms, sing and be completely absorbed in the music and meaning of all that happened through our GALACTIC STARVEYOR worship services. The children know that God is the creator of everything and that He desires a personal relationship with every one of them. They have memorized the theme:

“Searching the Visible, Discovering the Invisible”
 

Many have learned and quoted the memory verse:
 
“The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” (Psalm 19:1)
 
Grace Baptist Church will benefit from the efforts and sacrifices made through this week of Vacation Bible School for months to come.
 
The week’s activities have functioned like a well-oiled machine. The children were exceptionally well behaved. Our leadership planned and carried forward the schedule and activities without flaw. Teachers were well prepared and completely attentive to presenting the gospel in a way that was fun and exciting. As I walked through the church each night, I praised God again and again for the amazing dedication and spirit of our leaders, teachers and volunteers. Thank you goes to VBS Co-Directors Carol Childers and Sandy Jordan for your leadership and tireless efforts.
 
God rewarded the work of our hands this week. On Wednesday night, the Lord worked in the hearts of two children as they prayed to receive Jesus as Savior. One adult made a profession of faith and plans to be baptized. One of our middle school students made a commitment to Christ and to be baptized. I am praying that even more will step forward tonight in the final Parent’s Night Service to make commitments for Christ. I look forward to sharing with our entire congregation this coming Sunday the final report of all that God did.
 

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
 

I am amazed by the way God is working in our church. I feel like the apostle Paul when he returned from his first missionary journey:
 
“When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all things that God had done with them and how He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.” (Acts 14:27)
 
This week through Vacation Bible School, God opened the door of faith in the lives of our children. When a child comes to Jesus, you never forget it.
 
A young 8 year old girl came to me Wednesday night and said, “I gave my heart to Jesus last night.”

aaGOOD WORDS FROM GOD’S WORD
 
Today our church recognizes the significant role that Godly father’s hold in the lives of their families, the community and our church. The Bible says:
 
“A righteous man walks in his integrity, his children are blessed after him.” (Proverbs 20:7)
 
A father’s influence lasts and lasts. Billy Sunday once preached, “Be careful, father, or while you take one lap around the devil’s table your boy may take six.”
 
We give thanks to the Lord this morning for the Godly influence and powerful witness our Men at Grace provide to our children and to this community. God is truly using all of you to make a difference for His glory.
 
The story is told of a father of five children who brought one toy home with him after work. He called all five children together and asked which one of them should be given the toy. He asked, “Who is the most obedient one here?” The kids looked at each other shrugging their shoulders in silence. Then he asked, “Who never talks back to Mom and always does everything Mom says do? Again, the kids looked at each other and then said in unison, “You play with it, Dad!” We thank God for men who not only obey mom, but make God their first priority to listen to and always do what He says do.
 
Today, we kick off this week of Vacation Bible School fun. We give thanks today for all of our Vacation Bible School leaders, teachers and volunteers. The theme for Vacation Bible this year is:

 
GALACTIC STARVEYORS
 

Children will learn how awesome and majestic our creator God is who made the heavens and the earth.  The theme verse is:
 
“The heavens are telling the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands” (Psalm 19:1)
 
Children will also hear the good news that our creator God who made everything wants a relationship with them. Children will learn how much God loves them and what He has done to save them from their sins. This week is going to be FUN and AWESOME!
 
This morning we will commission all of our workers who will be prepared and ready to lead our children in everything God is planning to do throughout the week. To this end, may we all participate in this covenant committing ourselves to  participate with God in accomplishing the Vacation Bible School that He wants here at Grace:
 
Pastor: Do you promise to demonstrate your love for Christ by committing yourselves to lead Grace Baptist Church to fulfill God’s plan for this year’s Vacation Bible School?
 
Workers: We Do.
 
Pastor:  Will you use your energy and influence to help our children learn this year’s theme verse, “The heavens are telling the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands” (Psalm 19:1)?
 
Worker: We Will.
 
Pastor:  Congregation, do you agree to demonstrate your love for the Lord and these workers by supporting their efforts and praying for them each day this week?
 
Congregation: We Do.
 
Pastor: Prayer.

Good Words from God’s Word
 
My sermon this morning is entitled, “Sharing Jesus with Lost People”. The sermon text is from Acts 13:17-32 about Paul’s sermon he preached in Pisidian Antioch on this first missionary journey.
 
I am praying today that Jesus will speak to you through this message and give you not only a desire to tell others about Jesus, but also give you confidence to share with lost people what Jesus has done for you.
 
If you are going to be an effective witness of the gospel, you must believe several things about Him. You will never be able to tell others about Jesus if you are not sure who Jesus is. I have selected 5 things about which you must be sure in order to tell others about Him. I want you to put these in your Bible in order that you may memorize them and use the scriptures along with them to tell lost people what you believe. They are:
 
  1. Jesus was born to a virgin whose name was Mary;
 
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14)
 
Another great verse is the testimony of Mary herself:
 
“Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’” (Luke 1:34)
 
  2. Jesus is the only begotten Son of God;
 
“By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent his only begotten son into the world so that we might live through Him” (1 John 4:9)
 
  3. Jesus Died on the cross for our sins;
 
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that He was raised on the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
 
Another great scripture to learn about the sacrificial death of Jesus is:
 
“But God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8)
 
  4. Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day;
 
“He is not here; he has risen! Remember how He told you, while He was still with you in Galilee: The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day and be risen again” (Luke 24:6-7)
 
You may want to add another verse about the resurrection to your memory:
 
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3-4)
 
  5. Jesus is God’s only way to be saved;
 
“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12)
 
Every person who is born again must believe these 5 points about Jesus in order to be saved and have eternal life. Are you sure about what you believe concerning Jesus? We live in a world that lacks confidence in the things of God. Many people believe Jesus was a good man, but are not positive He is the only way to heaven. People wonder if He really died on the cross and are skeptical about the resurrection thinking his disciples probably invented the story. If you’re not sure about Jesus, your salvation is not on solid ground. If you wonder about who Jesus is, you will never be able to tell another person who He is. I give you these five points so you can be sure. Learn them, put them in your Bible and highlight the verses that go with each point. The better you know them, the better you will be in pointing lost people to Jesus who is ready to forgive their sins and give them eternal salvation.

Good Words from God’s Word
 
Vacation Bible School starts in just 14 days. This year’s theme is “GALACTIC STARVEYORS” and is based on the theme verse:
 
“The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands” (Psalm 19:1)
 
The truth that will be conveyed to our children this year is, “THE GOD WHO CREATED EVERYTHING WANTS A RELATIONSHIP WITH US.” There will be music, video drama, Bible study, craft making, games and great snacks all focused on the mystery and expanse of outer space created by God, controlled by Him and yet personal enough to include you and me.
 
I want to thank Carol Childers and Sandy Jordan for their leadership in Vacation Bible School. They both have been hard at work getting workers, supplies and resources together to make this years’ experience for the kids one that will be long remembered. They have assembled a teaching and leadership core of volunteers who will be well prepared and ready to take our children to the planet Mars and back. Include all of our teachers and leaders in your prayers. Ask God to bless them and use them to demonstrate how much God loves each child and what He has done through His Son Jesus to save them and give them a home in heaven.
 
Someone has said, “Vacation Bible School is what you take when you can no longer take what you’ve been taking.” Vacation Bible School at Grace is not something we take. It is something we make. We use the best Bible curriculum for children made and used by churches all across this country. Our Vacation Bible School study lessons are Holy Spirit inspired in their quality and our teachers are all led by the Holy Spirit to teach children what the word of God says.
 
Vacation Bible School is the first HIGH TRAFFIC event of the summer here at Grace. We will have more prospective families involved during this week than at any other time over the next three months. More children make professions of faith through Vacation Bible School than through any other event during the year. Unchurched parents and friends will bring their children to Vacation Bible School when they do not attend church on a regular basis. Vacation Bible school is an outreach goldmine. Do not view this important week as a pill to take. Look at it as a privilege and honor in which we do as Jesus commanded:
 
“Suffer the children to come unto me and forbid them not, for such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:14)
 
I heard another person say once, “I’m tied, I mean Vacation Bible School kind of tired.” Now, that one is true. There is no tired like Vacation Bible School kind of tired. It is not true because getting tired at Vacation Bible School is any more or less tiring than mowing the lawn or washing the car. Yes, you need rest following Vacation Bible School. Yes, you get weary and feel exhausted, but you are glad about it. Vacation Bible School gives you the HAPPY TIRED kind of feeling. I’d rather be Vacation Bible School tired than most any kind of tired feeling there is. The Bible says:
 
“Do not loose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary” (Galatians 6:9)
 
I look forward to getting Vacation Bible School tired along with all our workers, students and parents this summer.