The Story of The Creation

This story is taken from Genesis 1:1-2:9

In the beginning God created the Heavens and the earth.  This was a long time ago.  But people just can't agree on how long ago this happen.  But, it is known that God existed before the world was made.  For God created all things by His wisdom and power.

At the very beginning the earth looked a lot different than it does today.  For in the beginning the earth was empty and there was no life of any kind on it.  The earth was completely dark.  There were deep waters that covered the surface of the earth.  And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

God took six days to make His creation.  Then on the seventh day He rested.  Why don't we see what God did in those six days.

Day 1

The first thing that God did was say, "let there be light."  Just like that light was created.  All God had to do was speak what He wanted done and it was done.  God looked at the light and saw that it was good.

The next thing God did was separate the light from the darkness.  I am sure you know what God called them.  God called the light "Day" and He called the darkness "Night."  This was the very first day of creation. 

Day 2

On this day God spoke again and He created a space in the middle of the waters, and He divided the waters from the waters.   God called this space "Heaven."  You see, God had now separated the water under Heaven from the water which was above Heaven.  God made the sky, but He hasn't made the earth yet.  This was the second day of God's creation.

Day 3

On this day God caused the waters under Heaven to come together in one place, and dry land appeared.  Do you know what He called the waters and the dry land?  God called the waters "Seas" and He called the dry land "Earth".  God saw what He had done and it was good.

Next, God told the Earth to grow grass, herbs, and fruit trees.  The seeds of these would allow more to grow back each year.  That way the earth would have plenty of grass, plants, and trees.  God saw that this was good.  This made up the third day of creation. 

Day 4

On this day God spoke again and He created the lights in the sky to separate the day from the night, and to be used for signs, seasons, days, and years.  Also, the lights in the sky would give light upon the earth.  As God spoke it was done!

Do you know what kind of lights God made?  Why not read on and see if you got it right.  God made two great lights in the sky.  The "Sun" would shine during the day, and the "Moon" would shine during the night.  God also made the stars in the night sky.  God saw that all of this was good.  This ended the fourth day of creation.

Day 5

Listen God is speaking again.  "Let the waters be filled with living creatures, and let there be birds that may fly above the earth in the open sky."

God created great whales and other fish, and every living creature that lives in the water, and He made all of them after their own kind.  God also made every kind of bird, and He made them after their own kind.  God saw that it was good. God blessed them all.  God told them to have many others of their own kind and to fill the seas and the earth with their children.  This was the fifth day of God's creation.

Day 6

Now on this day God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their own kinds, livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals."  And it was so.  God saw that it was good.

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness and let them rule over the fish of the seas, over the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over the creatures that move along the ground."  And it was so.  God created man in His own image.  God created man and woman.  God blessed them and told them to have more of their own kind, to fill the earth with their children.  To rule over the earth, and everything in the earth.  Also God said to the man, "Now I have given you every herb that will grow their own seeds which is upon the earth, and every fruit tree which has their own seeds, they shall be your food."

Then God said, "To every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, to all the creatures that move along the ground, and everything in which there is life.  I have given all green herbs for food."  And it was so.  Now God looked at everything that He had made, and saw that it was good.  This ended the sixth day of creation.

Day 7

Now the Heavens and the earth were finished, and all of the host of them.  So on the seventh day God ended His work and He rested.  God blessed the seventh day and He made it holy.  Because on that day He rested, from all the work of creation which He had made.

This is the generation of the Heavens and of the earth. And this told how they were created by God.

Did you know that God created man from the dust of the ground?  Well, He did!  God breathed into the man nose the breath of life, that way man became a living being.

Did you know that God created woman from one of the man's ribs?  Well, He did that too!

To learn more about the first man and woman whose names are Adam and Eve, you will need to read the story called "Adam and Eve."

John the Baptist..Chapter 3..John the Baptist Prepares the way for Jesus

Taken from Matthew 3:1-12, Mark 1:1-8, Luke 3:2-18, and John1:19-27

Let’s have some fun with the lesson.  Have the children help you out, by reading parts.

Teacher:  Here begins the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.  From the Bible, in the Book of Isaiah, who was a prophet ..God said

God:  Look I am sending my messenger before you, and he will prepare your way.  He is a voice shouting in the wilderness.  Prepare a pathway for the Lord’s coming!  Make a straight road for Him!  Fill in the valleys, level the mountains and the hills!  Straighten out the curves!  Smooth out the rough places!  And then all people will see the salvation that is sent from God.

Teacher:  This messenger was John the Baptist.  A message came from God to John, who was living out in the wilderness.  John began to preach in the Judean Wilderness.

John the Baptist:  People should be baptized to show that they have turn to God to be forgiven.  Because the Kingdom of Heaven is near.

Teacher:  John wasn’t saying that you are forgiven of your sins just by being baptized.  What he was saying was that you should turn to God to be forgiven of your sins and then be baptized to show others that you have turn to God. 

John was different than other men.  His clothes were made from camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist.  His food was locusts and wild honey.  People came from Jerusalem, all over Judea, and all over the Jordan Valley.  The people came to see and hear John preach.  When the people confessed their sins, John would baptize them in the Jordan River.  John was preaching to a crowd of people, and he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized. Pharisees and Sadducees were Jewish Priests. And John said,

John the Baptist:  You bunch of snakes!  Who warned you to run from God’s coming judgment?  Prove by the way you live, that you have really turned from your sins and turned to God.  Don’t just say, we’re safe, for we have Abraham as our father.  That proves nothing!  God can change these stones here into the children of Abraham.  Even now the ax of God’s judgment is raised, ready to cut your roots.

Teacher:  Now what is John talking about here?   John knew that the priests followed the law of God, but they didn’t understand the Word of God.  For John wanted them to turn from their sins and turn back to following God. So John called them a bunch of snakes.  

How do we prove by the way we live, that we have turned from our sins and turned to God?  Just to name a few things: You obey your parents, don’t lie about anything, and don’t steal anything.  God sees everything you do, and He hears everything you say, so watch what you do, and what you say, and obey Him. 

When John said, “Don’t just say, we’re safe, for we have Abraham as our father.”  What did he mean? To put that so you will understand it, let’s use an example:  Say you are the child of a judge.  Now, you go out and steal something, are you to get away without being punished for stealing, just because you are the child of a judge.  No, you would be punished just as anyone else would be.  That’s what John was talking about, just because they were children of Abraham didn’t mean God would let them get away with doing anything they wanted to do.  They had to obey God. 

When John said, “God can change these stones here into children of Abraham.  How can God to that?  Nothing is impossible for God.  Just think, God create the world we live in, the animals around us, and He created people as well.  If God can do all of this, He can do anything.

When John said, “Even now the ax of God’s judgment is raised, ready to cut your roots.  What does that mean?  Okay, let’s do another example:  When you disobey your parents and keep on disobeying them.  What do you think your parents will do?  Mine would punish me.  That’s the same way with God, when you keep disobeying God and don’t turn back to Him, and ask for forgiveness and start obeying Him, in the end He will judge you.  When you no longer obey God and turn to do evil whose child do you become, God’s child or the devil’s child?  Think about it.  Now, John went on to say,

John the Baptist:  Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.

Teacher: What does that mean?  John isn’t really talking about trees or fruit like we would think of.  Example again:  If people say they are Christians, but they keep living their lives disobeying God and refusing to turn to God.  They aren’t really Christians they are just saying they are. But, God knows the differences!  If you are a real Christian other people know it, by the way you treat them and others, and Christians will do their best to obey God, and not give in to temptation, and they love to tell others about their faith in Jesus, and what Jesus has done for them. 

John has really been preaching to these people.  So the crowd of people asked him,

The people:  What should we do?

John the Baptist:  If you have two coats, give one to the poor.  If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.

Teacher:  Some corrupt tax collectors came to be baptized also,

Tax Collectors:  Teacher, what should we do?

John the Baptist:  Show that you are honest, make sure that you collect no more taxes than the Roman Government tells you to.

Teacher: There were even some soldiers that came to be baptized.

Soldiers:  What should we do?

John the Baptist:  Don’t take money by violence or threats, and don’t accuse people of things that you know they didn’t do.  And be happy with your pay.

Teacher:  Everyone was expecting the Messiah to come soon, and they were eager to know if John might be the Messiah.  Even the Jewish leader wanted an answer to that.  So they sent priests and temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John,

Temple people:  Do you claim to be the Messiah?

John the Baptist:  I am not the Messiah

Temple people:  Well, then, who are you?  Are you Elijah?

John the Baptist:  No

Temple people:  Are you the Prophet?

John the Baptist:  No

Temple people:  Then who are you?  Tell us, so we can give an answer to those who sent us.  What do you have to say about yourself?

John the Baptist:  I am a voice shouting in the wilderness.  Prepare a straight pathway for the Lord’s coming!

Temple people:  If you aren’t the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?

John the Baptize:  I baptize with water those who turn from their sins and turn to God.  But right here in the crowd is someone you do not know, who will soon begin His ministry.  He is far greater than I am.  He is so much greater that I am not even worthy to be His slave.  I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

Teacher:  Do you know who John the Baptist is talking about?  It was Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  Well that the end of our play, we hope you enjoyed it.

Find the answer to the secret coded message.

Write the letter on the line above the secret code.

!    @   #   $   %   ^   &   *    (    )   -   +    =

A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   K   L   M

[    ]   {     }    \    ;    :    “    ‘    <     >   ?    /

N  O   P   Q   R   S   T   U  V   W   X   Y  Z

__ __   __ __

 (    :      (    ;

__ __ __ __ __    __ __ __    __ __ __ __ __ __ __

 )   %   ;   “    ;       :   *   %     =   %  ;   ;    (    !    *

__ __ __    __ __ __    __ __    __ __ __

 :    *   %     ;    ]   [       ]    ^      &  ]   $

Prayers

 

Prayer Request

 ______________________________________

Are you are someone you know needing prayers.   If you would like to submit a prayer request, we will place it on the prayer list of the Candy Kitchen Mission Church prayer team.  We ask that you tell us the name of the person that the prayer is for.  If you want to used only the first name instead of the whole name that’s okay.  We also need to know the reason that you or the person needs prayer, so we will know what to pray for. 

Sent your prayer request to:   

                                    Candy Kitchen Mission Church

                                     HC 61  Box 2026

                                     Ramah, New Mexico  87321

Or e-mail:  ckmchurch@yahoo.com

The Narrow and Wide Roads

We will start out with John 14:6

I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me..

Discussion:

This is one of the most important verses in the Bible.

• How can we know the way to God? 
•  We can not find the way to God by ourselves, for there is only one way to get to God and that is through Jesus Christ.  You see Jesus is the only way to God, because Jesus is both God and man.
• How can Jesus be both God and Man?  
•  Well, let’s start with man first, Jesus was the son of a woman named Mary and that caused Him to be human.  But to understand that Jesus is also God we have to do some digging into God’s Word, the Bible.

In Genesis chapter 1 we learn that God created the heavens and the earth.  God also spoke things into being, like when He said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  So you see God spoke the earth, sea, day, night, grass, and trees into being.  

What has that to do with Jesus is also God?   Well, just hang on a minute and let's do some more digging in  the Bible.

Now, in John 1:1-3 we learn, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  All things were made through Him, and without the Word nothing was made, that God had made.”  You know that sounds strange.  But just think for a minute, when you talk doesn’t words come out of your mouth.  These words you speak aren’t they part of who and what you are?  Let’s say you want to plant a garden and you need seeds to grow what you want to plant in your garden.  But as a child you can’t drive yourself to the store.  You have to ask someone to drive you to the store, and by asking someone you had to speak words.  These words are your words, and they are part of you.  But, if you didn’t speak them how would anyone know you needed to go to the store.  That what God did, He spoke the Word and the Word created whatever God wanted done.

Now let’s dig a little more deeper into God’s Word, the Bible.  In John 1:14 we learn that God’s Word became flesh, and He lived among us and we saw His glory, the glory of the only begotten Son of God, and He was full of grace and truth.

Now let’s see what we have learned by doing some digging:

1. God made this world we live in by speaking it into exists
2. The Words God spoke was part of God, and through the Words God spoke everything was made.
3. We learned that God Word became flesh, which means a person, and this person lived here on earth with us, and this person was called the Son of God, and He was full of God’s grace and truth.

So we are to trust Jesus to take us to God, the Father.  But, some people think that if they live there life doing what they can to help others they will go to Heaven.  Now I ask you, is that what the Bible, God’s Word tells us?  No!!  For the Bible tells us, “There is only one way to get to God, and that is through Jesus.

Some people say that believing that Jesus is the only way is a very narrow road to follow in order to get to Heaven.  But really the road isn’t to narrow.  For the road is wide enough for the whole world, if the world would only choose to believe in Jesus.  But, most of the world doesn’t want to believe in Jesus, they think they can find another way to God.  They just don’t understand why Jesus is the only way to God.  Instead of trying to find other ways to God, they should be saying, “Thank you, God, for sending Jesus so we can have a way to get to you!

• As the way, Jesus is our path to God, the Father
• As the truth, Jesus is the only way to God
• As the life… when we believe in Jesus, He becomes part of our life, we know that He died for our sins, that He was buried in a rich man’s tomb, that He rose on the third day and now He is in Heaven sitting on the right hand of God.  We know that as believers we will someday be able to spend forever with Jesus

 What did you mean by the narrow road?  Well let’s do some more digging and see.

Let’s read Matthew 7:13-14

13…..Enter by the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.

14….. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

When we talk about a narrow gate, that is the gate that leads to eternal life.  Now these verses doesn’t mean that it is hard to become a Christian, but that there is only one way to live forever with God, but only a few have decided to walk the narrow road that leads to God.  I know that living God’s way may not be popular with other people, but living God’s way is the right way.  God’s way is to believe in His Son Jesus Christ and for us to live our life for Jesus, trusting in Him.

Now let’s look in Luke and see what is written about the narrow gate.

Luke 13:22-24

22…..Jesus traveled through the towns and the villages, teaching the people as He made His way to Jerusalem.

23…..Someone asked Jesus, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”

24…..Jesus said, “Make every attempt to enter through the narrow gate, because many, I tell you, many will try to enter the narrow gate and will not be able to.”

Discussion:

Jesus knew He was going to Jerusalem to die, but He kept on preaching to large crowds of people.  Nothing was going to keep Jesus from His mission.

You see finding salvation requires more than some people are willing to do.  They don’t want to believe in Jesus or change the way they live, they like what they are doing.  But the truth is we can’t save ourselves, we need Jesus.  We need to seriously have a wish to know Jesus, and try very hard to follow Him.

What is Salvation?

Let's start with John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

What this verse is saying to me:

This verse shows us that God loved us so much that He gave the life of His only Son for us.  Jesus took our punishment! He paid the price for our sins!  Then He offered us the new life that  He had bought for us.  What we have to do is except the gift that He offers us by believing in Him.  And believing in Jesus leads to everlasting life.  But, believing in Jesus is more than knowing that He's the Son of God, it also means putting our trust and faith in Jesus, For He alone can save us.

What makes you say that Jesus alone can save us?

Let's take a look at John 14:6

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

As we said in the lesson “The Narrow and Wide Roads”:

• As the way, Jesus is our path to God, the Father
• As the truth, Jesus is the only way to God
• As the life, when we believe in Jesus, He becomes part of our life, we know that He died for our sins, that He was buried in a rich man's tomb, that He rose on the third day and now He's in Heaven sitting on the right hand of God.  We know that as believers we will someday be able to spend forever with Jesus.

 

How do we know we will be able to spend forever with Jesus?

Well there are a lot of verses that tells us a true believer will have eternal life.  Here are a few of them:

John 3:15

Whoever believes in Jesus should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

John 3:17

For God didn't send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through His Son might be saved.

John 6:47

Jesus said, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.

1 John 5:11b-13

God has given us eternal life, and this life is through His Son, Jesus Christ.  For He who believes in Jesus Christ has life, but he who doesn't believe in Jesus, the Son of God, doesn't have life.  These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, may know that you have eternal life, and that you may keep on believing in the name of the Son of God.

What happens to the people who don't believe in Jesus?

Let's take a look at some verses that tells us what happens to an unbeliever:

John 3:18

He who doesn't believe is condemned already, because he hasn't believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Discussion:

The word condemned means guilty and judgment is passed on them. 

John 8:24b

For if you don't believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.

Discussion:

Now the word He in the above verse is Jesus.  And when you die in your sins you are forever with the devil, instead of Jesus.

John 3:36b

He who doesn't believe in the Son of God shall not see life, but the wrath of God will be on him.

Discussion:

The wrath of God means God's judgment and since they don't believe in Jesus they will end up with the devil in the fires of hell forever.

 

Receiving salvation is simple:

Let's see what Romans 10:8-10 has to say:

      8..The word is near you, it is in your mouth and in your heart, that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming.

Discussion:

The word proclaiming means what we are telling other people.

9..    That if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord,” and you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you will be saved.

10..For it is with your heart that you believe, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Discussion:

Has anyone ever asked you , “How do I become a Christian?”  Well Romans 10:8-10 gives you the answer.  Salvation is as close as your own mouth and heart.  If we believe in our hearts and say with out mouths that Jesus Christ is the risen Lord, we will be saved.

Think about what you just read.  We hope you come to the right decision.