By Andrew Mills
TPC Student Ministry Director
If you thought Fourth of July fireworks were loud, then come to the church this week to hear what 115 children in close proximity sound like. Next to them, fireworks sound like bubble wrap.
Monday was the first day of Vacation Bible School. Our theme: “Jump! Put Faith in Motion.” This week, elementary school-age children will be memorizing 1 Timothy 4:12, which says, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young. Set an example for the believers in what you say and in how you live.”
Meanwhile, pre-K students will learn Luke 10:27: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all our soul and with all your strength and with all your mind.”
I’d like to encourage everyone at TPC to study those two verses, too. This way, if you run into any of the children, you can see if they have it memorized and help them out, if necessary.
The Bible story on Monday was about the Road to Damascus (Acts 8:1-3, 9:1-9; Philippians 3:4-9). The big question was: Who is God? The answer: If you want to know who God is, then you need to find out more about Jesus.
Saul thought he knew God. In fact, he even thought he was serving God. But because he didn’t know who Jesus really was, Saul’s efforts to please God were actually sinful. The Bible says, “But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.” (Acts 8:3).
Saul’s best efforts to serve God were destructive until he encountered Jesus on the way to Damascus. Once Saul learned who Jesus really was, his life changed radically. God used Saul – who now went by the name Paul – powerfully in the life of the church. In fact, God used him to write 13 books of the New Testament!
Jesus is the gateway to knowing God. A lot of people claim to worship God, but they don’t have any interest in Jesus. However, Jesus clearly taught that this is not possible. He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well.” (John 14:6-7a)