Bubbles and the Cross

Yesterday is one of those days that I love, well I mean most of it at least. I had the privilege of speaking at our schools chapel service. (Deer Creek Christian School Go Lions!) Now the service I usually speak at is in the morning in my opinion too early. At this service I will talk to the kids that are in preschool all the way up to 5^th grade. Now if you know anything about teaching kids this is a huge span to keep everyone’s attention and interest. I was told that the focus for the month was gentleness.

Right now I can’t tell you the memory verse they were using for it because each grade had it’s own memory verse in addition to the verse of the month. So there was a lot of scripture. I know excesses.

Any way I had planned to use gentleness from the list of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

I wanted to tell the kids that when they were gentle to others in all situations Jesus would be edified, because those around them would see that they were different. This in turn may provide an opportunity to share their testimony of what God has done in their lives. yes even Pre schoolers can have a testimony. 

This was all fine and dandy I had illustration set as well as an object lesson. I thought my object lesson would be killer and the kids would love it. I was going to show them that we use not just one of the Fruit of the Spirit but we use all of them to accomplish gentleness then reiterate all the Fruit work together.

 I also wanted to let them know we can display these qualities on our own (with out Gods power and strength) but they would in no way be close to what it would be like if we would allow God to work through us. I would do this by blowing small bubbles then demonstrate how to make huge bubbles. The kind that are huger than Godzilla’s head!

So, great plan I thought but then God had to come along and ask me to take it another step further I felt God's nudging and had to choose whether to obey or not. I believed God wanted me to explain how He works as the Trinity in this too. I said “oh yeah sure and how can I do that?”( there is sarcasm there) If there is one thing you don’t want to do is challenge God because He will have His way one way or another.

With that I realized that to make the God size bubbles it took three things. Water, Dish soap, and magic bubble powder (glycerin this helps hold the bubble together so it can be huge).  Okay so I have the Father – water, the Son – Soap,  and the Holy Spirit – magic helper powder. I said that would be great but I can’t do it because the soap was green not red. Looking back this is just so stupid to say but I said it. Everyone knows that symbols for Jesus have to be red for the blood of Christ. Duh! So I nixed it and thought next time God I will get the red soap. Thanks for the idea well do this one another time.

Well I started my sermon and told the kids that when were young blowing bubbles can be a real talent because when we would try and blow we wouldn’t use gentleness or self control. We would just blow. And nothing would come out. After much practice we would skillfully blow gently and produce a bubble.

Then I showed them that we could not only blow one but several and, if we could catch one of the bubbles and use it to make more with out going back to the bottle. I compared this to how God can use us if we let Him have control and work in our lives by being teachable.  Others would then see our fruit. The result would be many would be touched by the love of God through you and then you can take one of those changed lives and help it to do what you are doing. Sharing God’s great plan with others and teaching them how to live an honoring life for God. This is doubling your efforts. This is what we would call discipleship.

I then changed focus. I still had everyones attention so, I said the little bubbles are like having good values and doing nice things on our own. what we want is something better than we can do on our own. With God this could be so much better and have a bigger impact.  I asked do you want to see what God can do if we let Him have control? Of course they cheered yes!

 So I brought out the God sized bubbles. This is when God stepped in. I said: You see God is made up of three parts God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Then I related each one to the mixture elements:

Water - God is the living water. John 4:13-14 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, ¹⁴ but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

The Dish Soap (Still Green) – Jesus Hebrews 9:14
How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God

The Magic Powder (this is the helper) – the Holy Spirit

John 14:26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

I stood there amazed at what God gave me to say and the kids really understood and got it. I grabbed the wands and made a huge bubble that was as big round as a semi truck tire if not bigger. The kids gasped and Oooed and ahhhed at the floating spectacle as I said this is a God size bubble. This is what God can do through you if you let His Fruit grow in your life then I explained that He would be the one helping us all the way.

 I had volunteers for this next part and asked them to make huge bubble on there own with out my help. They failed. (Part of the master plan) But when I instructed them step by step and they were teachable they had success. I pointed out this is the way God is with us He gives us His word (the Bible) to help us grow in ways that honor Him. Other Christians can help here too with support and prayer.

This was a good day! I just need some help from God.

If you continue on in the passage about the Fruit of the Spirit you will see that we must nail our ambitions, our wants, our selfish desires, to the cross daily.

Galatians 5:24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

This day I needed to be guided by God and walk by the spirit but first I had to crucify my desires. I believe this is what it means to daily take up your cross and follow Christ. How about you? 

Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.