No Laughing Matter

This has been both a very spiritually rewarding and spiritually challenging week.

For two nights this week I had the opportunity to teach the adult class at my church‘s Vacation Bible School.

My second night was particularly challenging.

The curriculum we had purchased called for us to focus on the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

I read through the materials provided, and the adult class guide included a rather lighthearted introduction before moving into the account of what Jesus experienced on our behalf.

As a Sunday School Teacher, I had a real problem with that.

The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus is the hub around which Christianity revolves. In my opinion, a humorous introduction was simply not an appropriate way to lead into a discussion of this nature.

There was simply no way I could consider using an iron when clearly a scalpel was in order.

I opted to completely jettison the introduction and go right into the heart of the matter.

To do that meant I was going to come up about 15 minutes short of material.

I wrestled with this for hours while the clock ticked steadily onward.

Finally, with God’s help the solution came to me.

When the time came, I read to my students the suggested passages from the book of Luke pausing between sections to give additional information and take questions. There were very few questions as everyone was really feeling the emotional weight of what Jesus went through for us.

We finished the final passage and as I expected we had about fifteen minutes left.

I asked if there were any questions and as I looked each in turn they simply shook their heads,

"Before we conclude, I have one more question for you," I stated.

"I know many of you are parents," I added. "If you have ever made sacrifices for your children, please raise your hand." Of course, every hand was raised.

"Why did you make sacrifices for your children?", I asked.

From the back someone said, "Love."

"Exactly!" I exclaimed. "You made sacrifices for your children because you love them. That is why God sacrificed His only Son for us! He did this because He loved us!"

I then asked them to turn in their Bibles to Isaiah chapter 53.

As my students turned the pages in their Bibles, I asked them to bear in mind that Isaiah wrote the words we were about to read some 700 to 800 years BEFORE the events in Luke‘s account.

I also asked them to notice how closely the prophet Isaiah's language matched up with the account in Luke.

I read through Isaiah 53 as they followed along. Here is a but a portion...

Isaiah 53:7-9 (NET) - He was treated harshly and afflicted, but he did not even open his mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughtering block, like a sheep silent before her shearers, he did not even open his mouth. He was led away after an unjust trial - but who even cared? Indeed, he was cut off from the land of the living; because of the rebellion of his people he was wounded. They intended to bury him with criminals, but he ended up in a rich man’s tomb, because he had committed no violent deeds, nor had he spoken deceitfully.

The death, burial and resurrection should not be taken lightly. This is what our salvation depends on.


Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeet.byethost3.com on Friday, June 17, 2011.

Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!

I’ll be back here on Friday, June 24, 2011.