Students Step it Up!
The Path of Righteousness is Now to be Followed
STATE COLLEGE, PA — Today the VBS kids found that being a sheep can be a hard life. Each day a sheep is faced with danger, hunger, and fear of the unknown. The students learned that it a sheep’s life is not different from their own life in that respect.
Sheep are mentioned over 500 times in the Bible. A shepherd cares for the sheep, providing safety, nourishment and love to his flock. In Psalm 23 David describes God as the shepherd and we humans as His sheep. The prophets and New Testament writers continued with this imagery. Jesus referred to Himself as the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep. To be called sheep was affirming our worth and importance to God.
The students also learned how sheep are creatures of habit. Left alone, they would happily follow the same trails, quickly turning paths into deep ruts and ravines. A wise shepherd keeps his sheep on the move, shifting from pasture to pasture and working out a pattern of grazing that allows the pastures to thrive.
We as humans also prefer to do our “own thing.” We are creatures of habit as well, even self-destructive ones. We don’t want to be led, we don’t want to follow – we want to do it our way! But Christ calls us to follow Him, to be willing to deny ourselves and to put others first.
He calls us to be willing to go against the flow and to set aside our desire to be the boss. He calls us to always have an attitude of gratitude and to be obedient to the Shepherd’s will for us.
Can You Repeat that Please?
Below are the verses we studied today and the children are to memorize: “He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake.”
FPO — For Parents Only
- Question for you to discuss with your child before VBS tomorrow: What is the difference between justice and revenge?
- On Wednesday, there will be Vespers at 5:00 p.m. Please try to bring your children early so that we can pray together. Dinner and VBS will follow immediately.
- On Thursday we will visit a sheep farm. Please arrive at the church by 4:15 p.m. so that we may leave promptly.
- Please pack a dinner for your child.
- The farm team is expecting a drizzle so you may want to pack a jacket.
- Students are to wear shoes or boots (NO flip flops/open toes) as we will be in the fields and barns.
- We should arrive back at the church ~9:30 p.m.
Learn More
For more recaps, pictures, and information, visit the 2016 Vacation Bible School homepage.