The Value of Life: Made with Worth

G’day!

Our first day of VBS we went to the Outback where kangaroos live. Everyone hop like a kangaroo.

Yesterday, we went to the Great Barrier Reef where coral, fish, and other ocean animals live. Everyone do your best fish impersonation.

Are you ready for our next destination? There are lots of Aussies there. (‘Aussies’ is what people from Australia are called).

Australia’s Coast

Most of the people in Australia (90% of them) live along the coast which means they live near the ocean. How many of you would like to live near the ocean?

Well, we live about as far from the ocean as possible. But I’d love to live near the ocean. Thankfully, we know that God put us here for a reason – even if we don’t know what that reason is.

Well, the people of Australia love to go the beach. They like to surf, sail, snorkel. If you went to the ocean, what would you like to do? Let them answer.

Australians like to go to the beach and have a ‘barbie.’ Guess what they mean when by ‘barbie.’ Barbeque.

Australians have fun words for other things too. I’m curious if you can guess what they mean with some of these words:

Mate = friend

Bloke = guy

Shella = girl

Nana = banana

Brekkie = breakfast

Lolly = candy (don’t take ‘lolly’ from strangers)

Sunnies = sunglasses

One more food item. This is my favorite.

Bikkies = cookies (want some Shella Scout Bikkies?)

If you like those unique words, you’re going to like today’s creature too. It’s the platypus.

Video

The platypus reminds us that all God’s creatures are different and unique. Every person in the whole world was made unique by God.

Even though God loves and values each person, sometimes, people don’t love and value other people. And that is sad and wrong.

Today, we’re going to hear about a time when the lives of some people weren’t valued.

The story we’re going to hear has some very sad parts. There are parts of the Bible that we might not want to hear. Sometimes we don’t want to hear these things because the Bible shows us that we have done something wrong.

But if the Bible tells us we are doing something wrong and sinful, is it right to feel bad about doing that thing? Yes.

That feeling like you are doing something wrong is called guilt. When we feel guilty about the sinful things we have done, what should we do?

We should confess those sins to God. And what does God do when we confess our sins? He forgives us.

Today’s story tells us about a horrible, sinful thing that a king did. It’s a sad story, and it might make us feel bad for hurting other people like the king did – even though we might not hurt them as bad as the king did.

But, if the Bible tells us about these things, is it still important? Yes.

The story happened about 2,000 years ago, and I bet most of you know the story pretty well.

Luke 2:1–7

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered…. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the guest room.

Mary and Joseph were probably staying in a relative’s house, but not in a room that was designed for people. They ended up staying in a part of the house that was used to keep the family’s animals.

Luke 2:8–12

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” … 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.

Just think how excited those shepherds were to hear the Savior had been born to save them from their sins.

Now, the story jumps forward a bit.

Matthew 2

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him….

8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.

Matthew 2

11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. 13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt…

Herod knew that Jesus was special, and Herod wanted to be the only special person.

Do you think God liked Herod’s plan to kill Jesus? No!

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.

So, Herod did a really, really bad thing by killing the boys in Bethlehem. And God did punish Herod for it.

Sometimes, we do bad things to other people too because we think we are more important than they are.

We might say mean things about other people.

We might hurt other people when they do things we don’t like.

When we do those things, it is sin.

When we sin and hurt other people, God wants us to repent and confess those sins. And the good news is that God takes away those sins because Jesus the Savior is born.

If you have guilt and feel bad for what you have said or done, know that Jesus gave His life for those sins. And He has risen from the dead. Those sins are gone and defeated.

If you still feel bad for those sins, please know that you can talk to me or to one of your leaders tonight. We want you to know that Jesus loves and forgives you.

Memory verse

Our memory verse helps remind us how God wants us to treat others. We should treat them how we want to be treated.

Hearing that might remind us of our sin. That’s ok. Confess those sins and God forgives you.

Then, you can tell the person you have hurt that you are sorry. Tell them you know that you hurt them, and ask them for forgiveness.

And always know that God loves you and all people. So, treat them the way you want to be treated.