God Is With Us

Focus On The Father

Materials needed

Large colorful eyeglasses

Leader

Well, I want you to know that I’ve got on my focusing glasses today because sometimes I have trouble paying attention. Sometimes I just have to get myself a little reminder, something like these glasses that makes me really pay attention. I want you to know I’m going to be looking to see if you’re really paying attention today and if you are, I might have a pair of funny glasses for you. Thant means that you have to make sure you give me your eyes, give me your attention and just listen to what happened one day when somebody did not pay attention.

One day, Jesus had been out preaching all day he and the disciples fed 5,000 people with the loaves and the fishes. Remember that story? Okay, good. I’m seeing some thumbs up here, great. Thank you.

Right after that, Jesus had decided that he wanted to get away from everybody because he just needed a few minutes to gather his thoughts. sometimes He just needed to get away from the crowds. He said, “Listen disciples, I’m going to go up on the mountain top and I’m going to get close to my father. I just need some peace and quiet and some alone time with my Father. The disciples said, “Okay, what do you want us to do?” Jesus said, “I want you to row over to the other side of the lake and I’ll meet you over there.”

The disciples got in the boat and guess what happened! There were some big, dark clouds gathering , The sky started getting dark, and the wind started blowing, and all of a sudden, the rain started coming down in torrents. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be outside during a thunderstorm and I’m sure don’t want to be on a lake. They were very afraid. They were cowering down in the boat trying to keep dry. All of a sudden , they looked up and they saw a figure walking on the water. The figure was getting closer and closer and you know what they thought it was? They thought it was a ghost!

The disciples were shaking and afraid. As this figure got a little closer, Peter bravely took his hand away from his face. When he looked up, he said, “Jesus, is that you?” And Jesus said, “It is I’’ and Peter said, “Well, you’re walking on the water. Can I come out and walk on the water too?’’ And Jesus said, “Come” so Peter was very brave he stepped down at the boat, got on the water and start walking towards Jesus. It was just like he had on his focus glasses and he kept his eyes right on Jesus.

But then, he started thinking about the wind and the rain and the lightning and the deep water and he took his eyes off of Jesus and he started sinking. And he said these famous words that we will all say one day, maybe you’ve already said. I know I say them just about every day, he said, “Lord, save me’’ and Jesus came and pulled him up on the water and saved him. We need to keep our focus glasses on, we need to keep our eyes on Jesus because he’s always there for us.

Before we have our prayer, we would like to make a presentation to somebody, right? So you all stand up, it’s almost Valentine’s Day and we’ve been focusing on the fact that Valentine’s Day is coming, right? Some of you there were in Sunday school this morning, you know our little Valentine song, so I want you to sing it with me, ready? “We love our Valentine, oh yes we do, we love our Valentine, oh yes we do. It’s brother Randy, that’s him. Oh Valentine, we love you.”

We all take this big Valentine that we decorated to brother Randy.

Brother Randy

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you.

Lynn

You’re welcome. Let’s have a word of prayer before we go. Dear Jesus, help us keep our focus glasses on today, may we always keep our eyes on you. Amen. Thank you.