JESUS IS
Objects
a small rock
a piece of bread
a green vine, real or artificial
__________
I have a box here of things, just everyday things. Yet, when looked at through special eyes this morning, I think you will see that they are special things. Now it is true that you may not understand spiritually, as adults could, but I can use them for you in a different sense, for they speak of Jesus. Each thing that I want to bring out of the box will say "Jesus is.".
I need one volunteer to pull out one item. What do you see? A rock? Boys and girls, we have a rock. Now I will grant you that it is a very pretty rock. We all have rocks around the house probably, and we see rocks on the ocean floor, we see rocks when we are camping and we just see rocks everywhere. Rocks are very special because they speak to us about Jesus. I read Matthew 16:18, "Upon this rock I will build my Church." I Corinthians 10:4, "And that rock is the Christ." So rocks speak to us of Jesus.
Now, another volunteer to pull another object from the box. Thank you. Now, would you show this to the boys and girls? Just a piece of bread. What is so unusual about it? When I read John 6:48-51 I find "I am the bread of life. Again, I am the living bread." So when I hold this bread up, it represents Jesus. Jesus is bread.
Now, another volunteer to pick out another object from the box. Well, what do you have? Perfume, look at this bottle of perfume. Isn't it a nice looking bottle? Let us take the top off and smell. Ummm, that does smell good. Jesus is like perfume. Ephesians 5:2, "As Christ has loved us and has given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a sweet smelling savor. So Jesus is perfume.
The fourth thing I will just pull out myself. Look at this long vine I am pulling out Jesus said, "I am the true vine," in John 15:5.
Jesus says that we must abide in Him if we are to be strong, have strength and, in short, to even survive. If we are detached we will wither. It is like snipping a branch from a strong vine. It will soon wither, dry up and be useless. So, Jesus is telling His followers that we are to remain in Him. Amen.
