Being a school teacher, chaplain and a pastor now for over 20 years, I have realized over and over again lesson plans changed.
Sometimes those changes are due to unforeseen circumstances, interruptions and who knows what else.
Other times they change because of what God is doing in your life.
This week my children's lesson plan changed on Friday.
I saw a post on facebook about Friday, January 8, being the 60th anniversary of Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Peter Flemming and Roger Youderian's death in Ecuador.
After reading the post "They were no fools," I realized I wanted to share with my family this amazing story of sacrifice, forgiveness, salvation and God's glory.
After sharing it with my family and seeing my kids' reactions to it, I knew I wanted to share it with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders.
At the same time, I know that the lesson we had scheduled for this Sunday is a very important part of the BIG PICTURE of the Bible narrative. God sends the promised Baby Isaac.
In thinking about that lesson and the story of Jim Elliot, I was reminded both accounts are about God's glory being made known to man.
God's faithfulness is seen throughout both stories.
In the story of God sending Isaac, God made a promise, a specific promise, to Abraham. With Sarah, he would have a son.
Abraham and Sarah laughed about this. They made their own plans. BUT God remained faithful to His promises.
In the story of Jim Elliot, God gave a command and made a promise in Matthew 28:19 - 20. "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
I showed part of the Jim Elliot Torchlighters video. The class seemed to be involved. At one point in the video, the Auca Indians come out. One of the kids said, for everyone to hear, "are those the bad guys?" Now, if you know the story you know how Jim Elliot probably would have responded to that question. "Oh No!!! Those are the people who desperately need to hear about Jesus!!"
We talked about our need for salvation.
The point I really wanted the kids to see was that GOD IS FAITHFUL!!!
God made a promise to Abraham and Sarah that they would have a son and despite their laughing and disobedience, God fulfilled His promise.
God commanded us to go all the world and promised that He would be with us as we go and despite the sinful behavior of the Aucas and the deaths of these 5 missionaries, the Gospel went out into many of the Auca tribe were saved. God used the lives of these 5 men to move many others into mission fields around the world.
GOD IS FAITHFUL!!
God is the Hero in the story of Abraham.
God is the Hero in the story of Jim Elliot
God is the Hero in the story of the Bible
and He is doing so much more than you could ever imagine!
