Hope for Torn Hearts

I love the high energy of Vacation Bible School, where dancing, jumping, singing and laughter abound. Being too old to attend myself, I usually try to help out in one way or another! It was great fun participating in VBS this summer and a blessing to see the children really comprehending the key verse: “Our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God,” from Romans 5:11. Whenever a leader shouted out “Jesus will always love us,” the children responded with, “He’s our friend!” Such simple but profound truths.

One of the stories told came from John 18:15-27 about Peter’s denial of knowing Jesus. The youth group room had been transformed to look like a garden, with a wooden cross on one side and a tomb covered by a movable stone at the far end.

    

As the children arrived, they were greeted outside the door and led into the darkened room. Their teacher asked them to share about some of the things good friends do for each other. Afterwards she talked about the friendship between Jesus and Peter, and then explained what “denial” meant, leading up to the story which was a true test of their friendship.

    

While in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus asked the disciples to keep watch as he prayed alone; however they kept falling asleep until they heard the sound of marching soldiers coming to arrest Jesus. After reenacting that encounter, we walked down the hallway following “Peter” (a teen-aged volunteer) into the “courtyard” of the high priest and huddled around an artificial campfire.

    

When Peter denied knowing Jesus the first time, each of us made a small tear in a red paper heart to show how sad Peter must have been. After the third denial, a rooster crowed, reminding him that Jesus had predicted this would happen. The paper hearts were torn again.

     

As Peter left the courtyard crying and distraught, we talked about how Jesus was taken to Golgotha where He was crucified and died on the cross. Peter must have felt guilty and ashamed for denying his friend, Jesus, his Lord and Savior.

     

We walked back to the “garden” room to share some quiet time with Jesus ourselves, telling Him that we were sorry for the things we have done that have hurt our relationships with others and ultimately with Him, making another tear in our hearts. Ripping the red paper heart over and over made an impact on me. How I wished that I could go back in time to change words or actions which were unloving and hurtful.     

     

But, thankfully the story didn’t end there. We sat in front of the tomb, removed the “stone” and talked about the wondrous resurrection of Christ on the third day after his death. What great joy Peter must have experienced when he finally realized that that Jesus was alive! He was forgiven! There was no need to carry guilt, shame or remorse.

     

We took our torn paper hearts and placed them inside the empty tomb as a reminder that He will always love us and that He is our friend! What great news! Now we are friends with God; our sins are forgiven and we have new lives in Christ. We are free to live for Him!

     

Pass this message along to the next generation by taking your kids, grandkids or “greats” to a VBS in your neighborhood this summer and celebrate!

“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’” Matthew19:14 NIV

(published in the Porterville Recorder on 7-6-13)