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Closing group time. Awesome leadership from our youth pastor tying together thoughts from the evening. Keep praying because God is moving.

Headed to super summer. Pray for God to move in the lives of our youth

It's been an emotional week for our CBC family. Come join us tomorrow morning at 10:30 as we worship in song and the Word to see The Hope of Heaven. It'll be a sweet time of corporate worship and truth.

Pray for VBS: Today the students will be learning about Jesus' encounter with two followers on the road to Emmaus. Ask the Lord to use this lesson for the children to understand that all of scripture teaches us about Christ.

Pray for VBS: Today our students will be learning about Jesus' resurrection. Ask the Lord to use this lesson to draw students to salvation.

Pray for VBS: Today our students will be learning about Jesus calming the sea. Pray the the Lord will use this lesson to remind the students can trust Jesus even in the hardest times of their lives.

Just a reminder: due to VBS this week, there will be no rehearsals Wednesday evening. Bro. Jeff will be leading a prayer time for VBS at 6 on Wednesday, so come join him in praying over this ministry!

Pray for VBS: Today the students will learn about Jesus' baptism in the river Jordan. Pray that this story will help the students learn that Jesus is more than just a prophet, but the Son of God.

Pray for VBS: Today the students will be learning about Jesus teaching in the temple when He was 12 years old. Pray that the students will learn that, just as Jesus had a purpose on this earth, so do they.

DAY 1: ENCOUNTER IN THE TEMPLE LUKE 2:41-52 POINT: JESUS KNEW WHY HE CAME. Our family recently went on a trip to the mountains—three generations of wild and crazy fun. I was still recovering from a recent surgery, so I opted to enjoy the beauty from my front porch rocking chair while the rest went for a hike in the woods. As they returned, the youngest came racing up to me, “Guess what we saw? It was an elk!And it was RIGHT THERE!” In a few moments the rest had gathered and young and old alike were telling of that moment with childlike enthusiasm. “I wish you could have been there!” The hike had taken a couple of hours, but those few unexpected moments were what changed a fun but ordinary day into a never-to-be-forgotten moment. During VBS this week, you will be sharing stories that appear to be simple words printed on the pages of your Bible. They will be brief moments to describe. But you have the opportunity to share how these snapshots, frozen on the pages of Scripture, are never-to-be-forgotten moments ordained by God. Each one gives us a glimpse into His amazing gift, His Son Jesus, who is the Savior of the world. Today’s passage chronicles the first recorded words of Jesus. A lot of unanswered questions exist between the few tidbits we know of Jesus’ birth and early childhood and the twelve-year-old in today’s story. Luke, the writer of this Gospel, was obviously enthralled by the details of Jesus’ life. In fact, the word translated “amazed” or “astounded” is found thirteen times in the Book of Luke. It is also interesting to note that many scholars believe Mary, Jesus’ mother, was one of Luke’s sources of information. As a physician and acquaintance of Mary, it is not surprising that Luke’s Gospel includes some of the details of Jesus’ early life. Traveling to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival was an annual custom. The distance from Nazareth to Jerusalem was about seventy miles. The average distance traveled per day may have been between twenty and twenty-five miles. So, this journey would have taken three or four days. The festival lasted a week, and then the return journey began. Families and friends generally traveled together for companionship as well as safety. As a twelve-year-old, Jesus was less than a year away from being considered an adult Jewish male. Under these circumstances it was probably easy to assume that Jesus was somewhere in the group of travelers. How Jesus ended up talking with the teachers at the temple or how long He had been there is unclear. However we do know that, at day’s end, His absence was discovered. The Bible doesn’t tell us what Mary and Joseph said or thought as they retraced a day’s worth of travel and began the search through the large city. As a parent, I can only imagine the various waves of emotion that must have colored those hours. We see a hint of it in Mary’s first words to Jesus, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” Jesus answered with, “Why were you searching?” At this point Mary and Joseph seemed to be struggling with understanding the full meaning of who their Son was. However, by age twelve, Jesus indicated full awareness. He was in “His Father’s house.” This was not a put down to Joseph who had the earthly responsibility of serving as father. Jesus was acknowledging who He is. He is the Son of God. Luke (most likely a Gentile) used carefully investigated facts presented in an orderly sequence to his friend, Theophilus, to shore up his friend’s belief with certainty (Luke 1:1-4). May Luke’s words do the same for us over two thousand years later. Pray that the Holy Spirit will shine a light on your path as you read God’s Word and may you encounter Jesus like never before. PERSONAL FOCUS 1. Read John 6:38 (today’s bonus verse). What truths about Jesus do you find in this verse? 2. As you read today’s Bible passage what “snapshot” stood out to you? What was intriguing about it? 3. Before you can teach kids about Jesus, it is important that you have had your own personal encounter with the Savior. How would you describe your relationship with Jesus to someone else?

Ask God to provide an afternoon of rest and refreshment for all those who are serving in VBS.

Pray for those making follow-up visits to clearly share the gospel.

Do you have some free time today? We've got lots of jobs you can help with as we finish up our VBS decorating.We'll be here until at least 5 today.

Ask God to bless the follow-up efforts to contact all prospects and invite them to join other church activities.

Pray that VBS will continue to bear fruit and glorify God.

Scripture is essential to the daily life of the believer. We need to read it, meditate on it, and pray it. If you've never prayed Scripture before, Bro. Jeff gives us an example of what it looks like.

We can't wait to worship together Sunday morning!

The Christmas Story like you've never heard it before!

Because we want you to know just how much your words and cards meant to the Harleas. Thank you for taking the time to write them!