Outdoor Object Lesson 75: A Camel's Burden

Key Text

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29 (WEB)

Lesson

What has four legs, a long neck, and a hump? If you guessed a camel than you are correct. Camels are instantly recognizable for their unique shape and iconic hump. They are truly amazing animals with features that allow them to survive and thrive in harsh, barren deserts. Camels are best known for their legendary ability to survive a long time without needing to drink water. Camels routinely go several days or more without drinking any water. Even more surprising is that they can go for several months without any food! How do they do that?

Many people mistakenly think camels store water in their humps. Rather, fat is stored in their humps and provides energy when they go without food. Camels do not have a large empty space in their body to store extra water like some internal water battle. Instead their body (specifically their cardiovascular system, kidneys, and other organs) is extremely efficient at retaining and managing water. God gave camels special tools to enable them to go without water for many days. This ability makes camels very important animals for people who live in desert places.

Camels are mentioned numerous times throughout the Old Testament as a means of transportation. Jesus would have been very familiar with camels. He may have even ridden one. Camels are still an important means of transportation in Israel and the Middle East today. They carry heavy burdens for their owners. But if you have ever seen a picture of a camel, then you may remember they have very long legs! Most camels are 5-7 feet (1.6-2 meters) high and are taller than many horses.1 So how does an owner put a camels burden on and take it off each day?

In the morning, the camel must kneel down so that its owner can load the days burden onto its back. A good owner knows just how much the camel can carry for the days journey. After being loaded the camel gets up again to carry his burden for the day. The camel then simply follows his owner who has the greater burden of leading the way safely through the desert. At the end of the day, the camel kneels down again so his owner can remove the burden and the camel can rest. This is exactly how it is when we follow Jesus. When Jesus is our owner he promises to bear our burdens (Psalm 68:19). In turn he asks us to bear his burdens. He will take responsibility for leading us through the desert of life. He says in the key text that when we take his burden that he will place them on us gently. He also promises to give us rest from our burdens, all we must do is simple kneel each night and let him remove them.

Questions

Have you ever seen a camel in real life? If so what did you think about it?

How do we kneel down and let Jesus remove our burdens?

What did Jesus mean in the key text (Matthew 11:29) when he said take my yoke upon you?

Do you think it is easier to bear the burden Jesus gives us?



Sources:

1: “Camel,” San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants online, accessed October 7, 2018. https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/camel.



Written by David F. Garner

Photo credit: dimitrisvetsikas1969 via www.pixabay.com

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 62: Arctic Tern

Key Verse

“…it is required of stewards, that they be found faithful.” 1 Corinthians 4:2 WEB

Lesson

In the Arctic few animals can live. There is one hearty bird that braves the cold conditions called the Arctic tern. The Arctic tern is a medium sized bird that looks rather normal. Yet it is an exceptional bird and not only for its ability to handle the cold climate. The Arctic tern holds the record for the farthest flying bird. As the Arctic summer wanes this tern wings its way south along the coasts of the world’s continents all the way to the oceans of Antarctica.

The seasons of the Southern Hemisphere are opposite to those of the Northern. So, during the Arctic winter Antarctica experiences summer. This is why the tern makes a trip of such great length. It continually seeks the mild summer weather no matter how far it must go. The Arctic tern will literally go to the ends of the earth to stay close to the mild warmth. In this pursuit the Arctic tern flies more than the circumference of the earth each year, totaling 24,901 miles (40,075 km).1 Most terns live about 15 to 30 years. Over the course of their life an Arctic tern can fly as many as 1,000,000 miles (1,609,344 km)!

The Arctic tern offers an insightful example of faithfulness. As followers of God we are called to live according to His standard. Sadly, modern Christians often act more on their feelings than on faithfulness. Many examples throughout the Bible illustrate that it is possible to live a life faithful to the precepts of God such as Abraham, Job, Joseph, and others. Jesus called his followers to obedience to the will of God, no exceptions. When Jesus forgave a person’s sins, he told them to go and sin no more.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary describes faithfulness as: firm adherence to promises or observance of duty.2 Faithfulness is different from working hard. One can work hard without believing in what they are doing, especially if paid for it. But it is quite difficult to stay faithful to something you do not believe in. We cannot gain God’s favor no matter how hard we work. But the Bible tells us that God rewards faithfulness (1 Samuel 26:23a). Biblical faithfulness means continuing to believe in God’s promises even when we have doubt. It means spreading the gospel no matter what challenges are faced. And it means living righteously and without sin.

How do we remain faithful while still struggling against temptation? The Bible provides the answer. Hebrews 10:26 “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins.” We must not sin deliberately if we wish to remain faithful. 2 Timothy 2:13 “If we are faithless, he remains faithful. He can’t deny himself.” When we are low on faith in the power of Jesus, we can pray and receive the power He offers, He can’t wait to help us. The only way to be faithful is to depend on the power of Jesus’ sacrifice every day! Finally, if we are faithful, we are promised the reward of eternal life. Revelation 2:10b “Be faithful to death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Questions

Can you describe what it means to be a faithful Christian?

If we stumble in sin does this mean we have been unfaithful?

What is the only way we can be truly faithful to God?

How far would you be willing to go to remain faithful to God?

Sources

1 Allan and Helen Cruickshank, 1001 Questions Answered About Birds. (1958). Grosset & Dunlap Publishers. New York. Print.

2 "Faithful." Merriam-Webster.com. Accessed December 26, 2017. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/faithful.

Written by David F. Garner

Photo Credit: adriankirby via www.pixabay.com

All verses were taken from the World English Bible (WEB) published 2000 in the public domain.

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 40: Trail Markers

Key Verse"The Lord will guide you continually" Isaiah 58:11a KJV

Lesson

Trapper Ronald Woodcock had been lost for thirty days in the wilderness of Upper British Columbia. Tortuously he had fought his way through underbrush, following the banks of streams, hoping to find civilization. Suddenly he spied a rotting telegraph pole. "If I can only follow this old government trail, I'll make it!" For twenty-seven more days he searched for the packed earth of the trail, for bits of wire and old poles. Exhausted, clothes tattered, sick from an all-berry diet, flesh perforated with mosquito bites, he stumbled onto a dirt road, to passing motorists, help, and home.

Indians and early trappers were expert in marking trails. A tied clump of grass, a blazed tree, or a stack of rocks meant "You're on the trail." A bent clump of grass, a bent bush, or arrows on the ground made of sticks or stones meant "Turn this way."

God has not left His children to stumble through the maze of life with no trail markers. What joy it is in following the Christian way to suddenly recognize that God has sent clear guidance. Our heavenly Father may use a
Scripture verse or a word from one of His servants. But the Christian recognizes it. To him it says, "This is God's way of guiding me right now. He's going to help me through this wilderness." My Lord knows the way through the wilderness; All I have to do is follow.1

Questions

Have you ever felt lost before? What did you do?

Can you think of other promises in the Bible about how God will help his children?

What is the first thing you can do every time you feel lost?

Sources

1 Todd, Floyd, and Pauline Todd. "Trail Marker." Good Morning, Lord: Devotions for Campers. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1973. 1. Print.

Questions By David F. Garner

Photo Credit: David F. Garner

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 29: Light Mirror

Photo Credit: Brennon Garner

Key Verse

“Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house. Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:15-16 WEB

Lesson

Note: This lesson is best done where the moon can be seen well. Alt: Use a flashlight and mirror to demonstrate how the sun (flashlight) reflects off the moon (mirror).

In Genesis chapter one we learn that God created the moon to give light at night. The moon is a very interesting celestial body. It has attracted man’s wonder for hundreds and thousands of years. Besides the sun it has been the primary means of keeping time for almost every group of people on earth. The ancient Aztec’s of Central America had a 13-day week likely based on the moon cycle.₁ The average lunar month is actually about 27 days, not 30, so two 13-day weeks would be closer to one month.₂

God did not make the moon a source of light. Instead the moon reflects the light of the sun. Much like a mirror does not produce its own light, but reflects light such as that from a flashlight. If the moon was a ball of fire like the sun it would surely consume us! Also, the moon would be to bright. Since it reflects sunlight it is just bright enough most nights to allow us to see outside but still get good sleep. The brightness of the moon still changes drastically throughout the moon cycle. An interesting fact is that only two days before a full moon, the moon is only half the brightness of a full moon.₂ You might think the moon gets brighter and brighter until it is full, but that is not the case. God likes to surprise us in creation.

The moon provides a beautiful object lesson. According to Genesis one the primary reason for the moon to exist is to give the darkness light. But it cannot do this on its own. Alone, the moon is nothing; it cannot fulfill its purpose. The sun, on the other hand, can provide light during the day. Everyone around the Earth cannot see it all the time. So the moon is completely dependent on the sun for its light. And the sun needs the moon so it can provide light during the nighttime.

In a similar way we are like the moon. Alone, without Jesus, we are nothing; we cannon fulfill our purpose. Our purpose is to shine God’s light, his love, to the world just as it says in Matthew 5:15-16. Jesus is in heaven and everyone cannot see him. So he wants us to be his lights here on earth. He chose us to reflect his character like a mirror, just as the moon does for the sun. Some people think it is hard to be a Christian. But Jesus made it quite simple. He left us an example of exactly what he wants us to do. All we need to do is follow his example and we will reflect his love to the world.

Questions

Have you ever seen the moon look remarkable or uncommon? Describe it.

What exactly is Matthew 5:15-16 referring to when it says “let your light so shine before men”?

In what ways can we reflect the light of Jesus to others?

Sources

1 http://www.ancient.eu/Aztec_Civilization/

2 http://www.space.com/11162-10-surprising-moon-facts-full-moons.html