Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 30: Butterly Progress

Photo Credit: David F. Garner

Key Verse

“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14 WEB

Lesson

Butterflies are beautiful. Have you ever wondered where they got this name? It is because in England the first butterfly to hatch in the spring is completely yellow, the color of butter.₁ Butterfly’s are amazing too. Did you know they smell with their antenna and taste with their feet? It’s a good thing we don’t taste with our feet! Butterflies cannot hear though. They feel small vibrations to sense danger. The Monarch butterfly migrates over 1800 miles (3000km) every year. Butterflies are impressive creatures and important too. They are the second largest pollinators of flowers next to bees.₂ Without them we would not have as much food.

Butterflies do not hatch beautiful and colorful though. They must go through three other stages before they become butterflies. They begin as small defenseless eggs. They hatch into small caterpillars with no wings (larva stage). As caterpillars they can only eat a few kinds of leaves. So it is vital that the mother lays the eggs on the correct plant or they will die. As caterpillars they eat and grow. Then they go through a process called metamorphosis in a chrysalis, similar to a cocoon. This is the pupa stage. In metamorphosis their entire body, tissue, limbs, and organs all completely change. Then they emerge from the chrysalis beautiful butterflies.

As humans we share many similarities with the life cycle of butterflies. We are born as defenseless babies. We must be given food like the newborn caterpillars. We must be patient and grow to become something great. This is called progress. In our spiritual lives we must grow one stage at a time. Spiritual progress or growth means beginning small and growing one day at a time. We must face new challenges that will test and strengthen our faith in God. This is the only way to become a beautiful child of God.

The heroes of the Bible all grew slowly into great followers of God. King David, Job, Abraham, Mary, Queen Ester, and many others understood the principle of spiritual progress. As Paul says in Philippians 1:6, He who started a good work in you when you accepted Jesus into your heart will complete it. And he said in Philippians 3:14 that we must press on toward the goal to receive the high calling of Jesus just as the caterpillar must press on to become all that God intended it to be.

Questions

What is the most beautiful butterfly you have ever seen? Describe it.

What does spiritual progress or growth mean for a Christian?

What do we need to do to make sure we are growing spiritually?

How do we know that we are growing and progressing spiritually?

Sources

1 http://www.lbc.co.uk/why-is-a-butterfly-so-called-8558

2 http://www.wafdc.org.au/kids/amazing-facts-about-butterflies

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 21: Rock and Water

Key Verse

“To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭2:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Lesson

Note: This lesson is best done in an area where listeners can see rock that has been eroded by water.

What is stronger but softer than rock? Water of course. How can this be you may be thinking. The banks of most water ways are dirt or mud that the water easily washes away. But water can also carve away solid rock. Rock is strong and durable, but given enough time, water will erode the rock away. What is the secret behind water's strength? It is the persistence of water. Day after day, year after year the water flows over the rock and washes it away a little at a time. What may seem impossible becomes possible through persistence.

Persistence means to keep trying at something until succeeding. The Bible also calls this perseverance. There are many things in life that are too big to change all at once. We may not be strong or powerful enough to change something quickly. We may not succeed on the first try. James Watkins a prominent Christian author once said, " A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence." That is why water, which is softer than rock, can still overcome it.

Paul reminds us in Romans 2:7 that it takes persistence to live the way Jesus wants us too. We have to keep trying, every day, to do good and avoid evil. Only when we reach heaven will we no longer be tempted to sin. Even though we are saved, we sill need to persist against temptation. Persistence is important in many other areas of our lives. Like water, whenever we hit a barrier that is difficult to overcome, all we need is a little persistence— to keep trying until we succeed.

Questions

What is something you have persisted at and overcome?

When we struggle to avoid evil and temptation, where can we get extra strength to persist?

In what other areas of life is persistence useful?

Written by David F. Garner
Photo Credit: BKD via www.pixabay.com

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 19: Knots and Unity

Key Verse

I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 WEB

Lesson

What is the best knot? There are hundreds of knots. Knots are used for many purposes. Some are used for decoration. Others are useful for every day tasks because they are simple and effective. Some knots are good for very specific tasks but not much good for anything else. Knots can be easy and quick to tie or complex and take a long time to master.

Knots have a real power. What would we do without them? A piece of rope is not much good without knots. You could jump rope with it, or play tug-of-war. Perhaps it would be good for scratching your back. Ok maybe not. Knots provide endless uses for ropes.

Joining two ends of rope together with a knot makes the rope pieces more useful then either would be alone. Knots are incredible because the rope itself will break before the knot comes undone. Knots have represented a bond of togetherness or unity for centuries. When we unite together with each other as friends or family we are stronger than alone. Uniting with God makes us even stronger. Philippians 4:13 tells us that Christ strengthens us enough to accomplish anything. 

So what is the best knot? A figure 8 knot is said to be the strongest knot. A bowline knot never tightens even when pulling a heavy load. A square knot has an endless number of applications. But the best knot is always the correct one for the job. Knowing the right knot will allow you to do anything with rope. Knowing God and being united with him will allow you to do anything he asks of you.

Questions

What is your favorite knot?

How to we unite with God to receive his power?

How do we achieve unity with friends or family?

Written By David F. Garner
Photo Credit Steen Jepson