Our Map to Jesus (CC)

Good Morning everybody. [Good Morning, Pastor.] How is everyone today? [Good!] Well I'm glad to hear it. Who would like to look in The Purple Bag this morning for us? [Enthusiastic waving of hands] Let's let Gabi ... Let's let Gabi ... Do you know what that is, Gabi? [It's a book.] It's a book! Can anyone tell Gabi what kind of special book that is? [It's about a beach.] It is about a beach, yes! Irene? Do you know what kind of special book it is? [Is it like a map book?] Let's open it up and see. [Pastor opens the special map] Wow! [It's very big.] It IS very big. So, do you know what we would use this map book for? [Driving] Driving! Do you drive a lot, Gabi? [Um-huh ... sometimes we go far away where we don't know] You go far-away places that you don't even know. [Uh-huh; that's why you have a map to go] That's right. You have a map to find out where you're gonna go if you don't know how to get there. Because what is on this map? Do you see things that are on this map? Irene? [Uh ... there's a compass] There's a compass, yes! So we know which way is north. Anything else that we see on this map? Do you know what all these little lines are? [Freeways?] Those are freeways. That's right! So! Can you find Zion Lutheran Church on this map? Irene? Where? [I don't know] Ah .. no, it gets kinda hard. [Irene points on the map] Right there? That's the compass ... in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. [We go right here?] We go right there, along the ocean ... [And then we go right there?] Okay. [Across the ocean and then we go all the way over there.] And we would still be in the ocean on our way to finding Zion. [Giggling] First we have to find what city we're in. Because this is the state of California ... it's so big it doesn't fit on one side. [Rustling noise as Pastor turns map over] Has to go on two sides of the map. That's how big it is. So some people say: Oh, if I had a map, it would be easy to find where I'm gonna go. Not always easy. And sometimes people think that about our faith, too. Yes, that's a different map. That's right. But sometimes people think if they love Jesus, everything is going to be easy for them. Everything in their life is going to be wonderful and they won't have any problems. But that's not how it is. Jesus is there ... to HELP us through the difficult times. He helps us when we're sick by healing us. He forgives us our sins so that we know that when we die, we're going to be with Him in heaven. He's with us all the time so that we won't be lonely. He sends His angels to be with us to protect us. So just because we love Jesus and trust in Him as our Lord and Savior, it doesn't mean that everything's going to go easy for us. But it means that Jesus will always be there with us. Even when we think we're lost or even when we're hurting or even when we're sick, Jesus is always there and He will always help us and always protect us. Anybody have any questions to that? [It's a map?] Yes, it's a map. [And it showed us where to go?] That showed us how to go. [You go like this and you go all the way over here.] Right! And we're here at church so we don't need to get here anymore. Right? But Jesus is always with us and He always stays with us no matter where we go on the map. So you guys can go back to your moms and dads ...