Sunday School Lesson – from an UndertakerBy Bruce Lindsay
This past Sunday, I helped teach Sunday School – filling in for someone who was away. The junior high class enjoyed the lesson so I thought I'd share it with everyone. I told the young people that I was going to talk about death. Being an Undertaker, I know a few things about it.
I started by talking about the late Bill Mason. He is kind of an idol of mine. In my eyes, he is the father of the modern canoe trip. He would spend weeks in the bush, exploring rivers – generally alone with just his canoe and canoe skills.
I borrowed one of his videos from the library on 'white water' – sort of a 'how to' video. In the video, he was showing how to survey the rapids and come up with a plan of attack. First he showed how to go through difficult rapids when you are alone in a canoe, then later in the video, his son was with him and he was going to show how to traverse difficult rapids with 2 people in a canoe. From above the rapids, he was asking his son for his opinion. His son looked to be about 12 years old. Whatever suggestions Mr. Mason gave, his son would respond, "I don't know. It looks awfully tricky."
The father would suggest that they could 'take the passage to the left of the big rock then turn into the next eddy and then move right.' His son would say, "I don't know. It looks very tricky."
In short, his son didn't trust him.
The video was about negotiating rapids, so you know they were going to do it. Bill Mason is a Canadian legend, perhaps the most qualified person in the world at going through rapids – and his own son doesn't trust him to be able to get through the rough water.
After some discussion, they got in the canoe. The nervous boy was still not convinced. They did it the Bill Mason way, and got through without a scratch or even a drop of water in the boat.
How much are we like that boy? We have a Heavenly Father who is in charge of everything, knows everything, plans everything, shares His plan with us, loves us - and yet, we don't trust Him?
Then I asked the kids to do that 'trust exercise' with a partner, where one person closes his eyes and falls backwards. The person's partner stands behind them and catches them before they hit the ground. One girl in the class told me she has "trust issues". I told her that I would catch her then, instead of another young person. She was only 90 pounds – soaking wet.
She couldn't do it for the longest time. She didn't trust me. Finally I caught the biggest boy in the group – he was easily 150 pounds. Then she began to trust me to catch her.
Trust…?I told another story about a friend of mine who went to the circus. He watched the trapeze artists and was amazed. 'The Flying something-or-others' (I forget the name). He waited to talk to them after the show and told them that he was planning to come back to the show the next night to watch them again. The main flying man told him to save his money, and instead, come in the morning and watch them practice. My friend was so excited!
He watched them practice and was even more captivated and enthralled. The main flying man again suggested that he could come along with them on their bus for a few days. They were going from Peterborough, to Cobourg to Newmarket. That way they could talk. He was a very friendly person. My friend readily agreed.
While on the bus, my friend was asking the guy how it works. "What is the secret? How can you be flipping and flying so fast and then grab onto another person's hands?"
They flyer told him, "The trick is that people look at it all wrong. I don't have to do anything. The real star of the show is the catcher."
The biggest, strongest guy in the group is the catcher. He doesn't fly. He stands at the top of the ladder and catches the flyers. The flyer explained that when he finishes his flip or jump, all he has to do is hold out his hands – and trust. The catcher does all the work grabbing his arms and bringing him safely in. If a flyer tried to grab the catcher, it would be bad. You could break a wrist or hit his hand and prevent him from catching you. You would most likely fall. At the heights they were performing at, a fall could mean death. So you fly, and then reach out with both hands. You leave the rest to the catcher.
Hearing that made me think of Jesus on the cross when he cried out with a loud voice, "Father – into Thy hands I commend my spirit!" And then Jesus' spirit flew. He knew he could trust His Father. But like most boys would do, he called out, "Daddy! Catch me!"
I talked about death. I know it was probably one of the weirdest Sunday School lessons ever. But I told them that we all die. Likely, their grandmas or grandpas will die long before them. Maybe knowing a story like this will help them. We all need to know that we have a Heavenly Father that we can trust. And when the time comes, He will catch you. All you need to do is reach out with both hands. You leave the rest to the Catcher.
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Addendum…by Murray Lincoln…
This past week I attended another church as some of you have read in an earlier posting.
While spending time with the Pastor of the church we shared some intimate details of ministry of the churches that we had worked in and ministered to. One issue surfaced that was common for both of us. We had both worked in churches where “previous pastors” (men that proceeded us in the church) had done some real stupid things. They had broken the people’s trust. That breaking of the Trust… had led to some very bad feelings and a “NO Trust Atmosphere” to work in.
When he entered the role of the pastor in his present church no one trusted anything that he did. And it stayed that way for one year and a half until they could see what he was like.
Sadly I can testify that the same thing happened to me a number of times.
As a congregant – a person attending church – have you ever wondered why some pastor’s stay is short? Look in the mirror – it could be you simply not trusting.
Bruce’s story above stands out for me… One young lady already “has trust issues”.
Now put the word “politician” or “doctor” or “car salesman” into the sentence and you can see issues… but those are other stories for the future…
Thanks Bruce – I needed this…
~ Murray Lincoln ~
Addendum 2
To lighten your day… I found a video you just have to watch.. talk about trust issues… too funny… it is called the “Husband’s Song” AND all the Husband called… “Dear you just have to see this one…”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cgvBxI-XfE
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