Obviously, Vacation Bible School focuses on learning Bible stories; that is why the word "Bible" is the program’s middle name. I am thankful for the dedication and leadership of our directors Carol Seymour and Lynne Goetzke and their capable staff of volunteers for providing creative ways to learn Bible stories. Each day the Bible Story was told, re-told, or illustrated in the music, drama, video, crafts, recreation, and even refreshments. Because of the tried and true educational method of repetition, I am confident that our children learned the Bible stories and how to apply them. But no matter how creative, diligent, or prepared the leaders are, children are still children, and they process information differently than youth and adults. I recently came across a few examples of how children can misunderstand the pearls of truth from the Bible.

On a Sunday after church, a Mom asked her very young daughter about the lesson. The daughter answered, "Don't be scared; you'll get your quilt." Needless to say, the Mom was perplexed. Later in the day, the pastor stopped by, and the Mom asked him about that morning's Sunday School lesson. He said "Be not afraid, thy comforter is coming."

Nine-year-old Joey, was asked by his mother what he had learned in Vacation Bible School. "Well, Mom, our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. When he got to the Red Sea, he had his army build a pontoon bridge, and all the people walked across safely. Then, he radioed headquarters for reinforcements. They sent bombers to blow up the bridge, and all the Israelites were saved."

"Now, Joey, is that really what your teachers taught you?" his mother asked.

"Well, no, Mom. But, if I told it the way the teacher did, you'd never believe it!"

"No," replied David. "How could he, with just two worms?"

One child blurted out, "Aces!"

A Vacation Bible School teacher was carefully explaining the story of Elijah the Prophet and the false prophets of Baal. She explained how Elijah built the altar, put wood upon it, cut the steer in pieces, and laid it upon the altar. And then, Elijah commanded the people of God to fill four barrels of water and pour it over the altar. He had them do this four times. "Now," said the teacher, "can anyone in the class tell me why the Lord would have Elijah pour water over the steer on the altar?"

A four-year-old was at the pediatrician's office for a check up. As the doctor looked in her ears with an otoscope, he asked, "Do you think I'll find Big Bird in here?" The little girl stayed silent.

Next, the doctor took a tongue depressor and looked down her throat. He asked, "Do you think I'll find the Cookie Monster down there?" Again, the little girl was silent.

Then the doctor put a stethoscope to her chest. As he listened to her heart beat, he asked, "Do you think I'll hear Barney in there?"

"Oh, no!" the little girl replied, "Jesus is in my heart . . . Barney's on my underpants."
At Hampton Baptist, we try to give good gifts to our children, and that has been a goal this week for Vacation Bible School. Good gifts of Bible learning, singing, games, refreshments, and crafts highlighted a week when we were reminded that God is real; God is with us; God is awesome; God is strong; and God is in charge. The Avalanche Ranch theme offered many opportunities for the 60 children who were enrolled to take a wild ride through the Bible.

Today’s New Testament text provides many lessons about prayer. Luke offers a rendition of the Lord’s Prayer, although we are more familiar with the version from Matthew’s gospel. Three metaphors for petitionary prayer are offered, namely ask, seek, and knock. Many great sermons focusing on those verses have been preached, but when I read this passage last month and remembered that I would be preaching from this text on the Sunday after Vacation Bible School, the phrase "giving good gifts to your children" jumped off the page.

Throughout this entire summer, our church has offered good gifts to our children. The ministries and activities provided by Patrick O’Bryan and Alystra Barefoot for elementary and preschool-age children are good gifts. Providing opportunities of fellowship and service continue to underscore the fact that HBC wants to give good gifts to our children, and also communicates that children are important.

Throughout the entire year, we seek to offer good gifts to our children. Offering weekly opportunities for missions and music on Wednesday night during the school year, age-graded Sunday School year-round, Children’s Sermon and Children’s Church during worship each week continue to point out that our church wants to give good gifts to our children.

But these good gifts don’t stop when children leave elementary school. For decades, Hampton Baptist has understood the importance of ministering with our youth, and gratefully that tradition continues. During VBS, we had about twenty youth volunteers to assist. They participated in the opening and closing assemblies by providing a skit each morning that introduced the theme of the day; they also sang and did the motions for the high-energy songs. Their actions were being watched by the younger children. I was especially impressed with the actions of our older youth. Our youth assisted in all areas of our VBS with leading children from class to class and assisting in the classes. The reason our youth came to lead in Vacation Bible School is because they enjoy it, but they also enjoy each other; even our youth know how important it is to give good gifts to our children, because they have been the recipients of good gifts from this church. An active youth ministry doesn’t just happen; intentionality and perseverance provide critical keys to youth group retention, which has been proven during our interim youth ministry. But the greatest gift a youth minister or volunteer can give to youth is the ability to connect with them. Incarnational ministry, meaning meeting people where they are, being interested in what interests them, and working alongside them rather than rising above them, offers lasting connections not only to the church, but more importantly to God.

We are also seeking to give good gifts to other children in our church. With the graduation of a large high school senior class, our college-aged members have just increased dramatically. Having a cook-out in August for the students and seeking to provide a Sunday School Class for that age-group insures that we continue to give good gifts to these children.

You have heard me say, "We are all God’s children." No matter our age, we are still God’s children, and HBC continues to give good gifts to our children, without regard to age.

For many years, iconic leaders have assured that church-life at Hampton Baptist ran smoothly. Many of those giants of our past are no longer with us, and others continue to step into their shoes. One of the good gifts our more seasoned leaders can offer our church is to help develop new generations of leaders, to provide places for "diamonds in the rough" who may not have active leadership roles at church, but certainly are capable as evidenced by their occupations or community involvement. Leadership training and leadership development are good gifts that we can give.

In response to a disciple’s request, "Lord, teach us to pray," Jesus taught his disciples that God wants to give good gifts to us. In his teaching, Jesus told them that we don’t have to plead with God. Of the three examples, our God is most like the loving parent who gives good gifts to the children. Our God is not like a hostile judge or an indifferent neighbor. We don’t need to bother or tease God into getting what we need . . . and notice that Jesus says what we need, not what we want.

Jesus reiterates that if a child needs something to eat, whether fish or egg, that child’s parent will not give the child something that could harm him/her such as a snake or scorpion.

Jesus mentioned that the best gift that God could give was the gift of the Holy Spirit, that promise of an eternal presence. Remember that this teaching took place as Jesus was journeying to Jerusalem which he knew meant his own death. He knew that his own physical presence was limited to a specific time-frame; he knew that he was going to die. Jesus also knew that the Holy Spirit would not be bound to time nor space, that nothing could hinder God’s presence from God’s children. That is the best gift. On the second day of VBS, the theme was "God is with us," which is exactly the good gift to which Jesus referred.

Perhaps that is the best gift that we as parents can give our children: our presence, not presents. Offering our children all the material things that they want breeds ego-centric, me-centered children. The assurance of our presence is far greater than any presents we might give.

One of the greatest gifts that you and I can give our church is our presence. We certainly need your presents too, but your presence as a member of the body of Christ helps fulfill the mission of the church to be the hands and feet of God. You are the gift that God wants to give this world. Your unique gifts connected and combined with the unique gifts of others help the functionality of the body of Christ. Bodies operate better when all parts perform what they were intended to do. Every person’s presence is needed at Hampton Baptist.

You and I are the recipients of a heritage of people who offered the gift of themselves to God through service in this church. As good stewards of the gifts with which we have been entrusted, we are to pick up the mantle and give good gifts to our children, those who might follow us. Many offered their talents to bring others into this fellowship. Many placed Christian service through this church as a priority. Many sacrificed so that we could enjoy this facility. We are also being called to make life-changing investments recognizing that our presence and participation are the greatest gifts we can give God. God’s presence encourages us, strengthens us, sustains us; we would be disappointed if God just showed up and did not provide us with these great gifts. The same is true for us: God wants more of us than just showing up. Our presence is to be put to good use in service through the church.

Let’s be thankful that God gives good gifts to us. Let’s be grateful that Hampton Baptist has a legacy of giving good gifts to its children, no matter their age. And let’s recommit ourselves to give good gifts to those who follow us at Hampton Baptist. Thanks be to God for the reminder that we are all God’s children.