Life without Jesus is like a doughnut

*A campfire talk given at New Life Camp in July 2024, featuring timbits.

 
QUESTION- Who here likes doughnuts? Who has a favourite doughnut?
(My favourite are chocolate knots with sprinkles-yum). 

​Did you know they have found doughnut-like foods in archaeological digs from Bible times? The modern doughnut, however, came from the Dutch in the 1700s- oly koeks- oily cakes. However, it wasn't until the 1850s and a Capt. Gregory from the USA that doughnuts lost their middle. Originally, they were dough knots, a knotted dough ring. Perhaps Gregory took them out to fit on his ships wheel, or to allow the centres to cook more easily, or maybe to save money! At any rate, by the 1920s there was a doughnut machine and their popularity in WWI and WWII with soldiers helped to bring them into American culture: Krispy Cream, Dunkin Donuts (and Tim Hortons in Canada). 

Let's learn a funny song about doughnuts and Jesus.

 Let me explain that song.

God created us to know Him. Just like Lego, a puzzle or a craft has the grand design that we build, we were created to know God. Mt 4:10 says we were created, to worship (love) and serve Him. When God first created us, our ancestors (Adam and Eve) were in a perfect garden. There was only one negative command, not to eat of a certain tree lest they died (Gen 2:17). The moment they ate of it, the greatest tragedy happened: they spiritually died and began to physically die. In their rebellion they were cut off from God.

QUESTION- Who knows the central letter in the following words: sIn and prIde?

"I"- destroyed the peace and purpose and friendship and fullness we were created for. Like a doughnut, we were no longer whole, we had a hole in our heart. 1600 years ago Augustine said, "Our hearts will go on being restless until they fine their rest in You." Similarly, 400 years ago Pascal said, "Our hearts are a bottomless cavern."

QUESTION- Without God, what sorts of substitutes do people try to fill their lives with?

Pascal also said, "We have a Christ shaped hole in our hearts." Because we were made for God, only a restored relationship with Him through faith in His Son, Jesus, will make us whole again.

Let me tell you part of my story of becoming whole. When I was young I believed in God. Life was good. I was getting on being a child. Then two things happened that made me realize I wasn't whole. The first was when I was 5 and my parents stopped taking me to church. I knew that wasn't right, so I pestered them until we returned. But still, there was something missing. Then one day about 7 I entered a store with my father and I stole something! (Drum roll) Can you guess what it was? A paperclip. Yes, I stole a paperclip. I felt so guilty that I walked out of the store and through it in the grass beside the sidewalk. However, I still felt guilty. I was aware of a whole in my heart. 

I'll tell the rest of that story at our next campfire together, but let me tell you how we can fill that hole and become whole. When we turn from our sin and trust in Jesus, Eph 4 says, "Christ comes to dwell in our hearts by faith." Forgiven and assured of life eternal, He helps us worship and serve Him forever, just as we were created to. YUM.

[distribute doughnuts and ask children if they think they know what sweet treat I'll bring next time]