1. Adventure

Props: News clipping, lava samples, slides. 
[But you can adapt this talk to some adventure you have had]

I wonder if any of you boys and girls can tell me what a volcano is? Something big with stuff coming out the top? Well, that’s pretty close! It is a mountain that erupts with hot molten rock called lava coming out the top. Look here’s a photo out of the paper this week with a volcano on the Galapagos Islands. And here are some actual pieces of lava ... from Mt Tarawera in New Zealand, from Mt Kilauea in Hawaii, and here is a piece of pumice from an Adelaide chemist shop which I bet never saw the inside of a volcano – it doesn’t even float!

Now, who likes adventures? All of you? Good! I want you to come with me on an adventure. It was real for me, but you will have to use some imagination.

[The above photos were projected as the talk continued.]

Our adventure starts in Hawaii, and what a good place to start! Beautiful beaches, sunsets, lovely girls in grass skirts, special music ... . Oh, but I forgot to say that our adventure involves going up in a helicopter. Do you still want to come? Good! But look carefully: this helicopter has no doors – you get strapped into your seat, but then there is nothing out there – just space, or down there below you. I also forgot to say that our helicopter is going to fly over the top of an active volcano! Are you still coming? What a brave lot! So here we go. This grey lava is very hot: you can feel the waves of heat coming up and hitting us in the helicopter. And look why it is so hot – redhot molten lava is flowing just beneath the surface. And now we are flying up to the actual crater. And here is the molten lava, bubbling and spurting up just like very hot porridge. The thought crossed my mind here that this would be a bad time for the engine to conk out! Well, we arrived back safely. This was probably the most exciting and scariest thing I have ever done. What an adventure!


Now boys and girls, what I want to say to you today, is that when we are Christians, every day is a new adventure. It’s as though we wake up in the morning and Jesus takes us by the hand, and says ‘Come on, we’re going to share in a great adventure today!’ Sometimes that adventure will be scary and maybe sad, but Jesus is right beside us giving us strength and encouragement. Other times the adventure will be exciting and happy. And after the day is over, we can think back on our day, and say ‘Thank you Lord! That was a great day!’


So when you wake up tomorrow morning, just think, today I’m going to have anther wonderful adventure! And in fact, today’s not yet over, so off you go, and discover what things are going to happen next!