Powerpoint Pictures: Perfect Peter & Horrid Henry; Walter & Dennis the Menace; Sarah & James & Norman from Fireman Sam; Bart Simpson & Martin Prince; Augustine; Garden; Open Bible

At school, it could be that in your class there are some children who find it easy to be good and always hear the teacher say “Well done!”, but there might be some children who find it hard to be good, who do naughty things, and who get told off by the teacher.

I wonder which you are.  Do you find it easy or hard to be good?

Are you more like Perfect Peter or are you more like Horrid Henry?

Are you more like Walter or are you more like Dennis the Menace?

Are you more like Sarah & James or more like Norman Price in Fireman Sam?

Or are you more like Martin Prince or are you more like Bart Simpson?

A long time ago there was a boy who found it really hard to be good.  His name was Augustine.

Augustine found it hard to do what is right because he enjoyed doing what was wrong.  He didn’t do what his mother told him to do.  He stole things.

His mother was a follower of Jesus and she prayed that He would show Augustine that what he was doing was wrong.

As Augustine grew older, he carried on doing things that made his mother sad.  But she kept on praying for him.

One day was in the garden with one of his friends.  He heard what sounded like a child saying, “Take it up and read it.  Take it up and read it.”

He wondered what that could mean.  Was it a nursery rhyme like Humpty Dumpty (not that he knew about Humpty Dumpty sitting on a wall)?

He then saw his friend’s Bible on the ground.  He realised that God was speaking to him.  So he picked up the Bible and began to read it.

When Augustine read the Bible he learned that Jesus could forgive him for all the wrong things he had done.  He could take away all his sins.

When Augustine read the Bible he learned that Jesus could help him to stop doing the wrong things he had been done.

Augustine said sorry to God for all His sins and put his trust in Jesus.  He became one of Jesus’ friends.  His mother was so happy.  God had answered her prayers.

Augustine carried on picking up the Bible and reading it.  He read and studied it and soon started preaching and teaching in church.  God used him to help people learn about Jesus and how to follow Him and he eventually became Bishop of Hippo (not the animal but a place in Algeria).

Augustine reminds us that God is able to change people’s hearts.  God did for Augustine what we read in Psalm 25 verse 7: “Do not remember the sins of my youth or my acts of rebellion; in keeping with your faithful love, remember me because of your goodness, LORD.”

He changed Augustine from someone who didn’t love God and want to obey Him into someone who did love God and want to obey Him.  And what God did for Augustine he can do for you!  If you turn from your sins and trust in Jesus, He will give you His Holy Spirit, to live in you and help you to obey God.