​Airzooka
(The Holy Spirit)
 
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.  Romans 5:5
 
The Basic Bible Truth
 
We use many phrases to describe the concept of becoming a Christian.  We talk about being saved, born again, inviting Jesus into our heart, being converted, becoming a new creation…these are just the first that come to my mind.  Each describes a slightly different aspect of what it truly means to be a Christian.  On our part, salvation is very, very simple.  We must believe in and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  But on God’s side of the equation, it is huge.  He has promised that each of us will have:  A ticket into Heaven.  A place in His family.  A place to serve Him.  A gift to use in that service to Him.  The righteousness of Christ imputed upon our lives.  Forgiveness.  The list goes on and on.   He also gives us His Holy Spirit, who seals us and is an earnest payment to guarantee that He will fulfill all of His promises.  The Holy Spirit literally takes up residence in our bodies and is an integral part of our Christian walk, if we allow Him access to our hearts and our minds.  When we walk with God closely, and allow His Spirit to work through us, we learn that all that we can accomplish on our own is of no consequence.  We do everything through the power of the Holy Spirit, or we accomplish nothing at all.
 
The Object
 
An Airzooka
A plastic Cup

This is a children’s toy that can be purchased online for less than $20.  It operates on a fairly simple principle.  Air is compressed in the barrel of the Airzooka and forced out of the front orifice of the barrel.  The shape of the chamber focuses the blast of air to remain somewhat cohesive and can be aimed at a target.  Typically, I like to place a red cup on the head of a volunteer and shoot it off from a distance. 
 
The Lesson
 
I am not going to even pretend that I have an understanding of the Trinity.  I don’t.  And I seriously question anyone who says they comprehend the idea.  I am constantly amazed at the complexity of our incomprehensible God.  I fall on my face in awe in response to what He has shown us in the pages of the Bible.  The concept of the Trinity is elusive because we have no parallel with which to compare.  God the Father is spirit and cannot be seen by our physical sense of sight.  God the Son, who we know as Jesus, came to this earth and made Himself like us.  We could touch and talk to and see God in human form.  And then there is God the Holy Spirit, also a spirit.  He is a person of the Trinity, just as the Father and Son are and is not just a force as in the Star Wars concept of “may the force be with you”.  God has said through the Bible that the Three work in such perfect unison and agreement that we can call God One.  Three unique, separate, distinct, beings and yet, they are one! 
 
At the moment of salvation, God places His Holy Spirit in the life of every believer.  He lives inside of us, comforting, teaching, guiding, and always pointing us towards the person of Jesus, showing us the perfect example of what our lives should look like.  He is a spirit and therefore, invisible.  But He is there.  So the question then becomes, “How can I know that He is there if I can’t see Him?”  I’m glad you asked.  The answer…by His power.  When we push ourselves out of the way and allow God to work through us, we can see the results around us as God accomplishes His perfect plan.  Jesus is the perfect example of how a Christian should operate and live by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Everything Jesus did, He accomplished through the Spirit.  The many miracles were result of the Holy Spirit doing what He does best.  Pointing to Jesus and proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is the Messiah.
 
The Airzooka is an example of a toy that operates by using “invisible” power.  I use a volunteer from the audience and stand them up some distance away from myself and place a red cup on top of their head.  Previously, I will have played with the toy enough to have gained an understanding of the range at which it operates well.  Sometimes I will add in the story of William Tell.  It makes a great segue for the use of a red plastic cup sitting on top of someone’s head.
 
The Holy Spirit will not dominate our personality and squelch out the intricacies that make us unique.  Rather, He is a still small voice, ready to guide us if only we are willing to listen.  And when we do make an effort to listen, He is ready and able to give us the strength and abilities we need to accomplish God’s plan. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

PDF of Lesson