Look at this colorful ball! The colors on this ball
are not just random, but selected to tell
the greatest story ever told – a true story that
can change your life!
Open each of the colors below to reveal the
story behind them. After reading the story
there is a Personal Invitation for you at the
end ...
You may also want to read some of the
stories
on how the J316 ball was used in ministry by
others.
Our story begins with the color gold. Gold reminds us of God and Heaven. The
Bible, God’s word, talks about “a street of gold in Heaven” (Revelations chapter
21 and verse 21). Heaven is where God wants us to live with Him forever one day.
God is the Creator of the heavens and earth and the Creator of YOU! The Bible
tells us in John chapter 3 and verse 16 “For God so loved the world – YOU - that
He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have
everlasting life.” God wants you to have a wonderful new life with Him that can
start now and will go on forever with Him in Heaven.
In Heaven there won’t be any more death or crying or pain. It will be a perfect
place where we will live with God. Sounds great, but there is a problem… God is
pure and holy and hates sin.
Our hearts are dark with sin; our sin is what is keeping us from God.
Sin is anything we do, say or even think or feel that displeases God.
The Bible says, “all have sinned” (Romans chapter 3 and verse 23). Yes,
everyone including you and me has sinned. God has a punishment for sin, it is to
be separated from Him in a place the Bible calls hell. Our sin is like the
blackest darkness. You cannot have light and darkness in the same place. This
would be a very sad story if it were to end right now, but remember – God Loves
YOU and wants you to live forever with Him in heaven someday. In fact He loves
you so much that He made a way for your sins to be taken care of…
The color red reminds us of Gods love. Jesus is God’s perfect Son. He is God,
the Son. Many, many years ago the Lord Jesus became a man and lived here on
earth. He was not just a man, He was a perfect man because He was God. Jesus is
the only person in all of history who ever lived His whole life without sinning.
God’s plan was to let His perfect Son be punished for our sins. The red color
reminds us of Jesus blood when He died on the cross to make a way for our sins
to be forgiven (1 John chapter 1 and verse 7). As He died, Jesus said, “It is
finished”. Everything that needed to be done for your sins to be taken away had
been done by Him on the cross.
They buried Jesus body, but three days later He proved that He could take
away your sins and give you everlasting life by coming back to life! Jesus,
God’s Son is alive today and because He died for you, He can take away the
darkness of sin, which keeps you from God!
The Bible talks about God washing our sins away and making us “white as snow”
(Psalms chapter 51 and verse 7). What do you have to do to have your sins
forgiven and start your new life with God? Remember the Bible verse we talked
about earlier - John chapter 3 and verse 16 - it says that “whoever believes in
Him” will have everlasting life. What does it mean to believe? It means to put
your trust in Jesus – to invite Him into your life to forgive you of your sins.
When you have your sins forgiven you become a part of God’s forever family.
Once you have done this, is that where the story ends? No, when you become a
child of God, He wants you to grow to know Him better everyday…
Green stands for growing in our new life. When you become God’s child, His
Holy Spirit comes into your life and helps you grow to know Him better. Sin can
keep us from growing. Even though we have become God’s child, we still sin,
(only when we get to heaven will we be perfect) but God promises in the Bible,
in the book of 1 John chapter 1 and verse 9 “if we confess our sins, He is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins… “.
What can you do to grow?
- Read and obey God’s Word, the Bible
- Talk to God in prayer
- Find other people who are also God’s children and spend time with them
studying the Bible, praying and praising God
- Share Gods love with others who don’t know Him
Let’s do our part to grow in our new life in Christ!
We started off with gold, with God and Heaven, and we end with gold, with God
and Heaven because He is the beginning and end of all things.
This story is about how you can have a relationship with God and go to live with
Him forever in Heaven. It is the greatest story ever told!
Have you ever believed and received the Lord Jesus? Are you a part of God’s
family? It is a free gift – all you need to do is ask. Are you ready to do that?
Here is a prayer that you can pray – prayer is just talking to God just like you
would talk to your best friend.
“Dear God, I am sorry for all the wrong things that I have done. I believe that
You died for me and rose again to pay for my sin so that I can be forgiven and
will one day go to Heaven and live with You forever. Please come into my heart,
forgive my sin and take control of my life. Thank You for saving me and giving
me the gift of eternal life. Amen.”
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever
believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
Now, you can share this story with others - THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD ...
Creatively communicating the Gospel through sports to the Nations of the world ...
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in
Him shall not perish but have eternal life."John 3:16
