What Scares You at Halloween?

or
Are You Afraid of Cemeteries?

"Auntie, what scares you most at Halloween?" asked Jason as he was biking with his favorite aunt. "Would dead people walking scare you?"

Aunt Ruth looked at her ten-year old nephew. She was not like some grownups, who didn't take his questions seriously.

"Do snarling black cats with arched backs scare you, Jason?" Aunt Ruth asked.

"No."
"Pumpkins with ugly grins?"

Now Jason grinned. "No. I helped to cut them out and put them on the windows at school."

"How about ghosts and strange sounds?" His aunt asked next.

"What's with all these questions, Auntie? I'm the one who asked first!" Jason blurted out.

Aunt Ruth raised a finger that meant, just wait. "By now you know those are ordinary people dressed up, hoping to scare others."

"Yes, answered Jason, "Sometimes they are adults, but most often it is just kids out to ask for treats."

Just then they were passing the cemetery outside of town. "But Auntie, what if you go near that cemetery? Are you afraid of the dead people?"

"Ah!" said Aunt Ruth. "I wouldn't be afraid because don't expect a dead person to get up and move around."

She stopped, and looked at the tombstones.

Jason didn't feel good about stopping here after what his friend's babysitter had told them, but if his aunt wasn't afraid, it might be okay. He stopped too, and walked his bike over closer to her.

His Aunt Ruth had an idea. She suggested they go sit on the grass in the cemetery and talk this over. The sun was shining warmly and the grass was so green, besides, his aunt wasn't scared. So he agreed.

"Let's stop and think," said Aunt Ruth as they got settled cross-legged on the grass. "Is being dead and getting up to live again really so scary? I hope you are not afraid to learn about this, because I have good news to tell you.

"God made the real you inside of you (and me) to live forever. However, we will only live here on earth for a little while and the rest of forever in another place. To get from earth to Heaven we must die."

"Or to Hell?" asked Jason.

"We must decide here which place we will go, whether to Heaven to live with God in a beautiful and perfect place where nothing bad ever happens, or to Hell to be alone in a scary and painful place, where we will suffer forever and forever.

"How do we choose Heaven?"

"To choose Heaven, we must choose to believe Jesus, God's Son, who died for our sins in our place, so that we will not have to die for them. If we do not choose Jesus and trust in Him, we are choosing Hell by default. That is, we choose Hell by not choosing Jesus."

"Brrr!" Jason shivered. "I'd rather choose Jesus!"

"Yes, death is scary for the people who don't trust Jesus to save them, but for those who do, dying is not scary at all. It is the way to Heaven and the trip is instant. We just need to believe Jesus paid our way."

Aunt Ruth gave Jason a minute to think.

"Jason, did you know that after Jesus died on the cross, and was in a grave three days, He was alive and walked on earth and talked with His friends?* That's called a resurrection. He told them many wonderful things about Heaven which are in the Bible. If we love Jesus for taking our place, we should read the Bible every day and become very familiar with the things he said. They give us hope and good advice."

"Is Jesus the only one who ever got up out of a grave and walked around?" Jason asked.

Aunt Ruth answered, Jesus promised that one day He will come in the clouds, a trumpet will blow, and the bodies of those who have died will rise up, and instantly join their own spirits up in the clouds and go back to Heaven. It will happen so fast that the people on earth will not even see it!" **

"Wow!" Jason's dark brown eyes grew huge. "Auntie, I don't want to be left behind!" said Jason. "I want to choose Jesus and be friends with Him right now."

Aunt Ruth was glad to tell him more. "Jesus can hear even your thoughts. Tell Him you are sorry for all the bad things you've ever done, and the good things not done, and tell Jesus you believe He died that horrible death in your place, so you can be guilt-free and headed for Heaven. He loves to hear a 'thank you' too!"

They bowed their head to show respect, and Jason prayed to Jesus.

As they got up to go back to their bikes, Aunt Ruth told Jason, "Don't be afraid to tell others about this. Get a Bible and read some of it and talk to Jesus every day. This is how to grow stronger in faith and to love Him more and more. Also go to church where other believers who know about God and the Bible, can teach you and be your friends."

* see Mark 16:12-14, Luke 24, John 20:19-31
** see I Thessalonians 4:13-18

Dear Reader, you can do just as Jason did. To get further help please contact us at Western Tract Mission, Inc. We will send you the Mailbox Club Bible lessons by mail. An instructor will write to you and answer your questions.

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