It’s important to address questions about the Christian faith with our kids. Here’s a fun way to answer, “Why did Jesus die on the Cross?”
Image: “Golgatha (Kristi gang til Golgotha,” Pieter Brueghel the Younger, c. 1579/1638, Public Domain.
Have you ever thought about the image of the Cross, and what it must mean to our kids?
The Cross is everywhere. We wear cross jewelry. Crosses adorn the steeples of churches or rest on the wall at the front of the sanctuary.
That’s because when Christians were first deciding on a symbol to represent their faith, their attempts didn’t seem quite right. Early Christians used a peacock to represent eternal life, or a palm leaf to show victory in Christ. Ultimately, the cross is the perfect symbol for our faith, since the work Jesus did on the Cross changed all of history. The Cross is the symbol of our eternal salvation through the work of Jesus Christ. But, do your kids know why the symbol of the cross points to salvation in Jesus?
With the symbol of the cross everywhere, we don’t want our kids to become inoculated to its significance. Instead, we want our children to understand what the symbol of the cross means.
Why Did Jesus Die on the Cross?
Have your kids ever asked you, “Why did Jesus die on the Cross”? Or, have they asked why his death was necessary?
Those are good questions. The answer to both lies at the heart of the gospel.
Most Christian kids can answer those questions with, “Jesus died on the Cross to save us from our sins.” But, we want them to truly understand what that means.
We want our children to be able to explain why Jesus died on the Cross. We want them to know how his sacrificial, atoning death impacts their lives.
Jesus Died on the Cross | Things Your Kids Need to Know!
The reason Jesus died on the Cross is a big topic that deserves an in-depth explanation. My book, What Was the Cross?, will help your kids understand how Jesus’ work on the Cross was prophesied in the Old Testament, fulfilled in the Gospels, and pointed to throughout the rest of the New Testament.
A few things your children will learn about the Cross:
- At the very beginning of Creation, humans sinned. God promised the seed of the woman would bruise the head of the offspring of the serpent. This started a war between the followers of Jesus and the followers of Satan. Jesus was bruised on the Cross, but he won the war.
- The sacrifice of the perfect lamb at the first Passover pointed to the sacrifice of the only perfect, sinless man, the Lamb of God–Jesus.
- God’s prophets shared God’s message about his coming Messiah, the Savior. Jesus bore the sin of believers on the Cross and paid the penalty for sins, just as the prophet Isaiah said he would.
- Only the one, sinless God-Man, the incarnate Christ, could pay the price for our sins. The birth of Jesus is the Incarnation, when God became man.
- Jesus accepted his mission to die on the Cross willingly. He was not surprised by the Cross. Instead, he worked for our benefit and for his own glory.
- Jesus’ death on the Cross was a victory.
- His victory is complete, yet not quite whole. We are in the already-and-not-yet kingdom of God. One day, Jesus will return for believers.
What Was the Cross? tells the story of God’s great plan for salvation as it is presented throughout Scripture. Your children will understand that the Cross is the means by which Jesus Christ, God the Son, saves sinners.
The Cross in Bible History
In a fun and engaging tone, the narrative Christian history book What Was the Cross? will help your kids learn about why salvation is necessary, about how Jesus came to earth to save sinners, and about how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies.
What Was the Cross? chapters:
- Chapter One: The Mystery of the Cross
- Chapter Two: War in the Garden
- Chapter Three: Blood of the Lamb
- Chapter Four: Messengers who Spoke for God
- Chapter Five: Standing Trial in God’s Court
- Chapter Six: Arrival of the God-Man
- Chapter Seven: The Mission Jesus Accepted
- Chapter Eight: Victory on the Cross
- Chapter Nine: Living in God’s Kingdom
- Timeline
Bible Resources for Your Kids
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Christian Biographies for Kids | Christian History for Kids | Theology for Kids
Christian History Matters for Our Kids.
History matters. Now, more than ever, we see how important it is for our children to know and understand history and the Bible.
Here’s why:
- God is the sovereign ruler of all things. It’s important for our kids to see his hand in the history of nations and in the lives of both peasants and kings.
- Christian history is the story of our family history. Our kids get to see how people who love Jesus follow him.
- Understanding history can help our kids learn historic and biblical theology. They learn what the Bible says and what that means for us. They also see when the study of Scripture has taken important turns that have changed the Church.
- Reading Christian biographies and history can be a wonderful way for kids to think outside their own time and culture. God’s Church spans centuries and includes people from every nation.
- Christian biographies help kids consider their own faith, walk with Jesus, and the impact their witness may one day have on others–and on history.
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