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“Jesus loves me, this I know”. It’s a sweet sound when words about Jesus come by heart to even the youngest child. Simple truths like these help kids start to see the beauty of the gospel.
But a common pitfall is to stop there. When we teach our kids about Jesus only in simple, general terms, they may come to know Jesus only vaguely or even wrongly.
The love of Christ is broad, long, high, and deep (Ephesians 3:18). How can we help our children to know him more fully? One way is to help them see him in all of Scripture. Here are four questions to keep asking as you open the Bible with your family.
The Bible tells one story about Jesus. From Genesis to Revelation, the Father wants us to see and love his Son as our greatest treasure. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the Bible awakens our children’s hearts to desire a relationship with Jesus.
Jesus came to solve our greatest need in the way only he could.
What a privilege to introduce our kids to Jesus as the Promised Rescuer (Genesis 3:14-15), or the Stairway to God (Genesis 28:10-17). Little children are not too young to learn what it means that Jesus is the Passover Lamb (Exodus 12:21-27) and depend on him as the life-giving Bread (Exodus 16:1-5, 31). The stories of Scripture open the way for our kids to receive so much more than simply information about Jesus. They reveal his person and his heart.
From cover to cover, the Bible reveals that God provided a way for sinful people to come into a relationship with him. Jesus came to solve our greatest need in the way only he could.
Our children can learn that from before creation, God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit lovingly planned to make a beautiful family (Ephesians 1:1-14). The Holy Spirit will open kids’ hearts to see that through Jesus, we can become Abraham’s promised descendants (Genesis 12:1-7; Galatians 3:29). The story of Noah will show them God’s right anger against sin and our need for rescue. The truth of Easter tells us that Jesus came to give us what sin had stolen. Jesus keeps those who trust in him safe with their Father God forever.
To know Jesus is to know that the world does not revolve around us! When our kids search for meaning and fulfillment, we want them to know that Jesus is the purpose of our life. We want them to know that true happiness is loving God and living for him.
The Bible warns us of God’s enemy, Satan. From the beginning of time, Satan has lied to keep us from trusting God. Without God’s powerful word, our kids trust in cultural trends and each new philosophy. What can parents do? On our own we are as helpless as our children. But Jesus triumphed over Satan at the cross. As our kids know him, his victory becomes theirs.
In the Holy Spirit’s power, we can help our kids identify Satan’s lies. The serpent whispers, “True happiness comes through what you have and do”. “Who needs to be Jesus’ friend? Live for yourself and be happy”. “Why does God let bad things happen?” “The Bible is just a lot of different stories”.
What can help our kids when the next new lie tries to win them over? With God’s word as our family’s foundation, we can ask the Holy Spirit to make the truth about Jesus more and more beautiful.
The Bible teaches, rebukes, corrects and trains believers in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). All Scripture sets the standard of Christ-like thoughts, words, actions and attitudes.
As a family responds honestly to God’s word and Spirit, they begin to treasure the truth of Jesus.
What does a right response to Jesus look like? Ask good questions to help your kids discover how God’s word intersects with their lives. Be prepared to get the conversation going by talking about God’s mercy to you! Ask God for thoughtful questions to guide, challenge, and encourage your family’s response. Discussion gives rise to Christ-like thoughts, words, actions, and attitudes. As a family responds honestly to God’s word and Spirit, they begin to treasure the truth of Jesus.
All the fullness of our Triune God is found in this man Jesus (Ephesians 3:19). When we help our kids know Jesus fully, the whole family learns to love the true Jesus deeply. More and more, we will find that Jesus alone satisfies the deepest desires of our hearts. As we study God’s word together, we will marvel at the beauty of Jesus and find joy in knowing his all-satisfying love. Knowing him ever more fully, we look with hope toward the day when we see him face to face and enjoy him forever.
Help your kids see the wonder of Jesus throughout the Bible with A Jesus Easter. You’ll find 30 fun, thought-provoking devotionals, covering Old Testament and New Testament passages to discover how Easter was always God’s plan, right from the very beginning.
Barbara Reaoch was Bible Study Fellowship’s Director of the Children’s Division for many years. She is the author of A Jesus Christmas, A Better Than Anything Christmas and A Jesus Easter. She loved God, her husband, their family… and writing gospel-centered children’s materials. Barbara went to be with Jesus in August 2024.
