What comes to mind when you think about sin? Consider your emotions—does the thought of sin make you sad? Angry? Indifferent? To fully understand the beauty of salvation and the power of grace, you must take sin seriously.
Consider what our sin says about God. Sin says God may be powerful, but not enough to deserve ultimate authority in our lives. Sin exploits God’s mercy and disrespects His patience. Sin says God is not worthy of our obedience. Sin isn’t just a mistake; it is serious. Why? Our sins are first and foremost against an infinitely holy God.
In Ephesians 2, Paul describes our state apart from Christ not merely as broken or flawed; he says we are dead in our sin. We are not simply wrong people who need to do better; rather, we are dead people who need to be made alive.
God confronts this bad news with a surprising response. Look at Ephesians 2:4-5: “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses.”
The good news of the gospel increases in its gravity as our awareness and hatred of sin increases. If sin seems like no big deal, the cross is not very impressive. When we have a right understanding of the seriousness of our sin, the gospel is good news—the revelation that we who are dead in our sin can have true life as a free gift in Christ.
As you prepare to teach, take a moment to reflect on your sin and to thank God for His mercy. Pray that God would graciously reveal to kids their sinful nature and desperate need for salvation as well as His holiness and provision of Jesus as the Savior they need.
Check out The Gospel Project At Home for resources designed to help you lead a family worship experience as well as suggestions for morning and evening prayer times and family activities.
FAMILY TALKING POINTS
CHRIST CONNECTION
This is the big idea of how this week’s Bible story points to Jesus.
- Babies & Toddlers: Everyone who believes in Jesus will live with God forever.
- Younger Preschool: God loves us and sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. Jesus rose from the dead. Everyone who believes in Him will live with God forever.
- Older Preschool: God takes sin seriously. We deserve to die for our sins, but God loves us and sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. Jesus rose from the dead. Everyone who trusts in Him has life with God forever.
- Kids: God takes sin seriously. People deserve to die for their sins, but God loves us and sent His Son, Jesus, to defeat death by dying on the cross for our sins and rising from the dead. Everyone who trusts in Jesus has eternal life.
BIG PICTURE QUESTION & ANSWER
This is an important biblical truth that your child will encounter each week of this unit.
- Younger Preschool: What is the punishment for sin? The punishment for sin is separation from God.
- Older Preschool: What is the punishment for sin? The punishment for sin is death.
- Kids: What is the fair payment for sin? The fair payment for sin is death.
KEY PASSAGE
This is a Bible verse that relates to what your child will encounter each week of this unit.
- Babies & Toddlers: God gives life forever. Romans 6:23
- Younger Preschool: God gives life forever. Romans 6:23
- Older Preschool: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
- Kids: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
** Next week: Israel Demanded a King (1 Samuel 8–10)