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On the shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus began a conversation with Peter that started with the words, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). Three years later, that conversation ended with Jesus’ command, since you love me, “feed my sheep” (John 21:17). The important things Peter needed to learn took time to sink in. Peter learned by Jesus’ words, His example and the experiences they shared together. For Peter, and I think for all of us, the best learning takes place in the laboratory of life.
Like Peter, your children live in a laboratory of life. You are their professors. They hear your words, observe your actions and share experiences with you every day. Each time you talk with your kids matters. You are spending their most formative years weaving fibers of learning together to help them grow.
This article concerns a specific conversation within the larger conversation you are having with your children about spiritual things. Talking with them about Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection is among the most important conversations you will have.
Easter brings unique opportunities. Even though many people around us don’t see it this way, during this time, those of us who are believers are celebrating the resurrection of Jesus––the most important event in human history.
Easter brings feelings that spring is in the air, bunnies are hopping and flowers are blooming. But contrast this idea with the brutal, historical events of Holy Week. Jesus’ death was bloody and painful. The details are far more gory than many young children are developmentally ready to hear.
So then, how can you have this conversation at all? Perhaps this framework would be helpful:
As you speak with your child about Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, do these three things: think, talk and respond.
1. Think
Before you talk to your child, think about your child. Consider these questions: What is their prior knowledge and current spiritual journey? What do they already know about Jesus’ death and resurrection? Do they understand why He died? Do they understand that the reason Jesus died was to provide forgiveness of sin—their sin?
It is possible that the most recent thought in your child’s mind about Easter has to do with hunting eggs, chocolate bunnies and Easter baskets. These cultural ideas about Easter have to be overwritten with the true story of Jesus’ death on the cross, His burial in a borrowed tomb and His miraculous resurrection from the dead.
When I was in high school, I missed a concept that was taught early on in an advanced math class. From then on, I was lost—All because I didn’t have the prior knowledge needed to keep up with the learning process.
Think about what your child already knows about the entirety of the redemption story. Do they know about creation, Adam and Eve’s fall in the garden of Eden and God’s plan of redemption? This is the “why” of Easter. It’s the reason Jesus came. So, if kids don’t first understand the meaning of the fall, they will have difficulty understanding the full weight of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Unless kids know they are sinners by both inheritance and by practice (Romans 5:12), they may not see why they desperately need a Savior.
Also, think about your child’s developmental stage. The younger the child, the more concretely they think. Connecting the dots of a story will be harder for a 6-year-old than a 12-year-old. In addition, it’s best to present one idea at a time. I sometimes say we should “pound one nail” when we teach young children. Too many ideas bring confusion.
Here’s an example to illustrate this idea: The Bible was originally written to adults, not children, and it uses word pictures and metaphors, not concrete instruction, to communicate ideas. As a result, some communication tools the original authors used will confuse children. Consider the words of Hebrews 9:22: Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. This concept would have made sense to the Hebrew audience who understood the sacrificial system set up in the Mosaic law. They knew that every time a lamb shed his blood, it meant death.
The word “blood” is sometimes used in the New Testament in place of the word death. But kids won’t necessarily know or understand this. So another way to state this concept in a way that could be easily understood by kids is to say “without Jesus dying on the cross, there is no forgiveness of sin.”
This is the single concept kids need to know: Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross provides forgiveness of sin — there is no other way.
2. Talk
After thinking about your child’s prior knowledge and their current developmental stage, talk to them. Talk about Jesus the same way you would talk about any other important topic.
● Get their attention.
● Let them know you have something important to talk about.
● Use simple, age-appropriate language.
● Keep it short.
● Ask them what they think about what you’ve said.
● Listen to their responses.
It can sometimes be hard to know what to say when talking to your kids about Jesus. Perhaps one or more of the following statements would be helpful:
● We are all sinners, which means we are separated from God.
● For us to be made right with God, the Bible says sin has to be punished. That means your sin and mine.
● The Bible says Jesus was the perfect sacrifice for our sins.
● Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, and He rose from the dead proving what He said was true.
● We can be made right with God and have our sins forgiven by trusting in Jesus’ death on the cross in our place.
● Trusting in Jesus is accepting the free gift of salvation God offers to all of us.
3. Respond
Lastly, be ready to respond to questions your kids might have. If you are like me, patiently waiting while kids process information is painful. I want them to “get it” the first time we talk about it, but it usually doesn’t work that way.
Important conversations often have to be repeated, sometimes with the same words, and sometimes with different, clearer words. Don’t be surprised if you answer questions and talk about Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection for several months after your first conversation. In truth, I hope you will!
The earliest Christian creed is recorded in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, where Paul writes, For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.
Paul knew the horrific details of Jesus’ crucifixion. He also knew that unbelievers then, like our children today, needed a short, understandable description of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In writing this creed, he summarized the most important message ever, so simply. Jesus died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose from the dead three days later—just as it was described in the Scriptures.
Like me, every Christian parent and grandparent longs to hear that their children and grandchildren have put their faith in Jesus. We all understand the importance of every child internalizing the central message of our faith—the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. God bless you as you talk to your kids this Easter. May they hear, understand and trust in Jesus as their Savior.
Ed trusted Jesus for salvation at an Awana club when he was eight years old. A faithful leader made clear his sin and its consequences and pointed him to a holy God who loves him. God’s unconditional grace captured Ed’s heart, and he wants every child to know about it.
Ed and Kim have been married for 44 years. They have two grown children, Heather and Matt. Heather has four children, making them Gramma and Papa.
Ed received his Doctor of Educational Ministry from Dallas Theological Seminary. He currently serves as the Vice President of Spiritual Development and Ministry Alignment at Awana and as an adjunct professor in the area of children and family ministry at Moody Bible Institute.
