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2020-02-26 to 28 Pictures: Charleston, South Carolina

One of the few upsides of having to cancel our Spring Break trip last March at the onset of the pandemic is that we are "stuck" with a rather large voucher from one of those discount airlines. Last autumn, Tricia and I spent a weekend in Savannah, Georgia and had a...

A John 3:16 Craft for Kids

John 3:16 is one of the most well known and reassuring verses in the Bible. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.John 3:16 (NIV) The following is a little craft I threw...

2020-03-01 Pictures: Lyndsey’s College Signing Day

This afternoon Lyndsey made it official, signing her letter of intent to play college basketball for the Hiram College Terriers starting next year. While she made the decision and committed to Hiram before Christmas, she has been looking forward to this day since her...

2020-02-13 Pictures: Lyndsey’s 18th Birthday

I am little behind on posting photos. These are some of my favorites from a couple of weekends ago when we got a chance to celebrate Lyndsey's 18th birthday. It's hard to believe that my little girl is officially an adult. It was nice to have the family all back...

What is DOCTRINE?

Introduction I love working with kids, and I love teaching them hard concepts in ways they can understand. To that end, for years I have been working on a dictionary of theological terms for kids and teens. In sharing those definitions, there seemed no better place to...

If You Want It Done Right

In all likelihood, you know how the phrase ends: If you want it done right, DO IT YOURSELF! This is a bit of a mantra for me, and frankly, something that I struggle with daily both in leadership and in my Christian walk.  In theory, this is easy to accept. ...

What Does God Hate?

This is the little and humble post that started it all. I happened to be reading through my Bible, and this passage impacted me so much that I posted a little blurb about it on Facebook. That was July 28, 2008, and I've been writing and sharing ever since. (Maybe...

#6: God is Merciful. He Is Kind to Undeserving Sinners (10 Essential Gospel Truths for Kids)

10 Essential TruthsToday we continue our detailed look at a presentation given by Jill Nelson at the 2007 Children Desiring God Conference entitled “Presenting the Gospel to Children.” In my last post, I introduced the series (including links to both the audio and the handouts.  Thus far we have looked at the following:

  • So, is there anyone who can help us?
  • God can.
  • He is merciful and kind to sinners who don’t deserve it.
  • He gives us grace which is a free gift.
  • We don’t deserve it.
  • We can’t work for or earn God’s mercy.
  • How does God show his grace?
    • He is patient with us
    • Doesn’t throw temper tantrums
    • His anger is not out of control
    • The fact that we are all still alive is proof of God’s grace
  • He still must punish sin
    • God made a way to save sinners and punish sin
    • Most merciful thing.

Illustration

  • Luke 15 – Prodigal Son
    • How the father showed mercy
    • Point to father giving undeserved kindness
    • That’s a little bit what it is like
  • Assign a child a task
    • Give child $1 for the task
    • Earned $1
    • Later surprise him with another $1
    • Did you do anything to earn the second $1
    • That’s a little bit of what God’s grace is like
  • Tell child you will pay them to an impossible task
    • Go move a sofa across the house
    • Let them try
    • Don’t come up with a solution
    • When Dad comes home – decide Dad will move it.
    • Still give the child the money
    • That’s mercy
    • Someone stepped in and did it for you

Implication

The implication of this truth to kids is:

You must depend on God’s mercy in order to be saved.

Scriptural Support

Psalm 145:8

The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. [Psalms 145:8 ESV]

Ephesians 2:8-9

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. [Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV]

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