For many kids, the Bible seems so big and complex that they feel overwhelmed. They don't know how to start mining the riches in the New Testament.
In this unit, you will take children on a tour that will unlock the mysteries of God's Word and give them confidence to navigate through the New Testament. They will learn how the New Testament fits together, with its 27 books falling into three groups: History, Living Letters, and Prophecy.
Lesson 1: Live Like Jesus
Our New Testament tour begins with the Gospels, which record key moments of Jesus' life and ministry. Kids need to understand that the Gospels are important because Jesus is the fulfillment of the promise of the Old Testament, forgiveness of sins and salvation come through a relationship with Jesus, and because Christ's example and messages show us how God wants us to live. Today's lesson also includes the book of Acts, the history of the early Church after Jesus' resurrection.
Lesson 2: Love God's Church
Our New Testament tour continues with the first group of letters that help teach about God and what Christians believe. When children want to know what we believe as Christians, they can find answers in these letters from Paul, who wrote them primarily to answer questions being asked by believers in the Church. Kids today have questions and need to learn that the Bible has the answers they seek.
Lesson 3: Live as God's People
Next in our New Testament Tour are the final letters of the Bible, many of them short, and focused on how God expects us to act as Christians. The theme of each of these books is a different aspect of the Christian "walk" and provides insights into how God wants us to respond in different life situations. As children grow in their faith and knowledge of Scripture, they will find themselves wanting to see their life more and more reflect the attributes and attitudes that are described in the Bible. These books provide lots of advice on how God wants us to conduct ourselves.
Lesson 4: Look to the Future
While the final book of the Bible can be confusing to many and certainly is argued over by others, many tend to miss the ultimate message. It isn't to figure out exactly what is going to happen in the future — it is to understand that in the end times, Jesus will be victorious, and evil will lose! God is going to triumph, and His enemy, Satan, finally will be defeated. Rather than get bogged down in the details of this amazing book, children can approach it as an intriguing and encouraging book that tells us not to worry about the future because in the end times, Jesus will be the big winner, and we are on the winning team!