Sharing The Bible With Kids

PHOTO CAPTION: Make a megaphone and tell some good news, “Jesus is alive!”

How is sharing the Bible any different from reading it? Well, it really isn’t much different, but I think that sharing the Bible takes it one step further. Sharing begins when we meditate on what we read and make it a part of who we are and what we do.

The Bible is not just a book. It is the living, breathing word of God. What that means to me is that God speaks to me personally through what He says in the Bible. It’s a conversation. He knows me intimately and as I pray and read His Word, He shows me answers to what I am praying about and encourages my heart. He lets me know that I am deeply loved by Him. In the pages of God’s Word, I find wisdom for every problem and every circumstance I encounter. Money problems? The Bible says a lot about money. Relationship problems? God says a lot about relationships in His Word too. Work, time, love, sharing, purpose – it’s all there.

So how can we share what the Bible says with our kids? One way is to let them know how God speaks to us. Share your stories – age appropriate of course. Talk to your kids about verses or stories that have meant something to you. Let them know which stories are your favorites and why. Sharing the Bible can begin with reading, but it can also be shared as we talk about the stories and principles from God’s Word. EX: When you see a rainbow, talk about God’s promises and about how God took care of Noah in the midst of the worst storm ever.

Don’t be afraid to have fun sharing the Bible – get a little wild and crazy. Act out the stories with your kids or incorporate a game into your Bible reading. Always incorporate prayer into your reading and sharing. Those prayers can be sparked in response to a concern that your child has, something that you have read in the Bible or something that you are thankful for. You can ask God to help you and your child understand and apply His Word to your lives. And those prayers don’t have to be long. Simple one-liner prayers throughout the day, as you think about it, are great.

Sharing the Bible shouldn’t be a chore, it should be fun. God loves you immensely and desires to speak to you as you read and share His Word. Listen carefully because He wants you to know that He has a plan for you and your child. You are wonderfully made and you are greatly loved.

PS – You can also share by getting creative. When my daughter was a preschooler she used to wake up with night terrors and nothing seemed to soothe her – at least nothing I said. So this frustrated, concerned, sleep deprived mom prayed about what in the world I should do. God led me to a verse – Psalm 56 :3 “What time I am afraid, I will trust in you.” KJV
I started singing that verse to her when she would wake up afraid and it helped. (I used the KJV version because I liked the way it sounded when we sang it.)

Sharing God’s Word is simply living it out in your life by allowing it to be a part of all you do throughout the day. It’s really a relationship with our amazing God.

While you’re at it, why not learn some verses together. Then you and your child can share good news, encouragement and prayers with others too. Sharing is simply asking God to help you be more aware of what He is saying and showing you ways to tell the good news. Our world has plenty of bad news that we hear about everyday. While we may not be able to ignore the bad news and really we shouldn’t. We should take some action. We can begin taking action by sharing good news. Share things that will change others attitudes and hopefully their hearts. Share news that says, “I care about you and God cares about you.” So share some good news this week. Share the Bible with your kids and share some encouragement with a friend too. Our world needs it!

PARENT PRAYER:
God,
I know your Word is important. I know that you speak to me personally through your Word. It is your voice guiding me, showing me how to love you and love others. It is your voice calling me by name and telling me that I am your child. I want the kids in my life to understand and listen for your voice through your Word too. Like Peter, I want to share good news with others starting with my family, friends and then the world as you give me opportunity. Give me opportunities to help kids learn to listen to your voice and grow in their relationship with you. I commit my family, my grandkids and the kids I work with to you. Open my eyes to see opportunities to share good news, but also to understand those who are deeply hurting offering a hug or perhaps just saying, “I’m sorry you are hurting. I care.” I need your wisdom to know how to share good news and I need your Spirit to walk with me. Amen

SHARING THE BIBLE WITH KIDS
I’ll be there first to admit that much of what I’ve learned, I’ve learned by trial and error and listening to other moms and dads. I am definitely not the perfect parent. I have had days when I used the Bible out of frustration with my kids instead of love. Yet I am a stubborn mom and I refused to give up. Somewhere a long the line, part of what I said and shared from the Bible stuck. Today my kids are grown and their faith in God is still very much intact. This grateful mom, says, “Thank you God!”

As you read a story, ask, “What is God saying to us? What can we learn from what we have read?” Remember the Bible is a living book. It is God’s voice talking to us.

• Pray with your child and talk about ways to do what the Bible says. How can we love God and others? How can your preschooler give and share? Make it applicable to them.
• Memorize a verse together.
  • Have a children’s Bible handy for your kids to look through – at home or in your classroom.
    • Ask your kids what their favorite Bible story is and let them tell you the story.
      • Try to get yourself and your child into the scene of the story. What was happening in this story? What did it feel like? Was it stormy or sunny? Were the people happy or sad? Use the senses and ask simple questions.
        • Tell your own faith stories. What has God done for you? Tell about a time when God answered your prayer or helped you know what to do.
          • Be a little wild and crazy. Vary your voice. Be dramatic! Have fun.

Kid’s Section

STORY: Peter Tells About Jesus – Acts 2:14-40
Comments in parenthesis are ideas of actions you can do with your child while telling the story or possible answers to a question.

When Jesus returned to heaven in the clouds, (Raise arms up as high as you can.) what did He say He would send? (His Spirit/the Holy Spirit) Jesus told His friends to wait in Jerusalem for His Spirit. His Spirit would be with them always.

On the day when the Spirit came, there was a whole crowd of people in Jerusalem. Peter saw the crowd of people and he told them about Jesus. What do you think he told the people? (Jesus is alive. He loves you. Jesus is a good friend.)

Peter told the crowd that Jesus had died on a cross, but that He was alive again. He said that Jesus is always with us and that Jesus would forgive their sins. He told the crowd about his friend, Jesus. He said that Jesus wanted to be their forever friend too. All they needed to do was believe in Jesus and ask Him to be their friend.

Peter was happy (Show happy face.) to tell the people about Jesus. He was happy (Show happy face.) that Jesus was his friend. He was happy (Show happy face.) that Jesus sent His Spirit to be with him all the time and help him share the good news. Many people heard Peter that day and believed in Jesus. They wanted Jesus to be their forever friend.

Jesus loves you and wants to be your forever friend too. Because He’s alive, He hears you (Put hand by ear.) when you talk to Him and He will help you tell others the good news (Put fingers by your mouth.) just like He helped Peter. Can you think of some good news to share about your friend Jesus? (Jesus is a good friend to have. He will always be with you.He loves you! He’s alive! You can talk to Him. He will help you.) Now let’s practice telling a friend. Look at someone and say, ‘Jesus wants to be your friend.’ I’m so glad that Jesus loves us and that we can tell others the good news just like Peter did.

PRAYER:
Dear Jesus,
I’m glad that you are alive and that you want to be my friend. I want to share you with my friends. I want to tell others that you are alive and want to be their friend too. I know that you will help me share the good news about you with my friends. Amen

MEMORIZE: Matt. 28:6 NIrV – (Hands like you’re holding a book.)
He (Jesus) is – (Point up.)
Not here – (Make tomb with fist.)
He has risen – (Jump up and raise hands.)
Just as He said – (Hands by mouth.)
He would – (Clap hands.)

KNOW: Peter tells a crowd about Jesus.
TALK ABOUT: Who can I tell about Jesus?
ASK: Who wants to be your forever friend? Jesus wants to be my forever friend. Who loves you? Jesus loves me.
AND DO… I can tell others about my friend, Jesus.

FUN IDEAS FOR THIS WEEK

• Talk about what Jesus has done for you and then remember to say, “Thank you!” to God.
  • Keep a running list of things that you can thank God for this week. See how long it is by the end of the week.  Let your preschooler add pictures to the list. The things you are thankful for are good things to share with others too.