11 Reasons to Teach Kids About the Cross
Let the Little Children Come to the Cross And Do Not Hinder Them
Teach kids the cross.
I once heard of a Sunday School that decided not to speak about the cross to children. I'm not sure of the reasons, perhaps it was felt not age-appropriate or manipulative.
As a parent and former primary-school teacher, I agree with the sentiment that kids should be taught differently from adults. Nevertheless, I can think of 11 good reasons why this is wrong:
1. Jesus crucified is the centre of our faith
Paul famously said this:
For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
(1 Corinthians 2:2, NIVUK)
Would we not let Paul speak to children?! The cross is central to the Christian faith. We can’t keep kids from this!
2. My Story
I don't remember every service I went to as a kid. But I remember Easter weekend:
Every Good Friday service I was amazed by what Jesus went through.
At an open-air Easter Saturday, my dad preached on the crucifixion. I don’t think I was saved that day, but I remember it as the first time Jesus’ death really sunk in to me.
Each Easter Sunday we made an Easter garden to show the events of Easter Weekend
I'm glad my parents didn't shelter me as these events shaped me for years to come.
3. Do not hinder kids from Jesus
Jesus did not like children being kept from him:
People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”
(Mark 10:13-14, NIVUK)
If the cross is the primary way we know Jesus’ love, keeping them from the cross is a hindrance to children’s faith. The children must not be kept from Jesus.
4. The gospel writers aren’t Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ film was rated 18 and rightly so.
Gibson bathed in the gore of the cross. Sadly, many Christian preachers have felt the same need to inspire physical revulsion.
But Matthew, Mark, Luke and John don’t do that.
They describe Jesus’ emotions. They state the suffering that happened but they don’t go into explicit details. Indeed, their chief focus is more on his rejection by the people and his bearing the wrath of God.
Violent descriptions would be inappropriate. But I’d argue, even amongst adults, this is not the emphasis the Bible leads us to takes.
5. Kids experience death
When I was a teacher, most years a child in the class of 30 was bereaved. Kids aren’t protected from death in the world.
Why would we keep them from our hope beyond the grave?
6. Children only grasp deaths reality between 5-7
Most bereavement counsellors describe how children don’t really grasp the finality of death until ages 5-7 (see here for example).
This means that you can talk to younger children about death without traumatising them. They simply won’t have the capacity to understand it entirely.
7. Death will be spoken of in their schools
What about older children though? Well I can say as a former primary school teacher, that they will hear about it at school:
They hear about Henry VIII beheading his wives
Fairytales will tell of witches being thrown in ovens
Not to mention most schools will teach the crucifixion each year.
8. You can wisely tailor things to kids' sensibilities
As an example, our school team did an assembly telling the Christmas story. When Jesus died, we simply had him bow his head and go into a cave.
No acting out is necessary.
9. Christian parents will have told their kids the story
As a Christian parent, I've read story Bibles on repeat daily so they've heard the crucifixion countless times before. In a Sunday school setting you can trust that this will be the case
10. I want you to tell my kids the cross:
As a parent, I’m bringing them to your ministry for you to do this. Don’t be squeamish, you have my full support!
11. The way to be saved:
For kids to be saved, they must trust Jesus’ death on the cross for forgiveness. Don’t withhold the gospel from kids.
What am I missing? What would you have said in this conversation?
P.S. If you’re a parent, you might enjoy this post: How to do a family devotion with under 5s.