We come to a passage that we did not cover during our children’s worship.

It is the story about Nicodemus talking with Jesus.  It is a longer passage, and it is a little bit difficult for the children to follow.  

As we are reading the passage, we start to become as confused as Nicodemus. What is Jesus talking about? Being born again?  Even Nicodemus who is a teacher of the Bible couldn’t understand, so how are we to understand?

But we keep reading, and we come to the famous verse – John 3:16.  As things were getting too complicated to understand, Jesus says something so plain and easy to understand.  God loved the world so much that he gave up his only son, Jesus, so that we can live forever!

Yesterday we talked about dying for pets.  Evan was not willing to die for his pet.  John and I told Evan that we are not willing to die for a pet, but willing to die for him, because he is our son.  God is willing to die for us, because we are his children.  God loves us so much.

Today, I ask the boys, do you think mom and dad will give you up for random strangers?  If we had to sacrifice and let you die so another person can live, would we do it? 

John and I ensure them, that we would never give them up, because that would make us so sad.  We don’t ever want to think about losing any one of our children.  

But, God loved us so much that he actually did give up his precious son!  How heartbreaking for God!  How heartbreaking for Jesus!  When we remember the cross, it is heartbreaking, because we are so loved.  So extravagantly loved.  

We close our time by repeating the verse a couple times to memorize it.  We are born again as God’s children through Jesus! 

(Short version – John 3:1-6 & 16-21)

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Amy Hwang

Amy is the Faith Formation Ministry Leader at Living Water CRC.

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