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KIDS TALK: BIG QUESTION #22

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This is part of a series of kids talks I’m doing in the morning service at Banstead Community Church based on the New City Catechism.

Big Question #22 – Are all people, just as they were lost through Adam, saved through Christ? [NCC Q27]

Powerpoint Pictures: Beautiful Person; Top Footballer; Instagram Follower Count; Clever Person; Top Singer; Shaking Hands

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Who would you choose to do the following things?

Model a new item of clothing? [Someone beautiful].

Play for your team at football? [Someone who is brilliant at football].

Promote something you want people to buy? [Someone who is famous and has lots of followers].

Advise the Prime Minister? [An expert – someone clever].

Sing the national anthem for the Queen? [Someone with a good voice].

Look after something precious? [Someone who is trustworthy].

Generally, people are chosen because of their ability, intelligence, beauty, fame, or goodness.

However, there is someone who does not choose like that.  God.

In an earlier big question, we saw that because of the disobedience of Adam, we are all born in sin and guilt and therefore deserve God’s punishment, which is why we need a redeemer, Jesus, to bring us back to God.

But does Jesus redeem everyone?  Does Jesus bring everyone back to God?  Everybody needs to be saved, but does Jesus save everybody?

That’s what our next Big Question asks.

Let’s look at it now.

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Q: Are all people, just as they were lost through Adam, saved through Christ?

Well, what the Bible teaches is that God choose those He will save and those He has chosen will trust in Jesus and be saved.

“For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.” (Ephesians 1:4)

Who does God choose to be saved?  Those who clever or famous or beautiful or good?

Here’s the incredible thing – God made His choice before anyone was born – in fact, before the world was made.  This means that His choice had nothing to do with how good or clever you are.  It is because God is good and kind.  He didn’t have to choose anybody, but He does.

And if you trust in Jesus to be saved, you can know that He has chosen you.

So, what’s the answer to our Big Question?

A: No, only those who are elected by God and united to Christ by faith.

To help us remember that, let’s say the question and answer out loud together.

Are all people, just as they were lost through Adam, saved through Christ?  No, only those who are elected by God and united to Christ by faith.

Children when you go out to Sunday School you’re going to learn a song that will help you to remember this.

KIDS TALK: ALL HAIL THE POWER OF JESUS’ NAME

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Hymn of the Month – All hail the power of Jesus’ Name

Powerpoint Pictures: Video of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II

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Watch the following video.  It is of something that happened before I was born.  In fact, it actually happened over 67 years ago.

It was a really important event in the history of this country.

What is happening in the video?

It is the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.  Her father, King George VI had died and Elizabeth became queen, and this is moment that formally marked that occasion.

And because she is queen, we are to respond to her in certain ways.  We are to address her as, “Your majesty”.  Men are to give her a neck bow and women a small curtsy.

Now as impressive as the Queen’s coronation was, it simply doesn’t compare to another coronation that has taken place.

The most impressive, glorious, majestic one of all.

The coronation of King Jesus when he sat down on the throne in heaven.

When did this happen?

“After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:3)

This coronation took place after Jesus took on flesh, lived a perfect sinless life, died on the cross to save people from their sins, and rose again defeating death and opening up the way for people to live with Him in heaven.

After Jesus did that, He ascended into heaven and there he now reigns as King of kings.

And because he is king, we are respond to him by calling him King and praising Him with our lives and our lives.

Our ‘Hymn of the Month’ is one that reminds us that Jesus is the King and the right way to respond to him is say that He is our King by what we say and do.

The hymn goes like this.

All hail the power of Jesus’ name!
Let angels prostrate fall.
Bring forth the royal diadem,
and crown Him Lord of all.

This first verse tells us we are to acknowledge, like the angels of heaven, that Jesus has all authority, by saying Jesus, you are the King.

And we are to especially to do that because by His death, He saved us from our sins.

O seed of Israel’s chosen race
now ransomed from the fall,
hail Him who saves you by his grace,
and crown Him Lord of all.

But we’re not the only ones who are to acknowledge that Jesus is King.  Everyone in the world who has heard Jesus call them to come to Him and be saved, are to do that by following Him.

Let every tongue and every tribe
responsive to His call,
to him all majesty ascribe,
and crown Him Lord of all.

The hymn then closes by looking forward to the day when we will join with every follower of Jesus, every member of God’s family, everyone who has been saved, in singing a song that goes on for ever giving praise and honour and glory and power to King Jesus.

Oh, that with all the sacred throng
we at His feet may fall!
We’ll join the everlasting song
and crown Him Lord of all.

Every time we time gather as a church, it is a tiny reminder of what is coming for us who trust in Jesus and who can truly say we are crowning him Lord of all.

So, All hail the power of Jesus’ Name is our hymn of the month. Let’s use this song now to remind us of who Jesus is and how we are to respond to Him.

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More talks from The Hymn of the Month series can be found HERE.

(Photo: Aaron Burden)

KIDS TALK: MARK

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The Big Read – Mark

Powerpoint Pictures: Poor person; Messy person; Sprinter like Usain Bolt; Tall Person; Someone standing in first position

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What is the opposite of rich? [Poor] 

What is the opposite of messy? [Neat]

What is the opposite of fast? [Slow]

What is the opposite of tall? [Short]

What is the opposite of winner? [Loser]. 

Mark’s Gospel is the shortest of the four Gospels, the four books of the Bible that tell us about Jesus’ life on this earth.  As well as being the shortest of the four Gospels, it is also the easiest to understand because it mainly answers two big and important questions: ‘Who is Jesus?’ and ‘Why did Jesus come?’

The answer Mark gives to the first question, ‘Who is Jesus?’ is a surprising answer, because Mark says that Jesus is both a winner and a loser.

Mark says that Jesus is both the Son of Man and the Suffering Servant, two figures that appear in the Old Testament.

The Son of Man is an image of a winner – He is one who is given the authority to rule as King forever.

The suffering servant is an image of a loser – He is one who suffers and is put to death.

How can Jesus be both a winner and a loser?  It doesn’t appear to make sense.  But Mark says that it does when you look at the answer to the second question of ‘Why did Jesus come?’

In Mark 10:45 Jesus tells us why He came.  “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mark says that the reason Jesus is both a winner and a loser is because the only way for Jesus to win is by losing first.  It is because Jesus dies, because Jesus is defeated that He wins, that He saves the lives of many people that He then rules over.

And you can be one of the many people that Jesus saves if you repent of your sins and believe this good news about Him.

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More talks from The Big Read for Kids can be found HERE.

(Photo: Freely)

KIDS TALK: THOMAS BARNARDO

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Superheroes of the Faith – Thomas Barnardo

Powerpoint Pictures: Bedroom; Bunk Beds; Bed; Toys

What is your bedroom like?  Is it your own bedroom or do you share it with your brother or sister?

What is your bed like?  Is it comfy?  Is it a good bed to bounce up and down on?  Does your mum or dad tell you off if you do?

What else do you have in your bedroom?  Do you have lots of toys to play with?  Do you enjoy spending time in your room, chilling out, reading a book, playing games?

Well, 150 years ago, in London, at the time when Queen Victoria was on the throne, there were lots of children who didn’t have a bedroom.

Not a bedroom of their own.  Not even a bedroom to share with someone else.  They didn’t have any toys or fun stuff to play with.  Nor did they have bed to sleep on.  Not even an uncomfortable bed to sleep on.

They did not live in a house but on the street.

Now there was a man called Thomas Barnardo who wanted to be a missionary to China, to tell people there about Jesus.  But when he saw all the children living on the street in London, he decided that it would be better for him to help them than go to China.

He knew that God loves children.  Psalm 68 verses 5 and 6 tells us that “God in his holy dwelling is a father of the fatherless and a champion of widows.  God provides homes for those who are deserted.”

And because Jesus loves children, he should too, and that he should help them.  The way he did that was by opening homes for the children to live in and schools for them to learn at called Ragged Schools.  He found places for children who had no home and no bedroom to stay.

He wanted to help and care for children who were poor and sick and sad and alone.  He had a famous motto: “No Destitute Child Ever Refused Admission.”

And in these homes and schools that Thomas Barnardo set up, he made sure they children as well as being cared for, were taught about the one who cares for them the most.  As they were taught to read and write they learned about Jesus the great Saviour who loves His people and died on the cross to save them from their sins.

Thomas Barnardo reminds us that God loves children, that He cares for them especially those who have no-one to look after them, and that He wants them to hear about Jesus, and so should we.

This talk was adapted from Everyone a Child Should Know by Clare Heath-Whyte.

More talks about Superheroes of the Faith can be found HERE.

KIDS TALK: BIG QUESTION #21

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This is part of a series of kids talks I’m doing in the morning service at Banstead Community Church based on the New City Catechism.

Big Question #21 – What else does Christ’s death redeem? [NCC Q26]

Powerpoint Pictures: Picture of beautiful places, animals, plants, buildings, artwork

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This world is full of lots of beautiful things.

There are places of beauty.

There are beautiful animals and plants.

There are building, architecture that has a beauty to it.

As well as beautiful pieces of art.

Yet as beautiful as all these things are, they are not as beautiful as they could be.  It is possible for all of these things to be even more beautiful than they already are.  And that’s because, they, like everything in the world, have been affected by sin.

Sin has damaged every single part of God’s creation.  If sin had not entered the world, God’s world and everything He made, would be more beautiful and more wonderful, that anyone can imagine it to be.,

But here’s some incredible news.  One day, creation, this world, will be so much better than it is now.

That’s what the answer to our next Big Question tells us.

Let’s find out now as we look at it.

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Q: What else does Christ’s death redeem?

Is it only people?

Does Jesus’ death only mean that all our sins can be forgiven?

Look at this verses from the Bible.  “Creation itself will also be set free from the bondage to decay.” (Romans 8:21)

Here we are told that all of creation is under God’s curse because of sin.  However, one day it will be set free.  Jesus’ death is the beginning of all of creation being redeem and re-created and made what it was meant to be.  A new creation that is truly beautiful.

“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile everything to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” (Colossians 1:19-20)

So, what else does Christ’s death redeem?

The answer.

A: Every part of fallen creation.

And if we trust in Christ we will one day get to enjoy this new creation.

To help us remember that, let’s say the question and answer out loud together.

What else does Christ’s death redeem?  Every part of fallen creation.

Children when you go out to Sunday School you’re going to learn a song that will help you to remember this.

KIDS TALK: HOW GREAT THOU ART!

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Hymn of the Month – How Great Thou Art!

Powerpoint Pictures: Grand Canyon; Sunset; Football Goal; Orchestra

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There are lots of things that might make you go “Wow!”

The grandeur of creation or the beauty of creation.

Something incredible you see or hear like a great achievement or a moving piece of worship.

But “Wow!” shouldn’t just be our response.  It should be “Wow!” Isn’t God great?”  Isn’t God so amazing that He would create a world which is so vast and wonderful and where people can do incredible things?

Now there are other things that should make us go “Wow! Isn’t God great?”

Like Jesus’ death on the cross – that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.

And how one day Jesus will return to take all His people to live with Him in heaven.

Should they make us say “How great and glorious and good God is”?

To worship Him because as Deuteronomy 10:21 reminds us “He is your praise and he is your God, who has done for you these great and awe-inspiring works your eyes have seen.”

And there is a great hymn to help us to do that, which is going to be our hymn of the month, and it would be really great if we all could learn it, so that we can use the words to glorify our great God  for what He has done.

It goes like this:

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

This verse reminds us of the power of God seen in creation.  The vastness of the universe, the thunder echoing through the mountains.  But His greatness also comes through in the gentleness of the breeze and the songs of the birds, and the next verse reminds us.

When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees,
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze.

The hymn then shifts our gaze from creation to the cross.  To our sins and God’s solution to them.

And when I think that God, his Son not sparing,
Sent him to die, I scarce can take it in,
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

What beautiful words to praise God our Saviour for His grace and mercy that He should send His Son to be the perfect sacrifice to take away the sins of who trust in Him.

And because of what Christ has done, look at the hope His followers have which the hymn ends with.

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration,
And there proclaim, My God, how great thou art!

Our God will make all things new when Jesus returns and then we will be home.  “Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to thee: How great thou art!  How great thou art!”

So, How great Thou art! is our hymn of the month.  Let’s use the words to sing and praise God for His greatness seen in His creation, Christ’s cross, and His coming again.

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More talks from The Hymn of the Month series can be found HERE.

(Photo: Aaron Burden)

KIDS TALK: MATTHEW

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The Big Read – Matthew

Powerpoint Pictures: Mickey Mouse, Marge Simpson, Pinocchio, Shrek, Elvis with most of the picture covered up

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Can you tell me who the following pictures are of? [Mickey Mouse; Marge Simpson; Pinocchio; Shrek; Elvis].

We can recognise them because they have some feature which makes them recognisable whether it be their ears or their haircut.

What’s true for them is also true for Jesus.

When we look at Jesus we should be able to recognise who He is.

In Matthew’s Gospel, Matthew tells us about Jesus, and says we should recognise who He is.

But just in case we’re not sure, he gives us a massive clue in the opening line.

“A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham.” (Matthew 1:1)

We don’t generally don’t see how this line is so amazing because we’re not the people of Israel.  We haven’t been waiting hundreds of years for God to keep His promise about a King from the line of David who will reign forever.  A King who would bring God’s blessing or salvation which was promised to Abraham to all the nations of the world.

The people of Israel were waiting for the Messiah or Christ, the promised King who saves, and Matthew wants his readers to know that this King is HERE!

Throughout the book we see Matthew pile on the evidence to convince us that Jesus is the promised King who saves people from their sin.

But not everybody recognised that Jesus was this King.

Throughout Matthew there is a variety of responses to Jesus.  The crowds were amazed, the Pharisees refused to believe, and the disciples worshipped although some doubted.

The question is, do we recognise that Jesus is this King, and have we responded by repenting of our sin and following Him?

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More talks from The Big Read for Kids can be found HERE

(Photo: Freely)

KIDS TALK: JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH

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Superheroes of the Faith – Johann Sebastian Bach

Powerpoint Pictures: Beethoven; Mozart; Bach; Handel

I’m going to put on some pieces of music for you to listen to.

And I wonder if you can tell me who the composer is.

These are pieces of music that you may have heard before, and I wonder if you know or can guess who wrote them.

Was it?

A – Beethoven
B – Mozart
C – Bach
D – Handel

Let’s listen to these pieces of music. [Play Bach: Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major; Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring; Toccata and Fugue in D minor]

Do you know who wrote those pieces of music?

It was Bach – Johann Sebastian Bach.

He was someone who loved music.  He grew up in a family of musicians.  His dad was the court trumpeter to the Duke where he lived in Germany, and he taught music as his job.

Johann Sebastian had his dad’s love of music, but also his dad’s musical ability too.

He could play the violin, and the viola, and the organ, and the harpsichord, and something which is like an old fashioned piano called a clavichord.

And he was really good at singing.

Johann Sebastian loved music and he was really good at playing music.

But there was something else that Johann Sebastian Bach loved, and that was Jesus.

He wanted the music he played to show how much he loved Jesus.

When he grew up, Johann Sebastian played and taught music for his job, just like his dad did.  He also wrote new music too, like those pieces we listened to.

He wrote music to go with the parts of the Bible that were read every Sunday.

He wrote music to go with songs that were already being sung in church, like those written by Martin Luther.

He wrote music for Christmas and Easter Sunday that was happy and music for Good Friday that was sad.

Sometimes he wrote music that wasn’t for playing in church.

Whatever music he wrote he wanted it to be beautiful sounding and praise His Saviour and God.

In Psalm 150 we are told to:

“Praise him with the blast of a ram’s horn; praise him with harp and lyre.  Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with stings and flute.  Praise him with resounding cymbals; praise him with clashing cymbals.” (Psalm 150:3-5)

And that’s what Johann Sebastian wanted to do with the musical gifts, God had given him, which is why, once he had finished writing the music, he would across the bottom put three letters.

S. D. G.

Which initials of words in Latin that stood for – To the only God be glory.

He wanted every piece of music he wrote, to praise God and help people think about Jesus and how wonderful he is.

Johann Sebastian Bach reminds us that whatever gifts God has given us, whether they are musical gifts or not, we are to use them in a way that please God because when we do we give glory to the only God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

This talk was adapted from Everyone a Child Should Know by Clare Heath-Whyte.

More talks about Superheroes of the Faith can be found HERE.

KIDS TALK: BIG QUESTION #20

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This is part of a series of kids talks I’m doing in the morning service at Banstead Community Church based on the New City Catechism.

Big Question #20 – Does Christ’s death mean all our sins can be forgiven? [NCC Q25]

Powerpoint Pictures: Empty Milk Carton; Empty Biscuit Tin; Empty Wallet or Piggy Bank

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When we say something is all gone – what do we mean?

There is nothing left.

Everything has been used up.

Completely finished.

You might pick up a bottle of milk and go to pour it out on your cereal and nothing comes out.

You go to the biscuit tin, open it up and find there are no biscuits left – no chocolate malted milk, no custard cream – empty – not even a crumb.

Or when you go to your wallet or piggy bank to find out how much money you have in and there is no money in it.

It’s all gone.

Now we’ve been thinking about how we need a redeemer to bring us back into a relationship with God and this redeemer is Jesus Christ.

He is the only redeemer because He is the only one who is both truly human and also truly God.

And because He is, His death is able to take the punishment that our sins deserve so we can be forgiven if we trust in Him.

But when we trust in Jesus, are all our sins forgiven or just some of them?

Let’s find out now as we look at our next Big Question

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Q: Does Christ’s death mean all our sins can be forgiven?

What does God’s Word tell us?

It says that for those who repent of their sin and put their faith in Jesus, God says: “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12)

Why?

Because “He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

When Jesus died on the cross, every sin that His people will commit, past, present, and future, was put on Him, and He punished for them until there was no sin left to be punished.

Our sins are totally, completely, finally forgiven.

To God there are all gone.

So, does Christ’s death mean all our sins can be forgiven?

The answer.

A: Yes, because Christ’s death on the cross fully paid the penalty for our sin, God will remember our sins no more.

Isn’t that wonderful news?

To help us remember that, let’s say the question and answer out loud together.

Does Christ’s death mean all our sins can be forgiven?  Yes, because Christ’s death on the cross fully paid the penalty for our sin, God will remember our sins no more.

Children when you go out to Sunday School you’re going to learn a song that will help you to remember this.

KIDS TALK: BIG QUESTION #19

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This is part of a series of kids talks I’m doing in the morning service at Banstead Community Church based on the New City Catechism.

Big Question #19 – Why was it necessary for Christ the Redeemer to die? [NCC Q24]

Powerpoint Pictures: Child Catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang; Caractacus Potts & Truly Scrumptious

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Some of you may have seen the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

In it there is a horrible character called the Child Catcher.  He captured children for the Baron of Vulgaria and put them in a dungeon.

Those children who were captured needed to be rescued.

They had no way of escaping.

They needed someone to release them from their captivity so they could enjoy freedom again.

Well, help came in the form of Caractacus Potts and Truly Scrumptious, who with the help of the Toy Maker came up with a plan to free them, which is what they do.

This morning in our Big Question we are going to be think about another rescue of people who are being held captive by sin and death.

With the last few questions we been thinking about who Jesus the Redeemer is – that he is truly human and also truly God – and why he needed to be both – both truly human and truly God.

Our next Big Question is not about who Jesus is but what Jesus does.

In particular his death.

Let’s look at it now.

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Q: Why was it necessary for Christ the Redeemer to die?

The reason why Christ had to die was because that was the only way for us to be set free from sin and death.

You see, we all deserve death because of our sin.

Unless that punishment is paid there is no way we can be welcomed and accepted by God.

So we need someone to die for us otherwise we will.

We need someone to die for us otherwise we will remain captive to sin which leads to death.

Well the good news is that:

“For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous that he might bring you to God.” (1 Peter 3:18)

So, why was it necessary for Christ the Redeemer to die?

The answer.

A: Christ died willingly in our place to deliver us from the power and penalty of sin and bring us back to God.

That’s why Christ had to die.

To help us remember that, let’s say the question and answer out loud together.

Why was it necessary for Christ the Redeemer to die?  Christ died willingly in our place to deliver us from the power and penalty of sin and bring us back to God.

Children when you go out to Sunday School you’re going to learn a song that will help you to remember this.

KIDS TALK: THERE IS A FOUNTAIN FILLED WITH BLOOD

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Hymn of the Month – There is a fountain filled with blood

Powerpoint Pictures: Soap or Hand Sanitiser; Shampoo & Shower Gel; Daz Powder; Cillit Bang

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What do the following items clean?

Soap or hand sanitiser?  Been using this a lot over the last 5 months – it’s your hands.

Shampoo and shower gel?  Hair and body.

Daz – famous for its door step challenge?  Clothes.

Cillit Bang – Bang!  And the dirt is gone.  Different parts of the house.

Those items clean different things.  But there’s something else that cleans.  That makes things that are filthy, white as snow.

And that’s blood.

Blood.

Not any kind of blood.  The precious blood of Jesus can make people who are filthy before God because of their sins, clean and acceptable to Him.

Look at this verse from Revelation 7.  “They washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:14)

If we trust in Jesus, His death on the cross will wash away all our sins, every single one of them will be forgiven, and God will not punish us for them.

Isn’t this brilliant news something to sing about?

And there is a great hymn to help us to do that, which is going to be our hymn of the month, and it would really good if we could all learn it, so that we can use the words to praise God for Jesus’ blood without which our sins could not be forgiven.

It goes like this.

There is a fountain filled with blood
drawn from Emmanuel’s veins
and sinners plunged beneath that flood
lose all their guilty stains.

That verse is saying that If we trust in Jesus, His blood, His death will remove our sin and guilt before God.

The dying thief rejoiced to see
that fountain in his day
And there have I, though vile as he,
washed all my sins away.

One person who trusted Christ and had his sins washed away was the thief who died beside Him.  And like him, we who are sinners too can have sins removed by Jesus.

Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood
shall never lose its pow’r
Till all the ransomed church of God
be saved, to sin no more

Here we have the reminder that Christ’s precious blood is powerful.  That it doesn’t just save everyone who trusts in Him from death and hell, it saves them to live holy and obedient lives following Christ.

E’er since by faith I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply
Redeeming love has been my theme,
and shall be till I die

Once we see what Jesus has done to save us, nothing should be more important to us, and that will be true even when we have died and gone to heaven because there we will be singing our praise to Jesus the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

When this poor lisping, stammering tongue
lies silent in the grave
Then in a nobler, sweeter song,
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save

So, There is a fountain filled with blood is our hymn of the month. Let’s use the words to sing and praise God for Jesus whose blood can wash away our sins if we repent and believe in Him.

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More talks from The Hymn of the Month series can be found HERE.

(Photo: Aaron Burden)

KIDS TALK: CHRONICLES

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The Big Read – Chronicles

Powerpoint Pictures: Apartment; Cottage; Mansion; Yurt; Cave Homes (found in Tunisia); Palace; Castle

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What different types of houses are there?

Look at these pictures.  Does anyone know what the name of these types of houses are? [Apartment; Cottage; Mansion; Yurt; Cave Homes (found in Tunisia); Palace; Castle]

Now there is one more type of house.

This one isn’t a building made up out of bricks like our houses are.

A house can also describe a royal or wealthy family or lineage – another word we might use for this type of house is a dynasty.

An example of this house is the house of Windsor, which Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Prince William and the other members of the royal family belong to.

In the book of Chronicles, houses play a big role.

Chronicles?

You many not know very much about that book because Chronicles is one of the books in the Bible that doesn’t get read a lot.

One of the big reason for this is that it begins with a long list of names.  9 chapters of names.  936 names to read before you get to the story.  Another reason is that seems to be repeating what the books of Samuel and especially Kings are saying.

It is such a shame that people don’t read Chronicles more because it is a book packed full of hope.

In Chronicles we get a retelling of the story of human history from Adam through to the time the Israelites were going to return to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon, and as it tells this story it focuses on two houses.

THE HOUSE OF DAVID and THE HOUSE OF GOD.

The house of David was all the kings of Israel (Judah) that descended from him.

The house of God was the temple in Jerusalem that David’s descendants built and maintained.

And what the story of these two houses do, is remind God’s people what the King that was going to save them, the King they were waiting for, was going to be like.

He will be from the house of David, in his royal line, and He will faithfully worship God at the temple – the house of God.

He will be a better King David and King Solomon – greater than both of them – and He won’t be like the rest of Israel’s kings after Solomon who were pretty rubbish at worshipping God.

The book of Chronicles encourages God’s people to wait in hope for this King to arrive and He now has in Jesus.

Jesus is the true King from the house of David who perfectly worships God.  These words spoken to Solomon by God were ultimately about Him.

“As for you, if you walk before me as your father David walked, doing everything I have commanded you, and if you keep my statutes and ordinances, I will establish your royal throne, as I promised your father David: You will never fail to have a man ruling in Israel.” (2 Chronicles 7:17-18)

But more than being the faithful worshipper, Jesus is the true temple, the place where people can meet with God.

As we read Chronicles we can thank God that He has kept His promises and sent the King; that the Saviour did arrive; and we can now meet with God because of Him.

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More talks from The Big Read for Kids can be found HERE.

(Photo: Freely)