Artwork Credit: The Teacher’s Touch by Henri-Jules-Jean Geoffroy (1853–1924). Public domain image accessed via Artvee.com.
In the previous reflection, we thought about why Sunday School matters and why we must not delay in telling children about the cross. If the Lord has given us the opportunity to teach, then one of the greatest responsibilities we carry is to help them see that every page of Scripture leads to Christ. The Bible is not a scattered collection of morals, but one story of redemption.
We may be tempted to treat the Old Testament as a separate set of lessons—stories about bravery, kindness, or obedience, and then move to the New Testament for the “real” gospel. Yet when the risen Christ walked with two disciples on the road to Emmaus, He explained that “beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Lk 24:27, NKJV). If Jesus saw Himself in all of Scripture, perhaps we should teach our children to look for Him there as well.
This does not mean forcing a connection where none exists. It means helping them see the patterns God has already placed in His Word. When we teach about the Passover, we may point to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (Jn 1:29). When we tell the story of David and Goliath, we may remind them that the true victory over sin and death was won by the greater Son of David. When we read about the tabernacle, we may show that Christ is the One who makes His dwelling among us (Jn 1:14).
In our own small church, we have been trying to teach in this way, and by God’s grace we have seen encouraging fruit. The children began to understand more clearly what the word “Lamb” means when it points to Jesus Christ. They could see why the Passover lamb had to be without blemish, how it pictured the need for pure, sinless blood to cleanse us. These moments assure us that even young minds can grasp the weight of the gospel when it is explained simply and faithfully.
It may take time for children to see these connections in full, but they often understand more than we expect. They may notice that the rescue of Noah’s family in the ark points to a greater rescue from judgment. They might ask why God provided manna, and we can tell them that Jesus is the Bread of Life (Jn 6:35). By gently linking these truths, we can help them see that the Bible is not a book about what we must do to be good, but about what God has done to save sinners.
But we must also be cautious in this approach. If we focus only on moral lessons, such as “Be brave like Daniel” and “Be kind like Ruth,” we might leave children thinking that the Bible is mainly about them. When we show them Christ in the Scriptures, we help them see that He is the center, and that the gospel is about what He has done. From there, the call to live in obedience becomes a response to His grace, not a means to earn it.
We may not see the results immediately. Some children will listen quietly without much reaction. Others will ask questions that wander in unexpected directions. But each time we connect the lesson to the gospel, we are laying a foundation they can return to later. In God’s time, the Spirit can bring those truths to life.
If our task is to lead them to the cross, then we must help them see how every road in Scripture leads there. Sunday School is one of the places where those connections can be made gently, patiently, and with hope that God will open their eyes. And if that hope feels small, let us remember, His Word is living and powerful (Heb 4:12). What begins as a simple story may one day be remembered as the first glimpse of grace.
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