The Gospel in Color, Week 2: Our Sin Against One Another
Throughout May, I’m posting devotionals that correspond with the four chapters in the book, The Gospel in Color: A Theology of Racial Reconciliation for Kids by Patrol Books (WeArePatrol.com). Here is the devotional for week 2.
Read Genesis 3:1–11
You could also read “What Is Racism?” from The Gospel in Color: A Theology of Racial Reconciliation for Kids (pages 30–43), “The terrible lie” from The Jesus Storybook Bible (pages 28–37), or “Story 2: Adam and Eve Disobey” from The Beginner's Gospel Story Bible (pages 8–13).
Gospel in Color Parents Video
Kids Teaching Video
Devotional
After God created man and woman, he gave them a law to live by. Then, the first people were visited by the serpent. When the serpent spoke to the woman, he asked her, "Did God really say you cannot eat from every tree in the garden?" The snake made God out to look strict—like he was keeping back something good from his children. By distorting God's words, he planted a poisonous seed of doubt in the man and woman's mind. The woman recited God's command not to eat from the tree in the center of the garden, but she added the words "or even touch it." She was already giving in to the serpent's deception. The serpent responded by making a bold claim. "Surely you won't die," he hissed. Then he took it one step further, "God knows that if you eat the fruit, you will be like him!"
The man and woman listened to the snake instead of God. They chose to believe that the fruit was desirable both for food and as a way of pursuing a better life than what God offered. After they ate the fruit, their eyes were opened. They recognized that they'd disobeyed, and, in their shame, they made clothes for themselves to hide from God. Later, when God visited them in the garden and questioned their actions, the man and woman refused to admit their fault. Instead, they passed the blame to one another. In response, God judged everyone involved. Adam was cursed to work hard. Since he was created from dust, he—and the entire human race that followed him—would return to dust. The woman was cursed to experience pain in childbirth and in her relationship with the man. Because of the first man and woman's failure, we all live with the devastating consequences of sin. It plays out in the way we treat one another.
The serpent also was cursed among all the beasts of the field, and God decreed that a future child of the woman would destroy him. You see, God passed judgment on humanity's sin, but he did not leave people without hope. He also promised that one day a Rescuer would come.
Think about it!
Use some questions to review the story with your family.
These questions are built just for STUDENTS.
Why did the man and woman believe the serpent’s lie instead of God’s word?
What does this teach us about not taking God at his word and going our own way instead?
Did the man and woman receive what the serpent promised?
How did they react once they knew that they'd disobeyed? What did they do instead of confessing?
Read Romans 5:12 and Ask: What consequence did Adam and Eve’s sin have on them? On us? How are you connected to Adam and his sin?
Remember It!
Take a few minutes to review our catechism question, memory passage. You can sing the memory passage song and dance along to the second worship song about new life in Jesus.
Memory Passage:"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23
Big Picture/Catechism Question:
Why did God make you? God made me to enjoy him and show his glory to others.
Review and Pray!
Here are some great ideas to review this lesson in your own family.
These activities are built just for KIDS.
Have you ever been cruel to someone because they were different whether they had a different skin color or simply acted differently than you? If so, ask God for forgiveness for that sin, and ask him to give you wisdom in how to apologize to that person, if at all possible.