Great Bible Stories to Tell Those Kids You Love

Elijah and the Ravens

Once upon a time, the prophet Elijah told off the wicked Queen Jezebel. She was worshiping false gods, building temples where little children were sacrificed by being thrown into the fire! He told her that she was terrible and that God was angry with her for her sin! That made her furious! She ordered him executed on the spot! However, he got away and God took care of him. Out in the desert, the Lord led him to a spring so he had water, then sent ravens with food in their beaks for him to eat! That story can be found in I Kings 6:29 through I Kings 17:24.

Such stories that fill the Bible are the greatest treasure and inheritance we can pass on to our children. The apostle Paul spoke of the treasure of the gospel when he told the Ephesians, “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” “Incomparable riches” is the way Paul described the gospel of grace. Is there anything of greater value we have to pass along?

A Great Treasure

Jesus told His disciples one day about a man who was walking along a road and noticed a wonderful treasure in a field. The man knew that the treasure would belong to whomever owned the field – and it would be wrong just go take a treasure that didn’t belong to him -- even if they didn't value it and just let it sit out there! So, he worked hard, saved up enough money and bought the field! Then the treasure was rightfully his! Author Marty Machowski in The Gospel Story Bible tells the story of “The Hidden Treasure” in Matthew 13:31-46.

Like our family treasures, you and I can’t take the Bible for granted, but need to remember how valuable it is – even if others don’t see its value. We must safeguard it well and deliver it, unaltered, to the next generation. Just think, God has entrusted parents with the privilege of passing this most valuable truth to their treasures – their children.

Zacchaeus in the Tree

One day, Jesus was walking along the road and big crowds began to form – as hundreds of people wanted to see Him and hear Him. Many wanted to be healed. But one guy was kind of short and – like kids who have trouble seeing over the tall adults at a parade, he couldn’t see anything. So, Zacchaeus climbed a tree so he could see better. Jesus spotted him and went over to him – even telling him things about his life that were embarrassing, but changed Zacchaeus for ever. Read this great story for yourself in Luke 18:18 through Luke 19:10.

It has a great message: Jesus loves us!

However, He expects more from us than just friendship. Moms and dads need to dig a little deeper as they share the treasures of the Bible with the next generation! Jesus is not merely a good example. It is vital to explain to your children such difficult topics as repentance. If we replace it with an invitation just to be God’s friend, we’re not passing on the true treasure of the Scriptures.

Baby Moses in the Bullrushes

Once there was a wicked king who commanded that all baby boys were to be killed! What a terrible law! In Exodus 1:1 through Exodus 2:10, we see one mom who couldn’t do it! So, she prayed and prayed and prayed. God showed her what to do – although it really didn’t make a lot of sense. She put her beloved little son, Moses, in a waterproofed basket and hid him in the tall reeds along the river. There to her amazement, the wicked king’s daughter came walking with her servants. She found tiny little Moses and was delighted! She took the baby home and raised him in the king’s palace as if he were her very own son! Instead of being killed, Moses was raised as a prince!

God Will Provide!

God allowed Moses’ real mom to spend a lot of time with him, teaching him about the great and mighty God who had saved him. Moses went on to become one of the greatest leaders who ever lived.

Just as He did back then, God expects parents to embrace his saving plan and treasure his word in our own lives before we try to pass it on to our kids. We see this principle in Dueteronomy 6 where God gives the adult Moses instructions for how parents should pass on the truth of his Word.

Notice how the chapter opens: “Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the rules that the LORD your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, that you may fear the LORD your God, you and your son and your son's son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long.” God calls us to first, as parents, embrace his Word, fear the Lord, and obey his statutes. Our obedience to God’s Word, our embrace of the Gospel in our own lives, sets an example for our children that, God tells us here, will have an effect on their lives.

Gotta Do What's Right!

God used a different basket to save the life of one of the greatest preachers who ever lived. When bad people wanted to kill the Apostle Paul, his friends lowered him out a window in a basket – and he escaped. Paul could have just quit doing things that made people mad … but they were angry that he was telling them the truth about Jesus! We have to follow his example – even if it makes people upset. It is so important for us to follow God’s instructions to pass on the truth. Remember that we can’t save anybody, God does the saving. In describing his ministry to the Corinthians, Paul said, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).

That is so true for us as parents. Although we would love to save our children, that is not our job. Any parent who has tried realizes that no amount of discipline against their strong will, their rebelliousness and their self-centeredness can save our kids. No amount of love and attention can do it. Forcing them to pray and read their Bibles won’t do it. Yet, there is great hope in Paul’s statement. We do have a job to do. God has called us to faithfully proclaim the gospel and water it by keeping the scriptures in front of our children. If we do that, God, in his timing will make the seeds we plant grow. Trusting God for the salvation of our children frees us from a mountain of worry and sends us to our knees in prayer, for it is in intercession for our children that we find our hope for what God will do in the lives of our children.

Water in the Desert!

Once God’s people were slaves! They were forced to build the great temples and pyramids in Egypt that are still there today! But they yearned to be free. And God heard their prayer. He sent them a great leader, who helped them escape – and gave them a land of their own.

But on the way there, they had to travel for years and years through the Wilderness – a great desert that is still there today. That story is told in the book of Exodus. In Exodus 16:1 through Exodus 17:7, God did miracles to take care of His people. They needed water, so He made water flow out of a rock in the middle of nowhere!

Parents, once we realize our job is to plant the seeds of the Gospel and keep them well watered, we need a plan. I’ve not met a Christian parent who didn’t want to pass on the treasure of the Gospel to their children, but I have met plenty of parents who didn’t have a clue how to take the giant ten-pound study Bible they have sitting on the table and turn it into a family devotional.

That is why author Marty Machowsky wrote The Gospel Story Bible -- which presents 156 Bible stories and threads them together as one long story of God’s salvation plan. But she’s certainly not the first author ever to write a children’s Bible story book. Your public library undoubtedly has several – as does any book story. And there are websites these days devoted to Bible stories for kids.

Noah's Ark!

Once upon a time, the world was so wicked that the Bible says God wished He hadn’t created mankind. So, He picked the only six people on Earth who were trying to be good – and saved them! The rest were drowned in a flood. The six who saved were aboard a great ship that God helped them build – and fill with all the animals of the world. What a great story to tell your kids! And you can find it in Genesis 6-7!

Why should a parent tell their child about Noah and the Ark? It’s a great way to apply the message of the Bible to your children’s lives. The basic elements are 1. The bad news of our sin before a holy God; 2. The good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ; 3. The call to repent and believe; and finally, 4. Recognizing the importance of good fruit as evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

Parents shouldn’t be afraid to tell their children they are sinners before a holy God. It is in understanding this bad news that our children come under conviction and are ready to hear the good news. Jesus said that he came to heal the sick, not the healthy. While we think our son is a good little boy or our daughter a good little girl, in reality they were sinful from birth and in desperate need of a Savior.

Just like you and me!

The Boy Samuel

One time a boy named Samuel was sleeping and heard a voice calling his name. He got up and asked the old man who was raising him, named Eli, what he wanted. Eli hadn’t called him. So, Samuel went back to sleep, but was awakened again by the voice calling his name. Once more, Eli said he hadn’t called Samuel – but instructed the boy to answer. So, the third time little Samuel was awakened, he answered bravely: “Speak Lord, for Your servant hears you.” And God spoke with the boy who would grow up to be one of history’s greatest leaders, Samuel -- the great judge of Israel.

As God begins to work in the hearts of our children, they become receptive to the things of God. This drawing often precedes their regeneration. Celebrate each work of grace but be careful to not too quickly rush to label your children a Christian. You can’t thwart the work of God by being cautious, but you can give your children a false sense of assurance by prematurely declaring them saved. Don’t just look for a one-time verbal profession, look for a growing affection for God, his Word, and his people. Rather than you tell them they are a Christian, be patient and let them be the ones to tell you.

Don't Forget!

Once the Apostle Paul was arrested and dragged away in chains because he preached the truth about Jesus. Back then the only legal religion was the worship of the false Roman gods such as Zeus, Mercury, Saturn and Mars – for whom the planets were named.

Paul had to defend himself before King Agrippa, saying, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,” and declared the truth to everyone he met – even if it did get him in trouble. (Acts 26:19-20).

As your children get a bit older, ongoing discipleship is important but parents often don’t know where to begin. That is why a family devotional time is so important. In just ten minutes a day, you can easily lead your family through an inspiring story. The important thing is to simply be faithful.

Efforts which strive for amazing devotions to wow your family will usually fizzle out. Simple devotions shared every night without fail will have a spectacular effect on your children over time.

You will be surprised at how your children will help you. Even after a week or two, if you should forget, your children are likely to say, “Don’t forget our Bible story!”

Wise King Solomon

One day, two women came to the great King Solomon. They both had little baby boys, but one of the infants had died in the night. So, both women were claiming that the living baby was theirs. They asked the king to decide who was the rightful mother. King Solomon was very, very wise. He smiled and said, “Well, give me a sword. We’ll slice the baby down the middle and each of you can have half a baby.” The woman who wasn’t really the mother said that was fine with her. The real mother began crying – and said, no, no, don’t kill the baby – to give it to the other woman. Solomon nodded wisely: He had no trouble figuring who really was the loving mother.

God gave Solomon incredible wisdom. He wrote the Book of Proverbs and several other books in the Bible. Apparently he wrote Psalm 127, which starts “Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.”

Did you catch that? While we are building our homes, God is behind the scenes building our homes. So who is doing the building? The answer, of course, is that we both are. God is doing the building through us as we depend on him to do the building!