Discovering the Christ Connection in Old Testament Stories

It all comes back to Jesus. That’s the bottom line of the Bible and the stories within it that we want kids to see and hear. However, it’s not always easy to find the Christ connection. This is especially true when dealing with Old Testament stories. Here are some tips to help you begin the process of viewing Scripture from a gospel perspective.

 1. Discuss the failures.

Romans 3:23 is portrayed well in the Old Testament. There is a long list of people, families, and even nations who struggled with sin. This points us to Jesus’ holiness and His sacrifice for our imperfection. Jesus never sinned, and He gave His life for our sin.

2. Describe the rescue.

The Bible is a story of a great rescue. Jesus is the hero of that story. When you find a story like Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt or Boaz redeeming Ruth and Naomi, you have discovered a picture of the greatest rescue of all, our rescue from sin.

3. Deliver the message.

Have you ever noticed how many stories in the Old Testament focus on the message of repentance? The prophets of the Old Testament sometimes delivered the message differently, but they each emphasized turning back to the Lord. That brings us right back to the gospel and the call for repentance in our own lives.

4. Display the faithful.

Read Hebrews 11. There are great stories of those who obeyed God. They obeyed because of their faith. Their stories are a small glimpse of the One on whom our faith hinges. Jesus was faithful to pay the price for our sin.

As you begin or continue your journey of discovering Christ in each and every story of the Bible, you will reshape your view of Scripture. Soon will you notice multiple connections to Jesus. If you are looking for a curriculum that always brings you back to Jesus, check out The Gospel Project for Kids. Every session has a Christ Connection to help your leaders and kids see Jesus in every story too.

 Dathan Hale serves as a content editor for Lifeway Kids Ministry. Dathan has more than a decade of experience as a children’s pastor and is currently on the Kids Ministry Team at Thompson Station Church, Thompson Station, TN. Dathan and his wife Sarah have two kids.