Listen up, little ones
Listen for the word believe.
Reading
John 12:37-50—Believe in Me
Optional Reading
Isaiah 6:8-13
Keys for kids
- In verse 39, John says they "could not believe." Faith is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8). If we believe in God, it is because He gave us the ability to believe!
- If we believe in Jesus, we must be willing to confess Him before others.
- To believe in Jesus is to have everlasting life!
Questions
- What does it mean when John says in verse 39, "therefore they could not believe"?
- In context, who is John referring to when he says, "these things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him"? (v. 41).
- There are three levels of belief in this passage: not believing (verse 37), believing but not confessing (verse 42), and believing (verse 44). Why is confession so important in the Bible?
Notes
(See Saturday for authors.)
Jesus reverses the prophetic hardening of Isaiah 6 for those who see, hear, and believe Him. He also speaks very strongly against those who do not believe Him. This is a passage of contrasts. There is light and darkness, judgment and everlasting life. On the one hand, for those who reject Christ, the fact that God hardened them does not minimize their responsibility. Those who reject the Gospel prove very clearly the sinfulness of their own hearts, and Jesus says that the word He has spoken will judge them on the last day (verse 48). However, the emphasis in the Gospels is always the open invitation for people to come to Jesus. The very word Gospel means Good News, which is meant to be preached and proclaimed! You can tell that Jesus longs for people to believe in Him. Do you have the same longing for your unbelieving friends, family, coworkers, and community?
Swedish Method questions
Praise
Psalm 99a, 111d
Prayer
- Pray for friends and family and coworkers to believe in Christ.
- Pray for the hearing of God’s Word preached this Lord’s Day’s.
- Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.