About this episode
In today’s episode of the Tiny Theologians Easter series, TJ and Tory walk us through the moment of Jesus’ crucifixion. As they reflect on the three crosses on the hill, they help us understand what happened when Jesus, who had done nothing wrong, chose to die in our place. Today’s symbol is the three crosses, which remind us that Jesus took the punishment for sin so that we could be forgiven. Through this story, we see that even in the sadness of the cross, there is incredible hope—because anyone who trusts in Jesus can be saved and welcomed into eternal life with Him.
Scripture Passage: Luke 23:32–43 (NIV)
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Tiny Theologians — Day 7: Three Crosses — The Greatest Rescue. Machine-transcribed; use the interactive transcript above to jump the player to any line.
Do you know a tiny Theologian with big dreams? If so, you need to grab a copy of Fly by Ben Mandrel. This beautifully illustrated book is about chasing dreams and the people who help us soar, reminding us to be thankful for those who help us along the way. Fly is perfect for your home or class and especially for graduations, teachers, mentors, volunteers or anyone who's helped lift your wings. Head over to flykidsbook.com and find fly wherever books are sold to get your copy today. Hi there, tiny Theologians, it's Tori here. And TJ, and today's symbol is super important. It's actually three symbols and one, three crosses. Go look at your banner and find the spot with the three crosses on the heel.
Got it? Now pull out your matching card. Got it? Great. Let's read a few verses from Luke 23, 32 through 43. Go ahead and read all the verses together with your family when you get a chance. Two other men, both criminals, were also allowed out of him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals. One on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they're doing. Then one of the criminals said, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus answered him, truly I tell you, for today you will be with me in paradise. That's wild. Jesus was right in the middle of two men who had done really bad things. And he hadn't done anything wrong, but he chose to die there.
On purpose. For us. That's right, TJ. You know, the more you read about the Easter story, the more I see just how much God loves us and how much he must want to be in right relationship with his people. Me too, Tori. What does our card have to say? It says this. Jesus was crucified between two criminals, though he had done nothing wrong. On the cross, Jesus took the punishment, our sin deserved. One criminal believed, and Jesus promised him eternal life. This shows that anyone, no matter their past, can be saved by trusting Jesus. I'm so thankful that's true. Makes me wonder. I've heard that today is called Good Friday. What is today Jesus died? How can this Friday, which seems like the worst Friday in all of history, be good? Well, that's actually what our big question is about.
Why is it good news that Jesus died in our place? It just seems like a really sad, pretty bad day to me. I know why you feel that way, TJ, but it's actually good news. Because we couldn't fix our sin problem by ourselves. Jesus didn't just help us. He saved us. Even one of the criminals next to him believed. And Jesus said he would be with him in paradise. Isn't that amazing? It means that anyone, no matter what they've done, can be saved if they trust in Jesus. That makes this Friday, this Friday, when Jesus died. Really, really good news for us. So talk with your family today. Why do you think it's such good news that Jesus died in our place? We'll see you tomorrow at Tiny Theologians.
Tiny Theologian Racers If your family has been listening along and talking about how the death and resurrection of Jesus changes everything, we would love to help you keep those conversations going. At Tiny Theologians, we've created a couple of simple, meaningful resources to come alongside you. Our baptism workbook helps kids understand what baptism is, why it matters and who it's for. And our communion workbook walks children through the meaning of the Lord's Supper in a way that is clear, biblical, and accessible. These are the kind of conversations that shape a child's understanding of the gospel for years to come and you don't have to navigate them alone. Visit tinytheologians.shop to learn more.
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