How to Teach Kids About Jesus Starting With Mark

To teach kids about Jesus, read the Gospels with them, ask who Jesus is, and tell them plainly about His death and resurrection. The Gospel of Mark is a good place to begin, because it is short and it tells us from the first line who Jesus is, “the Son of God.”

This can feel like the most important thing and the hardest to do well. You do not need special skill. You need the Bible, a little time each day and a willingness to say what you believe. Here is a plan, from the first reading to the cross, with a word about patience, because only the Holy Spirit can make a child see Jesus for who He is.

Start with Mark, and let the Bible speak

“The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). Begin with the session for Mark chapter 1 and read a chapter a day. Let the children hear what Jesus said and did before you explain very much. The Gospels are the best place to meet Him, and children respond to a story.

Who Jesus is

Teach your children two things at the same time. Jesus is the Son of God, and He became a man. John writes, “The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). In Mark 8, Jesus asks His disciples, “But who do you say that I am?” and Peter answers, “You are the Christ” (Mark 8:29). Ask your children the same question, and listen.

Why Jesus came

Jesus told His disciples why He came. “For the Son of Man also came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Explain to your children, in age-appropriate words, that people have sinned against God, that sin deserves punishment, and that Jesus gave His life to pay for the sins of those who trust Him. Paul puts it briefly, “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3 to 4).

The cross and the empty tomb, told plainly

Do not skip the cross, and do not make it graphic. Say that Jesus was killed on a cross, that He did it willingly, and that on the third day God raised Him. You can read this together in the session for Mark chapter 15 and the session for Mark chapter 16. Let the children feel that the story is both sad and wonderful.

How to teach kids about Jesus at different ages

Toddlers and preschoolers hear short stories and learn His name. Jesus welcomed little children, and He said, “Allow the little children to come to me” (Mark 10:14).
School-age children can follow the whole story of a Gospel, ask why, and learn why the cross was needed.
Teenagers can look at the claims Jesus made, the evidence of the resurrection and how to answer questions from friends.

Questions children ask about Jesus

Is Jesus God? Yes. He is the Son of God, and the Word who became flesh (John 1:14).
Why did Jesus die? He gave His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45), so that sinners who trust Him can be forgiven.
Where is Jesus now? Mark tells us that the Lord “was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God” (Mark 16:19).

The gospel call, and patience

The Gospels were written so that people would believe. John says, “these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (John 20:31). Tell your children what Jesus said at the start of His ministry, “Repent, and believe in the Good News” (Mark 1:15), and call them to do it. Be patient and gentle, and do not press a child to say a prayer or declare a decision before they understand. It is the Spirit's work to show a person who Jesus is, and Jesus said, “Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can’t see God’s Kingdom” (John 3:3). So we teach and pray, and we wait on the Lord.

If you open a Gospel with your children this week, you will be doing what this guide describes. The worship page has every chapter, and gifts at this page help keep it free. May the Lord make Himself known to your children.