This lesson contains the proclamation of the kerygma--- the Good News that Jesus died and rose to save us from sin.

The consequences of sin and the death of Jesus are presented gently. The impossibility of reaching heaven without Jesus cannot be ignored and is presented here in a very simple and age-appropriate way. First graders may have difficulty understanding the idea that Jesus gave His life as a sacrifice for us. However, the children can grasp that sin separates us from God and that Jesus brings us back to Him. First graders have a strong sense of right and wrong based on fairness. Explaining sin as doing something against God's law on purpose should speak to the child's sense of justice.

It is important to be sensitive to a first-grader's perception of death and heaven. Children at this age think of heaven as a place in the sky. The idea of eternal life in heaven may be scary to the child because it means life without their parent or guardian. Let the Holy Spirit guide you to give you the right words as you address any potential questions or fears.

A simple analogy is presented to help the child grasp that heaven is a place we want to go, that sin prevents us from getting there, and that Jesus is the bridge that solves the problem of sin. This lesson closes by reminding the children that God loves them even if they do sin. It is an opportunity to help them understand that there is always a way back to God, and that God's love never ends.