New City Catechism, Week 24 (Question 24)

Q: Why was it necessary for Christ, the Redeemer, to die?

Children’s answer

A: Christ died willingly in our place to deliver us from the power and penalty of sin and bring us back to God.

Adult/older children’s answer

A: Since death is the punishment for sin, Christ died willingly in our place to deliver us from the power and penalty of sin and bring us back to God. By his substitutionary atoning death, he alone redeems us from hell and gains for us forgiveness of sin, righteousness, and everlasting life.

Video explanation:

Song to assist with memorization:

Relevant Scripture to read:

Colossians 1:21–22

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him

Children’s Activity (printable pdfs)

Younger Kids (pages 8 and 9)

There are no resources for older kids currently available for this lesson.

Special thanks to Del Rey Church for sharing their New City Catechism kid resources with us!

Devotional questions for individual/family/group discussion:

  1. How does Christ’s death on the cross put our sin in perspective? In what ways are you sometimes tempted to minimize your sin?

  2. We are delivered from the “power and penalty” of sin. How do you see this already in your life? How do you see it as something that is still to come?

  3. As Allen notes in the video, it’s easy to think of the God of the Old Testament as harsh - how do we actually see the opposite when we consider how God forgives in the Old Testament? What are a few examples of how He extends His grace in this way?

  4. Can you think of a song or hymn that beautifully and truly portrays the love Jesus showed to us in His death on the cross for us?

For an additional “deeper” dive into this question and answer, check out this video from Dr. Michael Allen (which a few of the above questions are based on):