This special Sunday service featured a Kids Creek lesson, giving the congregation an opportunity to experience what children learn during their regular Sunday programming. Kids Creek has been using the Gospel Project curriculum for the past 150 lessons, a solid faith-based program that has taken students on a journey from Genesis through the entire Bible. After covering much of Scripture, the curriculum has now reached the final book of the Bible: Revelation.
The lesson focused on the book of Revelation, written by John, one of Jesus's closest friends and disciples. In this powerful book, John saw a vision that revealed how Jesus alone is worthy of worship, honor, and praise. While Revelation may seem intimidating to some, it is actually a beautiful book that offers profound truths about Christ's worthiness and the hope of believers.
The lesson introduced a central question: What is the hope of the church? Various responses were offered, including the hope that more people would come to church, that God is the hope of the church, that God died for our sins, and the gift of eternal life. The answer emphasized throughout the lesson was: The church looks forward to Jesus's return when he will make all things new.
In the Old Testament, God promised to send Jesus, the Messiah, into the world. God kept that promise—Jesus came, lived a perfect life, died on the cross, rose again, and returned to heaven. Before leaving, Jesus made another promise: that he would return to earth again and make all things new.
Faith in Jesus provides believers with an amazing hope. This includes not only forgiveness of sins but also the hope of eternal life when Jesus returns. This is not wishful thinking but a true and confident hope. Just as God's promise came true when Jesus first came to earth, his promise to return is equally certain. Christians have the true hope that Jesus will come again.
The lesson explained that John was on the island of Patmos when he received his vision. Jesus appeared to John and showed him what will happen before the end of time. In Revelation, John recorded what he saw:
John saw a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it, appearing like fiery red stones with a rainbow like an emerald surrounding the throne. Around this central throne were 24 other thrones with 24 elders seated on them, each wearing a gold crown.
John also saw four living creatures around the throne:
Each creature had six wings, and day and night they never stopped saying, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God, the Almighty, who was, who is, and who is coming."
This phrase reveals that the Lord is eternal—he has always existed. From the very beginning, before anything was created, Jesus was there. When everything fades away, Jesus will remain. He has no beginning and no end, and he reigns as king over all. He is coming back one day to make everything right and good.
John saw a scroll in the right hand of the one seated on the throne. A mighty angel asked, "Who is worthy to open the scroll?" The answer was sobering: no one in heaven was worthy, no one on earth was worthy, and no one under the earth was worthy either. This caused John to weep loudly.
Then one of the elders said, "Look, the lion of Judah is able to open the scroll. He is worthy." John then saw someone standing near the throne who was like a slaughtered lamb. This was Jesus, the resurrected Lamb of God. He took the scroll, and the elders and living creatures fell down before him in worship, singing a new song.
John heard thousands upon thousands of angels around the throne declaring in a loud voice: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing."
Every creature everywhere—in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and on the sea—joined in worshiping the lamb together.
The lesson emphasized a crucial question: Why is Jesus worthy to open the scroll? The answer is clear: Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life and died on the cross for humanity's sins. He paid the price that no one else could pay. When Jesus took the scroll, all the elders and creatures fell down and worshiped him.
Only Jesus can save people from their sins. Only Jesus is worthy of honor, praise, and glory. There is no one else who deserves this worship.
The lesson explored why Jesus is called the Lamb of God. In the Old Testament, people brought animals to sacrifice to God as payment for their sins. However, Jesus came as the perfect sacrifice—a one-time sacrifice when he gave his life on the cross. Animal sacrifices are no longer needed because Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away sins when people put their faith and trust in him.
Anyone who trusts Jesus as their Savior has their sins forgiven and will join him one day in heaven. Jesus was killed on the cross so that humanity could have forgiveness and eternal life.
The lesson highlighted Revelation 5:9, which states: "And they sang a new song with these words. You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation."
This beautiful verse reveals that Jesus is worthy—the only one worthy to open the scroll. He is worthy because he died on the cross in humanity's place. Through his blood, he paid for sins so that anyone who trusts in him can be completely forgiven. Jesus defeated sin and death when he died and rose again. His sacrifice and sinless life make him the only one worthy of all worship, honor, and glory forever.
One day when Jesus returns, everyone will bow to worship him.
The teaching addressed an important practical question: How can people praise Jesus? Several responses were shared:
The message emphasized that believers should praise Jesus with everything they do. The Bible instructs, "Do everything to the glory of God." Jesus is worthy of it all.
To help illustrate the concept of worthiness and value, the lesson included an object lesson with various items of different values:
Some items are valuable because of their monetary cost. Others are valuable because of their usefulness or sentimental meaning. However, the lesson made clear that nothing in the whole world or universe can compare to Jesus.
Jesus is humanity's greatest treasure. Even if people lost everything in this world—if their houses burned down and their families somehow went away—they could still be rich because they have Jesus. He is the most valuable because he is the King. He is the most valuable because he paid the cost for sins on the cross, and he is the one deserving of all praise.
Jesus should be the most important thing to believers—more valuable than money, toys, or friends. When people trust in Jesus, they see him as the most important treasure they could have. When everything is taken away, Jesus remains.
Jesus is important because of what he did on the cross and for what he has done for all time. He is deserving of praise because he gave his life for every person.
The lesson concluded with a prayer of thanksgiving for God sending Jesus as the perfect sacrifice for sins. It expressed gratitude that believers can have forgiveness and life forever through God's Son, and praised the Lord because he alone is worthy of worship. The prayer acknowledged that God alone is eternal and expressed thankfulness for his presence in the lives of believers.
This powerful lesson from Kids Creek reminded everyone—children and adults alike—of the central truth of Christian faith: Jesus alone is worthy of all honor, glory, and praise, and the hope of the church is his promised return when he will make all things new.
