All Have Sinned
Month 6: The Cross — Why Jesus Died · Memory Verse
Today's Scripture
Read together: Romans 3:23
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Memory Verse
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”— Romans 3:23 (BSB)memorize this week
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: 1 Kings 1–2; Psalm 90
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (Around Day 152 of 365 — Solomon becomes king, and Moses prays about the shortness of life.)The Heart of It
Today's whole verse is our memory verse. So let's slow down and really see it. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Two big ideas are packed in there. First, the word all. Not most people. Not only the obviously bad people. Everyone. Mom. Dad. The little ones. The pastor. The kind neighbor. The word "sin" means to miss the mark, like an arrow falling short of the target. God's glory is the bull's-eye. It is His perfect goodness. And not one of us has hit it on our own.
That sounds like hard news, and it is honest news. But here's why it is actually the doorway to good news. You cannot be rescued from a problem you won't admit you have. If only some people were sinners, then maybe the rest could earn their way to God. But because all have sinned, there is one rescue for everyone. And it's not about being good enough. It's about Jesus. The very next verse in says we are "justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (v. 24). The honest bad news of verse 23 makes the free gift of verse 24 shine. So we don't hide our need. We bring it to Jesus.
Around the Table
Everybody does wrong things sometimes. Mommy does. Daddy does. All of us do. But Jesus came to fix it!
Let's do it: Pretend to throw a ball and miss. That's what "fall short" means. We all need Jesus to help us.
"Sin" means missing the mark. It means falling short of God's perfect goodness. And the word "all" includes every single person.
Let's talk: Why is it actually good news that everyone needs a Savior, not just some people?
This verse isn't meant to crush us. It sets up the free grace that comes right after it. It is honest about our sin, and hopeful about the cross.
Let's go deeper: How does admitting "I've fallen short" keep us humble and keep us close to Jesus?
💬 Conversation Starter
When you aim at something, like a target, a basket, or a trash can, how often do you miss? That missing the mark is exactly what the Bible means by sin.
🛡️ Defending the Faith
Is it really true that everyone sins? Notice that every culture in history has built laws and courts and used the word "sorry." Even people who never met each other all sense that some things are truly wrong, and that we don't quite measure up. That built-in conscience is exactly what describes. And we can point to it kindly ().
For Dad · Go Deeper
A memory-verse day is a gift. Repetition is how truth sinks below the surface. It becomes a riverbed the Spirit can use for years. So don't just have the kids parrot the words. Help them feel the weight of them, and the relief of them. The danger in a Christian home is raising children who think sin is something other people do. That quietly turns the gospel into a self-improvement plan. levels the ground at the foot of the cross. So model confession yourself this week. Let your kids hear you say, "Dad fell short there. I need Jesus too." That single sentence preaches grace louder than a lecture.
Draws on: Paul Tripp, Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family.
Let's Pray Together
"Father, thank You for being honest with us. We have all sinned and fallen short of Your glory. We admit it. We bring it to You. Thank You that Jesus is the rescue for every one of us. In Jesus' name, amen."
All of us have fallen short. And that's exactly why all of us can come to Jesus.