Did Jesus Really Live and Die?
Month 6: The Cross — Why Jesus Died · Why We Believe
Today's Scripture
Read together: Luke 23:1–5 & 1 Corinthians 15:3–4
1 Then the whole council rose and led Jesus away to Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding payment of taxes to Caesar, and proclaiming Himself to be Christ, a King.” 3 So Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied. 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.” 5 But they kept insisting, “He stirs up the people all over Judea with His teaching. He began in Galilee and has come all the way here.” — Luke 23:1–5
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, — 1 Corinthians 15:3–4
Memory Verse
“But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”— Romans 5:8 (BSB)
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Proverbs 10–12
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (Around Day 160 of 365 — the contrast between the wise and the foolish.)The Heart of It
Some people today say Jesus is just a made-up story, like a fairy tale. But that's not how the Bible tells it. The Bible puts His death in a real time and a real place, with real named people. In , Jesus stands trial before Pontius Pilate. Pilate was a real Roman governor. We know about him from history outside the Bible. Pilate questions Jesus. The religious leaders accuse Him. And it all happens in Jerusalem, on a morning you could mark on a calendar. The Gospels read like reports, not legends. Real roads. Real rulers. Real witnesses.
Paul says this was "of first importance." It is the very core of the faith: "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day" (). And here is something powerful. Paul wrote that within just a couple of decades of the events. He was passing on a summary the first Christians were already repeating. There was no time for a legend to slowly grow. Even ancient writers who were not Christians mention Jesus and His death. Two of them were the Roman historian Tacitus and the Jewish historian Josephus. Jesus really lived. Jesus really died. And He did it for our sins.
Around the Table
Jesus is real — He really lived, just like you live. And He really died on the cross because He loves us.
Let's do it: Say it together: "Jesus is REAL!" Then give a big nod, "Yes He is!"
Jesus stood before a real governor named Pilate. The cross is not a fairy tale. It really happened.
Let's talk: What's the difference between a true story and a make-believe one? Which one is the cross?
The first Christians passed down "Christ died, was buried, rose again" within a few years, not centuries. That is far too soon for a legend to grow. Even non-Christian historians mention Jesus.
Let's go deeper: Why does the short time between Jesus' death and these reports make them more believable?
💬 Conversation Starter
How do we usually find out if something in the news really happened? Did people do that same kind of checking about Jesus?
🛡️ Defending the Faith
When someone says, "Jesus never even existed," you can kindly answer them. Say something like this. "Actually, almost no serious historian believes that. We have the New Testament, written by eyewitnesses. We have an early creed that was repeated within a few years of His death (). And we have non-Christian writers like Tacitus and Josephus, who mention Him and His death on the cross. Denying that Jesus existed isn't being careful with history. It's ignoring history." Say it gently, "with gentleness and respect" (). We're not trying to win an argument. We're sharing a real Person.
For Dad · Go Deeper
Our children are going to meet the claim that Jesus is a myth. They'll often meet it online, stated with great confidence and no evidence at all. Your job isn't to make them debate champions. It's to give them a quiet confidence that their faith is anchored in real history. The Christian faith is unique here. It can actually be tested. Paul himself said that if Christ wasn't really raised, "your faith is futile" (). That isn't a weakness. It's a strength. We follow a faith bold enough to stake everything on real events. So learn one or two of these facts well. Learn them well enough to say them naturally at dinner. Not as a script, but as something you actually believe. Confidence is caught, not crammed.
Draws on: McDowell & Wallace, Evidence That Demands a Verdict; Cold-Case Christianity.
Let's Pray Together
"Father, thank You that our faith is built on what truly happened. Jesus really lived, and He really died for us. Give us confident, gentle hearts to tell others the truth. In Jesus' name, amen."
The cross isn't a fairy tale. Jesus really lived and really died, in real history, for me.