What is The Bible?

BIG IDEA: The Bible is one big story of God’s plan.

This free Bible lesson, What is The Bible?, will teach preschool and elementary students about what The Bible is, where The Bible came from and why we can trust It.

FOCUS BIBLE PASSAGE: Isaiah 40:8; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:3

All of the printable activities and digital slides needed for the lesson, as well as a full printable lesson plan for both elementary and preschool are available.

Below is the outline of the free elementary Bible lesson.

PREP & SUPPLIES

• basket
• ball
• tape & Sharpie or some other type of floor markers
• printed “WHAT IS THE BIBLE?” lesson notes for each student
• pencils/pens

LESSON HOOK ACTIVITY

Raise your hand if you have at least one Bible at home.

We are going to be learning all about the Bible, where It came from, why we can trust every Word found in It, and how to study It.

(SLIDE) Let’s read this verse that is found in our Bibles in the Book of Psalms.

[Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. PSALM 119:105 ESV]

What do you think this verse means? (allow responses)

Only God’s Light, found in His Word, the Bible, can light our way in a dark world.

Your “Word” is a way that God refers to the Bible. Every word in the Bible is from God.

This verse is teaching us that the Bible is so important that it lights the way for us in the dark.

The Truths in the Bible light our way so we can walk without stumbling/falling.

If we read, learn from, and follow the teachings found in the Holy Scriptures we will be on the right path. The Bible “lights our way”.

Life is a “path”. Our feet are walking the path of life. The Truths found in the Bible are a “lamp” that lights the path of life for us.

BIBLE LESSON

Does anyone know what the word “Bible” means? (allow responses)

(SLIDE) The word “Bible” means “book”.

That means “The Bible” means “The Book”.

(SLIDE) The word “Holy” means “set apart by God for His purposes”.

What does “The Holy Bible” mean? (allow responses)

(SLIDE) “The Holy Bible” means “The Book set apart by God for His purposes”.

Our Bible is the best book that was ever written and we are very blessed to be able to learn how to study the Truths written inside of the Bible.

(SLIDE) We call the Words in the Bible “Scripture”. The word “Scripture” means holy writings, or sacred writings.

Does anyone know how many Books are in the Bible? (allow responses)

The Bible is a collection of 66 writings that were all inspired by God. “Inspired” means that God actually “breathed out” the Words to the human authors who wrote them down.

(SLIDE) The 66 writings were organized into 66 Books that we now have in our Bible.

(SLIDE) The Words of the Bible were given to over 40 human authors who received God’s Words and wrote them down for all of humanity to read throughout history.

(SLIDE) The Bible was written over the course of 1,500-2,000 years of human history. There are NO ERRORS (no mistakes; nothing is wrong), and every part of the Bible flows together perfectly.

Our Bible has been gathered into 2 parts. What are the two major parts of the Bible? (allow responses)

(SLIDE) The Bible is organized into (1) The Old Testament and (2) The New Testament.

There are 66 Books in the whole Bible. How many Books do you think are in The Old Testament? (allow responses)

(SLIDE) There are 39 Books in The Old Testament.

This means there are how many Books in The New Testament? (allow responses)

(SLIDE) There are 27 Books in The New Testament.

(SLIDE) The Old Testament points to The New Testament.

The New Testament explains The Old Testament.

Let’s think about what that means.

(SLIDE) The Old Testament teaches us about the time before Jesus came to earth as a human being.

The New Testament teaches us about Jesus’s birth, ministry, death, resurrection (raising back to life), and the time after He went back to heaven.

When we say that The Old Testament POINTS TO The New Testament and The New Testament EXPLAINS The Old Testament that means that both parts go together perfectly and one part without the other is not complete.

What we read about in The Old Testament tells us about events and Truths that we will read about in The New Testament, and since the events written about in The Old Testament happened before the events written about in The New Testament, when we read The Bible as ONE BOOK, The New Testament explains what may have been confusing from The Old Testament.

Our Bible is meant to be read as ONE STORY from Genesis to Revelation.

(SLIDE) Big Idea: The Bible is one big story of God’s plan.

The Bible is not JUST a “story”. It is the most beautiful TRUE STORY you will ever read!

Sin entered the world through Adam and Eve when they chose to disobey God and eat the forbidden fruit. Since then, mankind has been living under a curse of death and separation from God. The Bible is 100% true and flows together in every word. The Bible is a beautiful story about God’s plan to redeem humanity through Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross.

What did Jesus do for us on the cross? (allow responses)

We all have sin in our hearts. Sin separates us from God. Jesus died on the cross to take away our sins.

The whole Bible teaches us about God’s plan to give us Jesus’s free gift of salvation so we don’t have to be separated from Him anymore.

Raise your hand if you have heard the word “revelation”.

There is a Book of the Bible named “Revelation”. It is the last Book of the Bible and it teaches us about things that will happen in the future.

(SLIDE) The word “revelation” comes from a Greek word “apokalypsis” which comes from the verb that means “to reveal”.

(SLIDE) “To reveal” means to show something that was hidden or secret.

God “revealed”, or showed us, everything He wanted mankind to know through prophets.

Everything that He wanted us to know is recorded in the Scriptures.

(SLIDE) Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16 that “God has breathed life into all Scripture”.

The Words found in the Bible are God’s very words.

God gave us His Word because He wanted to make Himself known to mankind.

Raise your hand if you have heard the word “cannon”.

You probably thought about the big weapon that is used in war that shoots cannon balls, or a system that is used in music. Or maybe you even thought about the brand name for a camera.

(SLIDE) There is a different word “canon” that is a unit of measurement that we use to show that our Bible is complete.

(SLIDE) The “Canon of Scripture” is a way that we talk about the Bible and how It is official and truly the Word of God. It is the COMPLETE WORD OF GOD.

The Canon of Scripture has been closed since the last Apostle died. This means that since the time when the last Apostle (John) died, any other writings are not accepted as the Word of God.

We cannot add to or take away from the Bible. In fact, God warns about adding to His Word and taking away from His Word.

The Bible is the only Book that will last forever and God gave it to us to guide us in every part of our lives. The Bible teaches us about God’s plan to give us Jesus’s free gift of salvation.

Dear God,

Thank You for Your Word, The Bible, and all of the lessons and Truths that we can learn about by reading It. Please guide us as we learn about The Bible. Please help us to understand everything that You want us to learn and please help us to be bold enough to ask questions if there is something that we don’t understand. Thank You for sending Jesus to die on the cross for our sins to save us and bring us into a friendship with You.

We love you and we pray all of these things in Jesus’ sweet name, Amen.

LARGE GROUP ACTIVITY

“Bible Basketball”

You will need a basket, a ball, and several marked off point lines.

Split the students into two teams to play. The team that has the youngest player gets the first question. Alternate asking questions to teams allowing them to seek help from their teammates for answers.

For each correct answer, a person from the team gets to choose a point marker to stand on and shoot the ball from. If the ball goes into the basket, the team earns the points and the other team gets the next question. If the ball does not go into the basket, the other team has a chance to shoot the ball to earn the points, and then get the next question.

Continue playing as time allows or until you get through the list of questions.

BIBLE BASKETBALL REVIEW QUESTIONS:

• What does the word “Bible” mean? (book)
• What does the word “Holy” mean? (set apart by God for His purposes)
• What does the word “Scripture” mean? (Holy writings, or sacred writings)
• How many Books are in The Bible? (66)
• What are the two major parts of The Bible? (The Old Testament and The New Testament)
• How many Books are in The Old Testament? (39)
• How many Books are in the New Testament? (27)
• How many human authors wrote parts of The Bible? (over 40)
• How many errors are found in The Bible? (zero, none)
• The Old Testament to The New Testament. (points to)
• The New Testament The Old Testament. (explains)
• What does The Old Testament teach us about? (the time before Jesus came to Earth to live as a human being)
• What does The New Testament teach us about? (Jesus’s birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and the time after He went back to Heaven)
• True or False: The Old Testament is complete without The New Testament. (false)
• True or False: The New Testament is incomplete without The Old Testament. (true)
• The Bible is big story of God’s plan. (one)
• What entered the world when Adam and Eve disobeyed God? (sin)
• How did Adam and Eve disobey God? (ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden)
• Sin us from God. (separates)
• Who offers a free gift of salvation to bring us into a relationship with God? (Jesus)
• What did Jesus do for us on the cross? (died on the cross to take away our sins)
• “To reveal” means to show something that was . (hidden or secret)
• Through who did God reveal everything He wanted mankind to know? (prophets)
• Whose Words are written in The Bible? (God’s)
• Why did God give us The Bible? (to make Himself known to mankind)
• The of Scripture is the way we talk about The Bible and how it is official and truly the Word of God/the complete Word of God. (canon)
• Why can we not take away or add to The Bible? (the canon has been closed since the Apostle John died; The Bible warns us about adding to and taking away from God’s Word; any texts written after the canon was closed are not considered inspired by The Holy Spirit)
• What is the only Book that will last forever? (The Bible)
• What did God give us to guide us in every part of our lives? (The Bible)
• What teaches us about God’s plan for our lives? (The Bible)
• What teaches us about Jesus’s free gift of salvation? (The Bible)
• You can also ask students to identify which part of The Bible (The Old Testament or The New Testament)a specific Book is found.

SMALL GROUP ACTIVITY

Guide students through their “WHAT IS THE BIBLE” lesson notes page as you discuss the lesson using the prompts below.

BREAK INTO SMALL GROUPS TO COMPLETE THE ACTIVITY.

Discussion Prompts for Leaders:

• Our Bible is one story about God’s plan to bring humanity back to Him after sin was brought into the world by Adam and Eve’s disobedience.
• The Words of the Bible were “inspired” by God. This means God actually “breathed out” the Words to human authors who wrote them down.
  • The Greek “Theo Pneustos” means “God breathed”. The Words found in the Bible are God’s very words. (See 2 Timothy 3:16)
• The prophet Isaiah wrote that God’s Word will stand forever. God preserved His word throughout history. (See Isaiah 40:8)
• God revealed everything He wanted mankind to know through prophets. Everything that He wanted us to know is recorded in the Scriptures. (See 2 Peter 1:3)
  • “Scripture” = “holy writings” or “sacred writings”
• The Words of the Bible were given to over 40 human authors who received God’s Words and wrote them down for all of humanity to read throughout history.
• The Bible was written over the course of 1,500-2,000 years of human history. There are NO ERRORS and every part of the Bible flows together perfectly.
• The Old Testament POINTS TO The New Testament. The New Testament EXPLAINS The Old Testament.
  • The Old Testament teaches us about the time before Jesus came to earth as a human being. The New Testament teaches us about Jesus’s birth, ministry, death, resurrection (raising back to life), and the time after He went back to heaven.
  • When we say that The Old Testament POINTS TO The New Testament and The New Testament EXPLAINS The Old Testament that means that both parts go together perfectly and one part without the other is not complete.
  • What we read about in The Old Testament tells us about events and Truths that we will read about in The New Testament, and since the events written about in The Old Testament happened before the events written about in The New Testament, when we read The Bible as ONE BOOK, The New Testament explains what may have been confusing from The Old Testament.
• Our Bible is meant to be read as ONE STORY from Genesis to Revelation.
• The Bible is not JUST a “story”. It is the most beautiful TRUE STORY you will ever read!
• God gave us His Word because He wanted to make Himself known to mankind.
• The “Canon of Scripture” is a way that we talk about the Bible and how It is official and truly the Word of God. It is the COMPLETE WORD OF GOD.
• The Canon of Scripture has been closed since the last Apostle died. This means that since the time when the last Apostle (John) died, any other writings are not accepted as the Word of God.
• We cannot add to or take away from the Bible. In fact, God warns about adding to His Word and taking away from His Word.
• The Bible is the only Book that will last forever and God gave it to us to guide us in every part of our lives.
• Does anyone have any questions about today’s lesson?

CLOSING REFLECTION

We learned that The Bible is a complete book given to us directly from God. Every word in the Bible comes from Him. He gave direct revelation to human authors, who wrote down His words. Throughout history, God preserved His Word. Every word is 100% true and accurate and trustworthy. The Bible is the only book that will last forever and God gave it to us to guide us in every aspect of our lives. Sin entered the world through Adam and Eve when they chose to disobey God and eat the forbidden fruit. Since then, mankind has been living under a curse of death and separation from God. The Bible is a beautiful story about God’s plan to redeem humanity through Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross. We all have sin in our hearts. Sin separates us from God. Jesus died on the cross to take away our sins. The whole Bible teaches us about God’s plan to give us Jesus’s free gift of salvation so we don’t have to be separated from Him anymore.

Reflection Questions:

• What have you learned about The Bible so far?
• Why can we not add to or take away from what is in The Bible? (the canon of Scripture has been closed since the last Apostle, John, died – any other texts are not inspired by The Holy Spirit and are not accepted as Scripture)
• Does anyone have any questions about today’s lesson?

Find other free Bible lessons for kids: