Questions from Kids 7/26
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7/26
7/26
Questions from Kids | 7/26/2026
Harper: “Why do we have to live on earth and why do we not live in heaven? Why do we have to suffer?”
Start with the Door Frame Analogy - choose it particularly.
Set the stage: the top of the exterior floor landing. Modifying the door frame, etc.
Whoever made the door knew the best way to put it together for it to serve its purpose.
Why do we have to live on earth?
Foundation: All things were created by God and for Him and exist to glorify Him (Col 1:16 & Psalm 19:1)
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
God gave man purpose in His creation
The first of these is
To Steward and Care for God’s World (Gen 1:26-28)
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
So we see the first given purpose is to take care of what God Created.
To Represent God in His Creation (Gen 1:27, Eph 2:10, Acts 1:8)
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
In His own image - We were created looking like God and with the authority He granted us to care for His world
To represent Him well, He prepares us in advance to do His good works as we are His workmen!
He gives us the power to witness to others concerning Him and instructs us to do so throughout the world.
To be Transformed to Reflect who God is (2 Cor. 3:18)
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
While we were created in the image of God, when we sinned, that image was tainted. ANALOGY: GRAPE JUICE STAIN ON WHITE SHIRT
As such, as we walk with Him, he works in us to live and look more like Him.
Summary: Humans are on Earth to Represent and Glorify God in & as His Creation and to Care for and Steward the World He has made.
We can think of Him as the door manufacturer, and if we follow what He says, we live out our purpose the best.
Why do we not live in Heaven?
Because we have a purpose to live out on Earth (see above)
We will live in Heaven, just not yet.
Scripture tells us...
Christ is Making us a Home, and we are His Citizens (John 14:1-3, Philippians 3:20)
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
He is making a new home for us, one that has a good door I am sure, and good solid walls, and a nice roof.
That being said, there is a natural desire for us to be in Heaven. Paul wrestles with this...
To Live is Christ, to Die is Gain, (Phil 1:21-24, Gal 2:20)
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
We continue to choose to live on Earth because Christ gave Himself for us and therefore, we live for Him and to make Him known.
Summary: We will live in Heaven at some point, but for now, we have a purpose on Earth. However, life on Earth is hard, and there is suffering… Which brings us to our third part...
Why do we have to suffer?
Sin & Consequences from the Fall. (Rom 8:20-21)
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
Big terms: subjected futility bondage corruption: Analogy, dramatize:
Imagine I tried to install the whole door by myself as just an 8 year old. Doors can be heavy, 80+ pounds, It fell on me, trapped me, and now I am stuck. Can I pick it up? Am I in pain? Am I trapped? Now in regards to creation, when sin came into the world, it fell on creation, creation was hurt, it was trapped. God will help it through Christ and has, but He will fully restore both creation, and our bodies.
Therefore, suffering is a direct result of sin. But in the future, God will heal and restore.
That being said, while on Earth...
God can redeem our suffering for His purposes
Suffering leads to growth & Hope (Rom 5:3-5)
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Sometimes God uses our sufferings to grow us and remind us of the Hope we have in Him.
Our Suffering Helps us Comfort Others who are also Suffering (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
I have found the greatest comfort has been given to me by people familiar with what I have walked through, and we can do the same for others.
Some Reminders for When we Suffer
God sees your suffering (Psalm 56:8, Genesis 16:13)
You have kept count of my tossings;
put my tears in your bottle.
Are they not in your book?
So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.”
Tears are quick, they fall fast, and God knows of all of them and can catch them. He can remember your pain and be with you in it.
Hagar was being mistreated and called out to God, called him El-Roi, the God who sees.
You don’t have to suffer alone (Isa 41:10)
fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
He does the same now, and He himself went to the cross for us, thus, He knows of suffering, and of pain.
God wants you to bring your sufferings to Him (Matt 11:28)
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
the first step of this verse is “come to me” He wants you to come before Him.
We will suffer, but Christ has Overcome and is with Us (John 16:33)
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Since Christ has suffered, even to the point of death, we can be comforted knowing He has overcome and is walking with us.
We suffer in Hope (Lam 3:19-25, 31-33; 2 Cor 5:1-5)
But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”
The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul who seeks him.
English Standard Version Chapter 3
31 For the Lord will not
cast off forever,
32 for, though he cause grief, he will have compassion
according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
33 for he does not afflict from his heart
or grieve the children of men.
For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
The hope we have is that God will do as He says He will do. That He is faithful. That He cares. That He sees and that He loves.
A Note from a Loved One:
“I have to remind myself in faith, God is perfectly good and gives good gifts - I have to wrestle against the lies that these things are not true when my circumstances disguise it. He may allow my suffering for some time and some reason that I might never understand, but at no point does it negate who He is or His goodness. Christ suffered to the point of death out of love for you and me. I can declare that He is good, even in the midst of my own sufferings because I trust Him when He says He will never forsake me.”
From Philippians
English Standard Version Chapter 2
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
I find this is a perfect synopsis. In light of Christ, and how much He loves and cares. Let’s live out our purpose on Earth. Let’s look forward to heaven and bring others along with us. Let’s remind ourselves that He is good even in suffering. Let us take what we suffer with to Him.
INVITATION
We will transition to our time of invitation.
Maybe you have been suffering, yet you have not taken it to God. “Come to me” He says. Perhaps you have been wrestling with your purpose on Earth, we would love to talk and pray with you. Maybe you want to get baptized or give your life to the Lord, this is a perfect opportunity. Wherever you are, there is a response for you.
