What Happens When We Die?

Questions about death can be difficult for kids to understand. They may hear different ideas from friends, movies, books or social media about what happens after someone dies. Some kids may wonder if heaven is real, while others may be carrying fears or questions they do not know how to express. As kids grow, it is natural for them to become curious about what happens after this life.

In this week’s Brite lesson, kids will hear about Joseph and the angel and discover that Jesus brings salvation. From the very beginning of Jesus’ story, God made it clear that Jesus came to save people from their sins. The Bible teaches that eternal life is not something we earn or figure out on our own. It is a gift God offers through Jesus.

As you talk with your kid this week, create space for honest questions and conversations. If they ask hard questions, it is okay to admit when you do not have every answer. Remind them of what we do know: God loves us, Jesus came to save us and everyone who trusts in Him can look forward to living with Him forever. Because of Jesus, we can face questions about death with hope instead of fear.

Here’s how we discussed this topic and how you can discuss it at home: 

Discuss: What happens in video games when someone dies?

Discuss: What have you seen in movies about what happens when people die?

Discuss: What does the Bible say happens when people die?

Say: You may have heard many people’s opinions on what happens when we die. In video games, you get another life. Movies depict us as becoming ghosts or angels. Some people believe that nothing happens and that this life on Earth is all that there is. Hebrews 9:27 says: And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment. Because our world is broken by sin, every single person will die. What happens next is determined only by whether or not we have trusted in Jesus as our Savior. If we have, we will spend forever with God. If we haven’t trusted in Jesus, we will spend forever separated from Him. We don’t turn into ghosts or angels or come back for a second life as something else. God loved us so much that He made a way for us to know what happens after our life on Earth is over.