The "Colors-of-Christ" Cross

Gospel Message for Kids


What you will need:
6 Beads (Black, red, white, blue, green, gold or yellow), and thin cord or rawhide lace that will fit through your beads, clear glue.

Step 1: Cut your cord. If you're making a necklace, start with three feet of cord. For a bookmark, bracelet, or key chain use one foot of cord. Place the gold bead onto one end of the cord and place in the center. See illustration.

Step 2: Put the cord ends together and pull them through the green bead. See illustration.

Step 3: Put the red bead onto one side of the cord, and the blue bead onto the other side. Pull them tight.

Step 4: Put the cord ends together again and pull them through the black bead. See illustration.

Step 5: Place a very small dot of clear drying glue onto the red and blue bead, at the center of the cross where they touch. Wedge* your white bead between the red and blue bead so that the white bead's holes touch the sides of the red and blue bead where the glue was placed. Pull the string tightly and tie a knot against the top of the black bead.

Step 6: Tie the ends of the cord. Wrap the cord ends around your finger, and loop it through the hole, pull tight.

Each of the bead colors are intended to remind us of Biblical truths:

Black = Sin
The black bead reminds us of the darkness of our sin that separates us from God. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23. (see also Ephesians 2:11-13)

Red = Christ's blood
The red bead symbolizes Christ's blood, shed for you and me. "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us...we have been justified by his blood..." Romans 5:8-9.

White = Prayer of Repentance For Cleansing
The white bead represents cleansing from sin, when a person repents, "turns to God." "Have mercy on me, Oh God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin" Psalm 51:1-2. 

Blue = Water/Spirit Baptism
The blue bead represents baptism. "...one Lord, one faith, one baptism" Ephesians 4:5. We are baptized with water to identify ourselves with Jesus. The Holy Spirit baptizes those who trust in Jesus, and then empowers you to serve God. "If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ" Romans 8:9.

Green = Christian Growth
The green bead represents growing in faith. "And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God..." Colossians 1:10. 

Gold = Eternal life
The gold bead represents eternal life with Jesus in Heaven. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" John 3:16. 

For more Color's of Christ ideas, go to the Sermons page.

*Hi, I recently used this craft in my pre-school class, ages 3-5. I wanted to share a really neat tip with you, actually I can't take credit for it, my assistant thought of it. The glue part is always a challenge with this age group, a glue gun is always the best method for crafts, but you obviously can't use it with this age. But we used it before class to put the blue, white, and red beads together. Pre-fabricated the center row!! And it worked great! I personally was unable to wedge the white bead in between while making my sample for the kids. I knew they wouldn't be able to do it either. But by pre-gluing, the kids were able to easily do this craft, and really enjoyed it! Making extras to give away as a witness tool! Thanks a bunch!

Seeking Him,
Kim of Wilmington, NC

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