Are you looking for something to occupy your children through the long, cold winter days? Wondering how to keep them busy during the coming school break? Have you considered how you can make Christmas more spiritually significant? One answer to all these questions is to give the gift of great books! One such book is The Prince’s Poison Cup by R. C. Sproul.
The Prince’s Poison Cupoffers wonderful storytelling to pique a child’s imagination. It weaves a tale of a good and loving King and his beautiful kingdom, a devious enemy, tragedy, heartache, a heroic and victorious Prince, and a “happily ever after” for the King’s people. Furthermore, every page has graceful illustrations to help capture a child’s attention. Most importantly, this book helps children understand a profound biblical truth—a truth at the very heart of the Gospel. In an interview published by The Gospel Coalition, Dr. Sproul explained,
In this day and age, the whole need for atonement is being ridiculed widely, not just in the liberal church, but it has made its way into the evangelical community as well. People are saying that satisfaction involves God in cosmic child abuse. They ask why we can’t just rely on the love of God—that there is no need to satisfy His justice and His wrath. Through this story I want people to understand that the wrath of God is real. It was necessary to satisfy God’s righteousness in order for people to be healed. Instead of our receiving the cup of wrath, it was to be drunk by Jesus in His people’s place. That is absolutely central to the gospel. (“The Poison Cup: An Interview with R. C. Sproul,” thegospelcoalition.org)
The book includes a number of interactive questions designed to help children better grasp this essential truth, connecting the make-believe story to biblical truths, and offering biblical texts to read and discuss. I can imagine cuddling with my grandchildren, reading the story on multiple occasions, and then using one or more of these questions each time. What might God be pleased to do through these discussions?
This is also a great book to read to your children at Christmas. It reminds children why Jesus came to earth. It reminds them that the manger was meant to lead to the cross.
