The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones

Jun 25

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Are you looking for a Bible to read to your child? Look no further. The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones is by far my favorite children’s Bible.“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. -Deuteronomy 6:4-9

In this passage from Deuteronomy we see the relationship God wants to have with His people. This is a loving relationship that doesn’t consist of requirements to an impersonal authority. The teaching of His commands isn’t so that the people of Israel would obey a list of rules in order to not be punished, but that they would participate in the covenant relationship that the God of the Universe had given them. This is why we should teach His commands diligently to our children, so that they grow in their love for God and they see His great love for them. I believe that this book does just that. It teaches the truth about God’s Word and reminds us of His great love for us. It is not that we first loved God, but that He loved us first (1 John 4:19). We are told not to teach the commands of God only once to our children, but to always be in conversation with them in our homes, when we are living life throughout the day, and even before bed. This is a great resource to do just that!

Sally Lloyd-Jones (no relation to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones) explains how she aimed at excellence when writing this book by saying, “Writing for children demands nothing short of excellence. The funny thing is-if you write with the excellence that children deserve you reach everyone. C S Lewis said: "No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally-and often far more-worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond." Excellence, it turns out, is the most inclusive thing. THE JESUS STORYBOOK BIBLE has broken out of the boundaries typical for a children's bible storybook-read by college students, theologians, pastors, couples; read in schools, prisons, old people's homes.”

Who is this book for?

While its intended audience is children, I believe people of all ages can learn and grow from this book. There have been a couple of times while reading that I get a lump in my throat because I am reminded of the amazing truth of the gospel that God would save a sinner like me.

Can I trust the theology in the book?

Yes! Lloyd-Jones sat under the teaching of Tim Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. Even the book's acknowledgments say, "“To Dr. Timothy Keller, whose teaching informs every story and from whom I have liberally borrowed: for his wisdom; for giving me a vocabulary of faith; for opening my eyes to the wonder of Grace.” My favorite part about the Jesus Storybook Bible is that the end of each story it has a section that points to Jesus. This allows both the child and the adult to end each reading understanding that the whole Bible is about Jesus and His redemptive work.

Art Work

Also, the illustrations in this book are incredible.They are done by Jago who is an award-winning children’s book illustrator from Cornwall, England. Every page is filled with color and art that helps tell each story.

Standard Hardcover Version

There are a couple different versions that Zondervan has published for this book. The cover below is just the standard hardcover version. They also have this version in a parallel English/Spanish version.

You can buy the Standard Version here.You can buy the Spanish Version here.