The Meaning of the Cross—A Children's Message Series For Lent

Published October 20, 2026

Updated October 20, 2026

Child with hands raised
By Norma de Waal Malefyt, Howard D. Vanderwell

This children's message series originally appeared in the worship series "Picture Jesus."

What Does the Cross Mean?

Our Lenten services included a time when the children of the congregation gathered on the steps at the base of the pulpit. Each week we looked at a cross (one of six different types) and talked about its special meaning. After the service we hung a drawing of the cross in the narthex, adding the new one each week.

Week 1 

Latin Cross
The Latin Cross
The Latin Cross is the most common and familiar to most of us. Long ago people started using this cross to remind them of Jesus and how he died for us. Today, whenever we see the cross, we know that the church that displays it believes in Jesus. Notice that the cross is empty. Why? Because Jesus is alive!

Week 2

Passion Cross
The Passion Cross
This is sometimes called the Crusader’s cross because it’s the kind the Crusaders carried with them. As they traveled to the Holy Land, these Christians sometimes wanted to stop and worship God. A cross with a pointed bottom could be driven into the ground easily, creating a place for worship and reminding them of how Jesus suffered for them.

Week 3

Crosslet
The Crosslet
The crosslet hardly seems to be a cross at all until we look at it very carefully. It really is four crosses made into one by joining their bases at the center. The tops are pointing in all four directions. Jesus died for people from all directions—north, south, east, and west. God wants the whole world to know about the Jesus. The crosslet reminds us how big God’s love is.

Week 4

Jerusalem Cross
The Jerusalem Cross
The Jerusalem Cross is the only one named after a city, the city where Jesus was crucified. This cross includes five little crosses to represent the five wounds of Jesus—two for each of his hands where he was nailed, two for each of his feet nailed to the cross, and one to represent the spear in his side. This cross helps us never to forget how much Jesus suffered.

Week 5

Anchor Cross

The Anchor Cross
At first, this cross looks very different—it has an anchor built into it. Some of the first disciples were fishermen, and they knew how important an anchor was. When you throw an anchor out, it drops to the bottom of the sea and holds the boat steady so it doesn’t drift away, even during a violent storm.

This special cross reminds us that Jesus is our anchor. He will always hold us tightly and keep us steady—just like an anchor keeps a boat safe.

Week 6

Cross and Crown
The Cross and Crown
Ask the children to identify the two shapes in this figure—a cross and a crown. The form of this cross tells us a lot about Jesus. It tells us that Jesus suffered and died on the cross. But today Jesus is no longer on the cross. He is no longer in the tomb either. He is wearing a crown in heaven and ruling as the King of kings!