You Can't Come In

You Can’t Come In, is a story about the message of salvation.

When Zack moves to a new place, he misses his old friends but he soon makes a new one, Adam, who invites Zack to go to church. Zack and his family haven’t been to church much, so he’s a bit hesitant. He asks Adam what they do at his church. Adam says they do all kinds of stuff; one of them is putting on skits. The skit that is planned for the upcoming Sunday is one about salvation.

Zack asks Adam what salvation is. Adam explains the process of asking for forgiveness and having your sins washed away. Zack is a bit confused, so he says, “I don’t get it. Why is it so important for God to forgive us for our sins?”

Adam replies, “There’s no sin in heaven where God lives – it’s a perfect place. And if I have sin in my life, then I can’t live there with him. He won’t let me in.”

Later, when Zack goes home covered in mud, his mom won’t let him into the house. She makes him clean up first. She says, “You can’t come in until you’ve cleaned up.” Zack makes the correlation between being covered with mud and not being able to go into his house and being filled with sin and not being able to enter heaven.

When Zack shares his insights with his mother, she talks to his dad and the family makes plans to attend church together on Sunday.

The text is taken from the Children’s Bible Hour radio script broadcast. There is a page at the end of the book laying out process of salvation, complete with Bible verses.

The detailed watercolor illustrations by Robert Sauber enhance the text by providing a visual guide to the story.

What I Like: Everything.

What I Dislike: Nothing.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: No age group is given for this book but I would say 5-9 would be appropriate.

Publisher Info: CBH Ministries, 2009; ISBN: 9780982512012; Paperback, $10.00.

Buy now at Amazon.com $10.00.

Special Info: The book comes with a read-along CD. Read our reviews of other books illustrated by Robert Sauber. Visit the illustrator’s website.