“Away from me, Satan”
(The Temptation of Jesus)*
First Sunday of Lent
22 February 2015
Reading: Matt 4:1-11
Theme: Temptation
Memory verse: Jesus said to him, ”Away from me, Satan. For it is written, “Worship the Lord your
God, and serve Him only” (Matt 4:10)
Information for the teacher:
Today’s lesson is the first in the Lenten series for this year. This Lent the lessons will draw a correlation between
the stories learnt in the Old and New Testament. The theme for today is temptation. The Bible story is the
temptation of Jesus in the desert. The lesson will also discuss stories of temptation from the Old Testament, such
as the story of Adam and Eve and the Israelites in the wilderness worshipping a golden calf. Jesus did not succumb
to temptation while the Israelites did. Why? The Israelites had forgotten the promises God had made to His
people – they strayed away from God. Jesus however was rooted in God and saw evil for what it was, hence His
statement, “Away from me Satan!” (Matt 4:10)
Satan’s defeat in the story for today is a foretaste of the victory at the cross. It is also a look back to Israel’s 40
years of wondering. Israel was given a specific calling to obey God and to be a light to the nations. Over and over
again throughout the Old Testament, we see the people of God fail. Jesus comes as the true and better Israel, the
one who perfectly does the will of the Father and offers redemption to the nations. In today’s lesson, we will
discuss the meaning of temptation and sin and how we can resist temptation by remaining rooted in Jesus.
As today is also the beginning of Lent we will discuss the meaning of Lent. Lent is a 40 day period before Easter
and a time to bring us closer to God, just as Jesus spent 40 days in the desert, reflecting and spending time in
prayer and drawing Himself closer to God. The Church encourages prayer, fasting and almsgiving during Lent as
ways we can turn our hearts and minds to God and think of all that Jesus gave up for us on the cross.
During this time we attempt to incorporate activities in our daily lives which strengthen us. Many people “give up”
something important to them for the 40 days of Lent, just as Jesus fasted for 40 days – they make a personal
sacrifice.
Lent begins with Ash Wednesday. On Ash Wednesday, ashes are placed the foreheads of people as a sign of
sorrow for sinning against God. Many believe the practice of placing ashes on the forehead began in 1091 A.D. by
the Roman Catholic Church. However, the custom of placing ashes on the forehead as a sign of repentance dates
back to Old Testament times: “So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting,
and in sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who
keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, we have sinned and done wrong. We
have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws.” Daniel 9:3-5.
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During today’s lesson we will encourage the children to commit to taking on something for this season of Lent.
Lesson Suggestions:
Younger Children (3 – 6 years):
Lesson Objectives:
 To learn about the temptation of Jesus
 To gain an understanding of the meaning of temptation
 To learn to say “sorry” when you have given into temptation and sinned
 To be introduced to the concept of Lent
Attention Grabber:
Give each child a few sweets e.g. smarties or chips or something else very tempting to eat! Say:”I
have given you each something very nice to eat, but no matter what I say or do, you may not eat
what I have given you!”
Begin to have a taste of your own snack. “Mmmm, this is really good. Why are you not eating
yours?”
“What if I look away, are any of you going to have a quick bite? Let’s try!” Look away and listen
for anyone who may be eating the snack.
Look back at them. “Who had a quick snack while I was not looking?” Respond with “well done”
or “oh dear”, depending on what happened.
“This game is now over – you may now eat your snack! What I have been trying to do is tempt
you. The word “tempt” means to try to get you to do something you have been told not to do.
Today we are going to learn how Jesus was tempted to do something wrong – do you think He
did it? Let’s listen to the story.”
Bible Story: The temptation of Jesus (Matt 4:1-11) – please be aware that this story can
be very scary for children. Some of them may not want to look at a picture of this story if it contains
an image of Satan. It is suggested that instead of reading the story in the Bible, you follow the
discussion below.
Discussion:
Earlier this year we learnt about Jesus being baptised – what do you remember? (Jesus went to the
River Jordan to be baptised by John the Baptist. As He was baptised, a dove came from Heaven and a
voice was heard saying, “This is my Son, whom I love. With Him I am well pleased. (Matt 3: 13-16)
Shortly after Jesus was baptised, He went into the desert for 40 days and 40 nights to be with God.
During this time, Jesus did not eat any food. He spent this time praying to God.
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While Jesus was in the desert He was tempted. Who can tell us what is meant by the word
“tempted”? (It means when you think about doing something you know you are not supposed to do
or you know is wrong)
Do you think it was God who was tempting Jesus? (No! God doesn’t want us to do wrong. It was the
devil or Satan who is always trying to keep us away from God and doing good)
How did the devil tempt Jesus? Well, Jesus was very hungry, so the devil suggested that Jesus
change the rocks around him into bread. Do you think Jesus did that? (No! – this was from the devil
and Jesus would never do something that the devil told Him to do)
So, Jesus did not do as the devil suggested. Jesus was perfect – He never did anything wrong.
We have learnt about a story before which told us about the devil or Satan – can you remember the
story? (If the children don’t know which story you are referring to, tell them there was a snake in the
story – the story of Adam and Eve. Briefly ask the children to retell the story of Adam and Eve. Adam
and Eve were tempted by the snake, which was really Satan, to eat the fruit from the Tree of
Knowledge. Did they do it? Yes!)
How do you think we can be more like Jesus and not do wrong? (We can try to follow in His
footsteps - We can read the Bible and go to Church to learn more about Jesus and what He would do;
we can pray to Jesus to ask Him to help us to always do good)
Do you know that just as there are 4 seasons in a year – Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring, so the
Church has seasons that we celebrate at different times of the year. Who knows what season the
Church is celebrating at the moment? (Lent)
Who knows what Lent is? (It is the 40 days before Easter, starting with Ash Wednesday. During this
time we remember the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert, praying to God and not eating any food.
During Lent, people try to follow what Jesus did in the desert by praying more or giving up something
that they really enjoy. What is something you really enjoy? During Lent people often give up
something like chocolate or watching television, or they may choose to use their pocket money to buy
something for someone needy)
If you think your children are old enough, encourage them to think about something they would like
to give up or take on during this Lent
Prayer: Before the prayer, ask the children if any of them attended the Ask Wednesday Service for
this Lent. Discuss that on Ash Wednesday, ash is put on each person’s forehead to remind us to be
sorry for all the bad things we have done – ask the children to think about all the bad things they
have done and encourage them to try to not do these bad things again.
Dear Lord Jesus. We are sorry for all the bad things we do. (Children can add to this). Help us to not
do these bad things again. Help us to follow you in all that we do. Help us to read our Bibles and
pray everyday and go to Church so that we can learn more about you and always do what is right.
Amen.
If you think your children know the Lord’s Prayer, then say it with them now.
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Song: I want to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
(Please note that if you are not familiar with this song, the tune can be found on the
internet. Alternatively choose a song that you know that follows the theme for this lesson)
I want to walk in the footsteps of Jesus
I want to walk in the footsteps of Jesus
He is the true and living way
I want to walk in the footsteps of Jesus
He’s my example everyday
Craft: Trace each child’s foot or use the print out at the end of this lesson. On the foot
print can be written, “I want to walk in the footsteps of Jesus”. If your children are old
enough to give up something or take on something for Lent, you can ask the children what
they intend doing and then include on the footprint, “This Lent I am going to ..........”
Ideas for giving up or taking on something could include giving up chocolate, watching less tv, trying
not to fight with sisters or brothers, bringing some of their pocket money each week for collection,
reading the Bible more. If your children do take on something for Lent, remember to ask them each
of the coming weeks if they have managed to do what they promised to do during Lent.
Perhaps the class could take on something together, such as bringing a few coins every week – at the
end of Lent, this money could be used to buy something for the needy.
The foot prints drawn this week can either be taken home by each child as a reminder of the lesson,
or they can all be stuck on a large poster or wall, making a path towards a cross.
Snack:
Pretzels -Please see the information regarding pretzels at the end of this lesson and discuss it with
the children
or
Pancakes – pancakes are associated with Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent. Traditionally they
were a way of using up rich foods such as eggs, milk and sugar before the fasting season of the 40
days of Lent. People were to eat plainer food and refrain from food that would give pleasure.
Physical activities: Play tug-of-war. Ask the children why we are playing this game – God is
trying to pull you in the direction of good and Satan in the direction of wrong
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Older children (7 – 13 years)
Lesson objectives:
 To learn about the temptation of Jesus
 To understand the difference between temptation and sin, and how to resist temptation
 To learn about the season of Lent and to encourage the children to commit to something for
Lent
Attention Grabber: Play a game of “Tug-of-war“
Today we will be looking at the fight between good and evil, which is like a tug of war.
Bible Story: The temptation of Jesus (Matt 4:1-11) – this can be read from any Bible
Review Questions:
1. Where was Jesus when He was tempted? (in the desert)
2. For how many days was Jesus tempted? (40 days and 40 nights)
3. What did Jesus do every time Satan tried to get Him to do wrong? (Jesus quoted a scripture
from the word of God)
Application Questions / Discussion
1. Perhaps re-read the Bible passage again. What stood out most for you during this passage?
(Give the children a chance to answer this question; Responses could possibly include: Jesus
knew His Bible; the angels attended Him – God is always with you)
2. True / False – God tempts people. (No! God doesn’t want us to do wrong. It is the devil or
Satan who is always trying to keep us away from God and doing good)
3. Why do you think it was necessary for Jesus to undergo temptation? (Temptation is part of
the human experience. For Jesus to be fully human, for Him to understand completely our
human nature, He had to face temptation)
4. What is the meaning of:
a)temptation? (It is the enticement to do wrong. It is when you think about doing something
you know you shouldn’t do
b) sin? (You do what you know you shouldn’t do. Note that temptation is NOT a sin –giving
into it is. Jesus was tempted but He never sinned.)
5. What temptations do you face? (Give the children some time to answer this question. Here
are a few example of temptation you can discuss with them.
1. There is a bowl of sweets on the table. Your mother notices that you are looking at the
sweets and says,” Don’t eat any of those sweets until after supper or you will spoil your
appetite.” The sweets look so good and the temptation is great! Surely just one little
bite won’t hurt – and mom will never know the difference!
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6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
2. “Put away your books and take out one sheet of paper and a pencil,” the teacher said.
“We are going to take our weekly spelling test”. You have an empty feeling in the pit of
your stomach. You knew that you were going to have a spelling test today, but you
watched TV last night and you are not ready for the test. As the test begins, you look
around the room and realise you have a clear view of your friend’s paper. “It won’t hurt
if I look at my friend’s paper just this once”, I think to myself. “I promise I’ll never do it
again....”
What other bible stories have we learnt about that deal with temptation? (The story of
Adam and Eve. The snake, which was really Satan, tempted Eve, and then Adam, to eat the
fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, which they both did. We also learnt about the Israelites in
the desert, who, while they were waiting for Moses to come down from Mount Sinai, were
tempted to worship a golden calf – they thought God had deserted them)
In the Old Testament stories, the people give into temptation. Why do you think they do?
(The people had forgotten the promises Goad had made with His people – they strayed away
from God.)
Why did Jesus not give into His temptation? (He was rooted in God. He saw evil for what it
was.)
How do you think we can resist temptation? (Read our Bible, pray, go to church; “Trust in the
Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” Proverbs 3:5)
Do you know that just as there are 4 seasons in a year – Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring, so
the Church has seasons that we celebrate at different times of the year. Who knows what
season the Church is celebrating at the moment? (Lent)
Who knows what Lent is? (It is the 40 days before Easter, starting with Ash Wednesday. Lent
is the time to prepare your heart and mind for Easter. Just as Jesus spent 40 days in the
desert fasting and praying, bringing Himself closer to God, so Lent is for us a time of fasting
and prayer to think about all that Jesus gave up for us on the cross. People choose to “give
up” something that is personally important to them for the period of Lent – they make a
personal sacrifice – a reminder again of what Jesus gave for us. Some people give up eating
meat, others sweets, or a favourite regular activity such as watching television! Others may
take something on such as alms giving – whatever we “give up”, the money we save can go
to the needy, or perhaps you may want to save a portion of your pocket money for the
needy. You can also give of your time and goods to those in need. Perhaps you want to take
on the commitment of praying and reading the Bible everyday, if you don’t do so already.
Encourage the children to “give up” or take something on this Lent. Perhaps even commit to
a class project e.g. prepare a set of Bible readings for the children to follow throughout the
time of Lent or perhaps collect money to put towards a group project).
What is happens at an Ash Wednesday service? Ashes are placed on people’s foreheads as a
sign of sorrow for sinning against God.
Did you know?
Ash Wednesday originated in Old Testament times. In Bible times, people who
repented of their sins sometimes wore sack cloth (rough, scratchy cloth) and dabbed
themselves with ashes or sat in ashes (Isaiah 58:5 and Deuteronomy 9:3; Jonah 3:6)
Craft: Make a pretzel. See the information at the end of this lesson regarding the
pretzel. If you do not have the time to make the dough for the pretzel in class, then perhaps have
dough ready for the children to shape. Pancakes are another option -Pancakes are associated with
Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent. Traditionally they were a way of using up rich foods such as
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eggs, milk and sugar before the fasting season of the 40 days of Lent. People were to eat plainer
food and refrain from food that would give pleasure.
Songs: I want to walk with Jesus Christ
(Please note that if you are not familiar with this song, the tune can be found on the
internet. Alternatively choose a song that you know that follows the theme for this lesson)
I want to walk with Jesus Christ
I want to walk with Jesus Christ
All the days I live of this life on earth
To give to Him complete control
Of body and of soul
Follow Him, follow Him, yield your life to Him
He has conquered death, He is King of kings
Accept the joy which He gives to those
Who yield their lives to Him
Worksheet: See end of lesson for: The number quiz!
Physical activity: Prepare a firm piece of board labelled the “Word of Truth”. Ball up some
socks. Have one student try to cross the room while the others throw socks at him / her. The
children can be all around this child, so that socks are thrown from all directions. Then give the
student the cardboard to use as a shield – label it, “The Word of God”. Discuss how it is easier to
navigate temptation with the Word of God on our side.
Prayer: God, our Father, I offer you today, all I think and do and say. I offer it with what was
done on earth by Jesus Christ, your Son.
Continue by praying the Lord’s Prayer, with particular emphasis on, “Lead us not into temptation”.
References:
http://www.sermons4kids.com
http://www.sundayschoolkids.com
http://sundayschoolsources.com
http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com
https://www.highlights.com/activities_for_parents_and_kids/recipes_from_high_five/how_to_mak
e_soft_pretzels
Life application bible: New International Version, Tyndale House Publishers and Zondervan
Publishers, 1991
Learning Centre for Advent and Lent, Doris Murphy, Twenty-third Publications, 2009
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The Legend of the Lenten Pretzel
Perhaps the easiest and most significant Lenten food custom is to serve a small pretzel to each
family member with meals during Lent. The pretzel is a symbol of prayer and fasting.
The pretzel was the Christian Lenten bread as far back as the fifth century. In the Roman Empire,
the faithful Christians kept a strict fast all through Lent: no butter, eggs, cheese, cream, or meat.
They ate bread made of water, flour and salt.
To remind themselves that Lent was a time of prayer, they shaped the bread into the form of arms,
crossed in prayer – in those days they crossed their arms over their chests while praying, as shown in
the diagram below.
Today in many European places, pretzels are served only from Ash Wednesday to Easter, thus
keeping the ancient symbolism alive.
Every time you see a pretzel, remember prayer!
Recipe for pretzels
(makes 3 large pretzels)
Ingredients:
10 g yeast – 1 small packet
1 tablespoon of sugar
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg (optional)
For topping: mixture of cinnamon and sugar or coarse salt or sesame seeds
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 2000C. (If you do not have the time or facilities at church to bake, then the
children can take their pretzel home on a paper plate, with instructions for baking.)
2. Sprinkle yeast onto ¾ cup of warm water. Add a tablespoon of sugar and stir. Let mixture
stand for a few minutes until the mixture foams.
3. Put flour and salt into a bowl. Add the yeast mixture and stir.
4. Now knead the dough until it is smooth – if too sticky, add a bit more flour.
5. Roll pieces of dough into ropes and make the shape of a pretzel
6. Beat an egg with a fork.
7. Brush pretzels with the beaten egg and sprinkle topping on.
8. Bake the pretzels for 15 min or until light brown
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Foot print for Younger children’s craft
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On the Mountain with God
(The Transfiguration)*
Second Sunday of Lent
1 March 2015
Reading: Mark 9:2-10
Theme: Jesus is God’s Son
Memory verse: “Jesus was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his
clothing became dazzling white.” Matthew 17:2. (Younger children)
“Jesus was transfigured before them and his face shone like the sun and his clothing became dazzling
white…and a bright cloud came over them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘this is my beloved Son,
and I am fully pleased with him. Listen to him.” Matthew 17:2, 5 (Older children)
Information for the teacher:
The transfiguration is an epiphany story; epiphany means a revelation of God. The revelation of the glory of God is
a theme that runs throughout the bible. It is a way in which God’s transcendent and hidden beauty is described
when it is revealed to human beings. When we read the account of the transfiguration we need to understand that
the gospel writers are not just describing an event, but rather they offer us the meaning of the experience through
vision and voice. In short, the transfiguration reveals Jesus’ true identity- He is God, and His mission- to bring the
Good News of God’s love that will be fulfilled in His death and then resurrection. For this reason the
Transfiguration of Jesus is an important feast of the Church.
At closer inspection of this event, the images that are often associated with the revelation of God’s glory are all
present. A mountain was for the Israelites, a place for a divine manifestation, and the ‘shekinah cloud’ symbolized
the presence of God. And so on Mount Tabor God’s light bursts forth from the body of Jesus, and He was
transfigured. It is here that the three disciples Peter, James and John, catch a glimpse of Jesus’ divinity, hidden in
the depths of his humanity. As Jesus went about Galilee his divinity was cloaked by his humanity, but here they
were overcome with the beauty and brilliance of the moment, this was not a surface thing, but an inner essence
shining through - God was in Jesus.
Symbolically, the appearance of Moses and Elijah represented the Law and the Prophets. God’s voice from heaven
– “Listen to Him!” - clearly showed that Jesus was the fulfilment of the law and the countless prophecies of the Old
Testament. Also, in His glorified form the disciples saw a preview of His coming glorification and enthronement as
King of kings and Lord of lords.
As the three disciples witnessed this, it all seemed too good to be true. Peter got so excited that he requested to
prolong the experience. He offered to build tents for Moses, Elijah and Jesus. Peter’s suggestion was almost
laughable, but it is also understandable. Peter knew he was in the midst of greatness and he wanted to capitalise
on it!
But God doesn’t want us to stay in the moment. He wants us to keep moving with His plans for us. Jesus knew
that He could not stay on the mountain. He came to die on the cross and He would not stop until He had saved the
human race from their bondage to sin.
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Here is a prayer for you as you prepare for this lesson: Lord, when I think about your awesome power and
greatness, I am humbled. Please forgive me when I fail to seek your face or hear your voice. Prepare the hearts of
these children, so that they will be ready to learn of your true brilliance. Amen
Lesson Suggestions:
Younger Children (3 – 6 years):
Lesson Objectives:
 Know: Jesus is God’s Son
 Feel: Feel awe at the glory of God
 Do: As followers of Jesus they are to behave in ways that reflect God’s glory.
Attention Grabber: Show the children a picture of Jesus.
Discuss with the children that over the past few weeks we have been learning many things about
Jesus. Ask them what they have learnt – Allow the children to contribute what they have learnt.
Discuss that the people had seen Jesus do amazing things – He had calmed a storm; He had
healed the sick. He was also a great teacher – He had taught how people should live. Most
importantly discuss that Jesus was God’s Son – during Jesus’ Baptism a voice from Heaven said.
“This is my Son whom I love.” (Make use of pictures from the Bible as you review these stories)
In today’s story, Jesus is going to do something very different. He is going to take 3 of His
disciples onto a mountain to show them something very special. Can you guess which 3 disciples
He is going to take?
Bible Story: Mark 9:2-10 – The Transfiguration of Jesus
Instead of reading the Bible story, perhaps dramatize as in the passage below. Encourage the
children to listen carefully because they are going to have to answer some questions about the
story.
Act like you are climbing a mountain. Have the children take some deep breaths and stomp their feet
like they are climbing.
“Jesus had twelve special friends, called disciples. One day, Jesus took three of his friends, Peter,
James and John, and they climbed a mountain. While they were there, Jesus’ face began to shine
brightly, like the sun! (Bring a torch and shine it on your face) And His clothes became white and
bright! It was an amazing sight. But that wasn’t all! Two men appeared there with Jesus—Moses
and Elijah. These were important men in the Bible. They were very close to God.
A cloud came down around the men and a voice came from the cloud—God’s voice! God said, “This
is my Son, who I love. Listen and obey Him!” When Peter, James and John heard God’s voice, they
were afraid and they fell to the ground. But Jesus encouraged them. He touched them and told
them to get up and not to be afraid. Then the disciples realized that they were alone with Jesus
again. Moses and Elijah were gone.
Wow! What an amazing experience for these three men.
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Review Questions:
(Show the children a picture of the Transfiguration as you discuss these questions)
1. Which three disciples did Jesus take with Him on the mountain (Peter, James and John)
2. What happened to Jesus while they were on the mountain? (His face shown and His clothes
became very bright, like the sun)
3. Which two men appeared with Jesus on the mountain? (Moses and Elijah – these were two
people from the Old Testament)
4. What did God say about Jesus? (“This is my Son, who I love. Listen to Him.)
Application Questions:
1. Moses and Elijah were 2 very special people from the Old Testament. Do you remember
what we learnt about Moses? (Allow the children to relate any story they know about
Moses. The Ten Commandments must be discussed)
2. What other stories have we learnt about when God’s voice is heard? (Moses and the burning
bush; Jesus’ Baptism)
Emotion Question:
1. How would you have felt if you have been on the mountain? (scared, amazed; God is
awesome and powerful)
Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, thank You for showing us that Jesus is Your Son. Thank You for
sending him to help us to be more like him in the way that we love others.
Craft:
1. The craft on pg 73 is very fun do to, but is probably too hard for the younger children – they
would require a lot of help from you. To make it easier, trace the image of Jesus onto white
paper – the children can add glitter to the image. The image can be cut out and placed on a
black piece of paper, shaped as an oval as seen in the original craft. You can write in gold
/silver pen: “Jesus is God’s Son”
2. A picture of the transfiguration can be found at the end of the lesson for the children to
colour.
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Songs: Sing songs of praise. Here are a few examples:
Lord I lift your name on high
Lord I lift your name on high
Lord I love to sing your praises
I’m so glad you’re in my life
I’m so glad you came to save us
You came from Heaven to Earth to
show the way
From the earth to the cross my
debt to pay
From the cross to the grave
From the grave to the sky
Lord I lift your name on high
Our God is an awesome God
Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from heaven above
With wisdom, power and love
Our God is an awesome God
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow
strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace
Older children (7 – 13 years)
Lesson objectives:
 Know: To develop an understanding that Jesus is God.
 Feel: To feel safe and secure knowing that God is with us today.
 Do: To listen to Jesus. This means that they hear and do, to carry on the work of Jesus, to be
like Jesus in their encounters with others.
Attention Grabber:
If someone asked you, “Who is Jesus, what would you say?” (Allow the children to answer this
question. Jesus was a good healer, told parables, calmed the storm, a good man – He was that and
so much more. Jesus is the Son of God! He took on human form so that he could show us how much
God loves us.
Then state that in today’s lesson, Jesus is going to reveal himself in his true form, as God, to three of
His disciples. We are going to come to know him more as God today. Let’s listen closely to find out
what it was like to see Jesus like this!
Bible Story: Matt 17:1-9 – The Transfiguration of Jesus
Perhaps use children who can read well to do a dramatic reading of the transfiguration of Jesus.
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Review questions
Which disciples were with Jesus on the mountain? (Peter, James and John)
What does it mean that Jesus was “transfigured” before them? (He was transformed or
changed; the transfiguration was a brief glimpse of the true glory of God)
What was different about Jesus when his appearance changed? (His face shone like the sun,
and His clothes became as white as the light.)
When Jesus was transfigured, who were the other two men that the disciples saw in their
glorified bodies? (Moses and Elijah)
What happened when the bright cloud overshadowed them? (Suddenly God’s voice came
out of the cloud, saying “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!”)
What did the disciples do when they heard God’s voice from the cloud? (They fell on their
faces in fear.)
How did this change in Jesus change Peter’s, James’ and John’s understanding of who he
was? (Jesus’ true nature as God shone through his human body. They realized that he was
God the Son.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Application Questions:
The Transfiguration is an Epiphany story. What does this mean? (A story where Jesus is
revealed as God; The Baptism of Jesus is another Epiphany story we learnt about earlier this
year)
Moses and Elijah are two very special people whose stories are told in the Old Testament.
Last year we learnt about Moses. Ask the children to briefly discuss what they remember
about the story of Moses – most importantly, the Ten Commandments must be mentioned.
What do you know about Elijah? (He was a prophet)
Moses represents the Law and Elijah the prophets. Why do you think these two people
appeared with Jesus on the mountain? (Jesus was the fulfilment of both the Old Testament
laws and the prophetic promises. He was the long awaited Messiah that everyone had been
waiting for.)
During the Transfiguration, God’s voice is heard. Which other lessons have we learnt about
where God’s voice is heard? (Moses and the burning bush; Jesus’ Baptism)
A mountain and a cloud for the Israelites represented the presence of God. Which Old
Testament story have we learnt about where there was both a mountain and a cloud? (The
Ten Commandments)
After hearing this story, what is your perception of God?
What has most struck you from today’s lesson?
How do you hear God’s voice? (Let the children share. Usually through reading the Bible,
prayer etc)
After that wonderful experience on the mountain Jesus and the disciples had to go back down and
resume the journey to Jerusalem. We too experience moments of light and joy when God gives us a
taste on earth of all the joy that is yet to come. These moments are given to us so that we can
remember them when God seems far away and everything seems dark and empty.
At the same time we have the wonderful experience of knowing Jesus and how He revealed God’s
love for us. We need to share this love by living lives that bring glory and honour to God. Share ideas
of how we can give glory and honour to God in our lives. (Respect and listen to God’s word, praise
God and make a difference in other lives by sharing Christ’s love)
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Prayer: The group can stand in a circle, each holding an unlit candle. You light your candle and
then the next, who will light the next and so on. As you light them recall how they are used referring
to the light they represent. Then remind them Jesus shines brighter than any of them or all of them
together.
When all the candles are lit sing the song Shine Jesus Shine.
Then say together the prayer of St. Ignatius of Loyola:
Fill us, we pray, Lord, with your light and life
That we may show your wondrous glory
Grant that your love may fill our lives
That we may count nothing too small to do for you
Nothing too much to give,
And nothing too hard to bear
Through Christ, our Lord
Amen
Craft: Transfiguration of Jesus sun-catcher – see end of lesson
Songs: Sing songs of praise. See the younger children’s section for some examples
Worksheet: A crossword and a word unscramble can be found at the end of this lesson
Answers to word scramble: bright, shine, face, voice, to change
Answers to crossword: 3 across: transfigured; 9 across: Moses; 2 down: voice; 4 down: afraid; 1 down: Jesus;
10 across: only; 8 across: risen; 7 across: Elijah; 6 down: restore; 5 down: understood
Extra activity: Look carefully at the picture of Jesus on pg 78. Is there more to this picture than
initially meets the eye? (You can see scenes of His life) Allow the children to discuss how they think
this picture relates to the lesson – a suggested response is that Jesus is not just a good person or a
prophet – He is the Son of God. The Transfiguration revealed His true glory! You may like to use this
picture as the Attention Grabber.
References:
www.catholicinspried.com
www.calvary-kids-pages.com
www.sermons4kids.com
www.missionarlington.org
Discipleland series, “Jesus amazes us”, Through the Bible Publishers
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TRANSFIGURATION OF JESUS ~ CRAFT
This "sun-catcher" is meant to resemble the transfiguration of Jesus. “His face shone like the sun,
and His clothes became as white as the light” Matt 17: 2
To make this craft you will need:
Image found on pg ..... printed on white cardboard. (You may want to enlarge this image)
Wax paper
Crayons or coloured pencils
Tape
Scissors
Instructions:
Colour the background behind Jesus - It can be as simple as rays of light to as detailed as a mountain
scene with clouds.
Now cut out the circle around the image as well as the image of Jesus.
Tape wax paper to the back so the light can shine through Jesus.
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Use string, tape or tack putty to hang it on a window or a light/lamp. Kids love shining a flashlight
through it too!!
Optional idea: To make it "gift quality" or sturdy enough for younger children to play with, you could
laminate it.
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Transfiguration
Word Jumble
Unscramble the four words and use the letters in the numbered boxes to solve
the puzzle. The solution will explain the meaning of the word transfiguration.
Copyright © Sermons 4 Kids, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Sermons4Kids.com
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THE TRANSFIGURATION
(MATTHEW 17:1-13)
3 ACROSS
9 ACROSS
2 DOWN
4 DOWN
1 DOWN
10 ACROSS
8 ACROSS
7 ACROSS
6 DOWN
5 DOWN
"Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, brought them up
on a high mountain by themselves, and was _____ before them..." MATTHEW 17:1-2
"And behold, _____ and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him." MATTHEW 17:3
"While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly
a _____ came out of the cloud, saying, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased. Hear Him!' "MATTHEW 17:5
"And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly _____."
MATTHEW 17:6
"But _____ came and touched them and said, 'Arise, and do not be afraid.' MATTHEW
17:7
"And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus _____.
MATTHEW 17:8
"Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, 'Tell the
vision to no one until the Son of Man is _____ from the dead.' MATTHEW 17:9
"And His disciples asked Him, saying, 'Why then do the scribes say that _____ must
come first?' MATTHEW 17:10
"Then Jesus answered and said to them, 'Elijah truly is coming first and will _____ all
things.' MATTHEW 17:11
"Then the disciples _____ that He spoke to them of John the Baptist."
MATTHEW 17:13
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77
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A New Commandment*
Third Sunday of Lent
8 March 2015
Reading: Matthew 22:36-40
Theme: Love for God and others
Memory verse: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind and love your
neighbour as yourself” (Matthew 22:37)
Information for the teacher:
Jewish scholars, such as the Pharisees, spent many hours debating with one another about which commandment
in the Law was the greatest or most important. A Pharisee put this question to Jesus in Matthew 22:34-46:
“Teacher which is the greatest commandment in the law?”
Jesus replied by quoting two commands, found in different parts of the law. First he quoted Deuteronomy 6:5,
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your mind and all your strength”. This was part of the
Shema, which was recited every day by Orthodox Jews, to remind them of the essence of their faith – God is one,
and must be served and loved with our whole being.
Then, Jesus quoted Leviticus 19:18 “You shall love your neighbour as you love yourself”.
Jesus was able to bring together the two ideas of loving God and loving fellow human beings. When we recognise
Jesus as God - revealing God to us; and human - God reaching out to us, we will be able to love both God and
humans as we should.
Jesus also went on to teach His disciples a New Commandment. “Love each another as I have loved you. Greater
love has no one than this that He lay down His life for His friends.” (John 15: 12, 13) The love that Jesus described
was revolutionary – to love others was not a new commandment, but to love as Jesus loved was. Jesus loved us
enough to give His life for us. His love was sacrificial and He is asking us to love to the same degree.
Let us ask God to fill us with a deep, genuine love for Him and for other people, so that our thinking and behaviour
will be pleasing to God.
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Lesson Suggestions:
Younger Children (3 – 6 years):
Lesson Objectives:
 To enable the children to explore what it means to love God and to love others.
 To encourage them to demonstrate this love on a daily basis.
Attention Grabber:
Play “Simon says”. Remind the children that last year we learnt about 2 rules we must follow.
Do they remember what they are? (We must love God and love everyone around us – Lesson on
the Ten Commandments, Term 1, 2015)
Bible Story: Matt 22: 36 -40 (The Greatest Commandment)
The Bible story for today may be too difficult for the younger children to grasp, especially the very
young. You could simply emphasize the verse, “Love the Lord you God with all your heart and soul
and mind, and love your neighbour as yourself”. You may instead want to go straight on to the
discussion on Love found below.
If you want to include a Bible story in this lesson, the story of the Good Samaritan can be used as a
good example of neighbourly love.
Discussion:
1. What do you think is meant by the word “love”? (Love is when you are nice to someone or if
you really like someone)
2. Ask the children when they feel loved.
3. Ask the children how they show love. (You can show love by helping others, giving to others,
hugging etc; love is a “doing” word – you do things for others to show your love)
4. Who do you love?
5. Who are we supposed to love? (Everyone! At this stage you could read the Story of the Good
Samaritan (Luke 10:29 -37) to the children or tell it to them in your own words. Ask them if
they would have helped the person who was hurt)
6. Do you love people who are not nice to you or say horrible things about you? (It’s not
always easy to love these people, but God says you must love everyone. So maybe try to get
to know them and you might start to find things about them that you like.)
7. Besides loving everyone around us, who else are we to love? (God)
8. How can we love God? (By worshipping, praying, doing good and loving others and His
Creation)
9. Do you think Jesus loves you? (Yes, the Bible tells us we are all precious to Him – sing “Jesus
loves me”)
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Craft: Bring magazines to class. The children can look for pictures of people to cut out.
Make a collage of people in the shape of a heart. Add to this poster, “Love the Lord your
God with all your heart and soul and mind and love your neighbour as yourself” Matt 22: 37,
38)
Snack: Decorate heart shaped cookies or use play dough to make heart shapes. Encourage
the children to give their cookies away as a sign of their love.
Songs: A number of songs to do with the theme of love can be found below. If you do not
know these songs, think of others that you do know which are suitable for this lesson. Bring
musical instruments such as drums and tambourines and have a special time worshipping
God.
Love the Lord your God
Love the Lord your God
with all your heart
and all your soul
and all your mind
and love all mankind as you love
yourself
and
Love
the Lord your God
with all your heart
and all your soul
and all your mind
and
We’ve got Christian lives to live
We’ve got Jesus love to give
One
two
– Jesus
loves me
We’ve
gotthree
nothing
to hide
Love
the
Lord
your
God
because in Him we have found love
God loves you
God loves you and I love you
And that’s the way it should be (X2)
We love each other like brother
and sister
And that’s the way it should be (X2)
You make me happy and I make
you happy
And that’s the way it should be (X2)
1-2-3 Jesus loves me
1-2-3
Jesus loves me
1-2
Jesus loves you
2-3-4
He loves you more
Than you’ve ever been loved before
5-6-7
I’m on my way to heaven
8-9
Jesus is mine
Now that we are up to 10
Let’s go back and sing it again
Jesus loves me
Jesus loves me this I know
For the Bible tells me so
Little ones to Him do come
They are weak but He is strong
Chorus:
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
The Bible tells me so
Jesus loves the little girls
With their bows and little curls
Jesus loves the little boys
Even though they make a noise
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Physical activities: If you think your children are old enough, encourage them to learn the
memory verse in a fun way, such as playing hopscotch and saying the memory verse at the same
time.
Prayer: Before the prayer for today, ask the children who they are going to show their love to
and how they are going to do it.
Pray: Dear Lord Jesus. Help us to love you with all of our hearts. (Get the children to add how we
can do that). Help us to love everyone around us. (Again get the children to add in how we can do
that.) We are sorry for the times we do not love enough. Amen
Older children (7 – 13 years)
Lesson objectives:
 To reflect on what it means to love God with all our being, and to love other people.
 To encourage them to demonstrate this love on a daily basis.
Attention Grabber: Revise Ten Commandments. Possibly mime a commandment and
ask them to guess which one you are miming, or refer to the lesson on the Ten Commandments
from Term 1, 2014 for ways to remember the 10 commandments.
Bible Story: Matt 22: 36 -40 (The Greatest Commandment)
Read this passage from the Bible
Review Question:
What did Jesus say was the Greatest Commandment? (The First and Greatest Commandment is
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and soul and mind.” The Second Commandment is “Love
your neighbour as yourself”
Discussion:
1. We learnt about the Ten Commandments last year. Do the 2 laws that Jesus spoke of
replace the Ten Commandments? (No, every other law of God is based on these 2
commandments. If you love God, would you ignore or speak badly about Him? All the laws,
such as “don’t steal” or “don’t envy” are based on loving God or loving man.)
2. A story is told of a famous Jewish teacher, who was asked by a young student to stand on
one leg and recite the law. The rabbi agreed, balanced on one leg and recited Deuteronomy
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5:6 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind”. Then he stood on two feet
and continued, “This is the whole law, and all the rest is commentary”. Do you agree with
this statement? Is there need to have more than just the First Commandment? (Allow the
children to give their views. If we love God, all the other laws and love for our neighbours
will fall into place – If we love God, we will love all that He loves, and that includes other
people and all of His Creation. If we really love God, then we will want to obey His
instructions. St. Augustine expressed a similar idea when he wrote “Love God, and do as you
like”. If we love God, we will like what He likes, and we will obey out of love, not out of fear.)
3. Ask the children what love is – how would they describe love? Here are some fun answers
which illustrate very well the meaning of love – this question was posed to a group of 4 -8
year olds:
“Love is when you go out and give somebody most of your french fries without making them
give you any of theirs” (Chrissy, age 6)
“When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over anymore and paint her
toenails, so my grandfather does it for all her the time, even when his hands got arthritis
too.” (Rebecca, age 8)
4.
5.
6.
7.
It is important for the children to understand that love is more than a warm fuzzy feeling. It
is an attitude that reveals itself in action -Love is a “doing” word. Love is listening to others,
helping, encouraging and giving.
Jesus went on to give a New Commandment. This can be found in John 13:34 and John 15:
12- 13. Ask the children to look for these verses in the bible. Explain to the children that to
love others was not a new commandment, but to love others as Jesus loved was
revolutionary. Jesus loved us enough to give His life for us. His life was sacrificial – He gave
up something for us – His life! We will hopefully never have to die for someone, but
examples of sacrificial love include putting others first, helping when it’s not convenient,
giving when it hurts, absorbing hurts from others, giving others the benefit of the doubt,
putting yourself in their shoes, forgiving others.
How can we show that we love God? (We show our love for God in our worship and prayer,
and in the way we love what God loves – His people and His Creation.)
When Jesus refers to loving a neighbour, who does He want us to love? (Everyone!! –
including the people we don’t like, or who don’t like us.)
What does it mean to love God with all your heart and strength and mind? (You can’t just
give yourself partly to God – you need to commit yourself fully in all that you do. God must
come first in all the decisions you make.)
Prayer:
Give the children some time to think of someone in particular who needs some love today. Ask
them to think what they can do to show this person their love. Perhaps encourage them to
share with the rest of the class, so that the children get ideas from each other.
Pray: Lord, you not only gave us a set of instructions to follow, but you came to us and lived an
ideal, sinless life as an example. Not only that, but you demonstrated your love by dying for us,
so that we could be forgiven for our sins.
Fill us with your love, for you and for other people, so that we will live lives pleasing to you.
Amen.
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Quiz! The questions found below can be placed at different spots on the church property.
Children need to run to each spot, answer the question and then move onto the next spot. The first
person to answer all the questions correctly is the winner. They can of course use their bibles to
answer these questions.
Questions:
1. What is the Bible verse found in Deuteronomy 6:5?
2. What is the Bible verse found in Leviticus 19:18?
3. What, according to Jesus, is the First and Greatest Commandment? (Matt 22:37)
4. What is the New Commandment? (John 13:34)
Crafts:
 Make a card for someone who needs love and encouragement. Take it to this person
after the lesson.
 The children can design a bookmark, based on one of the Bible verses for today.
Songs: A number of songs to do with the theme of love can be found below. If you do not
know these songs, think of others that you do know which are suitable for this lesson.
Love the Lord your God
Love the Lord your God
with all your heart
and all your soul
and all your mind
and love all mankind as you love
yourself
and
Love
the Lord your God
with all your heart
and all your soul
and all your mind
and
We’ve got Christian lives to live
We’ve got Jesus love to give
We’ve got nothing to hide
because in Him we have found love
A new Commandment
A new Commandment I give unto you,
That you love one another as I have
loved you,
That you love one another, as I have
loved you.
Chorus:
By this, shall all men know that you are
my disciples,
If you have love one to another (X2)
Behold what manner
Behold what manner of love the
Father has given unto us (X2)
That we should be called the sons
of God (X2)
If a man says he loves God,
He is a liar if he hateth his brother whom
he hath seen
For how can he love God whom he hath
not seen
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Memory Verse: Encourage the children to learn the First, Second and New Commandment
in a fun way. The song, “Love the Lord your God” is one such way. Here are some other
ideas:
1. If the children do not know the memory verse well, then write the memory verse on a
board. Ask the children to read the memory verse aloud. Then remove or cover a word at a
time and ask the children to read the verse and add the missing word. Remove another
word and continue until all the words are removed. The children should now be able to say
the verse from memory.
2. If the memory verse is well known, each child is given a card with one word from the
memory verse. The cards should be given out in a mixed-up order. The children need to
arrange themselves in a line to get the correct verse order.
3. Divide the children into groups. One person in the first group starts by saying the first word
of the memory verse and then one person from the second group says the second word.
The second person in the first group then says the third word of the memory verse and the
second person in the second group says the fourth word. This continues until the memory
verse is complete. If one of the groups makes a mistake, the game starts over, starting with
the next person in the group. The group that did not make a mistake can be awarded a
point.
References:
http://sundayschoolsources.com
Life application bible: New International Version, Tyndale House Publishers and Zondervan
Publishers, 1991
85
Remember me
(The Last Supper)
Fourth Sunday of Lent
15 March 2015
Reading: Mark 14: 17 -26
Theme: The Eucharist, remembering Jesus
Memory verse: “And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, gave it to them, saying, “This is my
body, broken for you; do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke22:19)
Information for the teacher:
This lesson once again, as part of our Lenten theme, shows the correlation of stories from the Old Testament with
stories from the New Testament.
Today we look at the events of Holy Week, which starts with the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm
Sunday in preparation for the Passover celebration. The lesson particularly emphasises the events of Maundy
Thursday - the Last Supper which Jesus shared with His disciples.
It was mandatory for all male Jews to go to Jerusalem for major feasts, and so Jesus made His way to Jerusalem.
The Passover meal that Jesus was sharing with His disciples was a celebration that Israelites took part in each year,
(and still do), where they were reminded of the time God saved them from slavery in Egypt. During Passover, it was
customary to sacrifice a male lamb which was not blemished as a reminder of the night the Jews were spared from
the Angel of Death by applying the blood of a spotless, innocent lamb to the doorpost of their homes as God
brought the people from slavery into freedom. The Old Covenant involved forgiveness of sins through the blood of
an animal sacrifice.
When Jesus was crucified, He became the spotless, unblemished lamb, whose body was broken for us and whose
blood was shed for us, so that through Him our sins may be forgiven and we may be forever reconciled with God.
Jesus’ death for us on the cross sealed a New Covenant between God and people.
During the Last Supper, in preparation for what was about to happen, Jesus gave new meaning to the bread and
wine, which was part of the Passover meal. From now on, the bread was to represent the body of Christ and the
wine His blood, shed for all so that our sins may be forgiven. Jesus asked His disciples to remember Him whenever
they shared in this meal.
During our Eucharistic service, we participate in the re-enactment of the Last Supper and share in the body and
blood of Christ whenever we take part in Communion. During Communion, we are reminded of what Jesus did for
us. We also believe that when we share Communion, there is Jesus, in the midst of us, and this unites and
strengthens our Christian community. (Matt 18:20) It is also during Communion that we renew our commitment to
serve Him.
There are many deeply symbolic aspects to Communion, which if people are aware of, make the whole experience
more meaningful and not just a ritual. Some of these aspects will be discussed during this lesson.
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Communion is a time of thanksgiving and unity, but it is also a time of reflection and solemness as we remember
the suffering and death of Jesus. During this lesson it is important to instil within the children an understanding
and reverence for what we do each week as we draw near to receive Communion.
Lesson Suggestions:
Younger Children (3 – 6 years):
Lesson Objectives:
 To learn about the events of the Holy Week, particularly the Last Supper
 To understand the link between Passover, the Last Supper and Communion
 To understand the meaning of Communion
 To feel thankful for what Jesus has done for us
Attention Grabber: Children will come into a room which has a white table cloth /
sheet on the floor, surrounded by cushions / pillows for the children to sit on. On the table cloth
will be bread / matzo crackers and a jug / goblet of grape juice. Ask the children if this reminds
them of anything. A party, Moses and the Israelites in the desert, Communion – any of these
responses are great and a good way to launch into the lesson for today.
Bible Story: Palm Sunday and the Last Supper (Mark 11:1 – 10, Mark 14: 1-2, 10 -11,
12-16, 17- 26)
As you prepare for the lesson, read through each of the above readings, but it is suggested that for
today, you tell the story in your own words, rather than reading to the children from the Bible.
Discuss each of the events with the children, encouraging them to participate wherever possible.
Remember to use pictures as you tell the story.
Seat the children around the table cloth and then start by reminding the children of the story of
Moses and how God had saved His people from slavery in Egypt. Refer back to the Lesson “Free at
Last” from this series of lessons, Term 4, Year A, covered last year. As mentioned in the lesson on
the Passover last year, the little children may be sensitive to some of the content of this story,
especially the concept of death, so do use your discretion as to how much detail you choose to
discuss.
What is important for the children to know is that every year after God had saved His people from
slavery, they remembered this by having a feast. Every year, God’s people would make their way to
Jerusalem to have this feast. And so Jesus made His way to Jerusalem.
Show the children a picture of Jesus entering Jerusalem, riding on a donkey. This day is now known
as Palm Sunday as everyone greeted Him with palms as He arrived. Why did they do this? (Jesus was
their King, the Son of God, the person who had come to save them)
Sing: “We have a king who rides a donkey” or “Hosanna” or some other appropriate song of praise
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We have a King who rides a donkey!
(Tune: What shall we do with the
drunken sailor)
We have a King who rides a donkey,
We have a King who rides a donkey,
We have a King who rides a donkey,
And his name is Jesus.
Chorus:
Jesus the King is risen!
Jesus the King is risen!
Jesus the King is risen!
Early in the morning.
Hosanna
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the
highest (x2)
Lord we lift up your name, with our
hearts full of praise
Be exalted, O Lord our God
Hosanna in the highest.
Trees are waving a royal welcome,
Trees are waving a royal welcome,
Trees are waving a royal welcome,
For the King called Jesus.
We have a King who cares for people,
We have a King who cares for people,
We have a King who cares for people,
And His name is Jesus
Then go on to discuss the preparation for the feast – how the disciples needed to find a room in
which to feast.
Discuss the feast which Jesus shared with His disciples. Ask the children if they remember how many
disciples there were and some of their names. Show them a picture of this feast – an image of a
famous painting depicting the last supper can be found at the end of this lesson, as well as the
names of the disciples.
Discuss that very sadly, there was one disciple who had done something that was not good – there
were some people who did not like what Jesus had been teaching and wanted to arrest Him (and
have Him killed). This disciple agreed to help these people find Jesus – do you know who this
disciple was? (Judas Iscariot)
How much was he paid for helping these people? (30 pieces of silver)
Jesus knew who this disciple was. How did Jesus show the other disciples who this disciple was?
(Jesus said, “The one who dips bread into the bowl with me will betray me”. Judas did this)
Do you know what happened after this feast? (Shortly after this meal, Jesus went to the Garden of
Gethsemane to pray, where He was found by Judas, who kissed Him to show the men sent to arrest
Jesus who He was. Jesus was taken to Pontius Pilate who agreed to let Him die on a cross. The good
news is that Jesus rose again after 3 days – this is what we celebrate at Easter.)
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Application Questions:
(Perhaps only do with the slightly older children)
1. The meal that Jesus and His disciples shared would have included matzos. Why? (The feast was
to remind them of the time Moses and the Israelites left Egypt. They ate matzos which is a
bread with no yeast – no yeast was put into the bread because they had to leave Egypt in a
hurry, and there was not enough time for the yeast to rise)
2. During the dinner Jesus and His disciples would have eaten a meal, sang psalms, read scriptures
and prayed. What does this remind you of? (Church)
3. At the dinner, Jesus took the bread that was on the table and said, “This is my body, broken for
you”. He then took the wine and said, “This is my blood, shed for you”. Does this remind you of
anything? (Communion)
4. Why did Jesus say these words? (Jesus knew He was about to die on the cross for our sins)
5. This feast that Jesus had with His disciples is known as the Last Supper. Why? (It was the last
supper Jesus had with His disciples before He died on the cross)
Prayer: We are now going to pretend we are at the feast Jesus had with His disciples. Do you
know we do this every week when we go into church for Communion? Before Communion, it is
important to say we are sorry for all the bad things we have done. Let’s say a little prayer like that
now.
Pass the bread and grape juice around for the children to share, just like the disciples did at their
feast. Jesus said, “Whenever you eat this bread or drink from this cup, remember me and what I did
for you”
After the children have shared in the feast, say the following prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus. We thank you that you died on the cross so that our sins may be forgiven. Help us
to always shine as a light in the world for you and do as you would like us to do. Amen
Craft: A picture of the Last Supper can be found at the end of the lesson for the children
to colour in. Because the picture is so long, the picture has been split into two parts. The children
need to cut along the line which separates the two parts and then paste the two parts together. The
arm of Jesus in the lower diagram overlaps with his arm in the above diagram.
This craft is based on the famous painting of the Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci, an Italian painter.
Use this craft as an opportunity to remind the children of some of the disciples and ask them which
disciple they think each picture represents. This is just for fun! For more information on this
painting and which disciple is thought to be depicted by each image, see the end of this lesson.
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Snack: Make Matzah (unleavened bread)
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
⅓ cup water
½ teaspoon salt
Method:
1. Wash hands! Preferably give each child their own portion of ingredients – This recipe can
make 4 pieces of matzah.
2. If you have the time and facilities to bake the matzah at church, preheat the oven to 2450C
and put a baking sheet into the oven, onto a rack which is near the top of the oven, else the
children can take their unleavened bread home on a paper plate with instructions for
baking.
3. Place the flour in a mixing bowl and gradually add the water. Mix the flour and water until
the dough forms a ball.
4. Knead the dough for a few minutes.
5. Roll or pat the dough into a “pancake” shape – the bread should be very thin.
6. Using a fork, pierce the bread a few times.
7. If baking at church, remove the baking sheet from the oven, and place the matzah on the
baking sheet.
8. Bake for 2 min; turn the breads over and bake for an additional 2 minutes, or until the
matzah are lightly browned and crisp.
9. Transfer to a wire rack and cool.
Song: Sing a song to help the children remember the disciple’s names:
Jesus called them one by one
(Tune: Jesus loves me this I know)
Jesus called them one by one,
Peter, Andrew, James and John,
Next came Phillip, Thomas too,
Matthew and Bartholomew.
Yes, Jesus called them,
Yes, Jesus called them,
Yes, Jesus called them,
James, the one they called the less,
Simon also Thaddaeus,
The twelfth apostle Judas made,
Jesus was by him betrayed.
Yes, Jesus called them,
Yes, Jesus called them,
Yes, Jesus called them,
He called them one by one.
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Older children (7 – 13 years)
Lesson objectives:
 To learn about the events of the Holy Week, particularly the Last Supper
 To understand the link between Passover, the Last Supper and Communion
 To understand the meaning of Communion
 To feel thankful for what Jesus has done for us
 To commit to attending church as often as possible to share in the Eucharist
Attention Grabber: Children will come into a room which has a white table cloth /
sheet on the floor, surrounded by cushions / pillows for the children to sit on. On the table cloth
will be bread / matzos and a jug / goblet of grape juice. Ask the children if this reminds them of
anything. A party, a Passover meal, Communion – any of these responses are great and a good
way to launch into the lesson for today.
Bible Story: Palm Sunday and the Last Supper - Mark 14: 1-2, 10 -11, 12-16, 17- 26
Read through the passages with the children.
Review Questions:
1. The story for today forms part of the last week of Jesus’ life on earth. What time of the year
was it? We know this week as Holy Week. (Passover – all male Jews had to make their way
to Jerusalem for major feasts)
2. What happened on the Sunday of this week – the first day of Holy week? (Jesus had entered
Jerusalem, riding on a donkey – this is now known as Palm Sunday. Refer to Mark 11: 1-10)
3. The story we have learnt about today happened on the Thursday of that week. What is the
Thursday in Holy week known as? (Maundy Thursday)
4. Where did Jesus share the Passover meal with His disciples? (In the Upper Room – many
homes had large upstairs rooms, sometimes with stairways both inside and outside the
house)
5. In this story we learn of a disciple who betrayed Jesus.
 Who was this disciple? (Judas Iscariot)
 What does betray mean? (It means when you provide information; reveal something; it
has to do with destroying someone’s trust; it can also mean “helping the enemy”)
 How did this disciple betray Jesus? (He agreed to help the people who didn’t like what
Jesus was teaching)
 How did this disciple indicate he was the betrayer at the Last Supper? (Jesus said, “The
one who dips bread into the bowl with me will betray me”. Judas did this)
6. This meal that Jesus shared with His disciples is known as the Last Supper. Why was this the
last time Jesus was to share a meal with His disciples? (Shortly after this meal, Jesus would
go to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray, where He would be betrayed by Judas who would
kiss Jesus to identify who He was. Jesus would be arrested and taken to Pontius Pilate where
He would be condemned to death. We will find out more about this in our next lesson)
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Discussion and Application:
(You may need to remove some of these questions from your discussion if you sense that it is too
long for the children)
1. Refer to the meal which has been set up as an Attention Grabber for this lesson - does this
meal we have in front of us remind you of the Passover meal? How? (Unleavened bread
and wine (grape juice) are an integral part of the Passover meal – the Passover meal was
discussed in this series of lessons in Term 4, Year A)
2. In the story today, Jesus and His disciples were celebrating the Passover –what would have
been served as part of the meal that night? (Unleavened bread, wine, lamb, herbs and
sauces – see the Lesson, “Free at last” from this series of lessons, Term 4, Year A for more
detail.
3. During this time together, Jesus and His disciples would have eaten a meal, sang psalms,
read scriptures and prayed. What does this remind you of? (Church)
4. Why were Jesus and His disciples sharing in a Passover meal? (Each year the Israelites were
reminded of the time God saved them from slavery in Egypt. Briefly discuss and remind the
children about the story of Moses and the Passover, but don’t spend too much time on this)
5. That night, Jesus gave new meaning to the bread and wine. What did He say? (He took the
bread saying, “This is my body, broken for you”; He took the wine saying, “This is my blood,
shed for you. Whenever you do this, do this in remembrance of me.”)
6. What do you think Jesus meant by the words, “This is my body, shed for you” and “This is my
blood, shed for you”? (Jesus was preparing His disciples for what was about to happen.
Jesus was about to die on the cross for our sins – He was, in fact, about to become the new
sacrificial lamb. During Passover, it was customary to sacrifice a male lamb which was not
blemished as a reminder of the night the Jews were spared from the Angel of Death by
applying the blood of a spotless, innocent lamb to the doorpost of their homes as God
brought the people from slavery into freedom. Furthermore, the forgiveness of sins involved
an animal sacrifice.
When Jesus was crucified, He became the spotless, unblemished lamb, whose body was
broken for us and whose blood was shed for us, so that through Him our sins may be forgiven
and we may be forever reconciled with God.)
7. Every week in Church we are reminded of the Last Supper. What is this known as?
(Communion or the Eucharist)
8. What happens during Communion? (We are reminded that Jesus died for us)
9. Where does the word “Communion” come from? (The word “Communion” comes from the
Greek word, “koinonia”, which means “community”. When we have communion, there is
unity in the body of Christ and Jesus is there in the midst of us.)
10. Communion is also known as the “Eucharist”. What does the word Eucharist mean? (The
word “Eucharist” comes from the Greek word, “Eucharistesas”, meaning “thanksgiving”. We
celebrate that our Lord is victorious, triumphing not only over death but over the evil one of
all time. And so Communion is also a time of joy and celebration)
Communion is also sometimes known as the Lord’s Supper and reminds us of the last supper
Jesus shared with His disciples just before His death. We should therefore be sombre as we
receive Communion and we remember what Jesus did for us.
Did you know?
There are many symbolic aspects to Communion, which if you know about, makes
the whole experience more meaningful. For example, did you know that the wine is
actually a mixture of water and wine. The water and wine reminds us of the water
and blood that flowed from the pierced side of Jesus. The water also represents 92
humanity and wine represents deity. During communion, deity and humanity meet
– God in us and us in God. The water and wine are mixed by the priest after the
Peace has been said, usually while a song is being sung.
Prayer: Before receiving Communion, it is important to think of anything we have done or
thought that was wrong and also what good we have not done, especially over the past week. (Give
the children some time to think on these things).
During a service we confess our sins using the prayer that follows – one should never take
communion if you bear a grudge or haven’t forgiven someone. Say this prayer with the children.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father
In penitence we confess
That we have sinned against you
Through our own fault
In thought, word and deed
And in what we have left undone.
For the sake of your Son, Christ our Lord
Forgive us all that is past
And grant that we may serve you in newness of life
To the glory of your name
Amen
As a class, you may like to now pass around the bread and grape juice for each child to share.
Remind the children that when we partake in Communion we do this in remembrance of what Christ
did for us. After receiving the bread and wine (grape juice in this case), the children can be
encouraged to say a little prayer of thanks and quietly think of God’s love for us.
A song can be sung or played at this stage. Here is an example of a very appropriate song to sing:
One Bread, One Body
One bread, one Body
One Lord of all
One cup of blessing which we share
And we, though many, throughout
the world
We are one body in this one Lord
Ask the children to contribute to the final prayer, focussing on what has been discussed today.
Thank Jesus that He died for us that our sins may be forgiven. Pray that we may continue to follow
Jesus in all that we do – “Send us out into the world in the power of the Holy Spirit to live and work
to God’s praise and glory!” Amen
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Craft: Jesus in the Holy Eucharist craft
The templates for this craft are available at the end of this lesson.
1. Print out the host template. Cut out and fold host so that it opens like a door with the picture of
Jesus inside, as shown in the diagram above.
2. Print out template of the chalice. Cut out template. Fold a yellow piece of construction paper in
half and put the flat side of the chalice template on the folded edge. Trace around template and cut
out. When you open it you will have a complete chalice. Be sure to draw in the top part of the
chalice.
3. Glue chalice to your background paper and let your child decorate it with crayons, markers, glitter,
plastic jewels, sequins, etc.
4. Glue host above the chalice making sure the door opens the correct way. You can also draw a
cross on the outside of the host.
A slight modification to the above craft, but perhaps even more meaningful is the following craft:
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If you look carefully at the negative space, the black should look like 2 faces facing each other! This
emphasises that communion is the unity of the body, the fellowship that believers share through
God’s spirit.
A copy of this picture can also be found at the end of the lesson. You could give each child the
outline of the chalice to then stick on a piece of black paper to get the overall effect. The children
could then go on to add the host and decorate the chalice as done in the above craft.
This craft could be used to make a book mark for a bible.
References:
http://catholicblogger1.blogspot.com/2011/04/21-holy-communion.html
http://www.catholicicing.com/host-and-chalice-craft-for-catholic-kids/
http://www.sundayschoolkids.com/activities-lent-easter/1-last-supper-1-instru.htm
http://ministry-to-children.com/preschool-bible-lesson-the-last-supper/
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Supper_(Leonardo_da_Vinci)
http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/passover.html
http://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/matzah
Life application bible: New International Version, Tyndale House Publishers and Zondervan
Publishers, 1991
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Useful Terminology
(A diagram showing all the items listed below, and the order in which the items are
placed on the chalice can be found on the next page. If you discuss this with the children
you can encourage them to look out for all these items during the Communion Service.
Sacristans are people who are responsible for getting everything ready for the
communion service – it could be a worthwhile experience to arrange to meet with a
Sacristan to more fully understand all that goes into preparing for a Communion service)
Chalice: Cup that wine is placed in
Purificator: A “napkin” used to clean the chalice and paten after Communion
Paten: A small circular plate used for the blessed bread
Host: The wafer that represents the body of Christ
Chalice Pall: The chalice pall has the same function as a funeral pall – it is to cover the
paten.
Chalice veil: Draped over the entire “assembly” so that the embroidered symbol, if it has
one, is facing the congregation. The chalice veil is a large square cloth, sometimes the
colour of the liturgical season.
Corporal: “Corporal” comes from the Latin word “corpus”, meaning body. It is a large
piece of linen folded and kept in the burse. It is used to catch any crumbs from the host
and is spread on the altar during communion.
Did you know?
It is important to note that once the bread and wine is consecrated, none may go to waste.
All wafers and wine need to be consumed – nothing may be thrown away, hence the need
for the corporal to collect any crumbs that may fall. The water used to wash the items
once communion is complete may not be thrown down the drain – it should instead be
poured over the earth.
Ciborium: Cup used to hold the blessed bread
Cruets: Small jugs used to pour water and wine
Levabo towel: “lava” comes from the Latin word meaning “wash”. This is the towel used
by the priest to dry his hands after washing, before the consecration of the host during the
Communion service
A picture of the Chalice and Paten can be found at the end of this lesson
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The Last Supper
(Leoanard Da Vinci)
The Last Supper (Italian: Il Cenacolo or L'Ultima Cena) is a late 15th-century mural painting
by Leonardo da Vinci. It is one of the world's most famous paintings, and one of the most studied,
scrutinized, and satirized.[1]
The painting represents the scene of The Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples, as it is told in
the Gospel of John, 13:21. Leonardo has depicted the consternation that occurred among the Twelve
Disciples when Jesus announced that one of them would betray him.
The Last Supper measures 460 cm × 880 cm (180 in × 350 in) and covers an end wall of the dining
hall at the monastery of Santa Maria delle Graziein Milan, Italy.
The Last Supper specifically portrays the reaction given by each apostle when Jesus said one of them
would betray him. All twelve apostles have different reactions to the news, with various degrees of
anger and shock.
The apostles are identified from a manuscript[7] (The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci p. 232) with
their names found in the 19th century. (Before this, only Judas, Peter, John and Jesus were positively
identified.) From left to right, according to the apostles' heads:
 Bartholomew, James, son of Alphaeus and Andrew form a group of three, all are surprised.
 Judas Iscariot, Peter and John form another group of three. Judas is wearing green and blue
and is in shadow, looking rather withdrawn and taken aback by the sudden revelation of his
plan. He is clutching a small bag, perhaps signifying the silver given to him as payment to
betray Jesus, or perhaps a reference to his role within the 12 disciples as treasurer.[8] He is
also tipping over the salt cellar. This may be related to the near-Eastern expression to
"betray the salt" meaning to betray one's Master. He is the only person to have his elbow on
the table and his head is also horizontally the lowest of anyone in the painting. Peter looks
angry and is holding a knife pointed away from Christ, perhaps foreshadowing his violent
reaction in Gethsemane during Jesus' arrest. The youngest apostle, John, appears to swoon.
 Jesus.
 Apostle Thomas, James the Greater and Philip are the next group of three. Thomas is clearly
upset; the raised index finger foreshadows his Incredulity of the Resurrection. James the
Greater looks stunned, with his arms in the air. Meanwhile, Philip appears to be requesting
some explanation.
 Matthew, Jude Thaddeus and Simon the Zealot are the final group of three. Both Jude
Thaddeus and Matthew are turned toward Simon, perhaps to find out if he has any answer
to their initial questions.
In common with other depictions of The Last Supper from this period, Leonardo seats the diners on
one side of the table, so that none of them has his back to the viewer. Most previous depictions
excluded Judas by placing him alone on the opposite side of the table from the other eleven disciples
and Jesus or placing halos around all the disciples except Judas. Leonardo instead has Judas lean
back into shadow. Jesus is predicting that his betrayer will take the bread at the same time he does
to Saints Thomas and James to his left, who react in horror as Jesus points with his left hand to a
piece of bread before them. Distracted by the conversation between John and Peter, Judas reaches
for a different piece of bread not noticing Jesus too stretching out with his right hand towards it
(Matthew 26: 23). The angles and lighting draw attention to Jesus, whose head is located at
the vanishing point for all perspective lines.
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The painting contains several references to the number 3, which represents the Christian belief in
the Holy Trinity. The Apostles are seated in groupings of three; there are three windows behind
Jesus; and the shape of Jesus' figure resembles a triangle. There may have been other references
that have since been lost as the painting deteriorated.
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How the Passover Reveals Jesus Christ
by Rich Deem
The festival of the Passover has been celebrated by Jews for thousands of years. It is the
retelling of the great story of how God redeemed the Jewish nation from enslavement in
Egypt.1 The celebration itself was given to the Jews while they were still in Egypt. 2 The
original celebration centred round the Passover lamb, which was sacrificed and its blood
put over the doorposts as a sign of faith, so that the Lord passed over the houses of the
Jews during the last plague poured out on the Egyptians - the killing of every
firstborn.3 To a large degree, the Passover lamb has been eliminated from the Passover
festival (with the only remnant being the roasted lamb shank bone). 4 The New
Testament says that Jesus is our sacrificial Lamb.5 The Passover lamb was to be a "male
without defect,"6 which is the same description given to Jesus.7 In addition, when the
lamb was roasted and eaten, none of its bones were to be broken.8 This fact was also
prophesized for the Messiah, whose bones were not to be broken.9 It was customary
during crucifixion to break the leg bones of the person after a few hours in order to
hasten their death. The only way a person could breathe when hanging on a cross was to
push up with his legs, which was very exhausting. By breaking the legs, death followed
soon by asphyxiation. However, in the case of Jesus, they broke the legs of the other
two men, but did not break His, since He was already dead.10
Much of the symbolism of Jesus' last Passover week is lost to us because we are
unaware of the customs of the time. For example, Jesus came into the city of Jerusalem
five days before the lamb was killed in the temple as the Passover sacrifice for the sins
of the people of Israel. Five days before the lamb was to be sacrificed, it was chosen.
Therefore, Jesus entered Jerusalem on lamb selection day as the lamb of God. 11 The
people did not understand the significance of this, since they greeted Him with palm
branches12 and hailed Him as King,13 shouting "Hosanna,"14 which means "save us."
However, they were not looking for a spiritual Savior, but a political savior. Palm
branches were a symbol of freedom and defiance, since Simon Maccabeus had entered
Jerusalem with that symbolism.15 Jesus' reaction was to weep,16since He realized that
they did not understand the Messiah's purpose in coming.
The day Jesus was crucified was the day of the Passover celebration and the day that the
Passover lamb was to be sacrificed. For the previous 1,200 years, the priest would blow
the shophar (ram's horn) at 3:00 p.m. - the moment the lamb was sacrificed, and all the
people would pause to contemplate the sacrifice for sins on behalf of the people of
Israel. At 3:00,17 when Jesus was being crucified, He said, "It is finished"18 - at the
moment that the Passover lamb was sacrificed and the shophar was blown from the
Temple. The sacrifice of the lamb of God was fulfilled at the hour that the symbolic
animal sacrifice usually took place. At the same time, the veil of the Temple (a threeinch thick, several story high cloth that demarked the Holy of Holies 19) tore from top to
bottom20 - representing a removal of the separation between God and man. Fifty days
later, on the anniversary of the giving of the law (Pentecost), God left the earthly temple
to inhabit those who call on the name of Jesus through His Holy Spirit. 21
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The story of salvation
Fifth Sunday of Lent
22 March 2015
Readings: Mark 15: 1-41
Themes: God’s amazing love for us
Memory verses:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that whoever believes in him may not die
but have eternal life” (John 3:16)
“For by the death of Christ we are set free, that our sins are forgiven.”(Eph 1:7)
Information for the teacher:
This lesson is the culmination of our Lenten series of lessons where we have focussed on some of the
themes running through both the Old and New Testament. Meanings of words such as meaning of
salvation, atonement, sacrifice and reconciliation will be explored. The younger children will be given a
brief over view of the story of salvation from Creation to Jesus’ death and resurrection. It is hoped that
by the end of the lesson, the children will be able to make more sense of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
In Old Testament times, there was a ceremony held once-a-year called the Day of Atonement which is
the most solemn day in the Jewish calendar. Atonement means to remove the guilt of man. It was the
only day in which the High Priest would enter the ‘Holy of Holies’ in the Tabernacle in order to make an
atoning sacrifice for the sins of the people. He had to pass through a thick curtain which formed a
barrier between the people and God. An animal was usually sacrificed and its blood shed. A goat was
then released into the wild i.e. a scapegoat to symbolically take away people’s sins. In this way, there
was reconciliation between the people and God. This day served as a reminder that the daily, weekly
and monthly sacrifices could cover sins only temporarily. It pointed toward Jesus Christ, the perfect
atonement, who could remove sins forever. Jesus came to reconcile humankind to God and there is no
longer the need for animals to be sacrificed for the forgiveness of sins.
The term ‘salvation’ suggests that there has to be a Saviour or someone who saves or sets us free. In
this case, Jesus is our Saviour who sets us free from our sins. God has always provided a way for
humankind to come back into harmonious relation with Him. From the first stories in Genesis to the
last visions of Revelations, God seeks to reconcile His people to Himself. In the Old Testament, animal
sacrifice for salvation and reconciliation was customary whereas, in the New Testament, Jesus was the
ultimate sacrifice. Our salvation cannot be earned but instead, it’s a free gift from God through his Son
Jesus Christ.
The word ‘reconciliation’ is a very familiar word in South Africa. It suggests that a relationship has been
broken and it needs to be mended. In this case, through sin and evil, humankind’s relationship with God
was broken and Jesus came to reconcile us to God. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only
Son, so that whoever believes in him may not die but have eternal life” (John 3:16)
In presenting the lesson, we need to get the children to understand that our response to this
overwhelming love from God is to change our ways and live a life that is pleasing to God. Perhaps the
best indication of how we should respond could be found in the hymn, ‘When I survey the wondrous
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cross’ which ends,” Love so amazing, so divine demands my soul, my life, my all”.
Lesson Suggestions:
Younger Children (3 – 6 years):
Lesson Objectives:
 To teach the story of salvation
 To remind the children that God loves us so much that he sent his only Son to die for our
sins.
 To encourage the children to try to live a life that is pleasing to God.
Attention Grabber:
Briefly revise the events of Holy Week ending with Jesus death and resurrection. Use the pictures of
a Children’s Bible to aid you with this discussion. Why did Jesus have to die? – that is what today’s
lesson is about.
Bible Story:
Get the children to sit in a circle. Play ‘Pass the parcel’. When preparing the parcel, the present,
which can be a packet of jelly tots, must be wrapped in coloured paper in the following order: green,
white, red, gold, black and another layer of green paper. The parcel will be passed around the group
to music. When the music stops, each wrapping has an explanation.
Green: Ask the children to name some of the things around us that are green, then briefly remind
them of the Creation story. Tell them that God created a beautiful, perfect world for us to live in
with lovely plants, flowers, animals etc. Human beings were created to have a relationship with God.
Black: Ask the children what they think of when they think of the colour black. Answers such as evil
or darkness may be mentioned. Ask them if they remember the story of Adam and Eve and the
snake. Get them to recall the story.
Continue by saying that we are told that sin/evil entered the world when Adam and Eve disobeyed
God. God doesn’t like it when His people sin – He created a perfect world and doesn’t want people
to do bad things. God gave His people the 10 commandments and other rules which explained how
they were to live but still they did bad things. Special people called prophets, with special messages
also warned God’s people and told them to stop doing bad things but they did not. Now let’s see
what happens next.
Play the music again then stop.
Gold: Ask the children what they think of when they think of the colour gold. Answers such as
money, rings, jewellery may come up. Ask them if they recall the visit of the Wise Men to the baby
Jesus and the first gift they brought. Remind them that the reason why they brought gold was to
show that this baby was going to be a King. This Jesus, who is the Son of God was sent on a special
mission – to save God’s people from their sins and show them how to be good.
Red: Blood! What does this colour remind you of?
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God sent His only Son, Jesus to show us how to live - how to live a perfect life and not to do bad
things. But some people did not like what He told them and did not believe what he was saying. So
what did they do to Jesus? They killed Him. They nailed Him to a cross and they crucified Him –
Jesus died. Did He stay dead? No, after 3 days He was alive again – isn’t that amazing?
What happens next? Let’s unwrap the next layer.
White: clean!
White is the colour of Easter, when we celebrate Jesus rising again from the dead. The big word for
this is ‘resurrection’ (Get the children to repeat the word slowly). So, there is hope for all of us. Even
though we do bad things, God still loves us! He forgives us of our sins and makes us clean.
Unwrap the next layer.
Green: “Grass, growth, getting big.” Green is also a symbol of new life.
God hopes that we will grow to be more like Jesus and do good things, not bad things. What are
some of the good things we can do? How can we learn to be more like Jesus?
Now share the packet of sweets and ask the children to identify all the colours in the story. As
they find them, remind them of what each colour means.
Prayer: Dear God. Thank you for the beautiful world you have created. (Give the children a
chance to mention any of the beautiful things God has created). We are sorry for all the bad things
we do. (Again give the children a chance to mention any bad things). Thank you that you love us so
much that you sent Jesus into the world to show us how to live and to die on the cross for our sins.
Please help us to become more like Jesus in everything we do. Amen.
Craft:
1. Make a book mark in the shape of a cross. Ask the children to colour in the bookmark
using the colours of the salvation story we have just discussed: green, black, gold, red
and white. On the back of the book mark write: “Jesus died for our sins” or “God so
loved the world that He gave His only Son” John 3:16. For older children you can write
“Lord, by your cross and resurrection you have set us free. You are the Saviour of the
world.” (An Anglican Prayer Book)
2. Design a resurrection/salvation flag using the colours mentioned above. The children
can work in groups or make their own. Here is the key to the colours:
Green
Black
Gold
Red
White
Green
God created a perfect world
Humans disobeyed God and sin entered the world
The colour for Jesus, the King of Kings
A symbol of Christ’s blood as Jesus died to save us from our sins
A symbol of cleansing. With Jesus’ resurrection, our sins are
forgiven’
The colour of new life in Christ. Also represents spiritual growth.
You can also mention to the children that the colours of the South African flag are those of
the salvation story we learnt about today – isn’t that amazing?!
3. Refer to the older children’s crafts for more ideas you may like to use or adapt.
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Song: Here are examples of songs which can be sung:
Jesus love is very wonderful
He made the stars to shine
Jesus love is very wonderful (3x)
O wonderful love.
He made the stars to shine
He made the rolling sea
He made the mountains high
And He made me and the Lord
made you
And this is why I love Him
Because He bled and died
The Lord of all creation
Became the crucified
So high, you can’t get over it
So low, you can’t get under it
So wide, you can’t get ‘round it
O wonderful love.
Older children (7 – 13 years)
Lesson objectives:
 To highlight some of the events of Jesus’ crucifixion
 To reflect on God’s love for us
 To make sense of words like reconciliation, atonement and sacrifice in the context of Jesus’
death and resurrection
 To encourage the children to commit to living a life that honours God
Attention Grabber:
Show the children images of a palm cross and a heart (you can also have actual objects), then
ask them what comes to mind when they see these two symbols. Give each child time to share
their thoughts.
Briefly revise the events of Holy week.
Today we will be learning about one of the saddest events in History – the day our Lord Jesus
was crucified.
Bible Reading: The Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus (Mark 15:1-41)
Depending on your class, decide whether to read this passage from the Bible or to use an
abbreviated version or to omit parts of the passage if you feel it is too long. It is hoped that this
reading elicits a response of sadness and an awareness of God’s amazing love for us.
Discussion:
1. After listening to the Bible reading, how do you feel?
2. What crime had Jesus committed? (None!)
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3. Why do you think Jesus was crucified? (After the children have given their views explain to
them that Jesus’ death was a fulfilment of the Old Testament prophecy, so that we could be
saved and given eternal life; Another reason that Jesus was crucified was because He
opposed the religious and political system of the day. Jesus was not happy with a system
that exploited the poor. Read Mark12:38-39 where Jesus warns against religious leaders. In
Mark 11:15-18 we read about Jesus clearing the money changers from the temple –Jesus
was angry because God’s place of worship had become a place to make the merchants
wealthy.)
4. Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice. What does this mean? (Summarise/simplify this explanation
according to the needs of your class -In Old Testament times, there was a ceremony held
once-a-year called the Day of Atonement which is the most solemn day in the Jewish
calendar. Atonement means to remove the guilt of man. It was the only day in which the
High Priest would enter the ‘Holy of Holies’ in the Tabernacle in order to make an atoning
sacrifice for the sins of the people. He had to pass through a thick curtain which formed a
barrier between the people and God. An animal was usually sacrificed and its blood shed. A
goat was then released into the wild i.e. a scapegoat to symbolically take away people’s sins.
In this way, there was reconciliation between the people and God. This day served as a
reminder that the daily, weekly and monthly sacrifices could cover sins only temporarily. It
pointed toward Jesus Christ, the perfect atonement, who could remove sins forever. And so,
instead of a spotless lamb on the altar, Jesus offered Himself, the spotless Lamb of God, as a
sacrifice for sin.
The word “atonement” is a big word – Another interpretation of this word is “at-one-ment”
with God – the state of being “at-one” or being reconciled with God)
5. You may wish to read the following passage to the children which describes the concepts of
atonement and sacrifice very well - it illustrates the love that Jesus has for us – Jesus was
innocent, yet He accepted the punishment for our sins and then offered us the new life that
He had brought us. After reading the passage, ask the children to describe their response.
Please do note that this passage is very sad and may be too much for sensitive children.
Atonement
Benjamin was nine years old when he accompanied his parents on his first pilgrimage to
Jerusalem for the Passover. He had travelled for days and was anxious to see the temple, the
measurements and sections of which he knew by heart from his lessons at Synagogue in his
home community somewhere in Western Asia. Though he knew of the sacrifices to be made
by the priests, never before had he really associated the blood of bulls or goats or the smaller
animal sacrifices with sins that people had committed. So after his father entered the
temple area and exchanged his currency for local tender (muttering under his breath at the
unfair exchange rates they gave him), he then moved to the cages where the dove sellers
stood and bought a dove. Benjamin asked if he could hold the bird. In the breath of time it
takes a child to be attached to any creature Benjamin had already named the bird. He was
wondering how he should feed him, when his father asked for the small feathered friend.
“Can’t I keep him?” Benjamin asked, with a pleading look in his eyes and doubt in his voice.
“I’m sorry, my son, but this dove is to be sacrificed.” The father’s words were kind but
absolute. Benjamin wanted to understand.
“Father, why does this small dove have to die?”
“Because of sin, my son.”
“Has this dove sinned so bad we cannot forgive him this once?” Benjamin’s sincerity caused
his father to stop in his sober walk to where the Levites stood, preparing the sacrifices, and
to hold his son and explain.
“No, Benjamin, this tiny dove has not sinned. This dove is innocent and harmless and should
be free. But because of my sins, he will die. You see God loves all men, but can have nothing
to do with sin. And though I try very hard to be a good father and a holy man, I do sin. And
every time I see an animal sacrificed for my sin, I am that much more convinced I do not
want to sin again. Do you understand?”
Benjamin nodded as he handed his father the dove, not really sure he understood any of it,
except that he never wanted to sin again!
(Taken from the N.Y.C.C. Bulletin)
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Application Questions:
1. What for you, is the message of the cross? (Do not volunteer answers but allow the children
to give their own personal views. If you have a flip chart or chalk board, perhaps write the
key words and phrases mentioned in the information section and briefly explain their
significance)
2. What can you do to show that you believe in the resurrected Christ?
3. What is your response to God’s amazing act of love?
Snack: hot cross buns
Song: Here are a number of examples of songs that be used for this lesson:
 Walk in the light
 Majesty
 When I survey the wondrous cross
 The old rugged cross
 There is a green hill
 The following website contains a song: “What a love! What a cost! We stand forgiven at the
cross.” This could be used during a time of reflection. http://ministry-tochildren.com/preschool-bible-lesson-the-last-supper/
 The song Amazing Love (What love is this) by Graham Kendrick can also be found on the
internet
Crafts: Here are some craft ideas - choose the one which best fits your group.
1. Paper cross tearing (found at the end of the lesson)
2. Children can create their own artwork, based on their response to today’s lesson. Here is an
idea which may inspire them:
Hearts on a cross
(www.kidssundayschool.com)
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Using stiff black card, cut out cross shapes for the children. Also cut out different coloured
hearts from coloured card or from white card and have the children colour them in. Ask the
children to stick the hearts onto the cross to remind them of Jesus’ love for us and of our
promise to love Jesus in return.
3. Make a cross out of beads. See “The Colours-of-Christ Cross” activity at the end of the
lesson.
Prayer:
Allow for an open time of prayer to give children the opportunity to respond to the lesson.
Dear Lord. We thank you for your amazing love shown to us by sending your son Jesus into the
world to show us how to live and to be the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. We thank you that
throughout history you have always provided a way for humankind to be reconciled to you. Please
help us to reflect your amazing love to all who we meet.
We are sorry for the things we do done wrong in our lives life. (Give the children time to reflect
quietly on their sins) Please forgive us. We turn from everything which we know is wrong.
Amen.
Homework! Encourage the children to read the book or watch the movie of “The lion, the witch and
the wardrobe” by C.S. Lewis. There is a strong message of amazing love and atonement in this story.
References:
http://www.kidssundayschool.com/100/gradeschool/hearts-on-a-cross.php
Gumble, N. (1991): Why Jesus?
http://christianity.about.com/od/biblefeastsandholidays/p/dayofatonement.htm
Life Application Study Bible (NIV) (2005)
Good News New Testament and Psalms (1976)
www.sundayschoolnetwork.com
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Craft 1: Paper Craft
The diagram below shows how to fold the paper to make a cross. The cut-offs can be used to spell
the words “Life” and a scene from Calvary as shown below. It is also possible to spell the word
“love”.
All the information that you need is in the diagrams below.
Diagram 1: Fold the top short edge AB across to AC
Diagram 2: Fold point A down to E to give you Diagram 3.
Diagram 3: Fold BC over to EA to give Diagram 4
Diagram 4: Fold BCAE over to D to give Diagram 5.
Diagram 5: Cut all the way up the middle as shown in the diagram, not along the folded edge.
Open to reveal the cross!
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The "Colours-of-Christ" Cross!
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 centre. 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.
Share your 'Colors of Christ Cross' with a friend.
Each of the bead colours are intended to remind us of Biblical truths – see the next page for more
detail.
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Black = Sin
The black bead reminds us of our sin which separates us from God and dooms us to eternal
darkness. Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (see also Ephesians
2:11-13)
Red = Christ’s blood
The red bead symbolizes Christ’s’ blood shed for you and me. Romans 5:8-9 “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...”
White = Prayer of Repentance For Cleansing
The white bead represents the cleansing that occurs when a sinner repents and turns to God. Psalm
51:1-2 “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.”
Blue = Water/Spirit Baptism
The blue bead represents baptism. Ephesians 4:5 “...one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” We are
baptized with water to identify ourselves with Jesus. The Holy Spirit baptizes those who trust in Jesus
and takes up residence in the believers heart. 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 growth in our faith. Colossians 1:10 “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...”
Gold = Eternal life
The gold bead represents eternal life with Jesus in Heaven. John 3:16 “ 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.”
N.B. It is important to try this craft out before your lesson! Inserting the white bead may be a
challenge! A suggestion is to glue the blue, white and red beads together to make this craft slightly
easier!
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