Kingdom Truths: Storing treasures
in Heaven
(The parable of the great pearl)
First Sunday in Lent
14 February 2016
Readings: Matthew 13:45-46
Theme: Heavenly riches – the greatest treasure
Memory verses: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and
where thieves break in and steal. Instead store up treasures for yourselves in Heaven.” Matthew 6:19
Information for the teacher:
Today is the first lesson in Lent. The series of lessons which we will study over the next few weeks is entitled
Kingdom truths, where we will learn more about the principles of the Kingdom of God. We will focus on the
parables – stories which Jesus told which tell us more about God’s Kingdom as well as how to live in accordance
with God’s will.
The parable for today is that of the pearl merchant – a merchant is looking for fine pearls, and when he finds
one of great value, he sells everything he has to buy it. (Matt 13:45 -46). In this parable Jesus equates a pearl
with the Kingdom of God and heavenly riches. There are some things that are more valuable than anything we
may own, and heavenly riches are one such thing!
Jesus contrasts heavenly values with earthly values where he explains that our primary focus should be on
those things that do not fade and cannot be stolen or used up or wear out. We should not be fascinated with
our possessions lest they possess us - whatever we store up, we will spend much of our time and energy
thinking about. We live in a materialistic society where many people’s desire for money far outweighs their
commitment to God. We are called to rather seek first God’s Kingdom and righteousness – to serve and obey
God in all that we do and take on God’s character; to love and care for others; to stand firm for what is right.
And in so doing we will be truly blessed, for it is not money and abundance that satisfies! (Eccl 5:10)
The way in which the Bible story for today is presented was inspired by the Godly Play Method. Godly Play is a
creative and imaginative approach to nurture children’s Christian faith. It was created by Jerome Berryman, an
Anglican priest and has been adopted by many churches worldwide. During Godly Play, a bible story is
presented to the children in a visual way. This is followed by “wondering” questions, where the children are
encouraged to “wonder” about the story and express their thoughts – there are no correct answers to these
questions. This is followed by a time of quiet reflection where the children have the opportunity to express
their thoughts in whichever way they may choose – this usually involves some form of art work. All teachers
are encouraged to attend a course on this method of sharing the Bible with children. Refer to
www.growingthechurch.org.za or your local diocese for more details.
During Lent, the church encourages prayer, fasting and almsgiving as we turn our hearts and minds to God almsgiving is the practice of giving money or food to people in need. The craft for this lesson follows this
appeal, as well as being in line with the theme for today - we encourage the children to make a money box to
collect money to give to the needy. And so may Lent be
63 a time for us all to reflect on where our hearts truly lie
– what do we treasure – and in so doing may we draw closer to God.
Lesson Suggestions:
The same lesson plan has been provided for both younger and older children. It is important that
you create a lesson that suits your particular class.
Lesson Objectives:
 To learn about the parable of the great pearl
 To gain an understanding of what is meant by heavenly riches
 To encourage the children to store heavenly riches and to give to the needy this Lent
Attention Grabber:
For this lesson, the children should be sitting in a circle on the floor. Place a gold/ beautifully
wrapped box in front of the children - It would be even better if the box resembles a treasure box.
Before the lesson, you must place the pictures you need to tell the Bible story for today into the box
– these pictures can be found on page 70-72. These pictures need to be individually cut out and
brightly coloured in before the lesson.
Ask the children what they think is inside the box. After listening to the children’s suggestions, tell
them that this box contains some treasure, but maybe not the type of treasure they are thinking of –
this box contains a story. Ask them to sit quietly and listen carefully as you tell the story.
Bible Story: The parable of the great pearl (Matt 13:45- 46)
The Bible story for today has been adapted from the Godly Play series. It is essential that you
practice this role play before the lesson and are very familiar with the script so that you don’t need to
refer to your notes as you tell the story. The script suggests that you take the pictures out of the box
as you tell the story, but you may prefer to set up all the pictures before you begin the story – adapt
so that this works best for you. The pictures should be placed on the floor in front of you, facing the
children. Make sure that all the children can see – you may need to use a pin board instead. Also
mention to the children that at the end of the story you are going to ask them wondering questions –
refer to the introduction of this lesson to explain what you mean by this.
The script for this story can be found on the next page. You may need to explain to the little ones
what a pearl is.
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There was once someone who said such wonderful things and did such amazing things that
people followed him. As they followed him, they heard him talking about a kingdom, but it
was not a kingdom they lived in. It was not like any kingdom they had ever visited. It was not
like any kingdom they had ever heard of. They couldn’t help it – they just had to ask him
what this kingdom was like. And so the man told the following story.
There was once a rich man, who had many things. (As you say these words, take out the rich
man and all his possessions from your treasure box and place in front of you.)
One day, he went in search of a fine pearl. (Bring out the pictures of the sellers, each selling a
pearl.)
He went from place to place, looking for this pearl. (Move the man from one seller to another,
“inspecting” each pearl.)
He then went home................ (The rich man goes back to his possessions. Remove all his
possessions and put to one side, including the house itself! ) ............ and sold everything for
this pearl. (The merchant then goes back to the seller, and takes one of the pearls back to
where his house was. Note that this does not need to be the biggest pearl!)
Wondering questions – perhaps only do with the older children.
 I wonder if the rich man was happy with what he had done
 I wonder why the rich man did what he did.
 I wonder what could be so special that a person could exchange everything for it
 I wonder what this pearl could really be
 I wonder who the person is who told this story
(If you do not feel comfortable using wondering questions, then simply change the “wonderings” into
questions e.g. Do you think the rich man was happy with what he had done?)
Discussion:
1. Ask the children what they thought of the story – they may think that it was a silly story –
who would exchange all they had for a pearl? Allow some discussion on this question. End
this discussion by saying: Jesus said, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man looking for fine
pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and
bought it.” Matt 13:45-46
What do you think the great pearl represents? (Heaven or the Kingdom of God)
2. Older children only: Matthew 6:19 says: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. Instead store up
treasures for yourselves in Heaven.”
3. Think of the things you wished were in the box. Are they things that are on the earth? Are
they things that will last forever? Or things that will break? Or rot? Or go away someday?
Or maybe you won’t want them anymore in a few weeks time?
4. Jesus said we should store our treasures in Heaven. What do you think that means?
(Treasures in heaven are things that Jesus cares about or things that make God happy)
5. Can you think of some of the things we could do to store treasures in heaven i.e. things we
can do to make Jesus happy? ( Treating others with kindness; helping someone in need;
obeying God’s laws; sharing Jesus with our friends; spending time at church worshipping,
learning and serving; standing firm for what we believe it right etc)
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6. NB: Emphasise that we don’t do good deeds to try to earn our way to heaven. We do good
deeds to show our love for Jesus. The Bible says: “For where your treasure is, there your
heart will also be” (Luke 12:33-34)
Reflection - this is more suitable for the older children
Give the children a few minutes to reflect on what has been said during this lesson. Encourage them
to create something in response to this lesson. At the end of this time, the children can be given an
opportunity to share with others what their response was to the lesson, should they wish.
Craft:
Today’s craft is a reminder to store treasures in heaven. The children will be making money boxes
where they will be encouraged to collect money to give to those in need.
Each child will be given a tin can. The lid of the tin must be removed before the lesson and replaced
with a piece of cardboard which has a slit cut into it, large enough for a coin to go through. The
children can then decorate their tin can with tissue paper, scraps of wrapping paper etc. Bible
verses such as “For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be” (Luke 12:33-34) or “Store
your treasure in Heaven” (Matt 6:19) can be added to the tin.
(If you were not able to collect a tin for each child, then perhaps have a large tin or box that the
children can help to decorate. Each week in Lent they can bring a few coins to add to this box.
Another option is to bring a piggy bank to class which you can call God’s bank. You can make a
poster as a reminder of today’s lesson and attach it to a wall. See page 73.)
After completing the craft, remind the children that today is the first lesson in Lent. Remind them
that Lent is the 40 days before Easter when we remember Jesus’ time in the desert. During this time
Jesus did not eat for 40 days and 40 nights. Instead He spent time in prayer and drawing himself
closer to God.
During Lent the Church encourages prayer, fasting and almsgiving as we turn our hearts and minds
to God - Almsgiving is the practice of giving money or food to people in need. At the end of Lent, the
children should bring their money boxes back to Sunday School – this money can then be given to
those in need. Remind the children that it is not necessary to give a lot – just what they can. You
can remind them the story of the widow’s penny. (Luke 21:1-4)
Another option is to bring items like bread and sandwich fillings which you can use to make
sandwiches and give to the very needy in the community
Or what about giving your time to a needy family with a ‘gogo’ or granny in the community who
doesn’t have anyone to help her? Groups of children along with teachers can visit and take
sandwiches or some tinned food.
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Songs:
Seek ye first
Seek ye first the Kingdom of God
And it’s righteousness
And all these things shall be added
unto you
Allelu, Alleluia
Love is something if you give it away
I love you Lord
Love is something if you give it away,
give it away, give it away
Love is something if you give it away
You end up getting more
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Allelulia
It’s just like a magic penny,
Hold it tight and you won’t have any
Lend it, spend it and you’ll have so many,
They’ll roll all over the floor
I love you Lord
And I life my voice
To worship you
O my soul rejoice
Take joy my King
In what you hear
Let it be a sweet,
sweet sound,
In Your ear
Prayer:
(Tell the children that during each week in Lent this year, we will learn about one of the parables that
Jesus told – stories about how we should live. These stories tell us more about God’s Kingdom. As
with many of the other stories/ topics we have discussed this term, we will find that God’s Kingdom is
very different to that on Earth. And so our first Kingdom truth for today is: Store your treasures in
Heaven.)
Younger children: Dear Lord Jesus. Thank you for showing us how to live. Help us to remember that
it is more important to store riches in Heaven than on earth. Help us to always live as you would like
us to – to be kind, loving and caring to all those around us and to give to the poor and hungry. Amen
Older children: Dear Lord, we sometimes look at the treasures that this world offers and we lose
sight of what you want for us. Help us to not be tempted by worldly goods and ways, always
remaining focussed on you, especially during this time of Lent. Amen
Activities:
1. Go on a treasure hunt - this may involve looking for a “treasure box” or a “money bag” or
perhaps even chocolate coins or sweets. If you have a sand pit at your church you can hide a
few “treasures” – anything shiny. Remind the children that these “treasures” may seem
important on earth, but they will not be important in heaven. What is more important is our
love for God reflected in our love for others.
2. A skit can be found at the end of this lesson that the older children may enjoy.
3. Play a game to help learn the memory verse for today
References:
Godly Play, Jerome Berryman
www.forchildren.com
Life application Bible: New International Version, Tyndale House Publishers and Zondervan, 1991
How to cheat at visual aids, Pauline Adams and Judith Merrell, Scripture Union, Trinity Press, 1988
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Skit: “Stuff!”
(This skit requires a back pack, containing a number of things as mentioned in the script)
Grace
Phew! (panting hard) This sure is a long hike. How much further do we have to go?
Alison
Are you kidding? (Laughs) We just got into the woods five minutes ago. I thought you liked
hiking.
Grace
I do. (groan) I do like hiking. (Another groan) I'm just ... just ... tired of carrying this pack.
Alison
Goodness! What do you have in that thing, anyway? Hey, there's a shady spot under that
tree. Let's have a look.
Alison & Grace (Both sit down and open pack)
Alison
Grace! You packed half the world in here.
Grace
What? (Confused) Did I take too much stuff?
Alison
(Laughing hard) You packed three combs, five pairs of socks, I don't know how many sets of
batteries, your best shoes, one of your brother's shirts, CDs, headphones ... is there anything
from your room you didn't bring?
Grace
Oh yeah! I left a whole bunch of stuff.
Alison
Good. Well it's time we left a few more things. (Starts dumping things out)
Grace
(Shouting) Hey! What are you doing? (Grabs pack)
Alison
We're only camping for one night, Grace. And it's already starting to get dark. You don't need
all this junk! (Takes pack away from Grace and dumps it out)
Grace
(Still shouting) Junk? It's not junk. These are my prized possessions. They're my life!
Alison
(To audience) Pretty sad life.
Grace
Why, these things are the most important ... (Turns to Alison) Hey, Allison, what did you say?
Alison
Um, never mind. What I meant is, we came out here to get away from all this stuff. (Starts
putting things back in pack) If we wanted to play music and dress up in fancy clothes, we
should have just stayed home. I thought we wanted to simply have a good time with each
other.
Grace
(Sits and thinks) You know what? (Jumps to her feet) You're right. (Picks up pack and zips it
closed)You're absolutely right! (Throws pack to the side) We don't need any of that
stuff. (Turns to Allison) And without that big heavy old thing, I could run for miles! Let's go!
Alison
Awesome. Let's go!
(Narrator comes and takes center stage, and both girls stand along side the narrator)
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Narrator
Stuff. We all sure have a lot of stuff, don't we?
The problem is, Jesus didn't tell us to collect stuff. "Go therefore into all the world and collect
as much stuff as you can." I don't think so. That verse actually reads ... well let's look it up.
Mark 16:15. He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all
creation."
A little different than "Get a bunch of stuff," eh?
Grace
The thing with stuff is it weighs us down. Like trying to hike with a bunch of things you don't
need.
Narrator
We're the same way. We can spend our lives trying to get the latest video game or talking
Mom into buying just one more snack. As soon as we have it, though, we want something
else. There is no end to our greed.
Allison
Now, having stuff isn't bad. If we have a lot of toys, we can share them with our friends and
have a lot of fun playing with them. But like Grace discovered, it isn't things that make us
happy. It's people. And the person that will give you the most joy, no matter what, is Jesus.
Narrator
We must be cautious that our stuff doesn't get in the way of our relationship with the Lord.
Don't be so concerned about all the things we have that we forget to spend time with Jesus.
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70
71
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STORING TREASURES UP IN HEAVEN!
KINDNESS
LOVE
CARING
PRAYER
GGo
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Kingdom Truths: Whoever is
first shall be last
(The parable of the rich man and the
beggar)
Second Sunday in Lent
21 February 2016
Readings: Luke 16: 19 -25; John 13: 1-17
Theme: serving others
Memory verses: “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” Mark
9:35 b
Information for the teacher:
Today’s lesson continues with our Lenten theme of Kingdom truths where we explore the parables which Jesus
told, giving us insight as to what the kingdom of God is like.
In today’s lesson we are once again reminded that the ways of the world are different to the ways of God’s
Kingdom. Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.”
Mark 9:35(b)
This message is emphasized in many stories throughout the Bible. When the disciples argue as to who is
greatest among them, Jesus takes a little child in His arms. This child is small, needy and without power. Jesus
revealed that the greatest ones are those who care for the needy, the small and the weak.
The parable in today’s lesson is that of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man certainly came first by worldly
standards, but he did not come first in God’s eyes. Jesus looks at our hearts – do our hearts reflect our love for
God and for others? Do we try to fulfil the needs that we see around us and not expect anything in return?
Probably one of the most well-known and beautiful stories illustrating the message for today is that of Jesus
washing His disciple’s feet. Jesus said, “For the son of man came to serve, not to be served.” Mark 10:45. As
disciples of Jesus, we are called to follow His example – to serve others. We do this with joy, inspired by the
love of God. Note that for the younger children, it is this story which we have chosen to focus on, rather than
the parable for today.
And so this Lent may we not strive to be the best IN the world, but rather strive to be the best FOR the world,
and in so doing make the world a better place.
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Lesson Suggestions:
Younger Children (3 – 6 years):
Lesson Objectives:
 To realise that the ways of the world are not always the ways of God
 To learn about Jesus washing His Disciples’ feet
 To follow Jesus’ example of caring for others and not always putting ourselves first
Attention Grabber: Play a well-known game which for today’s lesson we will call,
“Whoever is first shall be last” - This is a relay race where the members of each team stand in a row,
one behind the other. A ball is passed over the first person’s head to the next person, who then
passes the ball over his/her head to the next person, and so this continues until the last person in
the row gets the ball. The last person in the row runs to the front of the line and passes the ball, as
before, to the next person in the row. The game continues until each person has had a chance to be
in the front of the row, and the ball has been passed to the back. The first team to complete this
game is the winning team. Before you start, tell the teams that you have a prize for this game.
At the end of this game, however, give the prize to the team which comes LAST!! Look out for the
surprise on the children’s faces when they realise that it is not the winning team which gets the prize
today. Remind them what the name of the game was – this is our theme for today!!
Bible Story: Jesus washes the Disciples’ feet (John 13:1-17)
(Before the lesson, turn a few things upside down e.g. chairs, tables, dustbin, pictures.)
We have learnt over these past few weeks that Jesus most definitely did things differently – He
turned the world upside-down!
How often do you shout, “I had it first!!” or “ I was here first!” or “Me first!”? We all know that in
this world, it is all about coming first. But that is not how it is in God’s world!! Did you know that
Jesus said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last!” - doesn’t that sound strange to
you? – Jesus does turn the world upside-down!!
Let’s play a game to help us understand what Jesus means by this:
1. Your friend comes to your house to play. You want to play hide-and-seek. Your friend does
not. Do you say:
A. “It’s my house so we play my games.”
B. Let’s play the game you want to first, and then we can play what I want to next.”
2. There is only one more piece of chocolate cake left. Do you:
A.
Eat it before anyone else can have it
B.
Ask if anyone else would like to have the last piece – perhaps you can share it.
3. You are watching t.v. You mom asks you to help with making supper or setting the table. Do
you say?
A. I’m coming mom
B. No, I’m busy
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(For each of these scenarios, you may like to get the children to run to a sign marked A or B,
depending on their answer to each question. The signs can be placed on different sides of the
teaching area.)
Did you notice in the game we have just played it is important not to just think of yourself – we need
to think of the other people too. And that is how it is in God’s world - we must not just think of how
we can come first – we need to think of others and not just ourselves, and sometimes this means
that we don’t come first. We always need to think of nice things to do to others. We do this to
show our love for others.
Show the children a picture of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet – a picture of this story can be found
at the end of the lesson, or you may have a Bible with a suitable picture. Ask the children to describe
what is happening in the picture. Do they know who the person is who is washing the other people’s
feet? Do they know who the other people are? Do they know when this story happened? (See Bible
passage for details – John 13: 1-17)
Do you think it is strange that Jesus is washing His Disciples’ feet? Should it not be the other way
round – the Disciples’ washing Jesus’ feet? – Jesus was after all their King! –why was Jesus behaving
like a servant?
Jesus was once again turning things upside-down!! Jesus was doing things differently! Jesus said
that He did not come to earth for people to care and look after Him, like a usual king, but rather for
Him to care and look after others. Jesus was showing us how to live - He was showing us that we
must care for others, just like He cares for us.
You may at this stage want to sing,” Brother, let me be your servant.”
How are you going to care for others this week – put others first? (Maybe let your sister / brother
have the last piece of cake; do a task at home that is usually done by someone else etc.)
And do you know that when others notice all the nice things you are doing to them, they may start
to do the same back to you! That’s how God’s world is!!
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you that you came into the world to show us how to live. Please help
me to remember that it’s not always about me – help me to care for others, just as you care for me.
Amen
Songs:
J-O-Y
(Tune: Jingle Bells)
J-O-Y, J-O-Y
This is what it means
Jesus is first
And You are last
And Others are inbetween
Brother, let me be your servant
Brother, let me be your servant
Let me be as Christ to you
Pray that I may have the grace to
let me be your servant too
Sister, let me be ..........
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Craft ideas:
1. A picture of Jesus washing His disciples’ feet can be found at the end of this lesson.
2. Make a badge which says “Put others first!”Use a safety pin to attach this badge to each
child’s shirt. An example of such a badge can be found at the end of the lesson.
3. Here is another idea, although you will need to explain what is meant by the word “serve” –
to do something for others and not expect anything in return.
Snack: Give the children an upside-down snack to remind them that Jesus turns the world
upside down – whoever is last shall be first!! An example of such a snack is using flat bottom icecream cones and then putting a scoop of ice-cream on the bottom of the ice-cream cone, as shown
in the diagram below – this may however be very messy! Remember to give to the person at the
back of the line first!!
Physical activities:
“Jesus turns the world up-side down.” Here are some ideas to do with this theme:
 The children can have hand-stand competitions i.e. stand on their hands instead of their
feet!
 Play the Opposite game. Explain to the children that they must do the opposite to what
you say e.g. “Stand up” – sit down; “Clap hands” – stamp feet; “touch ears” – touch
toes; “Go left” – go right: “Go forwards” – go backwards; “Stand still” – keep moving
 Perhaps think of well-known games to play which can be turned “inside-out” or “backto-front” to play. An example would be to do relay races where the children hop or run
backwards. Another idea is musical statues– usually the children move when the music
plays and then stand still when the music stops – in the game for today, when the music
stops the children dance and when the music starts, they stand still. Children are “out”
of the game if they don’t dance while the music is not playing, or dance (or sing to the
words) while the music is playing. Another variation to this game is musical chairs.
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Older children (7 – 13 years):
Lesson objectives:
To know the story of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet
To understand what it means to serve others
To realise that the ways of the world are not always the ways of God
Attention Grabber: Play a well-known game which for today’s lesson we will call,
“Whoever is first shall be last” - This is a relay race where the members of each team stand in a row,
one behind the other. A ball is passed over the first person’s head to the next person, who then
passes the ball over his/her head to the next person, and so this continues until the last person in
the row gets the ball. The last person in the row runs to the front of the line and passes the ball, as
before, to the next person in the row. The game continues until each person has had a chance to be
in the front of the row, and the ball has been passed to the back. The first team to complete this
game is the winning team. Before you start, tell the teams that you have a prize for this game.
At the end of this game, however, give the prize to the team which comes LAST!! Look out for the
surprise on the children’s faces when they realise that it is not the winning team which gets the prize
today. Remind them what the name of the game was – this is our theme for today!!
Bible Story: The parable of the rich man and the beggar (Luke 16:19-25)
(Before the lesson, turn a few things upside down e.g. chairs, tables, dustbin, pictures.)
We have learnt over these past few weeks that Jesus most definitely did things differently – His ways
were not necessarily the ways of the world – He turned the world upside-down, or is it the right-side
up?!!
We all know that in this world, it is all about coming first – “ME first!” we all often shout, or at least
think! Now listen to the following story to find our how God’s world and ways are different.
The Story of the rich man and Lazarus
There was once a rich man who dressed in the best clothes. Everyday he ate the most delicious
food and drank the best wine. But at his gate lay a poor beggar called Lazarus. Lazarus’s body
was thin and frail. He was covered in sores that would not heal, and dogs came and licked them.
He longed to eat the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table.
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Discussion:
1. The rich man was most certainly first when it came to the ways of the world, but I wonder
who came first in God’s eyes? (Give the children a chance to think about this question –
encourage them to take part in a discussion where they are free to express their opinion –
there is not correct answer)
2. Do you think that the world judges us differently to the way in which we are judged by God?
In the world in which we live, the person who is most successful comes first, but Jesus looks at our
hearts. Jesus wants us to have hearts that do not focus on being the greatest or the best at
everything we do, but hearts that love God and love others. Our love for God is reflected in us loving
others
Do we have hearts that love God and love others? – hearts that desire to serve others – to think of
the needs of others and to not always to think of ourselves first?
We should therefore not necessarily strive to be the best IN the world. Rather, we should strive to
be the best FOR the world - we must do what we can to make the world a better place.
(Please note that this does not imply that it is not good to strive to do well at all that you do, but not
at all costs!)
When the disciples asked who is the greatest of them all, Jesus said that to be great in the eyes of
God, we should serve others. What do you think it means to serve? (To try to fulfil the needs of
others and not to expect anything in return)
Jesus said He did not come into the world to be served but to serve. This is probably best illustrated
by the picture found at the end of this lesson – a picture of the Last Supper where Jesus washes His
disciples’ feet. Ask the children if they recognise this scene – allow a brief discussion of this story
and how this relates to the lesson for today. (See John 13:1-17 for details)

Do you think that through this action, Jesus wanted to teach His disciples how powerful He
was? (No, instead Jesus washed His disciples’ feet to show His love for them (and us!), and
how we should treat others)
 Do you think that as long as we do good things for others, it does not matter what we feel in
our heart? -should we serve others if we don’t want to, but know that we should? (No!!
Read 1 Cor 13:1-3 – we should serve others out of love for God and each other, else what we
are doing is worthless)
 Do you think that we’ll be miserable if our main focus is to serve others rather than others
serving us? (No!! In contrast, we often receive great joy in serving others)
 Can you think of examples of people in your life, your community and even the wider world
who serve others i.e. fulfil the needs of others without expecting anything in return? (Your
mother /caregiver serves you by taking care of your needs; members of your church serve
others in many ways – e.g. making tea for everyone after church; visiting the sick, collecting
clothes and food for the needy; people who volunteer their skills / time as a paramedic or as
a reservist in the police; helping out in children’s homes; The life of Mother Theresa was the
epitome of what it means to serve others!)
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
If time read the story on page 82. It is a good practical example of how we can be of service
to others in simple everyday life. Ask the children what they think of the story – it should
also help the children to realise that serving others encourages others to do likewise, and all
this is done through love for each other.
Reflection
Based on the lesson today, give the children a few minutes to reflect on what has been discussed.
They may like to reflect their thoughts in a picture or a poem, or just simply think about it. At the
end of this time give them a chance to share their thoughts or whatever else they have done during
their time of reflection.
Prayer
Start with an open form of prayer where the children pray their own prayers in response to the lesson
for today. You may want to include one of the songs suggested in this lesson as part of the prayer.
Dear Lord, thank you that you came into the world to show us how to live. You certainly do turn the
values of the world upside-down, or is it the right-side up! Help us to be more like you in all we do,
and to always consider the needs of others, as a reflection of our love. Amen
What you do to the least of them
Songs:
Brother, let me be your servant
Let me be as Christ to you
Pray that I may have the grace
To let you be my servant, too
We are pilgrims on a journey
We are brothers on the road
We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load
I will hold the Christlight for you
In the night-time of your fear
I will hold my hand out to you
Speak the peace you long to hear
I will weep when you are weeping
When you laugh I'll laugh with you
I will share your joy and sorrow
Till we've seen this journey through
What you do to the least of them Jesus sees Jesus sees (x2)
When you help your mother with your little baby brother
When you share your favourite toy
When you give your pennies to those who don't have any
Jesus sees , Jesus sees
When you help a widow or an orphan who is little
Then you heart will be filled with joy
When you share your bread and the hungry ones are fed
Jesus sees, Jesus sees
J-O-Y
(Tune: Jingle Bells)
J-O-Y, J-O-Y
This is what it means
Jesus is first
And You are last
And Others are in-between
When we sing to God in heaven
We shall find such harmony
Born of all we've known together
Of Christ's love and agony
Sister, let me be your servant
Let me be as Christ to you
Pray that I may have the grace
To let you be my servant, too
O Lord, all the world belongs to You
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O Lord, all the world belongs to You
And You are always making all things new
What is wrong, You forgive
And the new life You give
Is what’s turning the world upside down
Activities:
1. As a sign of service to each other, the children can wash each other’s feet
2. Just for fun, encourage the children for the remainder of the lesson to consider the needs of
others in all that they do e.g. If they are to use crayons, then perhaps first get crayons for
the person next to them; if there is a door to open, then open it so that the others can go
through before you etc
3. Memory verse fun: Whoever is first shall be last!! A worksheet can be found on page .....
where the memory verse has been written back-to-front so that the children need to use a
mirror to work out what it says. The children can then try to write a mirror image of their
own messages / words to do with the lesson e.g. “ecivres” is service - the others can check
using a mirror how well they do at writing their messages in reverse.
4. “Jesus turns the world up-side down.” The children can have hand-stand competitions –
turning the world upside down!! Perhaps think of well-known games to play which can be
turned “inside-out” or “back-to-front” to play. A few examples can be found in the younger
children’s section. Another idea is based on the game, “river bank“. A line is drawn, or a
rope can be placed on the ground. Explain that when you say, “Upside down”, the children
must jump to the side that has been chosen as the “upside down” side. When you say,
“inside out”, they must jump to the other side of the line. If you repeat, “inside out”, they
must stay on the same side of the line. If a child jumps when they are not supposed to, or
take too long to jump, they are eliminated from the game. You can make the game a bit
more difficult by speeding up the game and sometimes saying “upside out” or “inside down”
- when they hear this command, the children should not move.
5. Swiss roll: This works well with a large group. The children hold hands and then form a tight
coil, like a swiss roll. They then start to unwind, starting with the last person who joined the
“swiss roll” – you can encourage the children to try to do this as quickly as possible. This
activity reminds us that He who is first shall be last.
Snack: Give the children an upside-down snack to remind them that Jesus turns the world
upside down – whoever is last shall be first!! An example of such a snack is using flat bottom icecream cones and then putting a scoop of ice-cream on the bottom of the ice-cream cone, as shown
in the diagram below – this will however, be very messy! Remember to give to the person at the
back of the line first!!
References:
Discipleland series, “Jesus amazes us”, Through the Bible Publishers
People of the Way Sunday School manual, Anglican Diocese of Johannesburg
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The secret helper
Something strange was going on! That was certain. Paul remembered leaving his shoes on the floor in the
middle of his bedroom, but when he went back to his room to put his pyjamas on, they were put away.
And that was not the only thing. That morning, right after breakfast, he’d found his bed made and someone
had placed a piece of candy on the pillow! Beside the candy was a note that said, “You are a very special
boy!”
Paul thought, “Hmmmm... I wonder who is doing this nice stuff for me?”
Just then, his mother came into the room and smiled, “Thanks for cleaning up your room, Paul! I’m impressed
that you even made your bed!”
“But mom, it wasn’t me!” said Paul. “Someone else must have done it -Maybe Mike or Mark.”
Well, if they did, then it was very nice of your brothers,” said his mom. “Now, it’s time for bed.”
She tucked him in, said prayers, and then turned off the light.
The next morning, at breakfast, Paul asked both his brothers if they had been doing nice things for him.
“Nope”, they said. “It wasn’t us!”
Paul asked his older sister Susan. “Sorry Paul,” she said. “I’m not your secret helper either.”
It was a mystery!
After school Paul followed his family around. He followed his mom, his brothers and his sister, but none of
them seemed to be doing any helpful things in secret. Then, just after supper, he walked into his room and
there was his dad putting his books back on the shelf for him.
“Dad, it was you!”
His dad turned and sighed, “You weren’t supposed to see me, Paul. It was supposed to be a surprise.”
“But dad -why have you been making my bed for me, and picking up for me, and leaving candy?”
“Well, because I love you. And Jesus said that when you love someone, you serve them. I was trying to find
special ways to serve you.”
Paul didn’t know what to say. “You mean being nice to people is a way of serving them?”
“Well, not just being nice,” said dad, “But being nice because you love them. And you don’t just do it because
you want to -you do it in Jesus’ name!”
Paul looked confused, “What does that mean?”
“Well, it means that when we act kindly and do little things to help people, we show our love for Jesus,” said
Paul’s father. “We want to show that love by serving others!”
“Wow! I want to serve others in Jesus’ name too!”Paul said.
Paul’s father laughed, “What’s stopping you?”
Paul grinned and said, “Nothing!”
So the next morning, while Mark and Mike were brushing their teeth, Paul sneaked into their room and made
two beds before anyone noticed. And there was one more secret helper in the house!
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Kingdom Truths: Forgiveness
(The parable of the prodigal son)
Third Sunday in Lent
28 February 2016
Readings: Luke 15:11-31
Theme: forgiveness
Memory verse:
”You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you” Psalm 86:5
Information for the teacher:
Our Lenten theme is Kingdom Truths where we explore the parables that Jesus told, which give insight into
what the Kingdom of God is like. Each week’s lesson in this series reminds us that the Kingdom of God is very
different to the ways of the world.
Today we learn about the parable of the prodigal son. The story tells of a son who asks his father for his share
of the estate, and then sets off for a distant country where he squanders his wealth in wild living. Poverty
stricken, he is sent to look after pigs. Realising that his father’s hired men are better off than him, the son
decides to returns to his father, hoping that his father will forgive him and take him back, not even as a son but
as one of his father’s hired men to work on his father’s land. His father, however, is filled with compassion and
welcomes his son with open arms, and then goes on to organise a feast to celebrate the return of his son.
This parable is also often known as the parable of the loving father as it reflects God’s amazing love for us –
God forgives and accepts us back unconditionally when we realise our wrong doing and return to our Lord.
We too, are called to forgive others as God forgives us. Peter once asked Jesus, “Lord, how many times shall I
forgive my brother when he sins against me - Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times,
but seventy-seven times.” (Matt 18:21-22) By this, Jesus implied that we should not keep track of how many
times we forgive someone. When we forgive others, we do this not only for the benefit of others but for our
selves as well. This is also well illustrated in today’s story where we read of the older brother’s response to the
return of the prodigal son. This son refuses to forgive his younger brother as he is bitter about the injustice of it
all. In so doing, he misses a wonderful opportunity to share in the celebration of the younger brother’s return.
In line with the theme for today, as well as this being Lent, time will be spent during this lesson reflecting on our
wrong doings and to ask forgiveness for our sins. We will also think of those that we need to forgive – for it is in
forgiving that the weight of hatred is lifted and our bitterness is healed. In so doing we show by example what
God’s love is like, and we are blessed with a sense of inner peace.
Holding a grudge doesn’t make you strong – it makes you bitter.
Forgiving doesn’t make you weak – it sets you free!
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Lesson Suggestions:
Younger Children (3 – 6 years):
Lesson Objectives:
 To learn about the story of the Prodigal Son and the Loving Father
 To realise that God is loving and forgiving
 To encourage the children to forgive others
 To encourage the children to be aware of when they have done wrong and to ask for
forgiveness
Attention Grabber: Begin today’s lesson by spending a few minutes playing “piggy-in-the
middle”. If the children are too young to play this game, then rather sing “Old Macdonald had a
farm”, ending with the pigs!!
If your children are old enough, remind them that we are in the season of Lent and that this year,
during Lent, we are learning more about God’s Kingdom – we are doing this by learning from the
stories /parables which Jesus told. Who knows which story Jesus told involves pigs?
Bible Story: The parable of the lost son (Luke 15:11-31)
Make use of the pictures at the end of this lesson to tell the story. The children will enjoy the
following version:
The parable of the lost son
Jesus told a story of a man with two sons.
The youngest son was tired of staying home. He didn’t like to work and was sure life would be better
somewhere else.
He asked his father to divide the family money and supplies and give him his share. Then he took his share
and left home.
The foolish young man travelled to another country where everything looked exciting. There was no one to
make him work. There were no rules he had to obey.
He just played and ate and drank and spent his money foolishly. He had many new friends.
But one day his money was all gone. He had wasted it all on foolish things.
The people who pretended to be his new friends left when they saw he had no money to spend buying
things for them. No one would help him. He was alone.
Then a famine came to that country. Do you know what a famine is? (Let the children respond). It means
there was very little to eat.
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(The story continues on the next page)
The young man found a job feeding pigs. There probably was no pay or it was very little, but he had
shelter with the pigs. He worked in the field taking care of the pigs, but he did not have anything to eat.
He was always hungry.
The young man decided to go home and tell his father that he was sorry for what he had done. He
thought that maybe his father would take him back and give him a job as a servant.
The young man started the long walk back to his home and his country. His clothes were dirty rags, and
he smelled bad, like the pigs he had been caring for.
What do you think is going to happen when he gets home? (Let the children respond.)
When he was still far off, his father saw him coming. The father ran to his son and hugged and kissed him.
He was so happy to see his son again.
Review Questions:
Encourage the childrenHis
to help
you that
retellhethe
story
using
the pictures.
son said
was
sorry
he had
been so bad.
His father forgave him and had his servants bring clean clothes and shoes. He said, “My son was lost, but
now he is found. We will have a special feast together and be glad he has returned home.”
Discussion:




Why do you think the father ran to meet his son and forgave him so easily? (He loved his son
very much)
Who do you think the father in story really is? (God)
Why do you think Jesus told this story? (To show us how much God loves us and that God
still loves us when we do wrong things and takes us back when we are sorry for the things we
have done wrong – God forgives us.)
If your children are old enough, mention to them that we are in the Season of Lent- the time
before Easter. During this time, we think of all that we have done wrong and tell God that
we are sorry for these things and that we will try to not do these things again. We ask God
to forgive us of our sins. Think of some of the things you do which are not good – perhaps
you fight with your brother / sister; perhaps you don’t listen to your mom and dad.
Prayer: Dear Lord God. We are sorry for the bad things we do, such as ......... Help us to not do
these bad things anymore. We thank you that you love us so much, and that even when we do
wrong, and turn away from you, you take us back with open, loving arms. Amen
Song:
Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace, how sweet the
sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I’m found
Was blind but now I see
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Craft ideas:
1. The children can be given their own set of pictures to colour in and retell the story. Note
that we have not included the older brother in the story for the younger children.
2. A picture of a muddy pig with a few words reminding the children of the lesson for today can
be found on page 101. The children can colour in the picture and then use a sponge covered
in mud to make the pig look extra dirty, as shown in the diagram below.
Physical activity: Play stuck in the mud
Snack: Just for fun, the children can make pig faces using circular biscuits, pink icing,
marshmallows, chocolate chips and wafers, as shown in the diagram below.
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Older children (7 – 13 years):
Lesson objectives:
 To learn about the story of the Prodigal Son and the Loving Father
 To try to comprehend the all loving and forgiving nature of God
 To encourage the children to forgive others in the same way as God forgives us
 To understand the meaning of repentance
 To reflect on what is sinful in our lives and to repent of these things
Attention Grabber: Begin today’s lesson by spending a few minutes playing “piggy-in-the
middle”. At the end of the game, remind the children that we are in the season of Lent and that this
year, during Lent, we are learning more about God’s Kingdom – we are doing this by learning from
the parables which Jesus told. Ask the children if they can remember the first 2 Kingdom truths we
have so far learnt about: Storing treasures in Heaven and “Whoever is first shall be last”. Who can
guess which parable we are learning about today? – it involves pigs!!
Bible Story: The parable of the prodigal son (Luke15:11-31)
A modern day scenario of this can be found on page 94-96. You may like to present this story using
models of the characters as shown in the diagrams of the modern day skit, or use a pin board
making use of the pictures which have been included at the end of the lesson. It is essential that you
are very familiar with the words of the skit and that you practise with the models/pictures before
the lesson, so that story is well presented to the children.
Another option is to divide the children into groups and give them some time to prepare this skit to
present to the others. Do however ensure that there will be enough time at the end to discuss and
reflect on the story.
Discussion:
(Please note that answers have not been given to some of these questions – these are open ended
questions with no correct answer – these questions are intended to bring about a discussion within
the group)
1. Do you think they all lived happily ever after?
2. Who can you most relate to? – the father, the older son or the prodigal son
3. Why do you think the father ran to meet his son and forgave him so easily? (He loved his son
so much)
4. Why do you think Jesus told this story?
5. Who do you think the Father represents in this story? (God)
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Further points for reflection:

At this time, we are in the season of Lent where we think of all we have done wrong and
repent of our sins. What does repent mean? (It means to turn away from what we have
done wrong and return to God; It involves changing our ways so that we do not make the
same mistakes again)

In this story the father welcomes his son home with open arms – he forgives his son for what
he has done, but note that the son first needs to return to his father – he needs to turn back
and change his ways – he needs to repent.
Think if there is anything you need to repent of i.e. change in your life.



If the father forgave his son so easily, do you think we should do the same to others? How
many times does Jesus say you should forgive others? (See Matt 18:21-22)
Note that in this story, the father’s response to the return of the younger son is very
different to the older brother’s – the father forgave because he was filled with love. The
older son refused to forgive because he was bitter about the injustice of it all. Although this
is not easy to do, we should all try to not let anything keep us from forgiving others – if we
refuse to forgive, we are missing a wonderful opportunity to experience joy and share with
others, just as the older brother missed out on the opportunity of celebrating the return of
his younger brother.
Note that to forgive someone does not necessarily mean that you need to forget what some
one has done to you – it simply means that you are not consumed by hate, and you are not
bent on revenge. Forgiving others in fact gives you a sense of peace.
Holding a grudge doesn’t make you strong – it makes you bitter.
Forgiving doesn’t make you weak – it sets you free!


To forgive someone, it also often helps to “walk in their shoes” by imagining how that
person feels, or why he/she might have done or said what he/she did. Here are some
examples for you to practise “walking in someone else’s shoes”:
1. Debbie went into her bedroom and saw her two-year old brother scribbling with crayons
on the cover of her favourite book. I think Debbie can understand and forgive her
brother because........
2. Sam has just thrown the soccer ball inbounds, when a member of the other team
deliberately runs into him and knocks him down. I think Sam can understand and
forgive this player because ......
3. Thandi’s mother is not able to attend to a special event at her school because of work. I
think Thandi can understand and forgive her mother because ...........
Is there anyone you need to forgive? Remember, we are all children of God and called to
love each other as God loves us. God forgives us because God loves us. Therefore we need
to forgive others as God forgives us.
The children can now be given time to reflect on their own what they have learnt from the lesson
today – what most has stood out for them. Provide paper and materials such as crayons, paint etc
so that children who wish can express their thoughts through a drawing, words, a poem, a song, a
prayer, dance. Should they not want to express their thoughts in any of these ways that is also fine.
At the end of this time of reflection, give the children a chance to share their response if they wish to
do so.
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Worksheet: If some children finish their time of reflection before others, a few worksheets
can be found at the end of the lesson, which the children can work on while waiting for others to
finish their response to the lesson.
Prayer: Conclude this time of reflection with a prayer. The prayer can begin with an open form
of prayer where the children can be encouraged to pray, focussing on what has been learnt during
today’s lesson. The prayer time can be concluded by either saying or singing the words from the
well-known song, “Amazing Grace”.
Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace, how sweet the
sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I’m found
Was blind but now I see


Activities:
Memory verse fun: Write the memory verse on a chalkboard or erasable marker board.
After teaching the verse through repetition, erase one word at a time. The children need to
repeat the verse after each new word is erased. At the end, the board will be blank and the
children should know the verse. Another option is for you to write each word of the
memory verse on a separate piece of paper. Choose volunteers to hold each piece of paper.
Slowly remove pieces of paper, with the children repeating the verse after each paper is
removed. Another option is to write each word of the memory verse on a separate inflated
balloon. Once the children know the memory verse, volunteers can be blindfolded and then
given a pin to pop the balloons, one at a time, with the children repeating the verse after
each balloon is popped.
Play stuck in the mud
References:
www.dtlk-bible.com
Life Application Bible: New International Version, Tyndale House Publishers and Zondervan
Publishers, 1991
www.dancingscarecrow.org.uk
www.forchildren.com
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Kingdom Truths: God’s deep
love for us
(The parable of the lost sheep and
the lost coin)
Fourth Sunday in Lent
6 March 2016
Reading: Luke 15:1-9
Theme: God’s deep love for us
Memory verse: “Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep (Luke 15:6)
Information for the teacher:
Today’s lesson is the last in our Lenten series where we have been exploring Kingdom truths. Today we explore
God’s deep love for us. Despite us straying from God, Jesus the Good Shepherd, comes looking for us, and is
overjoyed when he finds us. The theme of the love of God was already touched on last week in the parable of the
lost son.
People can get lost in many ways- drug / alcohol addiction, morally, spiritually. Lost because of their own fault, or
because they have no guide who takes an interest in them. And so every Christian should show an active concern
for those who are lost.
Therefore what is at stake in both of the stories for today is the value of the individual. Every person is important
and precious to God - all the more so if that person is lost. The Pharisees, who regarded themselves as people of
great virtue, had nothing to do with sinners. The central point of their religion was that God loves the virtuous, and
hates the sinner, but Jesus showed them a very different kind of God. Jesus was gentle and loving in His approach
to sinners. He knew that rejection and judgement never help to change a person. For this reason Jesus provided
the kind of presence in which people felt accepted and loved, a “space” where people can change and grow into
the kind of people God has in mind for us.
And so in today’s lesson we are reminded that God loves each of us very much – we are all very special to God.
Should one of us be lost, God will search until we are found, and this will be followed by great rejoicing throughout
Heaven.
It is this extraordinary love for us which resulted in Jesus coming to Earth in search of the lost, and to save us all.
This great love culminates in the Easter Story, which we will be reminded of next week.
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Lesson Suggestions:
Younger Children (3 – 6 years):
Lesson Objectives:
 To learn about the story of the lost sheep and the lost coin
 To be aware of the deep love that God has for us
Attention Grabber: Ask the children what sound different animals make e.g. a horse,
cow, chicken, pig, sheep. For the older children quietly tell each of them which animal they
must pretend to be. Make sure that at least two children are the same animal. Each child needs
to make their animal sound and then find the other children who are pretending to be the same
animal. You may want to blind fold the slightly older children to make this game a little harder
and even more fun. Tell the children that today we are learning about a story that Jesus told
about sheep – do they know which story this is?
Bible Story and reflection: The story of the lost sheep and the lost coin (Luke 15: 1-9)
Before you tell the story for today, remind the slightly older children that we are in the Season of Lent
and that during this time we are learning more about God’s Kingdom. Briefly remind the children of
what we have so far learnt in this series of lessons.
Today we will be learning about the Lord, our shepherd. Ask the children if they know what a
shepherd is. Some children may be already quite familiar with this story, but tell them to listen
carefully so they can answer the questions which follow.
For the story of the lost sheep, it is suggested that you make use of the pictures found on page 111.
to “act out” the story as you say the following words:
The parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:1-6)
Jesus once told the people about a shepherd and his sheep.
This is what He said, “If a shepherd has one hundred sheep.......... and one of these sheep
goes off by itself and gets lost ........... then the shepherd will leave the ninety nine
sheep............... and he will go looking for the one that is lost......... He will keep searching
............. and calling ............. until he has found the lost sheep. When he finds the sheep,
he will put it on his shoulders and carry it home. He will call his friends and neighbours
saying, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.”
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Questions for reflection:
(There are no correct answers to these questions. Give the children the opportunity to give their
opinions. Through the discussion, perhaps guide the children to a realisation of God’s deep love for
each of us)
1. Why do you think the shepherd worked so hard to find the one sheep that was lost?
2. How do you think the shepherd knew that one sheep was missing?
3. How do you think the lost sheep felt when it heard the shepherd’s voice?
4. Why do you think the shepherd called all his neighbours and friends to rejoice with him?
5. How do you feel after listening to this story, knowing that Jesus is the shepherd and we are
his sheep?
The parable of the lost coin (Luke 15:8-10)
(For this next story you will need 10 coins – hide one of the coins somewhere in the area you are
teaching before the start of the lesson)
Jesus then went on to tell the people about a woman who lost a coin.
This woman had 10 coins.
Use your fingers to count to ten with me. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10
One day she was counting her coins – help me count my coins: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9............
Oh no! She had lost one. She took her lamp and started looking everywhere in her house for
that coin. Shall we help her look for the coin?
She looked under things – let’s pretend we are looking under something.
She stood tall and looked on top of things – let’s stand tall on tip toes and pretend we are
looking for something that is high up.
She stooped down low and looked for that coin. Stoop low with me. (Squat down)
Do you think the coin is somewhere in this room? (Let the children search the room until they
find the coin.)
How do you think the woman felt when she found the coin? (Allow the children to respond)
I’m sure she was very happy – show me how happy she looked! (Make happy faces with the
children.)
The woman was so happy she told everyone she knew.
Questions for reflection:
1. Have you ever lost anything very special or precious to you? Share with each other – what did
you lose? How did you feel about this loss?
2. Why do you think Jesus told this story?
1.
2.
Craft ideas:
Make an interactive book as shown on pages 112-116. The pages can be glued together to
make a book. The book can be entitled, “Stories Jesus told” – this can be found on page 107.
The story of the prodigal son has also been included in this booklet as it also shows God’s great
love for us and can be used as a reminder of last week’s lesson.
Coin rubbings – the children can make “coins” by placing a piece of paper over a coin and then
rubbing with a crayon over the coin – the image of the coin will then appear on the paper. The
children can make 10 coins, then cut them out and place in an envelope to take home to retell
the story – the little ones especially will not be able to cut out the coins – this craft may need to
be completed at home with the aid of parents. The children may like to decorate the envelope
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that they will keep their coins in. (Note that more emphasis has been placed on the story of the
lost coin in the crafts for today as a number of sheep crafts have been done in previous
lessons.)
Songs:
The Lord is my shepherd
Jesus loves me
Jesus loves me, this I know
For the Bible tells me so
Little ones to Him belong
They are weak but He is strong
Yes, Jesus loves me (x3)
The Bible tells me so
The Lord is my Shepherd
I’ll trust in Him always
He leads me by still waters
I’ll trust in Him always
Always, always, I’ll trust in Him
always (x2)
Prayer: Dear Lord. Thank you that you love and care for us so much. Amen
Physical activities:
1. One child needs to leave the room. Place about 10 plastic cups upside down. Hide a coin in
one of the cups. The child then returns and has three guesses as to which cup the coin has
been hidden in. If they guess correctly, perhaps give them a sweet as a treat.
2. Memory game – place 10 items in front of the children – perhaps try to relate the items to
the lesson for today e.g. coin, cotton wool to represent sheep, shoe to represent woman,
candle to represent the lamp. Give the children a few moments to look at all the items –
perhaps discuss why you have chosen the items you have – how they relate to the story.
Then cover the display and remove one item. Ask the children which item is missing. Again,
if they are correct, you can reward them with a sweet,
Stories Jesus told
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Older children (7 – 13 years)
Lesson objectives:
 To learn about the story of the lost sheep and the lost coin
 To be aware of the deep love that God has for us
 To repent of our sins
Attention Grabber: Before the lesson, cut out the shape of 10 sheep, and write one
word of the memory verse onto each sheep, including the bible verse reference. Then scatter
the sheep throughout your teaching area. The children then need to find each of the sheep, and
try to put the words of the memory verse together in the correct order without any help from
you. If you have a large group you may need to have a number of sets of sheep – write the
words of the different sets in different colours so that each group only collects sheep of a certain
colour. The groups can then race to put the sheep in the correct order, according to the
memory verse. Do not let this activity take up too much time.
Bible Story and reflection: The story of the lost sheep and the lost coin (Luke 15:1-9)
Before you tell the story for today, remind the children that we are in the Season of Lent and that our
theme for Lent is Kingdom Truths. Briefly remind the children of what we have so far learnt in this
series of lessons.
For the story of the lost sheep, it is suggested that you make use of the pictures at the end of this
lesson to “act out” the story which follows.
(Another option would be for the children to act out the story of the lost sheep as well as the lost coin
– you could provide them with props such as coins etc)
Today I am going to tell you a story which is probably well-known to you, but listen carefully as I
have some searching questions to ask once we are done.
The parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:1-6)
Jesus once told the people about a shepherd and his sheep.
This is what He said, “If a shepherd has one hundred sheep.......... and one of these sheep
goes off by itself and gets lost ........... then the shepherd will leave the ninety nine
sheep............... and he will go looking for the one that is lost......... He will keep searching
............. and calling ............. until he has found the lost sheep. When he finds the sheep, he
will put it on his shoulders and carry it home. He will call his friends and neighbours saying,
“Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.”
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Questions for reflection:
(There are no correct answers to these questions. Give the children the opportunity to give their
opinions. Through the discussion, perhaps guide the children to a realisation of God’s deep love for
each of us)
1. Why do you think the shepherd worked so hard to find the one sheep that was lost?
2. How do you think the shepherd knew that one sheep was missing?
3. How do you think the lost sheep felt when it heard the shepherd’s voice?
4. Why do you think the shepherd called all his neighbours and friends to rejoice with him?
5. How do you feel after listening to this story, knowing that Jesus is the shepherd and we are his
sheep?
The parable of the lost coin (Luke 15:8-10)
Jesus then went on to tell the people about a woman who lost a coin. He said, “A woman
once had 10 silver coins. She then lost one. She lit a lamp, swept the house, searched
carefully until she found it. When she found it, she called her friends and neighbours
together and said, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost coin”
Questions for reflection:
1. Have you ever lost anything very special or precious to you? Share with each other – what did
you lose? How did you feel about this loss?
2. Why do you think Jesus told this story?
Craft: The children can now produce a poster based on the lesson for today. They can
work in groups if they wish. Some pictures of sheep can be found at the end of the lesson which
they can add to their poster. Also provide materials such as glue, cotton wool, scissors, crayons etc.
Suggest that they can make coin rubbings should they want to illustrate the story of the lost coin –
see the younger children’s lesson on how to do this.
Worksheet: Worksheets are available for those children who finish the craft before the
others, or perhaps don’t want to participate in the craft.
Prayer:
At the beginning of the prayer time, give the children an opportunity to share their thoughts on this
lesson with the rest of the group.
Then give the children time to think about the following “wonderings”:
1. I wonder if you have ever been lost.
2. I wonder what it means to be lost from Jesus.
Sometimes we are like lost sheep because we have moved away from Jesus. Remember that we are
in the Season of Lent – Lent is a time of repentance when we think of all that we have done which is
not what Jesus would like us to do. Let us spend some time thinking of all the things in our lives
which we would like to change. (Give the children some time to think about this)
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Our story for today tells us that Jesus the shepherd rejoices when His sheep return to Him. The joy
we feel when we find what we have been looking for is the same kind of joy God feels when we
repent and follow God’s commandments. We thank you Lord that you love each one of us so much.
Amen
Song:
The Lord is my shepherd
The Lord is my Shepherd
I’ll trust in Him always
He leads me by still waters
I’ll trust in Him always
Always, always, I’ll trust in Him
always (x2)
Activities:
1. Play a game similar to hockey, but have 10 balls instead of just one in this game. The aim is
for each team to get as many of the 10 balls into their goals as possible. If you do not have
enough balls for this game, then use paper scrunched up into balls. Rolled up newspaper
can be used as bats, or the children can kick the balls rather than hit them. Ask the children
how they think this game relates to the lesson for today.
2. Hide 10 coins in a bowl of sea sand or rice or flour etc. Blindfold one child at a time – how
many coins can each child find in 1 minute?
3. One child needs to leave the room. Place about 10 plastic cups upside down. Hide a coin in
one of the cups. The child then returns and has three guesses as to which cup the coin has
been hidden in. If they guess correctly, perhaps give them a sweet as a treat.
References:
http://www.biblesongsandmore.com/parablespopupprodigal.pdf
www.ceoballarat.edu.au/learning
http://www.ceoballarat.catholic.edu.au/media/uploads/rec_godly_play/TheLostSheepImages.pdf
http://freesundayschoolcurriculum.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/5/0/12503916/lesson_52_the_lost_sh
eep.pdf
www.dtlk-bible.com
www.forchildren.com
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112
113
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The lost Son
A farmer’s son left home. His dad was very
sad. He looked for him everyday to come
home. After the son had spent all his
money, he decided to return home to his
dad. When his dad saw him coming down
the road, he was very happy.
Luke 15:11-31
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Holy Week
The journey to the cross
Fifth Sunday in Lent
13 March 2016
Readings: Luke 19: 28 – 41; Luke 22, 23,24:1-6; John 13: 1-30
Theme: The journey to the cross
Memory verses: “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He is risen!!”Luke
24:6
Information for the teacher:
Today is the last lesson for the term. As we approach Holy Week and Easter it is fitting that we prepare to
celebrate the memorial of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection – the centrepiece of our Christian faith. For
Christians, Easter represents the most sacred of times.
This year we remind ourselves of the events in Holy Week, the last week of Jesus’ life on earth. We follow the
journey that Jesus made to the cross, starting with His triumphant entry into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey.
In many ways, this journey is a synopsis of Jesus’ life and through this journey we are able to remind ourselves
of much that we have learnt this term – As Jesus enters Jerusalem on the day now known as Palm Sunday, we
are reminded of how Jesus came as a Saviour to the world, but not as everyone was expecting - Jesus was a
King and yet was born in a stable; Jesus entered Jerusalem not on a chariot but on a donkey. Jesus’ ways are
not the ways of the world. We too are called to be IN this world but not OF it. (John: 17:16)
When Jesus clears the temple we are reminded that Jesus most certainly turned things upside-down or is it the
right-side up?! He challenged the norms of society. We too are called to stand up for what is right and to
always ask, “What Would Jesus Do?”
It is at the Last Supper that Jesus washes His disciples’ feet, reminding us that Jesus came not to be served, but
to serve. Through this action we are reminded that “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and
the servant of all.” Mark 9:35 b
After the Last Supper, Jesus goes to the garden of Gethsemane, where He prays – Jesus often removed Himself
from the crowds and found Himself a solitary place to pray. It is during this time in the Garden of Gethsemane
that Jesus is betrayed by Judas and arrested.
This leads into the events of Good Friday, the saddest of days – the day that our dear Lord was crucified on the
cross. In today’s lesson for the older children, this solemn day is expressed through the words of the Stations of
the Cross – especially adapted for children.
Gladly, our Easter Story does not end with events of Good Friday. We are able to rejoice with all creation that
on that first Easter morning the tomb where Jesus had been placed was empty –Jesus had risen from the dead.
He is alive! May this good news remain in your hearts throughout this Easter! Alleluia, Alleluia
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Lesson Suggestions:
Younger Children (3 – 6 years):
Lesson Objectives:
 To review the events of Holy Week and the Easter Story
 To encourage a sense of excitement as we look forward to the joy of Easter
Bible Story: Holy Week (Luke 19: 28 – 41; Luke 22, 23,24:1-6; John 13: 1-30)
The main aim of today’s lesson is to review the events of Holy Week – to remind the children of
Jesus’ journey to the cross.
One of the most effective ways to tell the Easter Story is by using Resurrection Eggs – these can be
found at many Christian Bookshops, although you can also make your own. Resurrection Eggs are a
set of 12 plastic Easter eggs in various colours, as shown in the diagram below. Inside each egg is a
symbol of the Easter story e.g. a donkey for Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, a dice to
represent the soldiers casting lots for Jesus’ clothes, etc. The children enjoy searching for each of
the eggs, and then relating the events of Holy Week as the contents of each egg is revealed. More
on Resurrection Eggs can be found at the end of this lesson.
Should you not be able to obtain Resurrection Eggs, then you can simply tell the Easter story, making
use of the pictures found in a children’s Bible, starting with Jesus entry into Jerusalem on Palm
Sunday. Ask the children what they know about each of the stories in the week following up to
Easter:
 Jesus entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday
 The Last Supper – including Jesus washing His disciple’s feet
 Good Friday – the day our Lord died on a cross for our sins
 Easter morning – Jesus rises from the dead.
(It is suggested that you do not spend too much time on the events of Good Friday, as this may be
too tragic for many of the little ones, but rather focus on the joy of Easter morning. For more detail
on each of the events in Holy Week, refer to the older children’s lesson.)
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Songs: As you go through the events of Holy Week, sing songs to do with each of the
stories. Examples of songs that you can sing are found at the end of the lesson.
Prayer:
Jesus rose on Easter Day
Angels rolled the stone away
Little children, come and sing
Glory, Glory to the King!
Amen
Craft: There are so many lovely ideas for today’s lesson – these can be found at the end
of the lesson. Do make sure that there is enough time for the children to do one of these crafts.




Physical activities:
If the children were not able to search for resurrection eggs, then perhaps hide an Easter
egg/s for the children to find. A hollow Easter egg would is preferable as you can tell them
that this egg reminds us of the empty tomb – Jesus has risen from the dead – He is alive!
Egg and spoon race – you may want to boil the egg so as to avoid a mess!
Easter hopping race – the children hop with an Easter egg (or a ball or a balloon) between
their legs.
Pass the egg – This game is similar to “pass the parcel”. The children pass an egg around a
circle. The person holding the egg when the music stops is ”out”, or perhaps for the little
ones, the person holding the egg when the music stops gets a sweet.
Snack: Easter eggs!
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Older children (7 – 13 years):
Lesson objectives:
 To review the events of Holy Week
 To provide a brief review of the past term’s themes
 To arouse a deep awareness of what Jesus, our Saviour did for us, and to encourage a
response
Bible Story: Holy Week – The journey to the cross (Luke 19: 28 – 41; Luke 22, 23,24:16; John 13: 1-30)
Explain to the children that as we approach the end of Lent and look towards Holy Week and Easter,
today we are going on a journey – we are following Jesus on His journey to the cross. Explain that a
number of scenes have been set up, each depicting a different scene in Holy Week. We will find that
as we journey with Jesus to the cross, much of what we have learnt this past term will be
highlighted.
The scenes as shown below need to be set up before the start of the lesson. The scenes should not be
set up in the order that they are to be discussed – it is part of the lesson that the children determine
for themselves the order of the scenes, based on their knowledge of Holy Week – you will of course
need to guide them should they not know the sequence of events.
Scene 1 – Palm Sunday – Jesus enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey (Luke 19:28 – 41)
If possible, place palm branches (or some type of branch resembling palm branches) at this scene or
you could use green paper to make a palm leaf. Another suggestion is to place a picture of Jesus
riding on a donkey as He entered Jerusalem.
Begin by asking the children what they think this first scene represents. Through this discussion,
review the story of Jesus entering Jerusalem, riding on a donkey.
As Jesus entered Jerusalem, people spread their cloaks on the road. A whole crowd of people began
joyfully praising God in loud voices for all the miracles that they had seen. “Blessed is the King who
comes in the name of the Lord!”
Jesus came as a Saviour to the world, but not as everyone had been expecting – Jesus the King, was
born in a stable, not in a palace. Jesus entered Jerusalem not on a chariot, but on a donkey. Jesus
came to show us a new way of living – His way is not the way of the world. We too are called to be
IN this world, but not OF it. (John 17:16)
Song: We have a King who rides a donkey; Hosanna
Scene 2: Jesus clears the temple (Luke 19:45 -48)
Place a table and a few chairs upside-down to represent this scene.
Again begin by asking the children what they think this scene represents.
When Jesus entered the temple area, He began driving out those who were selling. Jesus said, “My
house will be a house of prayer, but you have made it a “den of robbers”.
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Jesus most certainly turned things upside-down or is it the right-side up! He challenged the norms of
society. Note that there were people, religious leaders in particular who did not agree with Jesus
teachings – they were plotting a way to kill him, yet they could not find a way to do it, because all
the people hung on His words.
We, like Jesus, are also called stand up for what is right, even though this is not always easy to do.
Always question “What Would Jesus Do?”
Scene 3: The Last Supper (Luke 22:1- 30; John 13: 1-30)
For this scene, place some matzos (or bread) and grape juice on a table. You can also place a bowl
with water to remind the children that it was at the Last Supper that Jesus washed His Disciple’s feet,
as well as a few silver coins to represent Judas’ betrayal.
Once again, begin by asking the children what they think this scene represents and allow them to
recall all that they know about the Last Supper.
The Disciples found a large upper room to celebrate the feast of unleavened bread or Passover. It
was at this meal that Jesus took bread, gave thanks and said, ”This is my body given for you, do this
in remembrance of me.” He then took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “This is
my blood, poured out to many.”
It was also at the Last Supper where Jesus washed His Disciples feet. Jesus said that He came not to
be served, but to serve. We are called to follow His example.
The silver coins remind us of the 30 pieces of silver Judas Iscariot was paid by the chief priests for
agreeing to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that Judas would betray him – the one to whom Jesus gave the
piece of bread that had dipped in the dish. Judas would wait for an opportunity to hand Jesus over
to the chief priests when no crowd was present.
It is on Maundy Thursday of Holy Week that we remember this last meal that Jesus shared with His
Disciples and the events which followed.
Song: Brother, let me be your servant
Scene 4: Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:32-51; 66-72)
For this scene, place a picture of praying hands. Another option is to set this scene up in a garden
setting, symbolising the Garden of Gethsemane.
Ask the children to recall what they know about the events in the Garden of Gethsemane.
After the Last Supper, Jesus went to the garden of Gethsemane, where He prayed – we have
discussed this past term how Jesus would often remove himself from the crowds and find a solitary
place to pray.
It was here that Jesus was abandoned by His disciples in a number of ways – ask the children if they
know how the disciples abandoned Jesus.
Firstly, the disciples fell asleep three times, even after Jesus had asked them to “Stay here and keep
watch.”
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It was also in the Garden of Gethsemane that Judas brought the chief priests, teachers of the law
and elders to arrest Jesus – Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss.
Later that night, while Jesus was being questioned by the high priest, we also read of how Peter
denied knowing Jesus 3 times – Jesus had predicted this earlier in the evening, saying, “Before the
rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.” Mark 14:72. When Peter realised what he had
done, he broke down and wept.
Song: Stay here and keep watch with me - watch and pray
(This is a very beautiful and well-known Taizé song, which you can sing with the children or perhaps
download a recording of it. Another option is simply to slowly repeat the words of the song –it is just
one line. During this time everyone spends a bit of time in quiet reflection, thinking of all the times
we fail Jesus.)
Scene 5: Jesus is crucified (Luke 23)
For this scene, place a picture of a cross.
Ask the children to recall the events of Good Friday -the day that Jesus was crucified.
At this stage, you may want to make use of a children’s version of the Stations of the Cross, which
can be found at the end of this lesson – this gives a simple account of the events of that very sad day
in History. You may want to remove a few of the stations or some of the words due to time
constraints, or if you feel that the children may lose concentration. This part of the lesson should be
a solemn time, where we remember the passion of our Lord.
Song: Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Scene 6: Jesus rises from the dead! (Luke 24:1-6)
For this scene, you can place a few rocks to represent an open tomb with some flowers scattered
around.
Gladly our Easter Story does not end with the events of Good Friday! Ask the children to recall what
they know about Easter Sunday.
“On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had
prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they
entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this,
suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning, stood beside them. In their fright the
women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for
the living among the dead? He is not here; He is risen!!”
Alleulia – Jesus is risen from the dead!!
Song: There are a number of suitable songs that can be sung to celebrate that Jesus has
risen from the dead. A few examples can be found at the end of this lesson
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Prayer:
Almighty God, who through your Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened to us the gate of
everlasting life,
May we, who celebrate with joy the day of the Lord’s resurrection, be raised from the death of sin
by your life-giving Spirit
Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit
One God, now and forever,
Amen
Craft ideas: The craft for today is a response to the lesson. If possible, the children should
be given the freedom to express themselves in whichever way they choose. Some ideas can be
found below. As the lesson is quite long, the children may need to complete the craft at home.
Paper plate craft - This is more suited for younger children.
To do this craft, cut the bottom part off of a paper plate. Paint or colour in the two sections of paper
plates, as shown in the diagram above. Cut a circle from yellow paper/cardboard, and glue to the
centre of the plate – you can fold the bottom part of the circle so that it comes out the back of the
plate – this will help the craft stand up
Glue the two sections of paper plate together so that the cut edges are at the bottom (see diagram
above!)
Add the crosses and write “He is Risen!”
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Stained glass windows:
 Templates for the stained glass windows as seen above can be found on pages ......
 The children can simply colour in the templates, although they would enjoy using cellophane
or tissue paper, as shown in the above pictures
 The easiest way to do this craft is to print the template on cardboard. Then cut out all the
white of the template. Then place the template onto self-laminating (sticky plastic), with the
black side facing onto the plastic. Then fill the inside of the stained glass window with tissue
paper or cellophane. Once you are finished, it is best to cover this with self-laminating
plastic. Cut out the stained glass window from the laminating plastic and stick to a window
For this craft, simply, place a template of the cross on paper, and then paint the page. Then remove
the cross to get the effect as shown in the diagram.
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Hosanna
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest (x2)
Lord we lift up your name
With our hearts filled with praise
We exalt you, O Lord our God
Hosanna in the highest
Songs:
We have a king who rides a donkey
We have a king who rides a donkey (x3)
And His name is Jesus
Glory, glory, glory to King of Kings (X2)
Lord we lift up your name
With our hearts filled with praise
We exalt you, O Lord our God
Hosanna in the highest
Jesus the King is risen (x3)
Early in the morning
Palms are waving a royal welcome (x3)
For this king called Jesus
We have a king who cares for people(x3)
And his name is Jesus
Sing Alleluia to the Lord
Sing Alleluia to the Lord
Sing alleluia to the Lord
Sing Alleluia, Sing Alleluia
Sing Alleluia to the Lord
Brother / Sister let me be your servant
Brother let me be your servant
Let me be as Christ to you
Pray that I may have the grace to let you be
my servant too.
Jesus is risen from the dead.....
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?(x2)
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they nailed him to the cross? (x2)
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they nailed Him to the cross?
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb? (x2)
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Jesus is Lord of Heaven and Earth .......
Jesus is coming for His own .........
Alive!
Alive, alive, alive for evermore
My Jesus is alive, alive forevermore
Alive, alive, alive for evermore
My Jesus is alive
Praise Him
Praise Him, Praise Him
Praise Him in the morning, praise
Him in the noontime
Praise Him, praise Him
Praise Him when the sun goes
down
Love Him.........
Trust Him........
Serve Him........
Jesus..........
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Lord of the dance
I danced in the morning
when the world was begun,
And I danced in the moon
And the stars and the sun,
And I came down from heaven
And I danced on the earth,
At Bethlehem I had my birth.
My redeemer lives
I know He rescued my soul
His blood has covered my sin
I believe, I believe
My shame He’s taken away
My pain is healed in His name
I believe, I believe
Chorus:
Dance, then,wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he,
And I'll lead you all,
wherever you may be,
And I'll lead you all
in the Dance, said he.
I’ll raise a banner
‘Cause my Lord has conquered the
grave
My redeemer lives (x4)
I danced for the scribe
And the pharisee,
But they would not dance
And they wouldn't follow me.
I danced for the fishermen,
For James and John They came with me
And the Dance went on.
I danced on the Sabbath
And I cured the lame;
The holy people
Said it was a shame.
They whipped and they stripped
And they hung me on high,
And they left me there
On a Cross to die.
I danced on a Friday
When the sky turned black It's hard to dance
With the devil on your back.
They buried my body
And they thought I'd gone,
But I am the Dance,
And I still go on.
They cut me down
And I leapt up high;
I am the life
That'll never, never die;
I'll live in you
If you'll live in me I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.
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Stations of the Cross
1. Jesus is condemned to death: Jesus stands before Pontius Pilate. He is alone. Jesus has
done only good things in life. Jesus is to be put to death. The procession is ready. The gates
are opened. The soldiers lead the way. Jesus follows.
2. Jesus bears His cross: The people want to crucify Jesus. Pontius Pilate does not want to
crucify Him. He tries everything he can to change the crowd's mind but nothing works.
Pilate washes his hands in front of the crowd saying, "This is a righteous man." He gives
Jesus to the soldiers to be crucified.
3. Jesus falls a first time: The procession moves out of the city gate. Jesus is unsteady on his
feet. The soldiers are pushing Him. Jesus is tired. He can hardly carry the cross. He falls. The
soldiers yank him up. The procession is moving again.
4. Jesus Meets His Mother: Mary sees the procession moving through the streets. She
sees. She hurries to Jesus. There he is in front of her. The cross is so heavy, he is trembling.
His body is bleeding. His mother tries to get closer to him. He tries to get closer to his
mother but the soldiers push him away. The procession moves on
5. Jesus is Helped by Simon: The soldiers see that Jesus is weak. They are afraid that he might
not make it to the place where he is to be crucified. The soldiers see Simon of Cyrene.
A soldier pushes Simon toward Jesus telling him to carry the cross. Simon sees that Jesus is
bruised and bleeding and quickly picks up the cross. He carries it for Jesus. They move on
with Jesus following Simon.
6. Jesus Falls a Second Time: Jesus is getting more tired. He is getting weaker. Jesus falls. He
struggles to get up. He tries until He makes it to his feet. Jesus moves on.
7. Jesus Speaks to the Women: Jesus can hear the crying of the women in the crowd.
He knows they are sad. He stops and talks to them. Even at this terrible time, Jesus is not
thinking of himself, he is thinking of all of us.
8. Jesus Falls a Third Time: Jesus continues walking, tired, in pain, and pushed by the soldiers.
Jesus falls once more. They laugh at him. He gets up, steadies himself and walks the last few
yards to Golgotha- the Place of the Skull.
9. Jesus is Stripped of His Garments: Jesus arrives at the Place of Skull. The soldiers remove his
clothes, tossing them in a heap. The soldiers don’t know what to do with his clothes. They
decide to throw dice for them.
10. Jesus is Nailed to The Cross: The soldiers grab Jesus and lie him face up on the cross
stretching his arms. They hold His wrist and hand to the wood. They drive the nail with a
hammer. They do the same with the other arm. Raising His Knees so that His feet lie flat,
they hammer. It is done - Jesus is nailed to the cross.
11. Jesus Dies on the Cross: As Pilate orders, a soldier places, above Jesus' head, a notice
reading 'Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" (John 19:20). The cross is hoisted into place.
Mary and John, stay at the foot of the cross and pray. Jesus looks down and sees His mother
"Dear woman, here is your son"(John 19:26) and to John "Here is your mother" (John 19:27)
Even at this terrible time, Jesus is taking care of his mother.
The sky is dark.
Jesus says "I am thirsty". (John 19:28) A soldier offers him wine mixed with vinegar.
The two thieves that are crucified beside Him, talk to Him.
Looking at one of them he says, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
(Luke 23:43).
Jesus says, "EIoi, Eboi, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have
you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46)
Then he says "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit (Luke 23:46)
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A few moments later He said, "It is finished"
He dies.
At this instant, the earth shakes, rocks split, the curtain in the temple rips from top to
bottom. The centurion guarding Jesus sees the earth quake and says "Surely he was the Son
of God" (Matthew 27:54).
Jesus dies at 3 p.m. on the Cross at Calvary.
Resurrection Eggs
The traditional symbols found in resurrection eggs are:
1. Donkey -Jesus enters Jerusalem riding a donkey
2. Silver coins- Judas was given 30 silver coins for betraying Jesus
3. Cup – a reminder of the Last Supper that Jesus shared with His disciples
4. Praying hands- Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane
5. Leather whip – Jesus was whipped before He was led to be crucified
6. Crown of thorns –Jesus was given a crown on thorns to wear
7. Nails-Jesus was nailed to the cross
8. Dice – the soldiers divide up Jesus clothes
9. Spear - the soldiers pierced Jesus side with a spear to ensure He was dead
10. Linen cloth – Jesus was wrapped in linen cloth and placed in a tomb
11. Stone- a stone was placed in front of the tomb
12. Empty – On the first Easter morning the tomb was found to be empty!
Many people have made their own set of resurrection eggs – plastic eggs can sometimes be found in
the shops, although these can be quite costly.
You may like to replace some of these symbols with other symbols that relate the Easter Story e.g.
some matzos to represent the last supper or a sponge to represent the sponge soaked in vinegar given
to Jesus when He was nailed on the cross. Note that the last egg is always empty to remind us of the
empty tomb – Jesus has risen from the dead!
References:
www.ainglkiss.com/stations4kids/
www.craftingthewordof god.com
www.dtlk-bible.com
www.catholicing.com
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