Aim to be familiar with the story of Jesus’ last days and the Crucifixion

Aim
to be familiar with the story of Jesus’ last days and the Crucifixion

Materials
* picture cards of the story
* Bible verses about Jesus’ last days
* children’s story about Jesus’ crucifixion
* worksheet

Lesson Outline
1. Introduction
2. Story
3. Activities
4. Review the aim of the lesson
5. Prayer

1) Introduction
Ask the children what they know about the last days of Jesus life and his crucifixion

2) Story
* Use the pictures to tell the main points of the story. Give one picture to a child to say what is happening in the picture. Can someone put the pictures in the correct order?

* Read the children’s story of Jesus’ crucifixion in more detail

1. The Last Supper – Mark 14:22-25; Matthew 26:26-29; Luke 22:17-20.
* At the Passover feast the Jews remembered how God delivered them from slavery. Jesus and his twelve disciples gathered together to share the Passover meal, their last meal together.

* When Jesus shared the bread and wine with his disciples, he said, “This is My body and this is My blood. It is given for you, for the forgiveness of sins.” He asked them to do this to remember him.

* Jesus said one of his disciples would betray him.(Judas Iscariot)

* He told Peter, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”

2. Jesus Prays in Gethsemane. Mark 14:32-42; Matthew 26:36-46; Luke 22:39-46.

* Jesus and His eleven disciples went to a garden called Gethsemane. It was late at night.

* Jesus told three of His disciples (Peter, James & John) to keep watch, while he prayed. He knew it was time for him to die, but he was in great distress

* The disciples didn’t keep watch. They fell asleep. This happened three times.

3. Jesus is Arrested. Mark 14:43-50; Matthew 26:47-56; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:1-12.
Judas Iscariot came to Gethsemane. He led a crowd of people sent by the religious leaders. They were armed with clubs and swords. He told the men, “I will kiss one man. He is the one you want;
arrest Him”. Judas greeted Jesus and kissed Him. The temple guards arrested him. The disciples were terriﬁed and ran away.

4. Peter Denies Jesus. Mark 14:66-72; Matthew 26:69-75; Luke 22:54-62; John 18:15-18,25-27.
When the temple guards took Jesus away, Peter followed them. He entered the court of the high priest’s house. A servant girl saw him. She said, “You were with Jesus.” But Peter denied it. He was
afraid. Three times he said that he did not know Jesus. Suddenly a rooster crowed. Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him. “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” Then Peter was very sorry that he had denied Jesus. He went out and wept bitterly.

5. Jesus is Tried by Pilate. Mark 15:1-15; Matthew 27:11-26; Luke 23:1-25; John 18:28 – 19:15.
The priests wanted Jesus to die, but they were not allowed to execute anyone, so they sent Jesus to the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. But Pilate couldn’t ﬁnd any reason to to kill him said, and wanted to let Jesus go. But the people called out, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” Pilate thought there might be a riot, so he did what the people wanted and sentenced Jesus to death. The soldiers beat him, made a crown out of thorns and put it on His head. And called him ‘King of the Jews’.

6. Jesus carries the cross. John 19:16-17; Luke 23:26-33; Mark 15:20-23; Matthew 27:31-34.
* The soldiers took Jesus away to kill Him. They made Him carry a big wooden cross.

* The women in Jerusalem wept for Jesus. They all went to a place outside the city, called Golgotha, which means ‘the place of the skull’.

7. The Cruciﬁxion. Mark 15:25-39; Luke 23:33-46; Matthew 27:35-50; John 16:19-30.
The soldiers took Jesus’ clothes. They nailed Him to the cross and left Him there to die. Two other criminals were cruciﬁed beside Him. For three hours, a great darkness covered the land. After six hours on the cross, Jesus called out, “It is ﬁnished”. Then He gave up His spirit and died. The Roman ofﬁcer was amazed and said, “This man was really the Son of God”.

3) Activities
Complete the worksheet

– Write a brief explanation for each picture. For younger children, only write a title for each picture
1. The Last Supper
2. Jesus prays in Gethsemane
3. Jesus is arrested
4. Peter Denies Jesus
5. Jesus is tried by Pilate
6. Jesus carries the cross

– Draw a picture of Jesus on the cross.
Memory game

– Use the picture cards to play the memory game

4) Review the aims
to be familiar with the story Jesus’ last days and the Crucifixion

5) End with a prayer