* LESSON: THE CHURCH:

Bible Memory Verse:
"…Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" Ephesians 5:25

     
The Bible says, " Christ loved the church…" WHO IS CHRIST? Christ means Messiah. The Messiah was promised to the Jewish people as their leader and liberator. Jesus was the promised Messiah. Jesus is called the Christ. Jesus Christ loved the church or Jesus loved the church. Jesus is called the Christ. Jesus Christ loved the church or Jesus loved the church. 
WHO IS THE CHURCH? If you believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior you are part of the church. According to the Bible, God’s Word, the church is the people that have accepted the Lord Jesus as their Savior and Lord. It does not matter what church building they go to, what matters is that they love the Lord Jesus; it matters what they believe in their heart.
 

The Bible says, "Christ love the church and gave himself up for her". WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT CHRIST GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR THE CHURCH? It means that He gave all of Himself for the church. He died for people so that whoever believes in Him can have Him to help them on earth and when they die they will go to heaven where they will be with Jesus forever. Jesus knows all about us and loves us so much that it will be wonderful to be with Him forever.

Christians or people that believe in Jesus are the church, but there are also churches or church buildings. The Bible also says that Christians are to meet together to encourage each other, help each other, study God’s word, the Bible and worship God with song and music. A church building is where most Christians meet. When the church first began, people met in homes. When more and more people became Christians, they began to meet in church buildings. Some small groups of Christians still meet in homes. In some countries where they are not allowed to have church buildings, Christian meet in homes.
The Bible says the church is like a body. Jesus Christ is the head of the body and we are all parts of the body. Each part needs the others. For instance, an ear is needed so we can hear, an eye is needed so we can see. We are all different, but we are all important; we are all needed. 
 

The Bible also says the church is the bride of Jesus Christ. Some day Jesus will come back for His church like a bridegroom used to come for his bride in Jewish weddings.
Not everyone that goes to a church building is a Christian, but if it is a church that teaches the truth from the Bible, God’s word, most of the people that go there will be Christians.
 

The book of Acts in the Bible is the book that tells about the beginning of the church and what happened in the first few years of the church. Acts is about acts of the apostles or disciplines. These were the first Christians and what they first did is recorded in the Bible. 
 

The church began when the Holy Spirit filled believers on the Day of Pentecost. This was ten days after Jesus returned to heaven. When Jesus returned to heaven in the clouds, He told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came. Ten days later the Holy Spirit came. 
 

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled (helped) them. Acts 2:1-4

Peter was one of the disciples who was filled with the Holy Spirit. He had been so afraid when they crucified Jesus that he ran away and said he did not know Jesus. Now He was so full of courage that he preached to a crowd of people and 3,000 accepted Jesus as their Savior and Lord (Acts 2:38-41). 
 

Another man, Stephen who was part of the early church, was full of God’s grace and power, and did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. When men began to argue with Stephen, they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit with which he spoke. (Acts 6:8-11).
Stephen told some of the church leaders that the Holy Spirit was always telling them they needed to accept Jesus as their Savior and Lord, but they would not listen.  And now they had betrayed and murdered Jesus who had been sent by God. 
When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at Stephen. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ‘Look,’ he said, ‘I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’ At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him.  Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. Acts 7:54-60

This man Saul began to persecute (talk against, try to harm) the church (those that believe in Jesus). Going from house to house he began to drag off men and women and put in prison. But later Saul became to believe in Jesus (Acts 9:1-19).  Saul changed his name to Paul and it was this Paul who wrote most of the books in the N.T. of the Bible. 
Paul changed from hating Jesus and Christians to loving them. God loves all people, no matter how bad they are.  He knows that if they will choose to believe in Him and obey Him they will change just like Paul did.
.
QUESTIONS:
1. Who is the church?
2. The Bible says the church is like a body. Who is the head of the body?
3. The Bible says the church is like a bride. Who is like a bridegroom coming for His bride?
4. What book in the Bible tells about the beginning of the church?

* HANDOUT:

THE CHURCH

Bible Memory Verse:
"…Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" Ephesians 5:25

Words to choose from: JESUS, MESSIAH, DIE, BODY, HEAVEN, BIBLE, BRIDE, HOLY, CHURCH, HEAD

1. The __ __ __ __ __ __ is the people of God.

2. The church began when the __ __ __ __ Spirit filled those that believed in Jesus on the Day of Pentecost.

3. Jesus is the __ __ __ __ __ __ __–the One sent from God.

4. The Bible says the church is like a __ __ __ __.

5. Jesus is the __ __ __ __of the body.

6. Jesus is the bridegroom and the church is the __ __ __ __ __.

7. Stephen was the first to __ __ __ because of his belief in Jesus.

8. Paul wrote most of the books of the __ __ __ __ __.
 

9. Some day __ __ __ __ __ will come back for His church.

10. The church will go to __ __ __ __ __ __ .                                      

*LESSON: HOLY SPIRIT

Bible Memory Verse:
“…the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name…” John 14:26
"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever–the Spirit of truth…" John 14:16-17
"…Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit," Ephesians 1:13

WHERE IS JESUS NOW? HOW DID JESUS GO INTO HEAVEN AFTER HE HAD BEEN ON EARTH? Some day He is coming back in the same way He left. He left in the clouds and He is coming back in the clouds.
WHAT IS JESUS DOING IN HEAVEN? (Praying for us–Hebrews 7:25 and preparing a place for us–John 14:1-3) 
 

Before Jesus returned to heaven, He told His disciples that He would not leave them without Someone to comfort them. He promised to send His Holy Spirit to them. “For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:11
When the Holy Spirit came upon them, they would receive courage to tell everyone that because Jesus had risen and defeated death and the devil, anyone could go to Heaven. They could go to heaven if they believed that Jesus was God’s one and only Son.
The Holy Spirit would teach them truth and would take care of them.  

In the Old Testament, God said through His prophet Joel, “I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophecy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.  Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.” Joel 2:28,29

Jesus commanded His disciples, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John (the Baptist) baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 1:5     

After Jesus had gone into heaven, the disciples went to Jerusalem just as He had told them to do. They began to praise and thank God for His Son, Jesus. They thanked Jesus for dying on the cross for their sins. They thanked Him for everything He had given them: “Every good and perfect gift is from above…” James 1:17  
 

While the people were praising God, suddenly there was a sound like a roaring wind. The wind seemed to be right in the room with the disciples and other people. Then what looked like flames of fire settled on their heads. By this they knew that the Holy Spirit had come. The people began to speak in languages they had never learned before. The Holy Spirit gave them this ability. This made people realize that something wonderful had happened to them. 
 

Peter, one of the disciples, had been so afraid he had run away when Jesus was crucified and had said he didn’t know Jesus. Now, with the help of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, Peter spoke to the people who were there and over 3,000 believed in Jesus. The Holy Spirit had given Peter the power and the words to tell others about Jesus.
 

If you believe in Jesus and ask Jesus to forgive your sins, the Holy Spirit will come to live in you, too. You can’t see Him, but you can know He is with you every day. This is the job of the Holy Spirit–the Holy Spirit:
(1 Counsels–He helps you with your problems. You can ask God for help anytime with any problem. Nothing is too hard for God to help you with.
(2 Sanctifies–He makes us more and more like Jesus.
(3  Convicts–The Holy Spirit lets us know when we sin. He also lets us know what we should be doing. He doesn’t just tell us when we do something wrong: He also tells us how to make it right.
(4 Guides–The Holy Spirit will tell us what to do and where to go if we ask Him. Sometimes He will protect us from danger. There is a story of a Christian who missed the plane they were supposed to take. Later they found out that plane had crashed. The Holy Spirit had kept them from dying in a plane crash.
 

He will give you power to tell others about Jesus. He will help you live the way Jesus wants you to. He will teach you truth, comfort you, give you joy and peace and love for people. Because He lives in us, we know that we will go to Heaven someday to live with Jesus forever.

QUESTIONS:
1. What did Jesus promise to give His disciples when He went back to heaven?
2. What were the disciples commanded to do until the Holy Spirit came?
3. What happened when the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost?
4. What was different about the disciples after they received the Holy Spirit?
5. What does the Holy Spirit do?
6. How can we receive the Holy Spirit?

 
* HANDOUT:

THE HOLY SPIRIT

Bible Memory Verse:
“…the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name…” John 14:26
 

Words to choose from: EVERYWHERE, TRUTH, HELPS, HEAVEN, FOREVER, PROTECTS, CLOUDS, COURAGEOUS, PRAYING, SPIRIT
 
1. Right now Jesus is in __ __ __ __ __ __.
 
2. Jesus went back to heaven in the __ __ __ __ __ __.
 
3. In heaven Jesus is __ __ __ __ __ __ __ for us.
 
4. Jesus promised to give His disciples the Holy __ __ __ __ __ when He went back to heaven.
 
5. When the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost the disciples became more __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __.
 
6. The Holy Spirit is __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ .
 
7. The Holy Spirit teaches us __ __ __ __ __.
 
8. The Holy Spirit __ __ __ __ __ when we have problems.
 
9. The Holy Spirit __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ us from danger.
 
10. Someday Christians will go to live __ __ __ __ __ __ __ with Jesus in heaven.                         

*LESSON: ASCENSION

Bible Memory Verse:
“…Jesus will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11

The good news that Jesus had risen from the dead spread quickly. People ran to tell others what they had heard–Jesus had risen from the dead! Jesus appeared to over five hundred people (1 Corinthians 15:6).
 

He appeared to His disciples many times over a period of forty days. Read John 21:1-14.
 

Jesus gave His disciples a very important work to do. He said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit , and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20 They were to tell all people everywhere about Jesus, to baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Then they were to teach them to obey all that Jesus had taught them.
Jesus commanded His disciples, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John (the Baptist) baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 1:5 He was going to send them the Holy Spirit after He had left. Now they would be baptized not only with water but also with the Holy Spirit.
They must not have known what that meant, but they obeyed Jesus and waited.
 

After He had spoken to them, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid them from their sight.
They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Someday Jesus will come back in the clouds of heaven.

QUESTIONS:
1. What were the disciples doing when Jesus appeared to them by the Sea of Tiberias?
2. What work did Jesus give His disciples to do?
3. How did Jesus go into heaven?
4. How is Jesus coming back to earth?
5. Who explained to the disciples that Jesus would come back again in the same way He had gone into heaven?
6. Where is Jesus now?

* HANDOUT:

ASCENSION

Bible Memory Verse:
“…Jesus… will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11

Words to choose from: HOLY, HEAVEN, LIVE, MEN, FISHING, PRAYING, ANGELS, CLOUDS, GOOD, JESUS

1. Jesus appeared while His disciples were __ __ __ __ __ __ __by the Sea of Tiberias.

2. Jesus told His disciples that He wanted them to be fishers of __ __ __.

3. The disciples were to tell people the __ __ __ __news.

4. The disciples were to tell people about __ __ __ __ __.

5. The disciples were to wait for the gift of the __ __ __ __ Spirit.

6. Jesus went up in the __ __ __ __ __ __.

7. __ __ __ __ __ __ explained to the disciples that Jesus would come back in the same way He went into heaven.

8. Right now Jesus is in __ __ __ __ __ __.

9. Jesus is __ __ __ __ __ __ __ for us.

10. Jesus is preparing beautiful places for us to __ __ __ __in heaven.

* ASCENSION PLAY:

Bible Memory Verse:
“…Jesus… will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11

CHARACTERS: Jolly the Giraffe, Polly the Polar Bear, Leo the Lion

(Puppets enter)

JOLLY: Hi, Kids! We are going to have a contest today to see who gets the most answers right. After we ask a question, the first one to raise their hand gets the first chance to answer the question. If the answer isn’t right, raise your hands again and the first person to do that gets the second chance to answer. ________would you see who raises their hand first. ______would you keep track of who answers the question correctly?

O.K. Question #1: Where is Jesus now, Kids? (in heaven)

POLLY: Questions#2: How did He get to heaven? (He rose up in the sky)

LEO: Question #3: Who saw Him go into heaven? (His disciples or followers)

JOLLY: Question # 4: Who appeared to the disciples after He went up in the clouds? (angels)

POLLY: Question #5 This is a hard question. What did Jesus ask His disciples to do while He was gone? (tell others that Jesus loves them and died for them—if they believe in Him ask Him to forgive their sins, they can go to heaven)

LEO: Question #6: What are we supposed to be doing while we wait for Him to come back? (tell others about Jesus—we are His disciples, too)

JOLLY: Question #7: Jesus told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem till Someone came. This Someone was going to take care of them. This Someone takes care of us even today. Who is this Someone? (Holy Spirit)

POLLY: Question #8: What is Jesus doing in heaven now? (sitting at the right hand of God the Father, preparing a place for us, taking care of us and answering our prayers)

LEO: Question #9: How is He coming back? (just like He left—in the clouds of heaven)

JOLLY: Question #10: When is He coming back? (only Father the Father knew when Jesus was on earth—probably Jesus knows now, but we don’t know exactly when but we can tell about when)

POLLY: Question #11: This is a hard question: What will happen to all the Christians when He comes back? (we will be changed in the twinkling of an eye to have new bodies and we will meet Him in the air)

LEO: Question #12: What will happen if you are a Christian and you have already died before Jesus comes back? (the dead in Christ will rise first—those that have already died will rise and meet Jesus before those that are still alive)

JOLLY: Question #13: What will happen in the world when all the Christians leave? (God will pour out His anger on the earth—terrible things will happen)

POLLY: One last question–#14: Jesus will set up a kingdom when He will rule for how many years? (1,000)

LEO: Who is the winner?

JOLLY: You all did very well. You are all winners, just like everyone who is a Christian is a winner. Good-bye for now, Kids and God bless you!
 

POLLY & LEO: Bye for now, Kids!
(Puppets exit)

* LESSON: RESURRECTION

Bible Memory Verse:
“…You are looking for Jesus…who was ccified. He is risen!” Mark 16:6
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”  Romans 10:9

After Jesus was crucified, Joseph, from the town of Arimathea, who was a good and upright man, asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut out in a rock, one in which no one had yet been laid.
The women who had been with Jesus followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. They went home and prepared spices and perfumes to put on the body. But they rested on the Sabbath day in obedience to the commandment.
 

The day after Jesus was crucified was the Sabbath. No one could do any work on that day or go to the tomb to anoint His body with oil as was the custom in those days. However, the day after the Sabbath day exciting events would happen.
 

On the first day of the week, the day after the Sabbath, which would be our Sunday, very early in the morning, there was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The men that Pilate had appointed to guard the tomb were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
 

Also, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb?” Mark 16:3 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.
As they entered the tomb, suddenly two men in clothes that gleaned like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground. One angel said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he is risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” Luke 24:5-7 Then they remembered Jesus’ words when He told them He would rise from the dead.

When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the eleven disciples and to the others. But they did not believe the women. Two of the disciples, Peter and John ran to the tomb and found the burial clothes lying there.
 

Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary Magdalene stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?"
“They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don’t know where they have put him." At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
"Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?"
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."
Jesus said to her, "Mary."
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).
Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, `I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ "
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her. John 20:10-18.
 

There was a wicked lie that was started by the devil that has kept many Jews from believing in Jesus. “While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, "You are to say, `His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews…” Matthew 28:11-15

Two of the followers of Jesus were going to the village called Emmaus. Jesus joined them, but they didn’t recognize Him. He showed them from the Old Testament of the Bible all the Scriptures that spoke about Himself. When they were going to stop for the night, they urged Him strongly to join them. When He was seated at the table with them he took the bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to ggive it to them. Suddenly their eyes were opned and they recognized Him and He disappeared from their sight. They asked to each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us as he talked with us o the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" 

They got up at once and found the disciples in Jerusalem.
While they were talking about this, Jesus Himself stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."
They were frightened thinking they were seeing a ghost. He told them not to be troubled, but to touch Him and see that it was really Him. He asked for some of the fish they were eating.

He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."
Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things." (Luke 24: 13-48)

When Jesus appeared to His disciples, Thomas was not with the other disciples. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!"
But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."
Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." John 20:24-29

Jesus appeared later to five hundred of the believers at the same time. (1 Corinthians 15:6)
 

He told His followers, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” Mark 16:15 Jesus knew He was going back to heaven soon.
Then Jesus said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

QUESTIONS:
1. Who rolled back the stone from the tomb?
2. What lie did the chief priests and elders have the guards tell everyone?
3. Who thought Jesus was the gardener?
4. How many men did Jesus appear to on the road to Emmaus?
5. What disciple wouldn’t believe in Jesus until he saw the nail prints in His hands?
6. Which disciple did Jesus ask to feed His sheep?
7. What did Jesus command His disciples to do after He went back to heaven?

* HANDOUT: 

RESURRECTION

Bible Memory Verse:
“…You are looking for Jesus…who was crucified. He is risen!” Mark 16:6

Words to choose from: DISCIPLES, EARTHQUAKE, GARDENER, RISE, NAIL, SABBATH, RISEN, LIGHTENING, LIE, STONE

1. The woman went to the tomb the day after the __ __ __ __ __ __ __.

2. There was a violent __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ and an angel came from heaven.

3. The appearance of the angel was like __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __.

4. The guards told a wicked __ __ __ so they would not be put to death.

5. The women wondered who would roll about the __ __ __ __ __ from the tomb.

6. The angels told the women that Jesus had __ __ __ __ __.

7. The women ran to tell the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __.

8. The disciples did not believe even though Jesus had clearly told them He would __ __ __ __ from the dead.

9. Mary of Magdala thought Jesus was the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __.

10. After Jesus had risen from the dead, He still had the __ __ __ __ marks in His hands.

* RESURRECTION PLAY:

Bible Memory Verse:
“…You are looking for Jesus…who was crucified. He is risen!” Mark 16:6

CHARACTERS: Jolly the Giraffe, Polly the Polar Bear, Leo the Lion

JOLLY & POLLY & LEO: (enter singing)
Up from the grave he arose;
with a mighty triumph o’er his foes;
he arose a victor from the dark domain,
and he lives forever, with his saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

JOLLY & POLLY & LEO: Hi, Kids!

POLLY: Wouldn’t it have been exciting to have been one of these women who went to Jesus’ tomb the Sunday morning He was raised from the dead?

JOLLY: It sure would have. They were sad, thinking they were doing all they could for Jesus by putting spices on His body.

LEO: And not even knowing how they were going to move the stone in front of the cave where He was buried.

JOLLY: Imagine, coming to do that and not finding Him. Instead, having an angel tell you that He is not there. He has risen from the dead!

JOLLY: The fact that Jesus rose from the dead is the most important event in history.

POLLY: Why is that?

JOLLY: Adam and Eve chose to sin and death came into the world. Because Jesus rose from the dead, all men can now be made alive. All who belong to Jesus will someday go to be with Him.

POLLY: That means no one who believes in Jesus has to fear death.

JOLLY: That’s right. Of course, we are sad when someone we love dies. We will miss them. But if they know Jesus, we’ll see them again in heaven.

LEO: Kids, that means that if you know Jesus, we’ll see other again in heaven, and then we’ll all live there forever!

JOLLY: Because Jesus rose again, we will rise again!

POLLY: Thank you, Jesus!

LEO: The devil thought he had won when Jesus was crucified. What a surprise it must have been for him when Jesus rose from the dead.

POLLY: It’s sure good to be on Jesus’ side. He always turns bad things into good things for those who love Him. The Bible says, "…in all things God works for the good of those who love him…" Romans 8:28

LEO: Sometimes what happens to us doesn’t seem good, but we know it will work for good because God says so.

JOLLY: The Bible says, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances,  for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 I guess when we remember Jesus’ rising from the dead, and see how much smarter God is then the devil it helps us be joyful always and give thanks all the time.

LEO: It also helps to be joyful and give thanks if we know Jesus loves us and is taking care of us all the time. We just need to trust and obey.

JOLLY: Good point, Leo! Well, it’s time to go so good-bye Kids! Next week, we’ll talk about what Jesus is doing now.

POLLY: I can’t wait. Bye Kids!

LEO: Good-bye till next week, God bless You!
(Puppets exit)           

* LESSON: CRUCIFIXION

Bible Memory Verse:
"…The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected…" Luke 9:22
"But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation." Luke 15:6
“For God so loved the world that he sent his one and only Son, that whoever believes in his shall not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16

When Jesus was coming into Jerusalem the people were shouting, “Blessed is the king who come in the name of the Lord! Luke 19:38 A few days later they would be shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” Luke 23:21 They wanted a king who would rule over them on earth. They weren’t concerned about eternity. They didn’t believe that Jesus was the Son of God; most of those in Jerusalem did not know who He is.
 

Judas had betrayed Jesus, Jesus had eaten his last supper on earth, the Passover supper with His disciples, He had prayed and been arrested in the garden of Gethsemane and had been brought to trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin, before the Roman ruler Herod and before the Roman governor Pilate. Pilate didn’t want to have Him crucified because he could find nothing that He had done wrong.
 

However, wanting to satisfy the crowd (Mark 15:15), Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified. (John 19:1-16)
 

The soldiers stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. Matthew 27:28- 31

Jesus was made to carry His own cross, but He was beaten so badly that He did not have the strength to carry it, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. (Matthew 27:32, Mark 15:21, Luke 23:26)
 

Two other men, both criminals, were also led out withhim to be executed. When they came to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull), there they crucified him, along with the criminals–one on his right, the other on his left.

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34 And the divided up his clothes by casting lots (drawing for it).
 

The people stood watching and the ruler even sneered at him, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”
The soldiers also came up and mocked him and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
 

There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
 

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
But the other criminal rebuked him, “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
Then he said to Jesus, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43

Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother Mary and other women who mourned and cried for Him. When Jesus saw the disciple John, who calls himself the disciple Jesus loved, standing near-by, He said, “Dear woman, here is your son,” and to John, “Here is your mother.” John 19:26. From that time on John took Mary into his home. Jesus cared for His mother, even when He was suffering on the cross.
 

From the sixth hour until the ninth hour (12 noon till 3), darkness came over the land, for the sun stopped shining. About the ninth hour, Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46
 

The curtain of the temple was torn in two. It was a very heavy curtain that could only be torn by a miracle from God. Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” Luke 23:45 When He had said this, he breathed his last. 
The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely, this was a righteous man.” Luke 23:47 When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. But all those who knew Him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
 

Now there was a man named Joseph, from the town of Arimathea, who was a good and upright man. He was a member of the Council who had wanted Jesus’ death, but he had not approved. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut out in a rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. 
The women who had been with Jesus followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. They went home and prepared spices and perfumes to put on the body. But they rested on the Sabbath day in obedience to the commandment.
 

The Chief Priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sire,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, the disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” 
“Take a guard,” Pilate answered, "Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” Matthew 27:65 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

The day after Jesus was crucified was the Sabbath. That meant that no one could do any work on that day or go to the tomb to anoint His body with oil as was the custom in those days. Nothing is said in the Bible about that day. However, the day after that exciting events would happen.

QUESTIONS:
1. Who carried Jesus’ cross?
2. How did the soldiers treat Jesus?
3. Who was crucified with Jesus?
4. Did the two that were crucified with Jesus believe in Him?
5. What happened from the sixth hour until the ninth hour when Jesus was dying?
6. What happened to the curtain of the temple when Jesus died?
7. Where was Jesus buried?
8. Why did Pilate put guards at the tomb?
 

* HANDOUT:

CRUCIFIXION

Bible Memory Verse:
"…The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected…" Luke 9:22
 
 

Words to choose from: KING, CROSS, TOMB, SOLDIERS, JOHN, BELIEVED, REJECTED, THIEVES, TEMPLE, FORGIVE
 
1. The __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ beat Jesus and treated Him cruelly.
 
2. Simon carried Jesus’ __ __ __ __ __.
 
3. On Jesus’ cross was a written notice that said, “The __ __ __ __ of the Jews”.
 
4. His mother Mary and the disciple __ __ __ __ stood near Jesus’ cross.
 
5. Two __ __ __ __ __ __ __ were crucified with Jesus.
 
6. One thief __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Jesus.
 
7. One thief __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Jesus.
 
8. Jesus said, “Father, __ __ __ __ __ __ __ them because they do not know what they are doing.”
 
9. The curtain of the __ __ __ __ __ __ was torn in two.
 
10. Jesus was buried in a __ __ __ __.

* CRUCIFIXION PLAY:

Bible Memory Verse:
"…The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected…" Luke 9:22

CHARACTERS: Jolly the Giraffe, Polly the Polar Bear, Leo the Lion

JOLLY & POLLY & LEO: (enter) Hi. Kids!

JOLLY: Wasn’t that a terrible, yet wonderful thing that happened to Jesus.

POLLY: What do you mean—that it was terrible, yet wonderful?

JOLLY: That’s why the Friday before Easter is called Good Friday. It seems so bad, yet it accomplished more good than just about anything else.

POLLY: What good did it accomplish? I think I know, but I just want to make sure.

JOLLY: If Jesus hadn’t died on the cross, our sins would not have been paid for, and we couldn’t go to heaven.

POLLY: And we couldn’t have Jesus as a friend NOW.

JOLLY: Jesus sure had a lot of faith and wisdom to obey the Father.

POLLY: That’s true. Talking about wisdom, where is Leo? He was going to ask God help him make decisions about that to do after school. Leo! Leo!

(Leo enters but doesn’t say anything)

POLLY: Leo! Leo! (Polly bumps into Leo) Leo! How long have you been here!

LEO: I just came. Why are you so desperate to find me?

POLLY: I’m not desperate—I just wanted to ask if God gave you wisdom in deciding what you should do after school.

LEO: He sure did. And He made it all possible so I could do almost everything I wanted to do.

JOLLY: How did that happen?

LEO: I can do everything I wanted except play baseball—and I just wanted to do that because my friend Larry the Lion is playing. I’m not really that good at baseball.

POLLY: What DID you decide to do.

LEO: I’ve decided I will play soccer after school. That will give me lots of exercise and fun with my friends. I can also still work for the school newspaper because the main meeting is in the evening and because several of the other people that work on the paper also play soccer, other meetings won’t conflict with soccer. I can also earn a little money by having a paper route where I just sell papers for a few hours on Saturday. I can almost do everything I wanted!

POLLY: That took wisdom to figure all that out!

JOLLY: And God helped to have it all arranged. The Bible says, “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4 God loves to do good things for us.

LEO: Jesus died so we could do get to do fun things. Sometimes we have to suffer, too, but not like He did.

JOLLY: I know. He chose to leave His beautiful home in heaven and become a man because He loved us so much. He knows all the bad things about us, but He loves us anyway.

POLLY: That’s why it is called GOOD Friday when He died. It sure turned out to be good. Next week we’ll learn more about how and why to turned out to be good, won’t we, Jolly?

JOLLY: Yes, we will. So I hope to see you all at Kid’s Club! Good-bye for now.

POLLY & LEO: Good-bye Kids!
(Puppets exit)

* LESSON: TRIAL 

Bible Memory Verse:
"…Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." John 18:37
“For God so loved the world that he sent his one and only Son, that whoever believes in his shall not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16

WHY WAS JESUS ARRESTED?
After Jesus was arrested in the garden of Gethsemane, he was taken before the Sanhedrin, which is the Jewish court of law.
Jesus had done nothing wrong. The Jewish leaders had Him arrested because they were envious of Him. They were angry because the people were listening to Him instead of them. They were afraid they would have to give up their position of power. They had no evidence against Him. Even those that did testify against Him couldn’t agree.
 

Two men came forward and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.” (Jesus did say this, but He was talking about His body as the temple of God, not the actual building)
Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent.
The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.”
“Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied, “But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”
“He is worthy of death,” they answered. (Matthew 26:60-66)

WHAT IS BLASPHEMY? (talking against God) The Jewish leaders said He was talking against God because He claimed to be the Son of God, which was saying He was God. But He was God!

Early in the morning all the chief priests and elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death. They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the Roman governor.
 

The disciple Peter denied that he knew Jesus (Matthew 26:69-75, Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:54-62, John 18:15-18, 25-27). Jesus had foretold that Peter would deny Him when the disciples were having their last supper together.
 

When Judas, who had betrayed Him, found out they had condemned Jesus to death he was filled with guilt and tried to return the money. When they wouldn’t accept it, Judas went away and hanged himself (Matthew 27:3-10).
 

Then the whole assembly arose and took Jesus before Pilate, the Roman governor. He was a man with great authority who had ordered thousands of crucifixions.
The Jews handed Jesus over to Pilate because they had no right to execute anyone.
They told Pilate, “He claims to be Christ, a king.”
Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But, now, my kingdom is from another place.”
"You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born and for this reason I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
“What is truth?” Pilate asked. With this Pilate went out to the Jews and said. “I find no basis for a charge against him.” John 18:33-38
 

Pilate wanted to Jesus free. It was the governor’s custom to release a prisoner at the Passover Feast that was chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. Pilate asked the crowd if they wanted to release Jesus or Barabbas. He knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him. (Matthew 27:15-18) But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to ask for Barabbas. (Mark 15:11)
 

Pilate’s wife sent a message saying, “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” Matthew 27:19

Pilate had Jesus flogged hoping to satisfy the crowd so he could release Jesus. The soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head. They put a purple robe (purple is the color for kings) and went up to Him again and again saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they struck Him in the face.
 

Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.”
When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purpose robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”
As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw Him, the shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!
But Pilate answered. “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”
The Jews insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”

When Pilate heard this he was even more afraid and went back inside the palace. " Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. “Do you refuse to talk to me?" Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or crucify you?”
Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”

Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”
 

Finally, wanting to satisfy the crowd (Mark 15:15), Pilate handed Him over to be crucified. (John 19:1-16)

QUESTIONS:
1. Why did the chief priests and teachers of the law want Jesus crucified?
2. What finally happened to Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus?
3. What did Peter do after he had denied Jesus three times?
4. Why couldn’t the Jewish leaders have Jesus crucified?
5. Who was Pontius Pilate?
6. Who told Pilate not to have anything to do with the innoent man (Jesus) because she had suffered in a dream because of Him?
7. Who was released instead of Jesus?
8. Why did Pilate finally have Jesus crucified?

* HANDOUT:

TRIAL

Bible Memory Verse:
"…Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." John 18:37

Words to choose from: LAW, FORGIVENESS, DISCIPLES, DENIED, KINGDOM, CRUCIFIED, CLOUDS, AFRAID, PILATE, SINNED

1. Jesus’ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ ran away when Jesus was arrested.

2. Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples, __ __ __ __ __ __ (said that he did not know) Jesus.

3. Jesus was first taken to the Sanhedrin, the Jewish court of __ __ __.

4. Jesus never__ __ __ __ __ __.

5. The Jewish leaders were __ __ __ __ __ __ Jesus would take away their position of power.

6. Jesus said they would see Him sitting on the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the __ __ __ __ __ __ of heaven.

7. Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus, hanged himself instead of asking for __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __.

8. Later Jesus was taken before Pontius __ __ __ __ __ __, the Roman governor.

9. Jesus told Pilate that His __ __ __ __ __ __ __ was not of this world.

10. Pilate finally had Jesus __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __because he wanted to please the people.

* TRIAL PLAY:

Bible Memory Verse:
"…Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." John 18:37

CHARACTERS: Jolly the Giraffe, Polly the Polar Bear, Leo the Lion

JOLLY: (enter) Hi, Kids!

POLLY & LEO: (enter) Hi, Kids!

POLLY: I think one of the hardest things Jesus had to suffer was to know that one of His disciples, His friend, had betrayed Him.

LEO: And I guess Judas loved money so much. But his money didn’t do him any good.

POLLY: In fact, it did him harm.

JOLLY: And Jesus had been a really good friend—in fact, Jesus was perfect. If He ever had to tell someone they were doing something bad, He did it in a nice way. And He did it because He loved him. He always does everything out of love.

LEO: Judas was sorry for what He did. In fact, He was so sorry He hung himself? Why didn’t he just ask Jesus for forgiveness?

JOLLY: I think it was because He really didn’t know who Jesus was. He didn’t know Jesus was God, and He didn’t know God is love.

POLLY:  He didn’t know Jesus could and would forgive him.

JOLLY: There are two kinds of being sorry. One is just sorry you got caught or that you will get punished—you’d do it again if you had the chance. The other kind is called godly sorrow because you are really sorry and repent or change.

LEO: That’s why when you accept Jesus and tell Him you are sorry for your sins, it is like you are born again. You had been a person that didn’t really know Jesus and didn’t care about your sins. Now you are sorry that you have hurt Jesus and happy to know that He will forgive you. God knows if your heart is changed.

POLLY: Poor Jesus! He had to appear before those judges that didn’t know who He was. I wonder why He didn’t say anything.

JOLLY: I think it was because He knew they were so blinded by the devil that nothing He said could change their minds. It would just have been a waste of time.

LEO: And everything Jesus did was perfect—nothing was a waste of time.

POLLY: I’m so glad to have Jesus for a friend. And for a Father. And for a King.

JOLLY: And He has promised to give us wisdom whenever we ask for it. He knows everything so His advice is perfect.

LEO: That’s right. I need some wisdom right now. I almost forgot to ask Jesus.

POLLY: What do you need wisdom about, Leo?

LEO: I need wisdom in deciding what I should do after school. I want to do so much, but I’m only one person. I don’t know if I should sign up for baseball or soccer. I could also be on the school newspaper staff or get a paper route.

JOLLY: Any of those things would be good. I can see why you need wisdom to choose what is best.

LEO: I’ll pray about it this week and tell you next week what I decide.

JOLLY: That’s a good idea.

POLLY: Except for one thing.

LEO: What’s that, Polly?

POLLY: I have to wait a whole week to find out the answer!

JOLLY & LEO (laugh) Oh, Polly!

JOLLY & POLLY & LEO: Good-bye, Kids!
(Puppets exit) 

* LESSON: GETHSEMANE & ARREST

Bible Memory Verse:
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation…”  Matthew 26:41
“For God so loved the world that he sent his one and only Son, that whoever believes in his shall not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16

WHO BETRAYED JESUS? Just before the Passover meal Jesus foretold that Judas would betray Him.
WHAT IS PROPHECY? After the Passover meal, just before Jesus and His disciples left for the Garden of Gethsemane was that Jesus foretold that Peter would deny that he knew Him (Matthew 26:31a, 33-35, Mark 14:27-31, Luke 22:31-34). Peter did deny Jesus and all of the other disciples ran away when Jesus was arrested.
 

Jesus had finished celebrating the Passover meal with His disciples. After this important meal Jesus and His disciples went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. He asked His disciples to pray with Him. He said to them. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Matthew 26:38

Going a little farther into the garden Jesus fell with His face to the ground and prayed. “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
 

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done." He was in so much agony that was His sweat was like drops of blood
(“Probably perspiration in large drops like blood, or possibly hematidrosis, the actual mingling of blood and sweat as in cases of extreme anguish strain or sensitivity.” NIV Study Bible)

When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
 

Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"

While he was still speaking, Judas, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: "The one I kiss is the man; arrest him."
Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed him.
Jesus replied, "Friend, do what you came for."
Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. With that, Peter reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
"Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?"
At that time Jesus said to the crowd, "Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled."
Then all the disciples deserted him and fled just as Jesus had prophesied or foretold that they would do.

QUESTIONS:
1. Who did Jesus prophecy or foretell would deny that he knew Jesus?
2. Why did Jesus go the garden of Gethsemane?
3. Why did Jesus especially pray that night before His crucifixion?
4. Why were the disciples so tired?
5. Who betrayed Jesus?
6. How did Judas show the chief priests who Jesus was?
7. Who cut off the ear of one of the chief priests’ servants?
8. What did Jesus do to servant whose ear had been cut off?
9. Who could Jesus have called to save Him?

* HANDOUT:

GETHSAMENE & ARREST

Bible Memory Verse:
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation…” Matthew 26:41

Words to choose from: SORROW, KISS, HEALED, PRAY, SLEEP, WILL, EAR, ANGELS, THREE, TEMPTATION

1. Jesus went to the garden of Gethsemane in order to __ __ __ __.

2. Jesus wanted His Father’s __ __ __ __ (desire) to be done.

3. Jesus took __ __ __ __ __ of His disciples with Him

4. His disciples went to __ __ __ __ __ instead of praying.

5. His disciples were tired because they had so much __ __ __ __ __ __ (sadness).

6. Jesus wanted His disciples to pray so that they would not fall into __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __.

7. Judas betrayed Jesus with a __ __ __ __.

8. Peter cut off the __ __ __ of the servant of the high priest.

9. Jesus touched the servant’s ear and it was __ __ __ __ __ __.

10. Jesus could have called twelve legions of __ __ __ __ __ __ to help Him.

* GETHSAMENE & ARREST PLAY:

Bible Memory Verse:
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation…” Matthew 26:41

CHARACTERS: Jolly the Giraffe, Polly the Polar Bear, Leo the Lion

JOLLY: (enter) Hi, Kids! What did you think of our Bible story today? Did you know that Jesus had to suffer so much even BEFORE He was crucified? (wait for answers)

POLLY & LEO: (enter) Hi, Kids!

POLLY: Poor Jesus!

LEO: It reminds me of something that happened to me. But of course, it was MUCH worse for Jesus.

POLLY: What was that, Leo?

LEO: Well, once I was playing ball by myself in the school yard. I was throwing the ball up in the air and then swinging the bat. I hit the ball, and it hit a window. There was a loud crash! There didn’t seem to be anyone there, and I didn’t tell anyone. I went home right away. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know if I should pretend I knew nothing about it, or if I should go tell the principal. I didn’t even know if I should tell my parents. That night I was so worried I couldn’t sleep.

POLLY: I see why you can understand how Jesus felt. You couldn’t sleep because you knew what you had to face the next day.

JOLLY: Jesus didn’t do anything bad, and He was going to have to suffer. REALLY suffer because the sins of the whole world were going to paid for by Him. But you didn’t MEAN to do anything bad, did you, Leo?

LEO: I shouldn’t have been playing so close to the school windows, but it WAS an accident.

POLLY: What happened, Leo?

LEO: Well, I did what Jesus did—after worrying most of the night. I prayed.

JOLLY: Thank goodness you knew Jesus.
 

POLLY: And that He loves you and wants to help you.

JOLLY: And that He understands because of all that has happened to Him. What did He do?

LEO: I felt that He wanted me to tell my parents. So the next morning I told my Dad and Mom at breakfast.

POLLY: What did they say?

LEO: They said I needed to tell the principal right away. In fact, my dad offered to come with me. But I said I could go by myself. I knew that my dad had important work to do, and also I wasn’t too young. I thought I could do it by myself.

JOLLY: That was nice of you to think about your dad, too, when you were in trouble.

LEO: I went to see the principal right away, even before school began. I had to wait for him awhile and THAT was hard in itself. But when he came, and when I finally got to talk to him after he unlocked the school and took his coat off, and hung it up and took me into his office and found me a chair and answered the phone because someone HAD to call him right then, he finally listened to me.
He was really nice about it. I offered to pay for it, and he said I could pay for it by helping clean up the school yard. So that is what I did. It turned out good—I’m really glad I asked Jesus to help me. The Bible says, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation…” Matthew 26:41 That’s what I did.

POLLY: That’s wonderful, Leo.

JOLLY: It turned out really good for Jesus, too. Because He suffered so much to die for our sins, now He has lots of friends that can come to heaven with Him.

POLLY: That’s right!

LEO: The first think I am going to do when I get to heaven is thank Him for all the suffering He did so I could come to heaven.

JOLLY & POLLY: Me, too! Good-bye Kids! See you next week,

LEO: Good-bye Kids!
(puppets exit)

* LESSON: LORD’S SUPPER

Bible Memory Verse:
"do this in remembrance of me." Luke 22:19
“For God so loved the world that he sent his one and only Son, that whoever believes in his shall not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16

 Jesus did many things following His Triumphal entry into Jerusalem when the people waved palm branches to praise Him because they thought He would be their king. He drove out those who were buying and selling in the temple. He overturned the table of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.
He said, "Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’ But you have made it a den of robbers."
The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for ways to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching (Mark 12:13-17, 18-27, 28-34).
 

That week Jesus answered His disciples’ questions about the future. He told them that no one knew when He was coming back to set up His kingdom, not even the angels or Himself, only God the Father, but He told them many signs to look for that would happen just before He came back.
 

The Passover celebration lasted for eight days.
During Passover week Judas promised to betray Jesus to the chief priests (Matthew 26:14-16, Mark 14:10-11, Luke 22:1-6). They were delighted and gave him 30 pieces of silver.
 

Near the end of Passover a special meal was celebrated. Jesus disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?"
He told two of them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples? He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there."
The Passover meal would be the last meal Jesus would eat with His disciples. They ate lying on couches, which was the custom.
The Passover meal had to have certain foods: a roasted lamb, unleavened bread, bitter herbs and juice from grapes. It was a special meal to remember when God delivered the people out of slavery in Egypt.
 

Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me…woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better form him if he had not been born."
They were sad and each one said, "Surely not I." When Judas asked Him, Jesus told him, "What you are about to do, do quickly." No one at the meal understood why Jesus had said this to him. Since Judas was in charge of the money, some thought he was to buy things for the feast or give money to the poor. Then Judas left.
 

A symbol is something that stands for or represents something else. WHAT IS A HEART A SYMBOL OF? WHAT WOULD IT MEAN IF SOMEONE HAD A GOLD RING ON THEIR FINGER? WHAT IS THE CANADIAN FLAG A SYMBOL OF?
God planned what had happened in the past to be a symbol of what would happen with Jesus. At the Passover meal the roast lamb symbolized the lamb that the Israelites were to eat and put its blood over the doorposts of their houses so the death angel would pass over. God planned it to show that Jesus was the Passover Lamb who had to die to take away the sins of the world. The bread symbolized His body that would be sacrificed for others. The wine or grape juice would symbolize His blood.
 

Jesus knew He would return to God in Heaven very soon. He knew how easy it would be to forget Him. He wanted to be sure that His followers did not forget Him. He told them to do something that would remind them of His death, burial and resurrection.
 

Jesus thanked God for the unleavened bread (bread with no yeast so it is flat and hard). He broke the bread into small pieces and began to pass the bread to His disciples. The bread broken into pieces was like His body. He said, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” Luke 22:19 Very soon Jesus would die on the cross.
Jesus gave thanks to God and offered the juice from grapes to His disciples, saying, “Drink from it… This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. ..I will not drink of this fruit of the wine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.” Matthew 26:27-29

Does Jesus still want people to eat bread and drink grape juice to remember Him? Yes, He does! The Communion (Lord’s Supper) is a symbol to remember what Jesus did for us. He died to pay the penalty for our sins. He rose from the dead and lives again. We can live forever in Heaven because of what He did.

QUESTIONS:
1. What does it mean to betray someone?
2. Who betrayed Jesus?
3. What was Judas given for betraying Jesus?
4. What is Passover?
5. What are some of the foods the Jewish people eat on Passover?
6. What does symbolize mean?
7. Jesus is called the Lamb of God. The Bible says, “…Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, the receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Revelation 5:12 Why is Jesus sometimes called the Passover Lamb?
8. What do the bitter herbs symbolize?
9. What does the unleavened bread symbolize?
10. What does the grape juice symbolize?
11. Why do we celebrate the communion or the Lord’s Supper?

* HANDOUT:
 

LORD’S SUPPER

Bible Memory Verse:
"do this in remembrance of me." Luke 22:19
 

Words to choose from: TEACHING, LAMB, BETRAY, BREAD, PRAYER, PASSOVER, PERFUME, SYMBOL, WATER, WINE
 
1. Jesus wants His house to be a house of __ __ __ __ __ __.
 
2.  All the people were amazed at the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ of Jesus.
 
3.  Mary poured __ __ __ __ __ __ __ on Jesus’ feet.
 
4.  Judas went to the chief priests in order to __ __ __ __ __ __ Jesus.
 
5.  Jesus wanted to celebrate the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ meal with His disciples.
 
6.  Jesus told two of His disciples to go into Jerusalem and find a man carrying a jar of __ __ __ __ __ and follow him in order to find the place where they should celebrate the Passover meal.
 
7.  A __ __ __ __ __ __ is something that stands for or represents something else.
 
8. The roasted __ __ __ __ symbolizes Jesus who came to die because He loved us.
 
9. The __ __ __ __ __ symbolizes Jesus’ body which He willingly gave to pay for our sins.
 
10. The __ __ __ __ or juice symbolizes Jesus’ blood that He would shed to pay for our sins.

* LORD’S SUPPER PLAY:

Bible Memory Verse:
"…do this in remembrance of me." Luke 22:19

CHARACTERS–LORD’S SUPPER PLAY: Jolly the Giraffe, Polly the Polar Bear, Leo the Lion

POLLY & LEO (enter) Hi, Kids?

POLLY: We wanted to get here right away because this week Jolly is going to tell what she did to show love to someone. She probably shows love to someone all the time, but she has something special to tell us about.

LEO: Do you know why Jolly shows love to people all the time?

POLLY: Because she is so nice?

LEO: Well, kind of. But it is really because she loves Jesus, and Jesus shows love all the time.

POLLY: That’s true, Leo. All of us that love Jesus should follow His example and show love whenever we have a chance. Oh, here comes Jolly!

(Jolly enters)

JOLLY: Hi Kids and Polly and Leo. You beat me here today.

LEO: We were waiting for you. And we were talking about you. We noticed that you always show love to people just like Jesus did.

POLLY: And we wanted to hear about the special way you showed love to someone that you were going to tell us about last week before we ran out of time.

JOLLY: All right, I can’t wait to tell you. I was walking down the street in Hay River when I saw a boy who had broken his leg or someone because he had crutches. All of a sudden he said, “Oh, no!”
I asked him what the matter was and he said that it was colder out than he thought, and he had left his jacket inside. He lived on the second floor, and it was so hard for him to go up stairs to get it.
I asked him which apartment was his, and he pointed to the window.
I went over to the window and hit my nose against it (I have a long neck, you know, but I could barely reach). When his mother opened the window I told her that her son had forgotten his jacket. She put it over my nose, and I gave it to the boy. Then I knelt down, and he crawled on my back, and I took him to school. Everyone came around us to find out what was going on. His friends look care of him after that. It was really exciting, and I was so thankful I could help.

POLLY: Is that ever an exciting story!

LEO: It sure is! You know we celebrate the Lord’s supper to remember Him…Remember our memory verse: "…do this in remembrance of me." Luke 22:19

POLLY: Yes?

LEO: I know another way we can remember Him.

POLLY: What?

LEO: We can show love to other people remembering that Jesus showed love to us.

JOLLY: That’s a good idea, Leo! We should remember Jesus all the time in every thing we do. Is there any of you kids that did something to show love to someone that you want to tell us about? (wait for answers) It’s time to go, but we’ll see you next week. Good-bye, Kids!

POLLY & LEO: Good-bye, Kids!
(Puppets exit) 

* LESSON: JESUS’ TRUIMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM

Bible Memory Verse:
Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”  Luke 19:38) 
" `From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise’ ?" Psalm 8:2 Matthew 21:16

Every year people from all over Israel celebrate Passover, a seven day celebration (eight days outside Israel). In Jesus day they came to the city of Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. Passover had been celebrated for a long time before Jesus was born, but everything that happened symbolized or foretold the time that Jesus would die for our sins.
 

Many years before Jesus came to earth God’s people were slaves in the land of Egypt. They had to work for an evil king (pharaoh) and his people. God told Moses to tell the evil Egyptian Pharaoh, “Let my people go.” Exodus 5:1, 7:16, 8:1, 20-12, 9:1,13, 10:3. Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.” Exodus 5:2 God then caused ten plagues (bad happenings) to come on Egypt in order to convince Pharaoh to let His people go, giving Pharaoh a chance after each one to change his mind. The plagues were the water of the Nile river turning to blood, frogs and then lice everywhere, wild beasts, pestilence, boils on the Egyptians, hail so big that it destroyed everything it fell on, locusts swarming over and devouring everything, complete darkness, and the slaying of the first born.

After the last plague Pharaoh changed his mind and let God’s people go. The firstborn son of each Egyptian family and even the firstborn of their animals died when the death angel passed over their houses. God told Moses to tell the Israelite people to kill a lamb and put its blood on the doorposts of their homes to keep the death angel from visiting them. Because they did, no one died in their homes. Jesus is called the “Lamb of God…” John 1:29, 36 His blood saves people from sin and death if they will accept Him as Lord.

Pharaoh finally let God’s people go. The time when the death angel had passed over the homes of God’s people is celebrated each year. That time is called Passover.
 

At the beginning of the Passover celebration Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the foal of a donkey, a colt that had never been ridden before. Kings rode on donkeys. The people thought Jesus was coming to be their king. They waved palm branches and shouted, "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" Luke 19:38 That is why Christians call this time PALM SUNDAY—the Sunday before EASTER SUNDAY—a time when people praised Jesus by waving branches from Palm trees. They also spread their coats on the ground for Him to ride over. Others said, "Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!"
 

If you had been a wise student of the Old Testament, you could have known the exact day that Jesus would ride into Jerusalem on a donkey. We know from a prophecy by the prophet Daniel. “Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be cut off…” Daniel 9:25-26 From the day when King Artaxerxes (Nehemiah 2:1) issued a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey was 69 sevens or 483 years or 173,880 days, exacting what the prophecy said.

Even though the people were praising Him, Jesus wept when He entered Jerusalem. He said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace–but now it is hidden from your eyes.’” Luke 19:41-42

Imagine God who created the world was coming into Jerusalem, but the people didn’t understand. They wanted a king who would rule over them on earth. They weren’t concerned about the future or eternity. They didn’t believe that Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wing, but you were not willing! Luke 13:34
 

The people were shouting, “Blessed is the king who come in the name of the Lord!” Luke 19:38, and that made the Pharisees (religious leaders of the Jews) upset. They were angry because the people praised Him. They were jealous of Jesus, thinking He might become ruler instead of them.
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!"
"I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." Luke 19:40

 Later Jesus went into he temple. Some of the Pharisees said to Him, "Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him. 
"Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, (he quoted Psalm 8:2) 
" `From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise’ ?" Matthew 21:16

The Pharisees turned the people against Jesus. On Palm Sunday the people were shouting, "Hosanna! Hosanna! Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord." In a few days the same people would shout, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" The people changed from saying, "Blessed is the king!" to "Crucify Him! Crucify Him" because they did not believe that Jesus was the Son of God.

But some people knew Jesus was the Son of God. They loved Him. I want to be one of those who always love Jesus, don’t you?

QUESTIONS:
1. What is Passover?
2. How often do the Jewish people celebrate Passover?
3. When is Palm Sunday?
4. What happened on Palm Sunday?
5. Why were the Pharisees upset because the people were praising Jesus?
6. Why did Jesus weep even though the people were praising Him?
7. What were the people going to say instead of “Blessed be the king who comes in the name of the Lord,” in just a few days?

* HANDOUT:

JESUS ENTERS JERUSALEM

Bible Memory Verse:
“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” Luke 19:38 
" `From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise’ ?" Psalm 8:2 Matthew 21:16

Words to choose from: COLT, COATS, PALM, PHARISEES, PRAISED, PASSOVER, DOOR, DANIEL, JEALOUS, WEPT

1. Every year the Jewish people celebrate __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __.

2. Passover is when God saved them from death when they put blood over the __ __ __ __ posts.

3. When Jesus was outside Jerusalem He __ __ __ __ because the people did not recognize that He was God.

4. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a __ __ __ __ , the foal of a donkey .

5. The people __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Jesus because He was the king who came in the name of the Lord.

6. People waved __ __ __ __ branches.

7. The people spread their __ __ __ __ __ on the ground for Jesus to ride over.

8. The __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ were the religious leaders.

9. The Pharisees were __ __ __ __ __ __ __ of Jesus.

10. The Prophet __ __ __ __ __ __ foretold when Jesus would ride into Jerusalem.

* TRIUMPHAL ENTRY PLAY:

Bible Memory Verse:
“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” Luke 19:38
" `From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise’ ?" Psalm 8:2 Matthew 21:16

CHARACTERS: Jolly the Giraffe, Polly the Polar Bear, Leo the Lion

JOLLY: (enter) Hi, Kids! (wait for answers) Last week I gave you an assignment. Does anyone remember what that was? (wait for answers) It was for us to show love to someone and remember it so we could tell our other Kid’s Club members. Polly, Leo and I did that so we have something to tell. Polly! Leo!

POLLY & LEO: (enter) Hi, Kids!

JOLLY: I was just telling the kids that we all did something to show love to someone that we can tell about.

POLLY: Right! And I can’t wait to tell!

LEO: Me either!

JOLLY: But first we had better see if any of the kids have something to tell. Does anyone? (wait for answers) I know you can’t wait to tell us, Polly, so go ahead and tell us how you showed love to someone.

POLLY: Well, I was thinking of whom I could show love to. I thought I will show love to someone who is always showing love to me, so I decided to show love to my mother. I asked her if I could make supper one night. She was surprised, and I think she wasn’t sure I could, but she said okay. I made roast seal and baked potatoes! I had to ask her quite a few questions while I was doing it, but it turned out good! (at least pretty good) I even did the dishes and cleaned up. I didn’t have to ask my mother how to do that because I do dishes lots.

JOLLY: That was really nice of you, Polly.

POLLY: It was sure fun. I think I will make supper quite often from now on.

LEO: The Bible says that Jesus Himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

POLLY: What does that mean?

LEO: Well, Blessed means happy or joyful. So if you give something, you will be more happy or joyful than if you receive something.

POLLY: That’s true! Our memory verse is: "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" Psalm 118:26 Does that mean that Jesus was happy?

JOLLY: Not exactly. Another meaning of “blessed” is holy or sacred or very important. But “blessed” is always something good.

LEO: It sure would have been special to have God come riding into your town on a donkey.

POLLY: He wouldn’t have been able to ride into our town on a donkey. It’s too cold!

LEO: Maybe He could have ridden on a polar bear.

POLLY: I would have been so happy to have been able to give Jesus a ride into our town!

LEO: And I would have laid down my coat for you to walk on. But I guess our town wasn’t here when Jesus was on earth.

JOLLY: It IS more blessed to give than to receive. That’s a good lesson to learn when you are young. Then you will have a whole life of giving and being happy! Leo, tell us how you showed love to someone this week.

LEO: Well, I was like Polly in that I did something for my parents. My dad was making a cupboard for our house. He said, “Oh, no, I was hoping to get done today. I forgot to get nails at the store.” I said, “You have lots of nails.” He said, “I need a special kind.” I said, “I’ll get them for you.” So my dad told me what kind to get, and he was able to keep working while I got the nails. He was able to find the cupboards that day after all!

JOLLY: That was wonderful, Leo! You guys had such good stories that we are all out of time. I’ll have to save my story for next week. See if you can show love to someone this week, also, kids. Good-bye for now!

POLLY & LEO: Good-bye kids!
(puppets exit)

* LESSON: JESUS MEETS ZACCHAEUS

Bible Memory Verse:
"The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."  Luke 19:10

WHAT WERE SOME OF THE MIRACLES JESUS DID WHEN HE WAS ON EARTH? (healing blind, crippled, paralyzed, making food to feed over 5,000 out of 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, calming a storm, raising people from the dead)
But the greatest miracle Jesus performed then and a miracle He still does today is to change men’s hearts.  He saves them from the devil and hell. Today’s story is about a man who was changed from doing what the devil wanted to doing what God wanted.
 

In Jesus day, people did not like tax collectors. A tax collector was someone who collected money for the government. The Jewish people were ruled by the Roman government and they didn’t like that. They didn’t like being ruled by another nation. 
 

Also, tax collectors often cheated people by collecting more money than they were supposed to. How would you like it if you bought something from someone for $2 and found out later, they were only supposed to charge you $1? 
 

There was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector and rich. He had probably gotten some of his money by cheating people. One day Zacchaeus heard that Jesus was coming to town. He couldn’t see Jesus because there was so many people, and he was so short. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Jesus since Jesus had to come that way.

When Jesus reached the tree where Zacchaeus was, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down quickly.  I must stay at your house today." So Zacchaeus came down and welcomed Him gladly. 
 

All the people saw this and said, "He has gone to be the guest of a sinner!" The people knew that tax collectors were sinners so they didn’t think that a man like Jesus was supposed to have anything to do with sinners. Actually, we are all sinners. That is why Jesus came to earth–to save sinners from hell and the devil.

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to Jesus, "Look, Lord, here and now I give half of everything I have to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will give him four times the amount." He was saying that he loved Jesus so much, he would do he could to pay back the wrong he had done to people .
 

Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house. For the Son of Man hs come to seek and to save what was lost."
 

Jesus called Himself the Son of Man. That is why He came–to seek and save lost sinners. Zacchaeus believed in Jesus, and repented of his sins. He had changed in his heart. That is why Jesus said, "Today salvation has come to this house." Zacchaeus was now saved and going to be in heaven someday.

QUESTIONS:
1. What was Zacchaeus’ job?
2. Why did people not like tax collectors?
3. Why did Zacchaeus climb a sycamore tree?
4. Why did Jesus know Zacchaeus?
5. How do we know that Zacchaeus was saved?

* SKIT: JESUS MEETS JESUS

CHARACTERS: CROWD OF PEOPLE OR PERSON IN CROWD, ZACCHAEUS, JESUS

PERSON IN CROWD: (looking in direction from which Jesus is coming) Jesus is coming!  Jesus is coming!

ZACCHAEUS: (near the crowd)  There are so many people, and I am so short. I know what I will do. I will climb this sycamore tree so I can see Jesus when He comes by." (He runs over and climbs a tree–climbs on a chair or box, etc.)

JESUS: (Jesus come to the tree.) Come down quickly, Zacchaeus, I must stay at your house today.

PERSON IN CROWD:  (pointing at Jesus, horrifed) He is going to be a guest of a sinner!

ZACCHAEUS:  (comes down quickly from the tree and talks eagerly to Jesus) Jesus, I am going to give half of everything I own to the poor, and, if I have cheated anyone, I will give them four times the amount."

JESUS: (Faces audience) Today salvation has come to this house. The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.

* HANDOUT:

JESUS MEETS ZACCHAEUS

Bible Memory Verse:
"The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."  Luke 19:10

 
Words to choose from: HALF, REPENTED, TAX, SHORT, SALVATION, CHEATED, FOUR, DEVIL, CHANGED, GOD
 
1. Zacchaeus was a __ __ __ collector.
 
2.  Tax collectors often __ __ __ __ __ __ __.
 
3.  Zacchaeus climbed a tree to see Jesus because he was __ __ __ __ __.
 
4. Zacchaeus told Jesus that he would give __ __ __ __ his money to the poor.
 
5.  Zacchaeus told Jesus that if he had cheated anyone he would give them __ __ __ __ times the amount he had cheated them.
 
6. Zacchaeus __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (changed his mind and stopped doing them) of his sins.
 
7. Jesus said that __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ had come to Zacchaues.
 
8. Salvation means that a person who once belonged to the family of the __ __ __ __ __now belongs to the family of __ __ __.
 
9. Zacchaeus was saved because he __ __ __ __ __ __ __.
                                                                                                                   

* JESUS MEETS ZACCHAEUS PLAY:
 

Bible Memory Verse:
"The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." Luke 19:10

CHARACTERS–JESUS MEETS ZACCHAEUS PLAY: Jolly the Giraffe, Polly the Polar Bear, Leo the Lion

JOLLY, POLLY, LEO: (enter) Hi, kids

LEO: You know, Zacchaeus wasn’t afraid of what people might think of him.

JOLLY: What do you mean, Leo?

LEO: First of all, he climbed up in a tree in front of a whole crowd of people. He must have been an important business man, and important business men don’t do things like that.

POLLY: That’s right! He wanted to see Jesus so much that he didn’t care what people thought of him.

LEO: And then he admitted his sin in front of Jesus and all the people.

JOLLY: He probably felt the love Jesus had for him so strongly that he didn’t think of anything else, except to please Jesus.

LEO: Zacchaeus was a good example.

JOLLY: Zacchaeus was a good example in another way.

LEO: In what other way, Jolly?

JOLLY: He really repented of his sin, so that everyone should have known he repented.

POLLY: Would you tell me again what you mean by repent, Jolly?

JOLLY: To be sorry for your sin. If you change your mind then you will change your actions. And Jesus will help you change your actions if you ask.

LEO: I see what you mean. Zacchaeus not only was going to pay back the people he had cheated, he was going to pay them four times the amount he had cheated them out of!

POLLY: And not only that—he was going to give half his money to the poor!

JOLLY: No wonder Jesus said salvation had come to Zacchaeus. His heart had really changed!

LEO: Jesus didn’t care what Zacchaeus had done. He loved Zacchaeus and knew he could change. Remember our Bible Memory Verse: "The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." Luke 19:10

JOLLY: That’s a good example for us, isn’t it? We should just love people. We don’t know who will change and become a follower of Jesus.

POLLY: That’s what I try to do.

LEO: I know you do, Polly. You try to love everyone.

JOLLY: That’s a good idea for this week. Let’s see if we can love people. Let’s try to do things to show people we love them. Then next week, we’ll see if anyone has interesting stories.

POLLY: That’s a great idea!

JOLLY, POLLY, LEO: Good-bye, kids!
(Puppets exit)