Matthew 21:9 -Palm Sunday

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Matthew 21:9 -Palm Sunday

HOOK:
Get palm branches for the children from the ushers in church.  Give them out as you ask them if they know what it’s called.  Then show them a picture of a donkey (or use the flannel graph) and ask if they know the name of this animal.  Tell them that what we are going to learn about from the Bible involves palm branches, a donkey and Jesus.  (collect palm branches and give them out at the end when the children are dismissed with their parents).

BOOK: Matthew 21:9
Jesus spent a lot of time walking from town to town.  He visited people and taught them wonderful things about God.  The most important thing He taught was that God loves us all!  Sometimes Jesus helped people in a way that only He could.  He could make people who were sick and dying well again, usually just by saying words. People in Bible times didn’t have all the medicines we have, but Jesus didn’t need medicines.  And some sickness couldn’t be fixed.  But Jesus could fix them.

When Jesus had been in the town called Bethany, a friend of His had died and was buried in a tomb.  Everyone was sad.  Jesus went to the tomb and used His words to make His friend come back to life!  This was a miracle that amazed everyone!

A few days later, Jesus decided that He needed to go to Jerusalem.  It was a special time for a special holiday and He wanted to go to the special church in Jerusalem to worship God.  He had a special plan to complete the prophecies in the scriptures.  (Scriptures are the Bible)  He told His disciples to go ahead of Him to Jerusalem and borrow a donkey colt that was there.  He said they’d find it tied to a pole.  The disciples said, “What if the owner asks us why we’re taking his donkey?”  Jesus said, “Just tell him ‘the Master needs him.’”  They did what Jesus said and returned with a young donkey for Him to ride on into town.  When everyone saw Jesus coming, riding on a donkey, they wanted to make it extra special.  They climbed up into palm trees and broke off some branches.  Some people laid the palm branches down on the dirt road so that the donkey’s feet wouldn’t make too much dust and so the road would be nice and smooth.  Most people came to see Jesus and waved palm branches high in the air shouting, “Hosannah!  Hosannah!  Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord!”  It was a wonderful way to praise and worship Jesus.  They wanted to take Jesus to the city and crown Him to be their new King.  The people loved Jesus and they had seen all the wonderful miracles that He had done and they knew that He has shown them great love too.  Jesus loves you, too!

That was the first Palm Sunday.  It’s such a special day!  We remember it because it reminds us that Jesus was such a special person and that many people wanted to make Him a King.  They loved Him so much!

LOOK:
This week is a very special week.  Today we celebrate Palm Sunday.  When everyone worshiped Jesus.  Next Sunday we will celebrate Easter, when Jesus rose from the dead.  The Bible tells us that Jesus came to the earth for a very special reason.  He came because He loves us so much, and He wanted to take the black sin from our heart, so that we could live forever with Him.  We will talk more about this next week.

TOOK:
When someone gives you a gift, do you have to pay money for it? (no) Do you have to work for it? (no)  When someone gives you a gift, you are happy and you take it and open it and say, “Thank you!”  Jesus wants us to take His gift of forgiveness (washing away the bad things we do) and say, “Thank you”.  When Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, it showed that He has the power to do anything.  We can thank God that He has the power to wash our sins away when we ask Him into our heart.

MEMORY VERSE:
“Hosannah! Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord!”

GAMES/IDEAS:
Have half the class stand on one side of the room facing the other half of the class on the other side of the room.  One side is disciples, the other is donkeys.  Each disciple when told must go to the other side and get a donkey and bring it back to Jesus!  (Do this as a relay with one disciple going at a time).  Follow donkey hoof prints to other room for snack and craft.

Have a parade, waving palm branches that everyone ahs made.  Bring in a stick horse for someone to play act being Jesus.  Children who want to can lay down their jackets.

Kingdom Kids from Catalyst Ministry

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