Garden of Gethsemane, Arrest, and Crucifixion

11/3/2023

Jesus Dies on a Cross by Jennifer Tolbert

Jesus came to Earth to teach us how we should live. However, he also knew that no matter how hard we tried, we would never be perfect. In order to fulfill God's plan, a final sacrifice was required. Just as Jesus's birth fulfilled prophecy, his death had also been predicted by the prophets. In this story, Jesus is arrested and is crucified.

Key Themes:
1. Jesus death was the final sacrifice for sin.
2. Jesus's death fulfilled prophecy.
3. Jesus sacrifice restored the relationship that was lost in the Garden of Eden.

Memory Verse

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. -Mark 10:45

Songs

Books of the New Testament
Make Me a Servant
Jesus is My Best Friend
Love is Something if You Give It Away
Banner Over Us is Love
Be Still and Know

Story

Begin Class with Songs, Games, Table Activity, or Sharing Time

Open Class in Prayer

Introducing the Story Ideas
1. Story in a Sack
Place a list of items in a large sack. Some items could be: rope, a blindfold, coins, plastic sword, crown, purple robe or cloth, cross, spear, linen strips, etc. Tell the story by pulling out each object and letting that object "introduce" that part of the story.

2. What is a Prophecy?
Remind the kids about what prophecy is. A prophecy is a passage of the Bible that predicted the coming up the Messiah. You can review some of these prophecy scriptures:
Isaiah 53, Isaiah 50, Exodus 12:46, Psalm 41:9, Psalm 118:22, 22: 7-18, Psalm 69:21, Exodus 12:9

Story: Jesus came to Earth to show us how to live in a way that pleased God. However, Jesus also knew that no matter how good we were, we could never be perfect. The Israelites had made sacrifice after sacrifice, and had created thousands of laws to try to overcome their sin. There was really only one solution and Jesus knew he would eventually had to die to be the final sacrifice for our sins.

Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. He asked his disciples to watch and pray with him, but they kept falling asleep. Jesus prayed and begged God to find another way, but he knew this had been the plan all along. There wasn't another way. This was the most important work Jesus had come to do.

READ the story of Jesus's Crucifixion OR read Matthew 27:32-56 in the Bible.

EMPHASIZE that: