The Soldiers Mock Jesus- Day 7

Matthew 27: 27-31
Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They 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. Then they 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.
 
Resurrection Egg #7- thorn/ crown of thorns (coloring page here)

Today I just let Gracie feel the thorns and we talked about how much it must have hurt for Jesus to have a whole crown of thorns on his head. I put the thorns on her head gently and she said, "that doesn't really hurt mom", so I pressed a little harder and she said, "ok mom, that's good." Hahaha :) We also talked about how Jesus said he was a king and the soldiers and some other people didn't believe him and thats why they were being so mean to him.



Jesus Arrested (Judas' Betrayal)- Day 6

Matthew 26: 47-56
 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, 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, “Do what you came for, friend.”
   Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. With that, one of Jesus’ companions 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?”
 In that hour 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.

Ressurresction Egg #6- Coins (coloring page here)

Today we talked about how the soldiers and elders did not like Jesus, so they paid his friend Judas money to help them catch him and arrest him. We also talked about how Jesus knew that Judas did something bad to him, yet he still called Judas his "friend" in verse 50, just like when we do something that is disappointing to Jesus, he still loves us, he will forgive us,  and we will always be his friend.

Garden of Gethsemane- Day 5

Garden of Gethsemane

Matthew 26: 36-46
 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”  He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 
 Going a little farther, he 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. “Couldn’t you men 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 flesh 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.”  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 has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
 
Resurrection egg #5- flowers/ leaves to represent the Garden of Gethsemane (coloring page here)
We had no flowers growing around our house (except for a dead rose, which I didn't want to use:) so we used leaves.

Today we talked about how Jesus went alone to pray to God, just like we pray to God. We also talked about how sometimes we know that God has asked or planned for us to do something that might hurt and be very painful at this moment, like his plan for Jesus to die on the cross, but God will always turn

the pain into joy for those who believe in him, like he did when he rose Jesus from the grave to be our Savior.

The Last Supper- Day 4

The Last Supper

Matthew 26:17-30 
 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”  He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house." So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”
 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”
 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”
   Jesus answered, “You have said so.”
 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.  This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Ressurection Egg #4- small piece of bread (coloring page here)

This was pretty easy to bring to her level and talk about. We just discussed that Jesus knew he was about to leave his friends, so he wanted to have a special dinner with them. We also talked about how Jesus thanked God for his food and wine, just the same as we thank God before our meals.

Jesus Washes His Disciples' Feet- Day 3

Jesus Washes His Disciples' Feet

John 13: 1-17
 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.  The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.  Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.


 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.”  For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.  When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Resurrection Egg #3- a small piece of wet terry cloth (coloring page here)

To bring it to their level we just talked about how Jesus was serving or "helping" his friends by washing their feet and when we help or serve other's we are also serving God. We also talked about how we should want to serve God even when we don't get any reward or prize because we will get a wonderful prize when we get to Heaven one day.

The Triumphal Entry- Part 2

Today we re-read the story of the Triumphal Entry, but this time from the book of Mark. We focused on the people welcoming Jesus and laying down their cloaks on the road and waving palm branches.

The Triumphal Entry

Mark 11: 1-10
 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, "Why are you doing this?' say, "The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.'" And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. And some of those standing there said to them, "What are you doing, untying the colt?" And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!"

Egg #2- A palm branch (coloring page here)

To bring it to their level, we talked about our recent Mardi Gras experience. We talked about how the people were lined up on the streets clapping and waving and waiting for the floats and how it was the same way when Jesus was entering Jerusalem, they were so happy and excited to see him because they had been waiting a long time for him.

The Triumphal Entry (12 days of Easter- Day 1)

Welcome to the first of our 12 days of Easter! I hope through reading these posts you will remember the sacrifice made on the cross thousands of years ago for you and me.

**If you are using the Resurrection Eggs, read the stories first (from the Bible and your children's Easter books), then open the egg and talk about what's inside and color the coloring page)

Day 1- The Triumphal Entry

Matthew 21: 1-11 (NIV Bible)
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples,  saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me.  If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
 “Say to Daughter Zion,
See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey."
 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

On their level:  We talked about how all the people were so happy to see Jesus because they had heard great things about him and were waiting for him to come to Jerusalem for the feast. When he got there he told one of his friends to get him a donkey because long ago a prophet said he would ride on a donkey. I think Gracie's favorite part of this story was trying to say the word Jerusalem:)