Jesus Christ came to the world to save us from the punishment of sin. He received the punishment that belongs to sinners so that we can be at peace with God our creator. The lessons for the month will focus on Jesus’ experience in the Garden of Eden, His trial before Pilate, His crucifixion, His burial, and resurrection.
Introduction
All these events will inspire you to renew your love and loyalty to Jesus who gave Himself for the salvation of the world. Pray and prepare well before the class. Ask God to help you teach the children in a way that will please Him.
Read the stories from all the Gospels and different versions of the Bible that have a firm grip on the lessons. Use pictures, video clips and other visuals to enhance each lesson. More so, be a good example of what you are teaching. As you teach the lessons, God will bless you and empower you more, in Jesus’ name.
Suggested Teaching Methods
- Story Telling
- Drama
- Film Show/Story Narration
- Symposium
- Drama
Think about the Gethsemane Experience.
Read Mathew 26:36-46.
Jesus knew His assignment on earth was to reconcile people to God. Also, He understood that the set time to round off His ministry assignment on earth is close. He, therefore, went to Gethsemane to pray with His disciples.
On His way there, He asked nine of the disciples to sit at a place, while He went into the garden to pray. Jesus’ Gethsemane experience was a struggle between doing God’s will and His. But He eventually submitted His will to God.
Meditate
As He was praying, he groaned in the spirit and said “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow of death. ”The pressure of bearing the cross was demanding. Firstly, Jesus was able to identify that He was weak and His strength could not carry Him on the journey ahead.
Secondly, He prayed, pouring out all His frustrations to God-He was real in His confession to God, and asked for God’s will to be done, regardless of His personal feeling. He left the three disciples who were with Him when the pain of death overwhelmed Him. He moved a little away from them, fell on His face, and prayed. This time, He pronounced that God’s will be done, “My Father if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.
Meditate
Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Coming back to the three disciples He found them sleeping. He warned them, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” He knew that the disciples would have loved to watch while he was praying but nature denied them and they slept, “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”
This Jesus did three times, praying and checking on the disciples. On the third check, He left the disciples to sleep and went back to pray, saying the same thing. The truth was that the disciples could not help Him solve His problem. Moreover, the appointed time has come. So, He submitted to the will of God.
Think about Jesus Before Pilate.
Some young people were arrested by the state police who were scouting for criminals. They were rounded up for the crime they did not commit. Eventually, they brought them before the law court to receive judgment.
These young persons could not produce any proof to show that they were not criminals, and this made the judge sentence them to five years imprisonment.
Today’s lesson is about how Jesus was handed over to Pilate the governor by the high priests and the elders with a plan to kill him for envy. Jesus was innocent of what he was accused of. Instead of releasing Jesus on Feast’s Day, the crowd requested that it was Barabbas they wanted his release.
Meditate
In MATTHEW 27:1-2,11-26, after Jesus was arrested at Gethsemane, they took Him to Caiaphas the high priest. This is the place where the teachers of the law and the elders assemble. Following the day of Jesus’ arrest, early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people resolved to kill Him.
However, this would not be possible because the country of Israel was under Roman authority. Therefore, they gathered false evidence against Jesus, bound him, led him away and handed Him over to Pilate, the governor.
Jesus was punished for what He did not do; they hated Him for saying the truth, healing, and bringing people to God. He was killed like a criminal on the cross for you and me. Do not let His death over you be in vain. Come to Jesus today, and confess Him as your Lord and Saviour.
Think about Jesus’ Crucifixion.
Pilate had released Jesus for crucifixion because that was how the Romans wanted it. Jesus was mocked by the soldiers and many people. They thought Jesus was just another common Jewish criminal who had been delivered into their hands for crucifixion.
As they were bringing Jesus out of the city of Jerusalem, they found a man named Simon who was from Cyrene. This man was forced to carry Jesus’ cross because Jesus was tired due to the heaviness of the cross (Prisoners were supposed to carry their cross themselves because this is where they would be nailed to).
Meditate
Two thieves were carrying their crosses with Jesus (Luke 23:32). (Was Jesus a thief? Jesus was not a thief; He is the Saviour. Simon carried the cross to Golgotha (Whose cross did Simon carry?). Golgotha means ‘The Place of the Skull. The Romans put an inscription on top of Jesus’ head on the cross “THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
Two other thieves were crucified with Him, one at the right hand and the other at the left (Isaiah 53:9,12. People insulted Jesus; they struck Him on the head. A crown of thorns was made for Him.
The people passing by were shaking their heads, saying, “Jesus who promised to destroy the temple and rebuild in three days should save himself. If truly He is the son of God, he should come down from the cross.
Meditate
From the sixth hour until the ninth hour, darkness covered the land (This was from 12:00noon until 3:00 pm). At that very hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice and said “Eli, Eli, lamasabachthani? Meaning ‘My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?’ (Did God forsake Jesus?).
God can never forsake His children. He did not forsake Jesus only that Jesus had an assignment to fulfil (Luke 23:44,). He is to save the world through His suffering. Some people said He was calling on Elijah. The soldiers gave Him wine mixed with gall to drink, but after tasting it he refused to drink.
He cried out again and gave up His spirit and the curtain of the temple tore into two, the earth shook, the rocks split, tombs broke open and many bodies of the holy people who had died were raised to life. The guards who saw all that happened believed that truly Jesus is the Son of God.
Do you believe that Jesus went to the cross, suffered and died because He wants you to be saved? Do you want to reign with Him eternally? Give your life to Jesus today. Tomorrow may be too late.
Think about Jesus’ Burial.
In MATTHEW 27:57-66, Jesus’ body was on the cross since the time He gave up the ghost. A rich man who was one of the faithful disciples of Jesus went to Pilate to ask for His body and his request was granted. The name of the man was Joseph of Arimathea.
He was not the only one. Open your Bible to (John 19:39-40. He was assisted by Nicodemus; one of the secret disciples of Jesus who visited Jesus at night. He brought good perfume for Jesus’ body which was worth a lot of money. Jesus was given a royal burial. But this story was only told by John.
Faithful disciples of Jesus are those who love Him. Do you love Jesus? Are you a faithful disciple? Are you ready to give what you have to Jesus? What Jesus is requesting from you now is your heart. Are you ready to give Him?
Think about Jesus’ Resurrection.
It has been the third day that Jesus was in the grave where Joseph and Nicodemus laid him. This is The Resurrection. It happened after the Sabbath (Saturday). The resurrection took place on Sunday. Resurrection is the act of rising from the dead and being alive again.
In other words, resurrection in today’s lesson is the raising up of Jesus from the dead by the power of God. Our drama group will present to us what is in Matthew 28:1-18. Open it and let us read together.
The power that raised Jesus from the dead is still available. Is there any problem in your life or family that is making you weep? Are you having a problem with your study?
Is there any sickness in your body that is causing your parents to take you from one hospital to the other? The power that rolled away the stone from the tomb is still available; you just need to trust God and pray to Him in Jesus’ name.
Think about Merriment
It is important to think about the way we will celebrate Easter. It is not the season to drink hard alcohol and intoxicated wine, or the season to dye and wine only.
It is the season to think about all the points we have earlier raised and have feelings about the sufferings, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. You can read more related posts on our event page of the site.
