The Empty Tomb

Lesson: The Empty Tomb

1. Story (based on Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-18)

• Good morning, boys and girls! (Good morning!) 
• Do you like mystery stories?
• Today we are going to hear about the most exciting mystery story every told. I call it, "The Case of the Empty Tomb." 
• This is a story about what happened after Jesus died on the cross.  Jesus died on a Friday.  It was a very sad day.  It was sad because Jesus’ friends didn’t know what was going to happen.  They didn’t understand why Jesus had to die.
• Late on that Friday afternoon, Jesus’ body was taken down from the cross.  It was wrapped in long strips of cloth.  And it was buried in a rich man’s tomb.  A large stone was rolled over the entrance to the tomb, and soldiers were standing outside to make sure that nothing happened to Jesus’ body.  Jesus was dead.

Jesus and Barrabas

Lesson: Jesus exchanged His life for me to set me FREE!

  

1. Lesson (based on Luke 23:13-25; adapted from: He died for me)

• Last week, Jesus was on trial before the elders, Pilate and Herod.
• All of them could find nothing wrong with Jesus. He was blameless and sinless.

• Today we will look at a man named Barabbas. Let me describe Barabbas' room: hard bed; dark, dingy walls; window (draw bars). Where was Barabbas?
• That's right! He was in Jail! He deserved to be in jail. He was a thief and a murderer. The law at that time said that the punishment for murder was death. Did Barabbas deserve to die according to the law at that time? Yes, he did.

Jesus on Trial

1. Story (based on Luke 22:63-71; 23:1-25)
(Option: get kids to act out the trials etc. Can be impromptu or rehearsed.)

• Last week we learned that Jesus was arrested and brought to the High Priest’s house.  
• The Jewish religious leaders did not like Jesus.
• They felt threatened by Him because of His growing popularity — ever since Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, they have been trying to get rid of Him.
• They thought He was wrong to claim that He was the Son of God.  They called that blasphemy.
• So they put Him through several trials in an attempt to find him guilty of something so he could be punished with death.

Peter denies Jesus

1. Story (based on Luke 22:31-34; 54-62)

• Last week we learned that Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane. He obeyed the Father’s will and He gave Himself willingly to those who came to arrest Him.
• Simon Peter, his disciple, was with him.
• Earlier at the Passover meal, Jesus had prophesied that His disciples would desert him.
• But Peter boasted to Jesus, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” He thought he could do anything, and he was proud. He thought he was willing and able to go all the way for Jesus, even if it meant going to prison or to die for him … even if ALL the other disciples fell away, he would not. Peter was boasting in himself!
• Jesus told him, though, that “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny 3 times that you know me.”
• In fact, when Jesus was arrested, Peter was the one who swung his sword to cut off the High Priest’s servant’s ear. He thought he was being brave and strong. Peter was acting in his flesh.
• But when Jesus was led away to the house of the High Priest, Peter followed … at a distance. There was a fire in the middle of the courtyard, and people were sitting around it. Peter went close to the fire and sat down.
• A servant girl saw him there. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with Jesus.” But Peter denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him.”
• Later on, someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” Peter replied. “Man, I am not!”
• About an hour later another person said, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.”  Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
• Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. Jesus turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” 
• And he went outside and wept bitterly. Peter failed.

Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane

Lesson: Jesus obeyed the Father's Will

1. Lesson (based on Luke 22:39-53)

• Last week we learned about Jesus celebrating the Passover meal with his disciples. Anyone remembers what Jesus did after the meal? (broke bread and gave the cup) What does the bread and cup signify for us? (broken body and shed blood of Jesus)
• After the dinner, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. His disciples followed Him.
• When they reached the garden, He told them to stay there and pray, while He went a short distance away by Himself.

Jesus celebrates the Passover Meal

1. Lesson (based on Luke 22:7-23, 1 Cor 11: 24-25)

Props needed: bread and cup (we will take communion together as a class)

• Jesus had been preparing for His death since He came into Jerusalem on a donkey.
• Then came the time for the Passover Feast.
• A major annual Jewish celebration
• To remember the time God delivered the Israelites from Egypt
• God told the Israelites to prepare the Passover meal — lamb and unleavened bread — and to spread the blood of the lamb on their door posts so that the angel of death will pass over them.
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Jesus celebrates the Passover Meal

1. Lesson (based on Luke 22:7-23, 1 Cor 11: 24-25)

Props needed: bread and cup (we will take communion together as a class)

• Jesus had been preparing for His death since He came into Jerusalem on a donkey.
• Then came the time for the Passover Feast.
• A major annual Jewish celebration
• To remember the time God delivered the Israelites from Egypt
• God told the Israelites to prepare the Passover meal — lamb and unleavened bread — and to spread the blood of the lamb on their door posts so that the angel of death will pass over them.

A. Initiation of the New Covenant

• Jesus told His disciples to go make preparations for the Passover meal.
• As they were eating at the table, Jesus did 2 things:
•  Took the BREAD and broke it, giving it to His disciples
•  He said:  “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
• Took the CUP, gave to His disciples
•  Saying: “In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
• Jesus was foretelling His disciples that He was going to die; and when He died, He was cutting the New Covenant with God. 
• Man could not keep the Old Covenant with God, so Jesus had to come to fulfill the Old on our behalf and start the New.