Year B. 1st Term. Lesson 11. JESUS SERIES. Dying Jesus.

  Scripture: for teacher background: Matthew 26:47 – Ch 27 , Mark 14:43- Ch15, Luke 22:63-Ch 23 and  John 18:12- Ch 19.     (It is important to read all these verses as each Gospel gives details of this important event.)

Making contact:

Place some popcorn seeds, maize (mielie / corn), and a small maize plant or leaves (if available) on a table before the class.

Ask them if any of then know the life cycle of the maize plant. A maize plant has to die to leave us its seeds so that we can have corn on the cob/mealies, cornmeal, mealimeal, popcorn and plant more maize plants, which will in turn give us more seeds.

Discuss how death of seeds brings multiple growth of new life.

For a lesson next term on the Fruit of the Spirit, this week get the children to plant some tomato seeds or baby tomato seeds in an ice cream box. Remember to water them. (Hopefully there will be plants and tomatoes by the time the lesson after Pentecost arrives.)

Exploration:

After Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, sometime during the night, He was taken to the High Priest’s house where the teachers of the Law and the Elders were waiting. 

They were trying to find evidence to sentence Jesus to death. Many people came forward and told lies about Jesus. 

Jesus didn’t say a word. They spat in His face and slapped Him and mocked Him.

Early in the morning they took Jesus in chains to Pilate, the Roman governor.

He questioned Jesus and found Him innocent, but the crowds were shouting “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

He then sent Jesus to Herod who also asked Him many questions. Jesus didn’t answer.

Back to Pilate Jesus went. Pilate told the people that at this time of the year he always freed a prisoner and that he could free Jesus or Barabbas. (A murderer) 

The crowds screamed for Jesus to be crucified and Barabbas to be freed.

Then Pilate washed his hands to show it was not his decision but the people’s and he had Jesus whipped and handed over to be crucified.

The soldiers led him away.

They put a purple robe on Him and a crown of thorns. They saluted Him and hit Him. 

Then the soldiers forced Jesus to carry His own cross, but He was so weak after the beatings that He couldn’t. 

They called a man out of the crowd, named Simon from Cyrene, and made him carry Jesus’ cross.

 They went to a place outside Jerusalem called Golgotha and there they nailed Jesus to a cross.

It was 9 am in the morning. There was a thief being crucified an either side of Jesus and the one was mocking Jesus but the other one asked to be remembered. Jesus said he would be in paradise that very day with Him.

 At midday, it went dark for 3 hours. 

At about 3 pm Jesus cried out “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” 

God turned His back on Jesus and could not look at Him because He was so full of our sin!

Jesus gave a loud cry that it was finished and died. There was an earthquake and the curtain in the temple tore in two from the top to the bottom. 

The army officer at the cross said, “Surely this was the Son of God!”

At the end of the day the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side to check that He was really dead and His blood was watery which meant He was dead. 

Otherwise they would normally break the legs to hurry death up.

Joseph, a rich man and Nicodemus came and buried Jesus in a brand new tomb. 

There were soldiers guarding the tomb to make sure the body wasn’t stolen.

 Application:

Jesus died in the place of Barabbas, a murderer. Barabbas was set free. 

Now you and I might not be murderers, but we have sinned, and in God’s sight all sin is sin, no matter what size it is.

Jesus died in our place so that we might be set free and be forgiven like the one thief was. All we have to do believe in Jesus and ask Him.

 “Lord I thank You for dying for me. Please forgive my sins and set me free.”

Then, even if we die physically, like the thief, we are set free and will live with our Saviour Jesus. forever

Jesus chose to die and was unafraid because He understood the reason why He had to leave the world.

He was meant to die to wash away the sins of the world and give those who believe in Him eternal life and life in heaven after death. 

God loves us so much that He has made is easy to become one of His children. All we have to do is believe in our hearts that Jesus died to wash away our sins and give us life after death and everlasting life here now- a life filled with meaning and purpose.

Challenge to Mission:

If you have a friend or know someone who has questions about Jesus, tell him/her the story about how Jesus died to wash away our sins and give us eternal life.

Consolidation

There is a worksheet with pictures of the crucifixion, the challenge.

Memory verse

“God has shown us how much He loves us – it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8