A16. Palm Sunday Matthew 21:1-11

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1 Page1 A16. Palm Sunday Matthew 21:1-11 Learning Objectives 1. The children will retell the events of Palm Sunday. 2. The children will recognize that God wants us to praise Him each day. Memory Verse: Getting Started Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven! --Matthew 21:9 (NIRV) All Ages Music/Listening Activity Play a recording of the song Indescribable for the children to listen to, or print out the words for them to read (you can search on the internet for a recording or for the lyrics). Then make a list together on the easel: Describe God in one word. Let the children come up with as many words as they can. Remind the children that it is impossible to put all our feelings about God into one word! He is ALL of these things. In today s lesson, Jesus was entering the city of Jerusalem and the people may have felt the same way about him as how we feel about God. (Continue with the lesson.) Parade Activity Divide the children in two groups and have them stand in two lines across from each other with enough room for a parade to walk in between their lines. Let one child at a time take a turn walking between the two lines. As they walk, play some praise music and tell them to pretend they are Jesus. The other children should cheer and shout Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! as they wave palms (real or pretend) and lay down clothes (coats or towels/sheets will work) for that person. After each person who want a turn has a chance to walk the parade route and pretend to be Jesus, tell the children that today, they will learn about what happened long ago when many people praised Jesus as He entered Jerusalem because they thought He was a king. Continue with the lesson. Grades K-2 Make Palm Branches See: search the resource room for Palm Sunday and look for the file parade, scroll down to find the patterns for this activity. Use green foam or cardstock, etc. You may use the palms in your story telling. Then share the homework. Talk about how the palm leaves were used as the people were praising the Lord Jesus. Continue with the story.

2 Page2 Getting Started Grades K-2 (continued) Palm Branch Maze Have enough at the table along with crayons or pencils for the children to complete immediately as they enter the class area. See: Preschool Activities Palm Branch Maze Discussion/Lead-in after the children finish their maze: Have you ever been in a place where someone famous was going to perform, perhaps a concert or a ball game? What did you do when the famous person finally arrived? Every year the Jewish people celebrated Passover, to remember the time God protected them from death during the tenth plague on Egypt. After that plague, the Pharaoh of Egypt freed all the Israelites from slavery. One year, as the people came to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast, they heard that their special King was also coming, so they all went out to the road to praise Him. How do you think they reacted when their King arrived? Grades 3-5 Palm Sunday Puzzle See: Grade School puzzles word fill-ins Blessed is He You will need to print out one puzzle for each child to complete as they enter class. Why Should We Praise God? Activity Page See: Grade School Activities Why Should We Praise God? You will need to print out one page for each child before class. Please see the website above. Bible Lesson with Discussion Questions Message: Praise the Lord for He is good. Jesus Enters Jerusalem As they all approached Jerusalem, they came to Bethpage. It was on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent out two disciples. He said to them, "Go to the village ahead of you. As soon as you get there, you will find a donkey tied up. Her colt will be with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them. The owner will send them right away." This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet would come true. It says, "Say to the city of Zion, 'See, your king comes to you. He is gentle and riding on a donkey. He is riding on a donkey's colt.' " The disciples went and did what Jesus told them to do. They brought the donkey and the colt. They placed their coats on them. Then Jesus sat on the coats. A very large crowd spread their coats on the road. Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Some of the people went ahead of him, and some followed. They all shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up. The people asked, "Who is this?" The crowds answered, "This is Jesus. He is the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."

3 Page3 Bible Lesson with Discussion Questions Continued Discussion Questions: 1. Why did the disciples bring a donkey to Jesus? (So Jesus could ride on it.) 2. What things did the crowd lay on the road in front of Jesus? (Coats and branches.) 3. What did the people shout as Jesus came down the road? (Hosanna!) 4. How can we celebrate and praise Jesus? (Discuss answers will vary.) 5. If you were among the crowds, how would you have shown your joy when you saw Jesus? (Discuss answers will vary.) 6. Why do you think Jesus was riding on a donkey? Why not a horse? (To show humility that he was humble. NOTE: you may need to further define Humble/humility for the children to understand.) Application to Real Life Why do we praise God? Activity See: Grade School Activities Why do we praise God? Before class, you will need to print or make copies of the handout for each child. Do this together as a class, and modify how you do it according to the ages of your children. You can also have them partner up (older and younger together) as you work through the sheet. Review the message statement when you are finished. Bible Time Look up the following verses to answer the questions. Make a list on your easel as you look from verse to verse. Make it fun and help the children learn to navigate the Bible more quickly. 1. Why do we praise God? o Psalm 135:3 because He is good o Psalm 135:5 He is greater than all other gods o Psalm 147:3 - He heals the broken hearted o Psalm 147:8 - He covers the sky with clouds o Psalm 139:14 His works are wonderful 2. How can we praise God? o Psalm 150:3-5 Play Instruments o Psalm 149:3 - Dancing and making music o Psalm 47:1 - Clap your hands and shout to God with joy o Psalm 63:5 - Singing o Psalm 105:2 Tell others of his wonderful acts There are many ways we can praise God. We want to praise Him because He is good. (Remind the children of the message statement.) Memory Work Fun 1. Recite the memory verse. Then explain what it means in your own words. 2. Retell the Daniel in the Lion s Den. 3. What is the name of the Holy Sacrament we participate in during every divine service? 4. What is the name of your minister? 5. Ask a volunteer to say a short closing prayer, thanking God for being with us.

4 Page4 Activity Ideas All Ages Jesus, My King Divide a piece of easel paper into two sections. In the first section, write A king In the second section, write If Jesus ruled my heart, I would What You Should Do 1. Ask the children what a king does. Write their responses on the chart paper. Make sure the list includes a response that suggests a king reigns over a kingdom. Write their responses on the chart paper. 2. Briefly discuss what they would do if they met a king and how they would behave differently. 3. Tell the children that Jesus is a King who wants to rule our hearts. Ask them how they think they would behave if Jesus ruled their heart. What characteristics would they have and show each day? Write their responses on the chart paper. 4. Look at the list together, then emphasize that we want to live our lives in a way that would please Jesus. Reenact the Palm Sunday story Use palm leaves (homemade or real) and some shawls or old clothing. Have the children take turn pretending to be Jesus and walk down the path into Jerusalem while the others (children or volunteers) lay their palms and clothing shouting Hosanna or Hosanna in the highest. For added affect, find some majestic music for a parade (trumpets, etc.), and when the music starts, have the person pretending to be Jesus enter and begin down the path. You could also use a wagon for the donkey and have someone push the wagon down the road. Grades K-2 Praise Paper Bag Maracas or Paper Tube Shakers See: Click on Younger Children in the top menu bar Scroll down to praise and click on Praise the Lord KJV Version Scroll down to Crafts #2. Palm Sunday Worksheet See: Preschool Activities Palm Sunday Worksheet 1. You could give each child a copy of the worksheet and do it together (crossing out those pictures that don t belong in the story, and circling the pictures that do belong in the story.). OR 2. Have a set of pictures cut out for each child. Give them a piece of construction paper (for example) with the memory verse written on it. Help the children decide which pictures belong with today s story. After deciding together (setting aside those that don t belong) let the children glue the appropriate pictures with glue sticks the pictures that belong onto their sheet. Grades 3-5 Memory Verse Word Scramble Before class you will need to print and cut out one memory verse card set for each group. (You may have children work in pairs on groups of 3.) Put each card set in a small plastic bag. You will divide the children into groups. Give each group a bag with a memory verse card set. Tell the groups to work together to put the word cards in the correct order. After each group has put the cards in the order they think is correct, ask one of the children to find the Bible verse in the Bible and read it to the group.

5 Page5 Activity Ideas - Continued Grades 3-5 (continued) Word Connect Activity Before class you will need to print and cut out the word cards (see attached Word Connect Activity sheet). Before the activity, place each card face down on a table in the teaching area. You will need to divide the children into two groups. Ask the groups to stand at one end of the room across from the table that has the cards on it. The teacher (or an adult volunteer) should stand next to the table where the cards are. Ask a child from one group to go to the table and turn over a card. They should first read the word on the card and then say whether or not it relates to the Bible story. If the child decides the word relates to the story, they must explain how. The child may discuss it with their group. If the explanation is correct, the child keeps the word for their group. If the explanation is not correct, the other group has the chance to explain how the word connects to the story. They then receive the card and it is their group s turn to choose a card. Continue alternating teams and choosing different children to pick a card until all the cards have been claimed. Note: some word cards do not relate to the story (apple, Mary, Martha, Lazarus, stable, Nineveh). Journal Optional Grades K-2 Draw a picture of what happened on Palm Sunday. What would you have done if you were there that day? Write about it. Grades 3-5 (choose one) How do you like to praise God? Write about it. Do you think it is important to take time to praise God each day? Why or why not? Write about it. Homework Ideas - Read at home with a grown up the story about The Cleansing of the Temple (John 2:13-22; Matthew 21:12-17). - Learn the memory verse: O God, we meditate on your unfailing love as we worship in your Temple. --Psalm 48:9 (NLT) - Work on memorizing commandment #. - Color the Cleansing of the Temple coloring sheet as your parents read you the Sunday School Lesson. Return your coloring page for a sticker. - What makes you get angry? Think about it and be ready to share in class. Other Resources New Testament Lesson 260

6 Memory Verse Word Scramble Page6

7 Word Connect Activity Page7

8 Page8 Coloring Page Name: The Cleansing of the Temple O God, we meditate on your unfailing love as we worship in your Temple. --Psalm 48:9 (NLT)

9 Page9 Take Home Page: Palm Sunday Today I learned Today your child learned that we should praise the Lord for He is good! Children explored the story of Palm Sunday when Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem. They examined how the people praised Jesus on that day, and ways that we can still praise Him today. Help me learn my memory verse Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven! --Matthew 21:9 (NIRV) Ask me 1. What happened on Palm Sunday? 2. Why were the people praising Jesus on that day? 3. How can you praise Jesus today? Live Your Faith Make a list or draw pictures together of ways that you can worship and praise God each day. Talk about what you are already doing, or what you could do more of to show God your praise. Set goals for your week to work on praising and worshipping Him more. Work together to make praising God each day a priority in your family.