PALM SUNDAY
Read – Matthew 21:1-11
MAIN POINT
As Jesus rode into Jerusalem riding on a donkey, he fulfilled the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9. Zechariah told of a future King, a Savior, that would come riding humbly on a donkey and proclaim peace. Jesus came to fulfill God’s promise. He is the King the people had been waiting for. Jesus is King over everything, and He is worthy of praise.
Family Discussion
- What message of hope did the prophet Zechariah give? (The promised King would come riding on a donkey.)
- Why does the coming of Jesus give us hope? (Jesus was sent to be our Savior.)
- What are ways we can show Jesus that we love Him and want to give Him praise? (We can show Jesus we love Him by obeying Him, spending time with Him in prayer, studying our Bibles, loving people like Jesus loves them, and giving our time and money to serve others.)
Pray
Dear God, thank you for the hope we have in Jesus for us to have eternal life through Him. Amen
MONDAY
Read – John 13:1-5
MAIN POINT
Jesus demonstrated His humility when He washed the feet of His disciples. Even though Jesus was their Lord and worthy of respect and honor, He took on a servant’s responsibilities by washing the disciples’ feet. In doing this, Jesus left an example that we should willingly serve others with humility.
Family Discussion
- What does it mean to serve others? (Serving someone means helping someone else. Often, serving requires giving up something like time or money.)
- How did Jesus serve the disciples? (He washed their feet.)
- How can our family serve other people and follow Jesus’s example? (We can serve other people by meeting needs, praying for people, and looking for opportunities to encourage or help others.)
Pray
God, thank You for sending Jesus and for teaching us what it looks like to love and serve others. Help our family serve one another and the people around us even when it is difficult. Please give us greater humility as we serve and follow You. Amen
TUESDAY
Read – Matthew 26:17-30
MAIN POINT
Jesus shared a special meal with His disciples. He wanted to prepare them for the difficult events that were about to happen. Jesus came to obey God and die on the cross. During this last supper with His disciples, Jesus established the first Lord’s Supper, a special time when believers remember Jesus’s sacrifice. The bread and the cup remind us of how Jesus sacrificed Himself to rescue us from our sin.
Family Discussion
- What did Jesus tell His disciples to do as they ate the bread and drank from the cup? (Jesus told them to remember and always think about Him when they did this.)
- Why do believers celebrate the Lord’s Supper? (The Lord’s Supper is a special time when believers eat the bread and drink from the cup to remember Jesus and His sacrifice.)
- Why should we serve one another with joy? (Help kids identify Jesus as the ultimate Servant. In His life and death, Jesus showed how to love and serve one another.)
Pray
God, thank You for Jesus. We love You and praise You for all of the wonderful things You have done. Help us always remember these things. Amen
WEDENSDAY
Read – Matthew 26:36-46
MAIN POINT
Jesus knew He was about to be betrayed, arrested, and crucified. He was greatly distressed, and He chose to spend His final moments praying. He understood that all of the events about to take place were part of God’s plan. Jesus prayed, fully committing to the plan God had for Him.
Family Discussion
- Why was Jesus sad and asking His friends to stay near? (Jesus knew He was about to fulfill God’s plan by suffering and dying for our sin.)
- Did Jesus think prayer was important? How do you know? (Yes, Jesus spent part of His final days talking to God in prayer and asking His disciples to pray for Him.)
- Do other people who know you believe prayer is important to you? Why or why not? (Lead kids to discuss what prayer is and why it is important.)
Pray
God, thank You for sending Jesus to earth. Thank You for the example Jesus gave us: that even in times of great distress, we can talk to You and be comforted. Amen
THURSDAY
Read – Matthew 26:69-75
MAIN POINT
Jesus knew His friend Peter loved Him and that Peter really wanted to follow and obey God. But Jesus also knew Peter’s faithfulness would fail. Following Jesus requires loyalty even when it is difficult or risky. When Peter realized his sin, he wept. He knew he had hurt Jesus, and Peter felt great sorrow.
Family Discussion
- Jesus told Peter he would deny Jesus before it even happened. What does this tell us about Jesus? (Jesus knows everything because He is the Son of God.)
- Do you think Jesus still loved Peter even after Peter denied Him three times? Why or why not? (Yes, Jesus loved Peter, even when He sinned. Jesus forgave and restored Peter and had a special plan for his life to tell others about God. Jesus also loves us even though we sin.)
- How did Peter feel after he denied Jesus? How should we respond when we are convicted of sin? How does God respond when we confess our sin to Him? (Peter was very sad and upset after he denied Jesus. We should feel sad about our sin, confess it to God, and commit to obey and follow God.)
Pray
Jesus, we want to love and obey You, but we sin. Like Peter’s sin, our sin hurts our relationship with You, and it brings sorrow. Help us repent and grow to live more like Jesus, instead. Amen
FRIDAY
Read – Matthew 26:47-50: 27:1-31
MAIN POINT
Nothing that happened in the events of Jesus’s betrayal, arrest, or trial was out of His control. Because Jesus is the Son of God, He knew everything that was going to happen, and He willingly submitted to the Father’s plan. Jesus allowed these events to take place so that He could fulfill God’s promise and make a way for people to be rescued from their sins. Jesus died on the cross, and God raised Him from the dead so we can be saved.
Family Discussion
- Jesus knew everything that was going to happen to Him, and He still obeyed God’s plan. What does this teach us about Jesus? (Jesus loved and obeyed God. He came to fulfill God’s plan even though it would cost Him greatly.)
- When are times it is difficult to believe that God is in control? (Lead kids to discuss experiences where they have felt out of control.)
- How can we trust God when our circumstances feel uncertain? (Encourage your family to consider practical ways you can remember God is in control, no matter what.)
Pray
God, thank You for Jesus and His willingness to fulfill Your perfect plan for His life on earth. Thank You for being in complete control of everything. We trust You, and we love You. Amen
SATURDAY
Read – John 19:1–42; Matthew 27:62–66
MAIN POINT
Jesus’s crucifixion (the way Jesus died on the cross) took place to pay for the sins of people. Because of His death on the cross, people can have a relationship with God that is personal and true. God loved people so much that He sent Jesus to provide the sacrifice for sin. Rejoice today for God’s good gift for everyone who believes in Him.
Family Discussion
- Who is Jesus? (Jesus is the Son of God who came to earth to save us. He never sinned and came to be the perfect sacrifice for our sin.)
- Why did Jesus die on the cross? (Jesus died on the cross to rescue us from sin.)
- Why did Jesus have to die? (Jesus died on the cross and rose again because this was God’s plan to rescue people from sin. Jesus took our place and paid the punishment that was supposed to be for us.)\
Pray
God, thank You so much for Jesus’s sacrifice. Thank You that Jesus willingly chose to die on the cross to rescue people from sin. Help us be grateful each day for this amazing gift. Amen
SUNDAY
Read – Matthew 27:62–28:10; Luke 24:1–12
MAIN POINT
Jesus died on the cross to provide forgiveness for sin, but He didn’t stay dead. Three days later, Jesus rose from the grave. Jesus paid the price for our sin, and He conquered sin and death. We can celebrate that God brought Jesus back to life and that Jesus is alive today!
Family Discussion
- What did the angel tell the women at the tomb? (The angel asked the women why they were looking for Jesus. He was not there. He had been resurrected.)
- What is the resurrection of Jesus? (The resurrection is a real event during the life and ministry of Jesus where someone was dead and came back to life. Jesus came back to life from physical death with a glorified body, never to die again. Jesus’s resurrection shows that He is the Son of God.)
- Why is Jesus’s resurrection good news? (Jesus came to die on the cross and rise again to pay the punishment for our sin, and He did! When we believe that Jesus is God’s Son and trust in Him, we are saved from sin and are called God’s children.)
Pray
God, thank You for sending Jesus to pay the price for our sin. We praise You for raising Jesus from the grave. Help us share this good news with others. Amen.
This guide is provided by Lifeway.kids
Let us help you get connected.
Need more information?
