WELCOME TO KIDS' CHURCH
@ HOME - Week 3 

Palm Sunday |  CCC Kids Church @ Home |  5 April 2020

Bible refs : Matthew 21:1-11,                        Mark 11:1-11,
                    Luke 19:28-40,                        John 12:12-19.

Intro : This is Holy Week…
 Today sees Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. It’s the beginning of what we call Holy Week, and is the reason Jesus came to earth..
As well as learning the story, the children will be encouraged to think about what it really means to welcome Jesus.

For adults/older kids; setting the scene –
Jerusalem was buzzing: there were rumours… Rumours of the long awaited Messiah on his way – now. He was going to be a king who would ride into the city in triumph and crush the Roman oppressors under his feet. All of Israel would be vindicated and the Romans would leave with their tails between their legs.

Would he come with an army? Would the Jews as one rise up to join him in this long awaited redemption of their nation? All of Jerusalem held it’s breath at the coming of the King…

But no one expected this! A king on a donkey??! That was the symbol of peace – not the war everyone was expecting. A king surrounded by a motley crew of nobody special? This couldn’t be right… surely?

The Jewish people knew the scriptures well and they thought they knew what they were looking for in the coming Messiah. Jesus just didn’t seem to tick any of their boxes. The common people seemed excited at first – rolling out the red carpet and putting on a huge show, but the religious leaders remained unconvinced.

And, by the end of the week, the crowds who had celebrated in the streets, crying out their hosannas to the King now bayed for his blood in the murderous shout, ‘Crucify!’

All that is still to come, though. In this session, we look at the rapturous welcome of the crowds as Jesus rode into Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday. We see the beginnings of conspiracy in the words and actions of the religious leaders but, at this point, they are mostly going unheard in the midst of the biggest party Jerusalem had seen in a long time.

Our Praise Party – you might like to make the craft first today, so that you have something to wave, or you could put dried pasta or rice or lentils into an empty plastic bottle (with a lid!) and use that to make lots of noise!

Craft comes before story today!

Younger kids
Make praise banners –out of chopsticks and paper. Or bamboo from garden canes, card, fabric, old pillow cases –what can you find (check with parents!) ribbons, streamers…anything to wave..

Older kids
Print/draw/paint/make lots of Palm branches (images on google and this doc) and later stick them in your window, with the message
 

“This is Holy Week”

To remind all your neighbours!

OK –now you have something to wave or bang (lots of noise..) here’s some music to help you praise Jesus the rescuer ! choose one or two or three songs!

Worship :
Hosanna Hosanna
Credit to: Christian song, Song Hosanna, Artist Vineyard Worship, Album 25 Top Vineyard Worship Songs, (Change My Heart Oh God)

Lord I lift your name on high
Credit to: Lord, I Lift Your Name On High Artist: Cedarmont Kids Album: Cedarmont Worship For Kids, Volume 1, Writers Rick Founds

im gonna jump up and down –younger children might like this
Credit to: I'm Gonna Jump Up And Down (Be Happy!), Artist: Doug Horley

Story  - on video -
Credit to: Saddleback Kids, Visit Saddleback store, This is part of a series of 3 videos that tell the story of Easter.
Based on, Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; John 12:12- 19

Thought-provokers for older children to help discussion
 
Ask your child(ren) to imagine the scene on Palm Sunday – Jesus is riding into Jerusalem. A whole multitude of his followers are singing his praises. The people of Jerusalem rush out to see what is going on. The leaders are not happy but are powerless. No one can stop this procession.

• what choices Jesus could have made now. Could he have gone on to become King? How would he have done that? If he had used his power, could anyone have stopped him becoming King?
• Ask the children do you know the choice Jesus actually mThade? Why did he choose to take the path that lead to death rather than seize power?
• how would the disciples and Jesus other followers have felt when Jesus rode into Jerusalem? What would they be expecting to happen next? How do you think they felt when Jesus simply went home that evening?

- Jesus did not want to be the King in Jerusalem for the rest of his life – he had a bigger and a better plan to be King of the whole world for ever! The greatest rescuer ever!

 
Prayer/reflection :
After the noise or the praise party, lets take a few moments to be quiet and to thank Jesus for coming, and to pray for those who have YET to welcome Jesus to be their Lord and rescuer and friend.  Jesus said if people were quiet the very stones would cry out! Let’s use stones from the garden (if you have a garden, otherwise write the names on pieces of paper)and write names of people you are praying for on the stones…and lay them down. If you have a cross you could place the stones of papers at the foot of that cross.

Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
 Thank you Jesus for coming as our King to rescue us…Today we pray for……….

Please download these two images for colouring in 

Hosanna Palm Sunday - Kids' Church @ Home
Palm Frond - Kids' Church @ Home.docx