The Crucifixion

Today we talked about the crucifixion and Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Here are the verses that tell you about what happened in the garden:

Matthew 26:36-46 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” 40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” 42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” 43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. 45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!

 In this picture the kids were pretending to sleep in the garden while Jesus (boy in blue shirt) stayed up and prayed.  After that they played out Judas turning Jesus in for his 30 pieces of silver and then we went and read the story of the crucifixion.

We talked about all that Jesus had to endure for us, and talked about how much he loved us.  We showed the kids what a real crown of thorns looked like.

Then we talked about the nails they used to hold Jesus to the cross.  They were very big nails!  So much bigger than the kids thought they would be.  Can you believe he was willing to die an innocent and sinless man just to save us?!

After that we brought out our own wooden cross.  We asked the kids if they would want to carry it all the way through town and up a hill!  Of course, they did not want to do that!

 

We asked the kids if they wanted to try on the cross and we had one volunteer who really wanted to try it out!