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4th & 5th Curriculum

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JESUS IS
THE
MESSIAH.

THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY

LIFE POINT:
Jesus is the Messiah.
LEVEL OF BIBLICAL LEARNING:
Jesus was sent to be my Savior.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE:
Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-38
BIBLE VERSE:
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33
FOR THE WEEK OF:
March 29
LEADER BIBLE STUDY
CONTEXT AND COMMENTARY FOR PERSONAL STUDY AND PREPARATION

Throughout Jesus' earthly ministry, He regularly told people to keep quiet about the things He did for them (Matthew 9:27-31; Mark 1:40-45; Mark 5:35-43). Like the man healed from leprosy in Mark 1, people often ignored His instructions and told everyone about the Great Teacher who had miraculously healed them. The result was that Jesus "could no longer enter a town openly" because of the crowds that sought miracles of their own (Mark 1:45).

When Mary wanted Jesus to turn the water into wine to spare the hosts from shame, Jesus told her that His time had not yet come (John 2:4). When Jesus' brothers challenged Him to go and perform works in Jerusalem during a festival, Jesus told them something similar (John 7:6). When Jesus escaped from the crowd in John 6, it was because He knew they were planning to make Him their king by force (John 6:15).

Jesus knew how much attention His ministry drew. He tried to mitigate the threat of unwanted attention by timing His miracles well and asking people to keep quiet about what He did for them. However, there came a point in Jesus' ministry where His objective changed. The time had come for Him to offer His life "as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45).

On what He knew would be His final trip to Jerusalem for the festival of Passover, Jesus made plans to enter the city in a way that would force a confrontation with the religious leaders. Jesus asked His disciples to bring a young colt to ride on to fulfill the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9.

As Jesus made His way from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem, the people shouted a praise rooted in Psalm 118, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" This was no spontaneous outburst. God deliberately planned out this moment to announce that Jesus' time had finally arrived. By presenting Himself as the promised Messiah, Jesus' fate was sealed. Because He fully gave Himself over to God's plan, there would be no turning back.

The crowd had no way of knowing the profound double meaning of their shouts of triumph. In a few short days, this man on the colt would die a brutal death and then rise again. By doing so, He made it possible for anyone who believes in Him and comes to the Father in His name to be saved.

As you pray this week, thank God for Jesus, the King of kings, who shares His triumph over death and raises you with Him to eternal life! Ask Him for new opportunities to share the gospel with others.

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CF Kids | 4th & 5th
💬 TELL THE STORY
1. GETTING TO THE POINT

Ask: "If you could choose any kind of transportation to travel to church, what would you choose?" (horse, motorcycle, car, rocket ship, scooter) Ask: "Why would you choose that mode of transportation?" Explain that in today's Bible story, it was a big day for Jesus, as He was traveling to Jerusalem for the celebration of Passover. State that Jesus could have chosen anything He wanted to help Him get to the city — He could have chosen to ride on a horse or in a chariot. Instead, Jesus chose to ride a donkey.

Say: "Today we will examine why the people praised Jesus as the Messiah on Palm Sunday and why He chose to ride a donkey into Jerusalem."

2. LOOK IN THE BOOK

Explain how Jesus constantly taught people how to live. He often used words to teach people, but in today's Bible story, He taught through His actions that He was the promised Messiah so they would know to worship Him.

  • Instruct preteens to open their Bibles to Mark 11.
  • Tell preteens you will assign roles for them to act out today's story. Assign these roles: Narrator, Jesus, the disciples, the donkey's owner, the donkey, the crowd.
  • Instruct the volunteers to act out today's Bible story while the Narrator reads through Mark 11:1-11.
  • Form groups of three and instruct the groups to read Mark 11:1-11. Direct the groups to discuss: "How did the people reveal they were worshiping Jesus?" (spread their clothes on the road in front of Jesus, waved palm branches, shouted "Hosanna!")
  • Explain that Jesus chose to ride a colt (a young donkey) because He was fulfilling an Old Testament prophecy that said the Messiah would ride a donkey. Find and read Zechariah 9:9 aloud. Help preteens see that Jesus' actions taught the people that He was the promised Messiah.
  • Say: "The people understood Jesus was the promised Messiah because they responded by worshiping Him as He traveled into Jerusalem."
  • State that they acknowledged Jesus was the Messiah by shouting "Hosanna!" — which means "Save us."
  • Remind preteens we do not worship Jesus because of the many amazing things He did. We worship Him because of who He is — God's promised Messiah.
  • Mention that after Adam and Eve sinned in Genesis 3, God promised to send a Messiah who would free people from sin, and Jesus is the One who fulfilled that promise!
  • Ask: "What are reasons we have to worship Jesus today?" (He died for us, defeated sin for us, and He is God's Son.)
  • Say: "Today on Palm Sunday, we worship Jesus because He is God's promised Messiah. When God makes a promise, He is always faithful to honor His word!"
3. REVIEW QUESTIONS
  • What animal did Jesus ride on into Jerusalem? (colt or donkey)
  • How many disciples did Jesus send to retrieve the donkey? (two)
  • What word did the people shout as Jesus entered Jerusalem? (Hosanna!)
  • What is the Bible reference of the prophecy Jesus fulfilled by riding on a donkey? (Zechariah 9:9)
  • Why is Palm Sunday important for us? (It reminds us to worship Jesus as the promised Messiah.)
  • How can you worship Jesus today? (sing, pray, give, help someone)
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CF Kids | 4th & 5th
💡

BIBLE LEARNING ACTIVITIES

STATION 1
Kids trace each other on large pieces of butcher paper and use crayons, yarn, material, etc. to decorate. On their drawings, write things they are grateful that Jesus saved them from. Tell the kids the people were so excited to see Jesus because they knew He was coming to save them.
STATION 2
Give children Legos, Magna-Tiles, or other blocks and challenge them to build the road Jesus traveled on. Have animals available to add to the road.
STATION 3 — Palm Leaf Spoons
Play "Spoons" with palm leaves instead of spoons. Each player tries to make four of a kind. The dealer takes a card off the top of the deck to have five cards in hand, removes one and passes it face down to the left. Each player discards to the person on their left. Cards are passed quickly around the table until someone gets four of a kind and takes a palm leaf from the center. Once the player with four of a kind takes a leaf, anyone can take one. The player left without a leaf gets a letter. If the draw cards run out, pause to reshuffle the discard pile and keep going.
STATION 4 — Hot Potato Hosanna
Have everyone sit or stand in a circle. When the music starts, players pass an object around the circle. When the music stops, the person holding the object must shout "Hosanna!" and answer a quick question — one thing you're thankful for; one way you can welcome Jesus this week; or one detail you remember from Matthew 21:1-11. If they answer, they stay in the game. Play continues until everyone has had a turn or time runs out.
STATION 5
Give each kid a paper palm branch. Have them write one way they can honor Jesus, like the people in the town honored Him. After they write, let them decorate their palm branch.
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CF Kids | 4th & 5th