Unit 20, Session 1: The Triumphal Entry
Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; John 12:12-19
Christ Connection: During Jesus’ triumphal entry, the people welcomed Him as King. Jesus was the Messiah spoken about by the prophet Zechariah: “Look, your King is coming to you; He is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9).
Adult Connection Point:
The Jewish people offered sacrifices to God to make up for their sin. These offerings pointed forward to Jesus Christ, whose work purifies our hearts, cleanses our consciences, and frees us to do good deeds for His glory. Thankfully, the New Testament shows how Christ’s atoning work cleanses our consciences so we are freed to serve God on His mission.
Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem to participate in the Passover, just one of the special festivals the Jewish people celebrated. He also knew what was ahead of Him as He entered Jerusalem. Hebrews 9:13-14 reminds us that Jesus offered himself up willingly as the Messiah: “For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much
more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”
Family Devotion:
Guide your children to think of a person/athlete/celebrity they would like to act out. Think about how that person would make an entrance. For example, a pianist might enter the stage, bow, flip his coat tails, and then sit on a piano bench and play. Allow each family member to act out the chosen person while the family members guess the person.*
Recall the Bible story from the gospels. Ask, “What Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled in this Bible story?” Prophecies written down in Zechariah, the Psalms and Isaiah all came to pass in Jesus life—right down to the details of the mode of transportation as He entered Jerusalem.
Remind your kids that God’s plan to offer His son, Jesus, as the sacrifice for all sin was moving forward. The people from the Passover festival crowded the streets to greet and praise Jesus. They shouted “Hosanna” to Him—even the children. If they didn’t praise Him, Jesus said the rocks would!
Ask, “What title did the crowd give Jesus?” The crowds shouted, “Our king is here!” Jesus entered Jerusalem as a humble yet victorious King--victorious over sin and death. Yet, not everyone was happy with this King, but they could not stop God’s plan.
Play one of the songs from this session and march around your home praising Jesus as King. Complete your time by praying and thanking God for sending Jesus as a sacrifice for your sins.
*A preschooler could help you act out your celebrity.
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