Washing Feet | He Bids Them Come

Hi all. This week we are learning about the things that happened right before Easter. Today’s story can be found in Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22 and John 13.

Jesus and His disciples were celebrating Passover. That’s when the Israelites remembered how God brought them out of Egypt away from the bad Pharaoh. Jesus and His disciples were eating together in an upper room of a house in Jerusalem.

First, Jesus washed the disciples’ feet. Back then they didn’t have real roads like we do today…just dusty paths so the peoples’ feet were always so dusty and dirty. Usually a servant would wash the feet, but this day Jesus did. Peter said, “Jesus! YOU shouldn’t be washing feet! You’re too important!”

But Jesus answered him, “I have to wash you, or you’ll never really be clean.” He didn’t mean Peter could never be clean unless Jesus washed his feet, Jesus was saying that He has to wash away our sins or we’ll never really be clean. The only way to be free from our sins and the consequences of our sins is to let Jesus make us clean by dying for us.

Jesus knew this would be the last time He would eat with His friends. He told them, “I am about to suffer. But God is about to do something amazing.” Then He took some bread and broke it into pieces for everyone and said, “This is broken, just like my body will broken. Every time you eat together, remember what I have done for you.” Then He gave them all something to drink and said, “This drink is like my blood. Every time you sit down to drink together, remember how I gave my blood to cover your sins.”

(Does your family ever pray before you eat? When we sit down to eat and drink together we pray and talk to God and we remember how much He loves us and that He died for us! And we say THANK YOU! Thank you for the food we will eat and thank you for dying for our sins so we don’t have to!)

Then Jesus said, “One of you is going to betray me. Go do what you have to do.” Judas got up and went to find the leaders to bring them to Jesus. Jesus knew Judas was going to give Him to the leaders, but He didn’t stop him. Jesus knew this had to happen. And even though Judas was going to do a very bad thing, Jesus still loved him, just like He loves us even when we make bad choices.

Peter said, “I will NEVER make a bad choice against you! I will stand by you ALWAYS!” But Jesus said, “before today is done, you will pretend you don’t know me 3 different times.” Jesus already knows the choices we will make and He chooses to love us and forgive us anyway.

We will have more of the story tomorrow.

For our craft today we drew Jesus at the table with the bread and glasses of wine and then we cut out 12 faces from magazines to be the disciples. Our text reads: The Last Supper Matt 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, John 13.

Thanks for joining us today. Love to you all!

Easter Take 2 (Part 1)

In my first Easter post, we discussed the real meaning of Easter and WHY Easter is important.This time around, we’ll be focusing on the story from Palm Sunday-Easter Sunday.

Palm Sunday:

Matthew 21; Mark 11; Luke 19; John 12

Jesus was coming to Jerusalem celebrate the Passover (a traditional meal, holiday, and time when God’s people remember how He saved Moses and the Israelites out of Egypt). When Jesus got there, He rode into town on a donkey.

Now, most people thought Jesus was going to rise up as a wonderful, majestic King. We know Jesus is the King because He is God’s son…but the people in Jerusalem thought He was going to be an earthly king who would be in charge of everybody and make all the rules. They were excited…and also surprised that He came on a donkey…dressed in regular clothes. (Later in the week, when they realized He would NOT be their earthly king, they got mad and made some bad choices.)

Most of the people gathered together and shouted and laughed and some even spread palm tree branches on the ground as a covering from the dust and dirt. That’s why it’s called Palm Sunday. They shouted “Hosanna” which means “save us!”

The leaders (the chief priests and teachers) did NOT like the people calling Jesus “King” and asking Him to save them. They did not believe He could be God’s son. They were jealous and angry and starting making plans to get rid of Jesus.

Discuss:

How is Jesus like a king?

How was Jesus NOT like a king?

What did the people do when Jesus came to town?

How did the leaders feel about Jesus?

Activties:

Trace your child’s hand on green construction paper and glue or tape that to a pipe cleaner, popsicle stick or outside stick to make a palm branch.

Washing the Disciples’ Feet

John 13

Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Passover and had spent some time teaching and talking with the people—telling them how God wanted them to live and preparing them for what was about to happen.

In those days, people wore sandals and walked around in the dirt…so their feet were always yucky. It was usually the servant’s job to wash someone’s feet, but Jesus got down and He washed His disciples’ feet. (The disciples were Jesus’ main followers and helpers). They were all very surprised and said “No Jesus! We should wash YOUR feet!” But Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you will not belong to me.” Jesus wasn’t just washing the dirt off their feet, He was talking about washing the dirty sin from their lives. He said we have to let Him wash away all our bad choices—without Jesus, we cannot be truly clean in God’s eyes.

Then Jesus told His disciples “Now that I have washed your feet, make sure you also wash each others’ feet.” Jesus was saying that if you want to really follow God, you have to be a servant and help other people, like Jesus did.

Everyone expected Jesus to come as a high and important king…and instead…He just helped people. There was no job too dirty for Jesus. He would do ANYHTING God asked Him to do.

Discuss:

What did Jesus do for the disciples?

What did Jesus SAY to the disciples?

What does this story say WE should do if we love God? (If your child is old enough, you can make a list of ways to serve others)

Activities:

Wash the feet of the people in your family—talk about having clean feet, and clean hearts.

Paint the bottom of your child’s feet and make prints on a paper. Write John 13:8 on the picture to help you remember how much we need Jesus.

The Last Supper

Matthew 26; Mark 14

When it was time to eat, Jesus sat down with his 12 disciples (His followers and helpers). One of the disciples, Judas had made a bad choice and had decided to betray Jesus and to give Jesus to the teachers and leaders who didn’t like Him. Jesus knew this was part of God’s plan.

Jesus knew this would be the last time He would eat with His friends—He took some bread and broke into pieces and gave some to everyone and told them “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then He took some wine and everyone drank some wine, then Jesus said, “This is my blood that will be poured out for you…for the forgiveness of your sins.” The disciples didn’t know what Jesus meant. He was telling them that His body would be broken and the leaders would hurt Him and make Him bleed. But Jesus knew that had to happen so that God would forgive everyone for their bad choices (sins). He told His disciples that any time they met together to eat the bread and drink wine, that they should remember His words and that He came to save our hearts.

Sometimes at our churches now, we celebrate what is called “Communion” or “The Lord’s Supper” or “Lord’s Table”. That is when everyone in the church who loves Gods eats bread and drinks wine (or juice) and remembers that Jesus loves us and died for us.

Discussion:

What did Jesus say about the bread?

What did He say about the wine?

What do you think happens to Jesus next?

Activities: Have communion in your family-discuss the different parts and thank God for sending Jesus to die for us.

(A simplified version of communion, or as J calls it "chameleon" for this year--crackers and juice) — (A simplified version of communion, or as J calls it “chameleon” for this year–crackers and juice)

Stay tuned for part 2: Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday.