PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN KIDS & FAMILIES date
3.5
Daddy, I have Jesus in my heart! Inspire (for parents) My daughter Jalynn’s understanding of death is limited, at best. A couple months ago, we came across an illustration in The Big God Story of the three crosses standing upon Golgotha. At first she was scared of the cross. Scared of “Jesus died-ing.” Even scared of the clouds and thunder that accompanied the saddest hour in history. Soon, however, her fear turned to fixation. Every time we drive by a church or see an intersection sign, she shouts out from her backseat booster, “A cross, Mommy! A cross!” And each time, we talk about it. Me: “Why did Jesus die on the cross?” Her: “Because He loves us so much.” Me: “What happened next?” Her: “He got alive again!”
She said “sorry” to Jesus and thanked Him for “died-ing.” I helped her with the next part. She didn’t know all the words—but at three years old she understood them with more faith than I could dream of mustering, even on my good days. An hour later, she burst through the door, giddy. “Daddy, I have Jesus in my heart!” she announced. Yesterday we baked a “Jesus in My Heart” cake and had a royal celebration to match the angels’ party in heaven. The King of all kings loves us so much—He chose us. There’s no better reason to party! by Sharron Jackson
Sometimes Jalynn starts singing about the cross. Sometimes she asks me to pray about it. Sometimes she / riumphal Entry doesn’t. Jalynn saw a cross on ew 21:1–11 (T th at M : re tu ip Scr the steeple of a Catholic church Palm Sunday) a couple of days ago. The ensuing sus Is King Main Point: Je ily to conversation was pretty typical. allow your fam is designed to ce ren ur ild so re Only this time she told me she was ch is Th re your od’s Word befo r fo is sorry for all the bad things she did. an have time in G ’s pl . Because God of attend church She wanted Jesus to forgive her. tual nurturers iri sp y ar im pr e th be ow gr to s u parent that as yo faith, we know I parked the car and climbed into s well. n’ re as ild ly al ch r tu ei iri th ill grow sp w n re ild ch ur the backseat. Eyes open and pudgy spiritually, yo hands held palms up, Jalynn prayed.
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Equip (for parents) Equip is additional background information that will help as you introduce this passage of Scripture to your children this week. The triumphal entry of King Jesus took place the Sunday before the crucifixion, shortly after He raised Lazarus from the dead. There is little doubt news of Lazarus’ resurrection preceded Jesus to Jerusalem, adding to the number of people looking to Jesus for leadership. The account of Palm Sunday appears in all four gospels, each linking this event to the messianic prophecy in Zechariah 9:9. The prophet Zechariah was among the 50,000 or so Jews who returned in the first wave of Hebrews released from Babylonian captivity in 536 B.C. In his declaration that the King is coming, Zechariah uses a verb tense that indicates the Messiah was in the process of coming even as he wrote, 500 years before Jesus rode into Jerusalem that day. He arrived exactly when God had planned and in “the fulness of the time” (Galatians 4:4 KJV). Even though Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was foretold by the prophets and pointed to the coming of the Messiah King, the manner in which He came was unexpected by the Jews of His day. Just as in the Old Testament with Saul, they were crying for a king, but they wanted to prescribe to God what that king should be like. They wanted a warrior, but the Son of God “made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant … He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:7–8 NKJV). But there will come a day when Jesus will again ride into Jerusalem. On that day He will be clothed in regal splendor, riding on a white horse, and will enter victorious into the city as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:11– 16). Jesus is King.
REMEMBER VERSE
The Lord causes his miracles to be remembered. He is kind and tender. Psalm 111:4 (NIrV)
Support (for parents & kids) JUST FOR FUN, have each family member gather a coat or wrap and bring it with them as you read this part of The Big God Story. Have them lay the coat on the ground to sit on as you read Matthew 21:1–11. After you’ve finished reading this passage, discuss with your children some things that we associate with being a king—for instance, crowns, carriages, and thrones. Then ask, how is that different from what we just read about Jesus, our King, riding into Jerusalem? Share with your children how Zechariah foretold that the Messiah King would enter the city exactly the way Jesus did that day. Then talk with them about how Jesus will return one day as the King of all kings. Remind your children that what they heard is part of The Big God Story, and they’ll hear more in church this week about Jesus being our King.
© 2012 David C Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church and a national network of family and children’s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.