|
The Triumphal EntryDear Parents,
Thank you for continuing this journey of The Gospel Project® for Kids. We’d like to take a break from the chronological study of the Bible to tell the stories of Easter. Today’s Bible story describes Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem during Passover week, riding on a donkey like the prophet Zechariah foretold. (Zech. 9:9) Waving palm branches and shouting “Hosanna,” the people welcomed Jesus as King. They believed He would overthrow Roman oppression. Jesus sent a different message when He arrived in Jerusalem. Jesus entered the temple complex. He turned over the tables of the money changers and those selling doves. Jesus said the temple was supposed to be a house of prayer for all nations (Isaiah 56:6-7), declaring His kingship would be over all people. Jesus healed the blind and the lame. Jesus wasn’t just an earthly king, He was God! (Isa. 35:4-6) Help your kids connect the dots between God’s promises of a Messiah and Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem. How did the people act when they saw Jesus? The people welcomed Jesus to Jerusalem as their King. Celebrate why Jesus came: to save people from their sin! |
|
|
The Triumphal Entry
Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; John 12:12-19
It was the time of year that the Israelites celebrated Passover. Many Israelites had traveled to Jerusalem to remember what God had done when He rescued His people from slavery in Egypt.
Jesus and His disciples traveled to Jerusalem, too. When they neared Bethphage (BETH fayj) and Bethany near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of His disciples ahead into a village. “As soon as you enter the village,” Jesus told them, “you will nd a young donkey tied there. No one has ever sat on it. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone says to you ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’” Jesus was going to ful ll a prophecy by the prophet Zechariah that said, “Look, your King is coming to you, gentle, and mounted on a donkey.”
The disciples did as Jesus asked. As they untied the donkey, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the donkey?” “The Lord needs it,” they said. Then they brought the donkey to Jesus, threw their robes onto the donkey, and helped Jesus get on it. People were spreading their robes along the road, and others spread palm branches cut from the elds.
The whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen. “The King who comes in the name of the Lord is the blessed One. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven! Hosanna!” The word hosanna means “save now.” The people knew Jesus was their promised King!
Some of the Pharisees, the religious teachers, told Jesus, “Teacher, tell your disciples to be quiet!” Jesus answered, “If they did not praise Me, the rocks would praise Me!”
Jesus went to the temple complex in Jerusalem and drove out everyone buying and selling in the temple. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those who were selling doves. He quoted the prophet Isaiah and said, “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations. But you are making it into a den of thieves!”
While Jesus was in the temple complex, people who were blind and people who were lame came to Him. The blind and lame were not allowed to worship in the temple. Jesus healed them.
The chief priests and scribes saw the miracles that Jesus performed and heard the children saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” or “Our king is here! Our king is here!” Even the kids knew Jesus was the promised King. The scribes and priests were angry and asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying? They are saying you are a king!”
“Yes,” Jesus replied. “The Psalmist said: You have prepared praise from the mouths of children and nursing infants.”
Jesus left them and went to the town of Bethany to spend the night.
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).
Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; John 12:12-19
It was the time of year that the Israelites celebrated Passover. Many Israelites had traveled to Jerusalem to remember what God had done when He rescued His people from slavery in Egypt.
Jesus and His disciples traveled to Jerusalem, too. When they neared Bethphage (BETH fayj) and Bethany near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of His disciples ahead into a village. “As soon as you enter the village,” Jesus told them, “you will nd a young donkey tied there. No one has ever sat on it. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone says to you ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’” Jesus was going to ful ll a prophecy by the prophet Zechariah that said, “Look, your King is coming to you, gentle, and mounted on a donkey.”
The disciples did as Jesus asked. As they untied the donkey, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the donkey?” “The Lord needs it,” they said. Then they brought the donkey to Jesus, threw their robes onto the donkey, and helped Jesus get on it. People were spreading their robes along the road, and others spread palm branches cut from the elds.
The whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen. “The King who comes in the name of the Lord is the blessed One. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven! Hosanna!” The word hosanna means “save now.” The people knew Jesus was their promised King!
Some of the Pharisees, the religious teachers, told Jesus, “Teacher, tell your disciples to be quiet!” Jesus answered, “If they did not praise Me, the rocks would praise Me!”
Jesus went to the temple complex in Jerusalem and drove out everyone buying and selling in the temple. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those who were selling doves. He quoted the prophet Isaiah and said, “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations. But you are making it into a den of thieves!”
While Jesus was in the temple complex, people who were blind and people who were lame came to Him. The blind and lame were not allowed to worship in the temple. Jesus healed them.
The chief priests and scribes saw the miracles that Jesus performed and heard the children saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” or “Our king is here! Our king is here!” Even the kids knew Jesus was the promised King. The scribes and priests were angry and asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying? They are saying you are a king!”
“Yes,” Jesus replied. “The Psalmist said: You have prepared praise from the mouths of children and nursing infants.”
Jesus left them and went to the town of Bethany to spend the night.
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).