Jesus Clears the Temple Sunday School Lesson
Jesus Clears the Temple Sunday School Lesson For Kids:
BOTTOM LINE:
Easter season is a time of anticipation as we remember Jesus’s death and resurrection.
OBJECTIVE:
Kids will learn the importance of observing and reflecting on Easter.
KEY PASSAGE:
John 2:13-22
MEMORY VERSE:
"He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay." Matthew 28:6
SUMMARY:
No sooner are the Christmas decorations gone, Cadbury eggs appear in their place. It's one of the first signs Easter is coming, and a good reminder of the season of Easter, where we wait in anticipation for Christ's death and resurrection.
SIMPLE PRAYER:
Dear God,
Thank you for the fun stuff that comes with Easter. Thank you, too, for the great blessing you gave us at Easter. Let us remember Jesus in this important time of year.
In Jesus’s name,
Amen
MEMORY VERSE
"He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay." Matthew 28:6 (NIV)
“He is not here! He has risen, just as he said he would! Come and see the place where he was lying.” - Matthew 28:6 (NIrV)
LARGE GROUP:
Divide the room into girls and boys. Have the boys read it aloud, then have the girls read it aloud. Who can read the loudest?
SMALL GROUP:
Work as a group to create motions to accompany the verse. Say the verse several times while acting out the motions. (K-2nd)
Give all the kids a Bible. Then after you read the verse, give them the reference and see who can find it first in their Bible. (3rd-5th)
SKIT
THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS
ITEMS NEEDED:
None
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:
1M/1F
CHARACTERS:
Brandi- A Christmas candy junkie
Bruce- A grocery stock boy
Brandi runs on stage excitedly.
BRANDI: Oh boy oh boy oh boy, it’s the greatest day of the year! I love this day! I love it more than any other day! It’s better than Christmas, better than my birthday, better than Star Wars Day. It’s the DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS! That can only mean one thing - HALF OFF CHRISTMAS CANDY!
Brandi does a happy dance.
BRANDI: Half-price candy canes, half-price Krisp Kringles, half-price Christmas-themed Butterfingers, Snickers, and Milky Ways. And half-price red and green gumdrops!
Brandi looks at the imaginary story shelf in front of her (the front of the stage).
BRANDI: Well where is it? I don’t see any Christmas candy at all. Krisp Kringle? Snicker Santa? Spree-flavored candy canes? Where did they all go?
Bruce enters carrying an imaginary box of Cadbury eggs.
BRANDI: Excuse me, sir? Where’s all the Christmas candy?
BRUCE: Christmas candy? It’s not Christmas any more.
BRANDI: I know. It’s the day after Christmas. You’re supposed to have half-priced Christmas candy.
BRUCE: That’s news to me. I was told to take down all the Christmas candy and put this stuff up.
BRANDI: All this?
BRUCE: Yes.
BRANDI: But this is Easter candy.
BRUCE: I know.
BRANDI: I can’t believe this! I came in here for candy canes and chocolate Santas and Christmas gumdrops. Instead I find chocolate bunnies and Sweetart Chicks and Bunnies, and… (sees the box in Bruce’s hands) Cadbury Eggs?
BRUCE: Yes.
BRANDI: Cadbury eggs in December??
BRUCE: I know, right?
BRANDI: That’s crazy.
BRUCE: I thought so too. But when you think about it, it kind of makes sense.
BRANDI: How does putting Easter stuff out the day after Christmas make any sense?
BRUCE: Because Easter is what gives Christmas its meaning. At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus. But at Easter, we celebrate the reason Jesus came to Earth. Without Easter, Christmas wouldn’t mean near as much as it does.
BRANDI: I see your point.
BRUCE: Jesus wasn’t just another baby. He was God’s son, and it’s what happened at Easter that makes us celebrate both holidays.
BRANDI: You’re right. You’re absolutely right. And hey, it’s not like I don’t like Easter candy. A Cadbury egg sounds good right now.
BRUCE: (hands her an egg) Help yourself.
BRANDI: I don’t suppose you could help me out with just a little Christmas candy too?
BRUCE: Sorry. We shipped all that back to the warehouse. But we’ll put it all back on display in August for next Christmas if you want to come back.
BRANDI: Eww! I do not want to eat year old candy!
BRUCE: Then you better not eat the Cadbury eggs either!
Brandi tosses the egg back at Bruce and walks off in disgust.
OBJECT LESSON
ITEMS NEEDED:
Green bananas
Hey, how many of you guys like bananas? Does anyone want one this morning? I have some right here if someone wants one?
Why don’t we eat green bananas?
If we don’t eat them because they’re not yet ripe, why do you think people sell green bananas?
What other fruits and vegetables do stores sell before they are ripe? (Avocados, for example.)
Bananas and avocados are two fruits that have to be just perfectly ripe to be good. We buy them before they are ripe, so they can ripen at home and we can eat them when they are ready. Until they are ready, we watch them and wait in anticipation of when we will be able to eat them.
As we enter the Easter season, I hope all of you will do so in anticipation of Easter weekend. We should look forward to Good Friday, when we remember Jesus’s death and burial. We should also look forward to Easter Sunday, when we celebrate Christ’s resurrection.
Let’s remember that Jesus came to die for our sins, and because he did, we can receive eternal life. Let’s thank God for Jesus, and let’s ask him to prepare our hearts to remember what he did for us.
LARGE GROUP GAME
MUSICAL CHAIRS
ITEMS NEEDED:
Five chairs, music
INSTRUCTIONS:
Nothing fancy here. Play a game of musical chairs, starting with six and working your way down to one.
VARIATION:
For older kids you could do reverse musical chairs. Have them walk around the chairs in silence and then jump into their seats when the music starts.
WHAT’S THE POINT?
Musical chairs is a waiting game. We wait expectantly for the music to stop before we sit down. We should wait with the same expectation for the celebration of Easter.
LARGE GROUP LESSON
BOTTOM LINE:
Easter season is a time of anticipation as we remember Jesus’s death and resurrection.
OBJECTIVE:
Kids will learn the importance of observing and reflecting on Easter.
KEY PASSAGE:
John 2:13-22
INTRO
Let me ask you a question this morning. When was it that you first saw Easter stuff appear in the stores this year? Was it after Valentine's Day? Before Valentine’s? Anyone see any Easter candy right after Christmas?
Easter treats are like other holiday treats. They appear earlier and earlier every year. Halloween candy starts showing up in early September, along with Halloween costumes. Christmas ornaments are in Hallmark in mid-summer, and Christmas decorations and candy move in right behind the Halloween stuff. Valentine's candy is out right after Christmas, and Easter pops up before Valentine’s is even past.
Easter has its own unique treats, as do all the other holidays. One of the most beloved and anticipated is the Cadbury Egg. There’s no equal to the Cadbury Egg at Christmas or Valentine's (though you sometimes see the Monster Egg at Halloween). It only comes once a year, and for fans of Cadbury Eggs, they can’t appear soon enough!
For Cadbury Egg lovers, the anticipation is over once the Easter candy hits the shelves. For us as Christians, the anticipation is only beginning. You see, the Easter season is a great opportunity to reflect on our faith. Easter is the season when we remember the reason Jesus came - to die for our sins. As much fun as Easter is, it’s a time to remember that we are sinners and that Christ has done what we could not do for ourselves.
Jesus set the tone for the Easter season. Long before he went to the cross, he himself was anticipating his death. He knew why he had come to Earth, and he knew what it would mean for us.
READ
Read John 2:13-22
MAIN POINT
This story begins with a side of Jesus we don’t see often. Jesus is angry when he sees people selling and making money in the temple, the holy place in Jerusalem. He clears them out quickly, reminding the people this is not what the temple is for.
Then Jesus says something unusual - if you destroy this temple, I will rebuild it in three days. The people thought he was crazy. The temple took 46 years to build! But Jesus was talking about himself. He would die on the cross, and three days later, he would rise from the grave.
Jesus would rebuild something else as a result of Easter. He would rebuild his connection with us, and he would offer us a chance to be rebuilt. He would clear our hearts of sin, and he would make us new. That is what Easter means, and that is what we now prepare to celebrate.
DRIVE IT HOME
Christians prepare for Easter in many different ways. Some Christians observe Easter by observing Lent. They fast on certain days, they give up meat on Fridays, and they give up something they love as a sacrifice for 40 days. These sacrifices they make help them to focus and remember what Jesus sacrificed for us.
Other Christians celebrate in different ways. They may spend extra time in prayer, or they may do extra service projects. Whatever their tradition, the purpose is the same. This is a special time of year to devote ourselves to the Lord and remember Jesus.
As Easter approaches, I hope all of you will take time out to remember the Easter story. You can start by reading the Easter stories in the four gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – either by yourself or with your families. Take some time to pray and thank God for what Easter means. You can also share the good news of Easter with a friend. Tell them what we celebrate on Easter, and invite them to come and hear for themselves on Easter Sunday.
Every year, we hear people remind us not to get caught up in the busy times before Christmas and miss the true meaning. That should go doubly so for Easter. Don’t let this holiday creep up on you. Every time you see a Cadbury Egg, or any symbol of Easter, remember that Easter is coming. Remember that Jesus took our place on the cross on Good Friday. Remember that he rose from the grave on Sunday. And remember that Jesus did it all so he could clear the sin from our hearts and rebuild us into something new!
CLOSE WITH A SIMPLE PRAYER
Dear God,
Thank you for the fun stuff that comes with Easter. Thank you, too, for the great blessing you gave us at Easter. Let us remember Jesus in this important time of year.
In Jesus’s name,
Amen
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION (K-2ND)
ICEBREAKER
What holiday has the best candy - Easter, Christmas, Valentine's Day, or Halloween?
MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITY
Matthew 28:6
Work as a group to create motions to accompany the verse. Say the verse several times while acting out the motions.
SMALL GROUP GAME/ACTIVITY
Share some Mini Cadbury Eggs with the kids as you re-read this morning’s scripture.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Read John 2:13-22
What did Jesus do when he saw the merchants in the temple?
What did Jesus say to the people about destroying the temple?
What was Jesus really talking about when he said he could rebuild the temple in three days?
What did Jesus do for us that we remember on Easter weekend?
What is one thing we can do to remember Jesus this Easter season?
SIMPLE PRAYER
Dear God,
Thank you for Easter and for what it means to us. Help us to remember Jesus this time of year and to share the good news of Jesus with others.
In Jesus’s name,
Amen
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION (3RD-5TH)
ICEBREAKER
What holiday has the best candy - Easter, Christmas, Valentine's Day, or Halloween?
MEMORY VERSE ACTIVITY
Matthew 28:6
Give all the kids a Bible. Then after you read the verse, give them the reference and see who can find it first in their Bible.
SMALL GROUP GAME/ACTIVITY
Share some Mini Cadbury Eggs with the kids as you re-read this morning’s scripture.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Read John 2:13-22
Why did Jesus clear the temple of the money changers?
What did Jesus say about rebuilding the temple?
What did Jesus mean when he said he’d rebuild the temple in three days?
Why is Jesus able to clear the sin from our hearts like he cleared the temple?
What can we do to remember Jesus’s sacrifice this Easter season?
SIMPLE PRAYER
Dear God,
Thank you for Easter and for what it means to us. Help us to remember Jesus this time of year and to share the good news of Jesus with others.
In Jesus’s name,
Amen
Â
For your convenience, you can also download the entire PDF version of this Jesus Clears the Temple Children's Ministry Lesson (just click the link).Â
Here's a video from Saddleback kids that you might find helpful to go along with your Sunday School Lesson on Jesus Clearing the Temple.Â
Take a look at the links below for other ideas for teaching a Jesus Clears the Temple Sunday School Lesson:Â
Â
Cleaning House - Children's Sermons from Sermons4Kids.com
Â
Â
Jesus Clears the Temple - Bible Lessons 4 Kidz
Â
Â
Jesus Cleared the Temple (John 2:13-22) Sunday School Lesson
Â