YEA Lesson Library

Objectives

At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Identify the Passover as a time when God saved His people from the death angel.

2. State that Jesus and His disciples were eating the Passover meal in an upstairs room.

3. Tell which disciple betrayed Jesus.

4. Give the reason the disciples were sad.

5. Recite their memory verse. 


Topics & Themes

Angel, Death
Betray
Blood
Bread and Wine
Disciples
Eating Unleavened Bread
Jesus, Death of
Jesus, our Friend
Jesus, Lamb of God
Jesus, Savior
Judas
Moses
Passover
Pharaoh
Remember
Sin
Slaves

Materials Needed

Bible, YEA Students’ and Teacher’s books, attendance and memory verse charts, stars or stickers, songbook, CD or tape, music player, poster board or construction paper illustrations

Preparation

In order to be a successful teacher you must be prepared to teach children, not just read lessons. Take into account the interests and capabilities of the age group you teach. Get to know your children individually. They need to know that you are interested in them. Call them by their name, often. Ask them about their family, their pets, their favorite sport or hobby. Identify special needs like hyperactivity, handicaps and behavioral problems. Often a personal visit to the home will be helpful.

Storytelling is often referred to as an art. In telling stories to children you must have a feel for the words and a love for the story. But, more importantly, you must know your audience. Observe their reaction to what is being said, and watch for subtle signs of understanding.

The key words in today’s lesson are betray and remember. Judas turned his back on Jesus and turned Him over to His enemies. The Lord’s Supper was instituted to help us remember why Jesus died. Emphasize these words, and help the children understand why it is important that they remember.

Before you come to class, draw each of the simple illustrations, located on the pattern page, on a piece of poster board or construction paper. These can be used in teaching the lesson and for review.

How to Teach This Lesson

As you tell the story about the Lord’s Supper, hold up the illustrations as indicated in the lesson.

Why the Passover is celebrated - When we want to remember or celebrate an important event, like a birthday or anniversary, we often do so by inviting guests and having a party or special meal. The Passover is a time when we celebrate and remember the time God saved His people from slavery in Egypt.

Israel’s harsh treatment - The Egyptians treated God’s people very harshly. Pharaoh ordered them to make bricks to supply his builders, but didn’t give them the supplies they needed. God’s people were made to work very hard, and often they were beaten if they didn’t work fast enough. This was a very hard time for God’s people. (Hold up illustration #1)

Let my people go! God sent Moses to speak to Pharaoh on behalf of His people. Moses went to Pharaoh time and time again asking that God’s people be freed so that they might go into the desert to worship their Creator. But, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened. He didn’t want to lose his slave laborers. Instead of letting them go, he made their work even harder. God sent curses on the Egyptians, but still Pharaoh refused to let the people go. (Hold up illustration #2)

First born killed - Finally, God sent one last curse – this was the worst curse of all. Moses told Pharaoh that unless he let God’s people go, all of the first-born children of Egypt would be killed. He told the Israelites to put the blood of a lamb above and on the sides of their door. (Hold up illustration # 3) That night the death- angel would pass through the land. When he saw the blood on the door, he would pass by that house. But, where there was no blood, the firstborn child would die. Pharaoh and the Egyptians didn’t believe it, so they didn’t put the blood over their doors. God’s children were saved alive because they obeyed God’s command.

Jesus Celebrates the Passover with His disciples - Jesus and His disciples were celebrating Passover with a special meal. They met in an upstairs room. A table was prepared. (Hold up illustration #4) There was lamb to help them remember the Passover lamb whose blood was placed above the door. They had flat bread that was made without yeast. And they had wine to drink.

Judas betrays Jesus - Jesus told the disciples that it was almost time for Him to die. He also told them that one of the twelve who sat at the table with Him would betray Him. Each one began questioning Him saying, “Is it I?” Even Judas, who was the betrayer, asked if he was the one. Jesus knew what was in his heart. He said that it would have been better if he had not been born.

Judas left the other disciples and went to Jesus’ enemies. He told them that he would lead them to Jesus so that they could put Him to death. But, being the selfish, man that he was, Judas wanted to be paid. He was given thirty pieces of silver for kissing Jesus so they would know who he was. (Hold up illustration #5)

The broken bread and wine - After Judas left the room, Jesus took some of the flat bread and broke it in pieces. (Hold up illustration #6) He gave a piece to each of the disciples and told them that each time they ate the bread they should remember His broken body – it was broken for us. Then Jesus offered thanks to God and told the disciples that each time they drank the red wine they were to remember His blood that would be shed. This blood, like the blood of the Passover lamb, was for their salvation.

God wants us to never forget what Jesus did for us. Whenever we take the Lord’s Supper it is a reminder to us. Judas turned his back on Jesus, but we want to always remember what He did and be thankful.

Review Questions

Hold up the illustrations one at a time and ask the following questions:

1. Why were the Israelites, God’s people, sad when they were in Egypt? (#1)

2. What did Pharaoh say when Moses told him to let God’s people go? (#2)

3. What saved the first born child of God’s people? (#3)

4. Who was in the upstairs room eating the Passover meal? (#4)

5. Who betrayed Jesus to His enemies? (#5)

6. What do we remember when we eat the flat bread and drink the red wine? (#6)

Teacher-Directed Activity

Let’s test our memory! This game is to help teach the children to remember what Jesus did for them. Have the children sit in a circle. Tell them to look around at everyone seated and try to remember what they look like. Now ask one child to leave the room and wait in the hall. Explain that they are not in trouble, this is part of a game. While in the hall that child should change one thing about their appearance (like remove their glasses, take their shoes off, remove or put on a sweater or carry something). Now have the child come back into the room. Ask the other children if they see anything different about that child. Repeat with as many children as you have time for.

REACH Activity

Special Materials: atlas, flour, bread recipe, 30 silver coins

1. Ask: Do you have a special friend? Have kids make a bookmark for their special friend. On one side they should put their friend’s name and on the other side put a Scripture verse. Then wrap it and give it to that friend.

2. Ask: What is a disciple? Why was their job so important? Do we have disciples today? Where are they and how is their work the same/different than it was in Jesus’ day?

3. Ask: Who were Jesus’ disciples? Then have kids write the names in their Bible notebook.

4. Ask: Do your friends know about Jesus? If they don’t, is there a way that you can tell them who He is? If their friends know about Jesus, they can share an exciting or interesting story about Jesus with them.

5. Tell kids to look back at the first Passover in Exodus and read what happened that night in Egypt. Ask: Who was Moses? Who was Pharaoh?

6. Ask: Where is Egypt? Let kids find it on a map. Ask: Where is the “supper” in this lesson taking place? What is the distance between Egypt and the place where this supper took place?

7. Have children research what flatbread is, then with an adult, find a recipe and make a batch. Then make a loaf of yeast bread. Ask: Which did you like the most? Why?

More Information: Unleavened Bread: (Adults must be present to help children.) Preheat oven to 500º. Put one pound of flour into a bowl and slowly add 3/4 cup water, mixing with a spoon and then with your hands. Turn the mixture onto a flat surface and keep kneading with your hands until the dough is firm. With a rolling pin, roll about half of the dough at a time into a very big thin circle. Prick all over with a fork. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake10-15 minutes, or until lightly golden. (Dance, Sing, Remember: A Celebration of Jewish Holidays, by Leslie Kimmelman, HarperCollins, 2000, pg. 25.)

8. With an adult, kids can bake some unleavened bread. Tell them to look at the bread. Ask: Why is it flat? What about this reminds you of Jesus? How does this bread remind you of sin? How does this bread remind you of why Jesus had to die? Have them taste the bread. Ask: Was it easy to chew and something you would choose to eat? How does this remind you about Jesus’ suffering and death?

9. Ask: During what holy days are we to remove all leaven (yeast) from our homes? Why?

10. Have kids make a list of what they know about lambs. Ask: Why do you think Jesus is called the Lamb of God? Have them talk to their parents or teachers to help them get the right answer.

11. Have kids draw the broken pieces of bread and next to them, a cup of wine. Then label each as it refers to the symbolism of Jesus’ body and blood. (Real bread and wine will also make this a significant object lesson.)

12. Judas betrayed Jesus, his Friend, for 30 silver coins. Collect 30 silver coins. Put them in a pile on the table. Say: This is what Judas wanted more than Jesus. We want to remember that nothing has more value to us than to be a friend to Jesus. Sing “Jesus Loves Me” on page 6 of Kids Classics Collection.

13. Ask: Why was this A Sad, Sad Supper? Tell kids to talk to their family about what they learned during the YEA lesson.

14. Children should add this lesson to the timeline.

15. Have kids draw a sad face on a square piece of paper and write their memory verse under the face. They should put it on their refrigerator to remind them all week of their memory verse and how awful it was that one of Jesus’ disciples betrayed him.

16. Sing: “Wonderful Words of Life” on page 43 of the CEM Hymnal. Let kids make a list of all the wonderful names of Jesus, such as Bread of Life, and add these to the wonderful words section in their Bible notebook.

17. Say: Think of a time when someone betrayed you: told others something untrue about you, broke a promise to you, or was mean to you when you thought they were your friend. On an index card, have them write what the person did to betray them and how they felt. On the other side, they should write a prayer asking God to forgive the person.

18. Draw: Divide a piece of paper into two parts. On one half, kids can draw the doorposts with blood over them from the story in Exodus 12. On the other half, they can draw the Last Supper from Matthew 26.

19. Have kids write about a time when someone close to them died, telling what happened and how they felt. This is how Jesus’ disciples felt when He told them He was going to die.

20. Have kids read 1 Corinthians 15:19. Using their sad face from #15, on the top they should write: “But we have hope” (1 Corinthians 15:19).

Song

“I Will Sing Of The Mercies Of The Lord Forever” is on page 17 of the Kids Classics Collection.

Closing Prayer

Dear Father, Thank you for the bread and the wine that reminds me of Jesus. Help me never forget what Jesus did for me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.