In this lesson, children learn that Jesus is the King who came humbly on a donkey, cleared the temple, and healed people who needed help. This lesson suits children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
Jesus is a good King. He comes to us gently, he cares about people, and he wants his house to be a place of prayer.
Memory Verse
Matthew 21:9
The multitudes who went in front of him, and those who followed, kept shouting, “Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
(WEB)
Teach the children to raise both arms high over their heads when they say “Hosanna!” and then wave their hands like they are waving a palm branch. Repeat the verse together three times, getting a little louder each time, so the words stick.
The Story: Matthew 21 for Kids
One day Jesus and his friends came near to the city of Jerusalem. Jesus sent two of his disciples ahead to a village. He told them they would find a donkey tied up with her little colt. He said, “Untie them and bring them to me.” The disciples did exactly what Jesus asked.
The disciples put their cloaks on the colt, and Jesus sat on it. Many people in the crowd spread their coats on the road. Others cut branches from the trees and laid them down too. The crowd shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” They were glad to see their King coming.
When Jesus walked into the temple, he saw people buying and selling things there. The temple was supposed to be a house of prayer, so Jesus made them leave. He turned over the tables of the money changers. He said, “My house shall be called a house of prayer.”
After that, blind people and lame people came to Jesus in the temple, and he healed them. Children were still singing, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” Some of the leaders were upset about this. Jesus told them that even the children were right to praise him.
Later, Jesus saw a fig tree with only leaves and no fruit. He told it that it would not bear fruit again, and right away the tree dried up. His friends were amazed. Jesus told them that if they trusted God, they could pray and receive what they asked for.
Read It Together
Matthew 21:1-3
1 When they came near to Jerusalem, and came to Bethsphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village that is opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them, and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and immediately he will send them.”
(WEB)
Point out that Jesus knew exactly where the donkey would be and what to say. Ask the children what it tells them about how well Jesus knows everything. Remind them that Jesus is never surprised.
Matthew 21:12-13
12 Jesus entered into the temple of God, and drove out all of those who sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the money changers’ tables and the seats of those who sold the doves. 13 He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers!”
(WEB)
Show the children that Jesus cared deeply about the temple being a quiet place where people could talk to God. Explain that God wants our hearts to be a place where we can pray too. Ask how they can make time to pray at home.
Matthew 21:15-16
15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children who were crying in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the son of David!” they were indignant, 16 and said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes. Did you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing babies you have perfected praise?’”
(WEB)
Point out that the children were praising Jesus, and Jesus was pleased with them. Tell the children that even small voices can praise God, and that God listens to them. Encourage them to say a simple praise out loud.
Talk About It
- How do you think the crowd felt when they saw Jesus riding into the city?
- Why did Jesus want the temple to be a house of prayer?
- What did the children do in the temple, and why did Jesus say it was good?
- What is one way you can show Jesus that he is your King?
- What did the fig tree teach the disciples about trusting God?
Activity Ideas
Palm Branch Craft
You will need green construction paper, scissors, tape, and crayons. Have each child trace and cut out a large leaf shape from the paper. Tape the leaves to a paper towel tube or a pencil to make a simple palm branch. Let them wave their branches while the class sings the memory verse together.
Waving Palm Parade
Clear a space in the room and line up the children. Give each child a paper palm branch or a folded napkin to wave. Walk them around the room while they shout “Hosanna!” together. Stop at one spot and say, “Jesus is our King!” to finish the parade.
Prayer House Reminder
You will need a small paper house, markers, and a sticky note for each child. Ask the children to draw a picture of something they want to pray about on the sticky note. Have them stick the note inside their paper house. Take the house home and place it on the kitchen table as a reminder to pray each day.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows Jesus as the humble King who comes in peace, the faithful Lord who cares about worship, and the one who calls people to trust and to bear fruit. The parables that follow in the chapter speak to leaders and to anyone who says the right things but does not live them out. Read the whole chapter before teaching so you can answer questions with confidence.
Avoid overstating the fig tree story to children as a promise that they will get whatever they ask for in prayer. Make clear that prayer is about trusting God, who knows what is best, and not about getting everything we want.
A Prayer to Close
Jesus, you are our good King. Thank you for coming to us gently and for caring about your house of prayer. Help us to praise you, to pray to you, and to trust you every day. Amen.
