This lesson teaches children that Jesus willingly gave his life for us, even though he had done nothing wrong. It works well for children ages 5 to 11, and it takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach, including the story, the reading, and the activity.
Big Idea
Jesus was innocent, but he chose to die on the cross to take the punishment for our wrongs. He did this because he loves us very much.
Memory Verse
Matthew 27:46
About the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lima sabachthani?” That is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
(WEB)
Teach the children to cup their hands over their hearts while saying the verse together. Then have them lift their hands up high on the words “my God,” reminding them that Jesus called out to his Father even in his hardest moment.
The Story: Matthew 27 for Kids
Early in the morning, the chief priests and leaders of the people decided they wanted Jesus put to death. They tied him up and took him to Pontius Pilate, the governor. Pilate asked Jesus if he was the King of the Jews, and Jesus simply said, “So you say.” Even when many people accused him, Jesus did not argue back.
Judas, the disciple who had betrayed Jesus, felt terribly sorry when he saw what was happening. He brought back the thirty pieces of silver and said, “I have sinned, because I betrayed an innocent man.” But the leaders only said, “That is your problem.” Judas threw the money down and left, and the leaders used that money to buy a field to bury strangers in.
Pilate knew Jesus had done nothing wrong. Each year the people were allowed to ask for one prisoner to be set free, and Pilate offered them Jesus. But the crowd shouted for a man named Barabbas instead. Pilate asked, “What evil has Jesus done?” The crowd only shouted louder, “Let him be crucified!” So Pilate washed his hands in front of everyone and said he was innocent of this man’s blood.
The soldiers mocked Jesus. They put a crown made of thorns on his head and a stick in his hand, and they bowed down and said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” Then they led him outside to a hill called Golgotha, and they nailed him to a cross. Two robbers were crucified beside him.
At noon, the whole land became dark until three in the afternoon. Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Then he gave a final cry and died. The ground shook, the rocks split, and the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
When the evening came, a good man named Joseph asked Pilate for Jesus’ body. Joseph wrapped Jesus in clean linen and laid him in a new tomb in the rock, and he rolled a big stone over the door. Jesus’ friends and the women who loved him watched carefully to see where he was laid.
Read It Together
Matthew 27:27-31
27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, and gathered the whole garrison together against him. 28 They stripped him, and put a scarlet robe on him. 29 They braided a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they kneeled down before him, and mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 When they had mocked him, they took the robe off him, and put his clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.
(WEB)
Point out how the soldiers mocked Jesus even though he had done nothing wrong. Ask children how they think Jesus felt, and remind them that he still did not fight back.
Matthew 27:50-51
50 Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit. 51 Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.
(WEB)
Show the children that Jesus gave up his spirit with a loud cry, and that the temple curtain tore from top to bottom. Explain that this showed people could now come close to God because of what Jesus did.
Matthew 27:57-60
57 When evening had come, a rich man from Arimathaea, named Joseph, who himself was also Jesus’ disciple came. 58 This man went to Pilate, and asked for Jesus’ body. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given up. 59 Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut out in the rock, and he rolled a great stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.
(WEB)
Describe how Joseph cared for Jesus’ body with great respect. Tell the children that God had a plan even in the sad moments, and that the story is not over yet.
Talk About It
- Why do you think Jesus stayed quiet when people said unkind things about him?
- How did Judas feel after he betrayed Jesus, and what could he have done differently?
- What does it mean that Jesus took the punishment that we deserved?
- How do you think the women who loved Jesus felt as they watched him die?
- What is one way you can show someone that you love them, like Jesus showed us?
Activity Ideas
Paper Cross Craft
You will need two strips of brown construction paper, glue, and a few cotton balls. Have each child glue the strips into a cross shape. Then let them add a cotton ball in the center and draw a small heart on it. Explain that the cross reminds us of Jesus’ love.
Walk the Story Game
Set up a few chairs or pillows in different spots around the room to mark each part of the story: Pilate’s judgment seat, the hill, and the tomb. Call out a station, and have children walk or crawl to it. When they arrive, ask one question from the story. This helps children move through the events and remember the order.
Take-Home Thorns and Hearts Card
Give each child a small index card, a pencil, and a sticker or red crayon. Ask them to draw a heart on one side and write “Jesus loved me” on the other. Encourage them to show the card to a family member during the week and tell that person one thing they learned about Jesus’ love.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows the full weight of human sin and the depth of God’s love. Jesus stood falsely accused, mocked, and abandoned, yet he chose the cross to bring us back to God. The torn temple curtain and the moment of Jesus’ death point to a new access to God that his sacrifice made possible.
Be careful not to make the story only about blame or about the crowd and the leaders, as if children should see certain groups of people as bad. Keep the focus on Jesus’ love and his willing sacrifice, and remind children that all of us have done wrong and need his forgiveness.
A Prayer to Close
Dear Jesus, thank you for loving us so much that you gave your life on the cross. Help us remember that you were innocent, and that you chose to take our punishment. Help us love others the way you loved us. Amen.
