5 APRIL 2020

Lesson Summary for the Teacher

We celebrate Jesus because He is special.

Bible Reference:
Matthew 21:1-11, 15-16

Story Focus: We celebrate Jesus because He is special. We are going to celebrate Palm Sunday in a big way with our preschoolers and talk about how Jesus is special. So get those palm branches ready! Hosanna! Hosanna! Yay, Jesus!

Worship (Sing It)

Story (Watch It)

Story (Tell It)

WHAT YOU NEED: A Bible and a large palm branch (Download Palm Branch)

(NOTE: If you do not use the palm leaf cutouts, the children will wave their hands in the air.)

LEADER: “Hello, everybody! And this is my palm branch. (Hold up a large palm branch and then notice that the children have palm branches, too.)

LEADER: “Wait a minute. Do you have palm branches, too? (Get excited.) If you have a palm branch, hold it up in the air and wave it so I can see it. (Wave your branch while looking at the children waving their palm branches.)

“Cool! You can use your palm branches to help me tell today’s Bible story. Put your palm branch in your lap for now, and I’ll tell you when to wave it.

“This is the Bible. (Hold up the Bible, open it, and lay it aside.)

“Our story today comes from the Bible. It’s about a special day we call Palm Sunday.

“Palm Sunday started in a town called Jerusalem. But before it was Palm Sunday, it was like any other Sunday. The people in Jerusalem were all going about their normal day until someone said, ‘Hey! Jesus is coming!’

“Well, that changed everything! They were so excited! The people had heard about Jesus and that He could do anything.

“They heard that Jesus could make a storm stop by just saying, ‘Stop!’

“Wave your palm branches with me and say, ‘Hosanna! Hosanna! Yay, Jesus!’”

CHILDREN AND LEADER: “Hosanna! Hosanna! Yay, Jesus!”

LEADER: “They heard that Jesus could make sick people all better.
“Wave your palm branches with me and say, ‘Hosanna! Hosanna! Yay, Jesus!’”

CHILDREN AND LEADER: “Hosanna! Hosanna! Yay, Jesus!”

LEADER: “They heard that Jesus could feed A LOT of people with only a little bit of food.
“Wave your palm branches with me and say, ‘Hosanna! Hosanna! Yay, Jesus!’”

CHILDREN AND LEADER: “Hosanna! Hosanna! Yay, Jesus!”

LEADER: “Jesus is so special! And if He was coming to town, then the people needed to do something special to
celebrate Him.

“So guess what they did! (Pause.) The people cut palm branches from trees and laid them on the road. Other people took their coats off and laid them on the road. The palm branches and coats made a special road for the donkey that Jesus was riding on.

“And then . . . (pause dramatically), THEY SAW JESUS! (Wave palm branch.)

“They were so excited to see Jesus that they began waving palm branches in the air and shouting, ‘Hosanna! Hosanna! Yay, Jesus!’

“Wave your palm branches with me and say, ‘Hosanna! Hosanna! Yay, Jesus!’”

CHILDREN AND LEADER: “Hosanna! Hosanna! Yay, Jesus! Hosanna! Hosanna! Yay, Jesus! Hosanna! Hosanna! Yay, Jesus!”

LEADER: “The people were celebrating Jesus because they knew He was special. And we still celebrate Jesus on Palm Sunday because Jesus is alive and He wants to be our friend forever! So when I ask you, ‘Who is alive?’ I want you to say, ‘Jesus is alive,’ and wave your palm branch in the air. Ready? Who is alive?”

CHILDREN AND LEADER: (Wave palm branches.) “Jesus is alive!”

LEADER: “Again! Who is alive?”

CHILDREN AND LEADER: (Wave palm branches.) “Jesus is alive!”

LEADER: “Thank you so much for helping me tell today’s Bible story and for celebrating Jesus with me!
“Okay, friends, it’s time to close our eyes and talk to God, so make sure your palm branches are very quiet.”

Story (Practice It)

Memory Verse

“I am alive for ever and ever!” (Revelation 1:18 NIV)

Bottom Line

Jesus is Alive

Group (Link It)

COLOURING ACTIVITY 
WHAT YOU NEED: Colour Pencils, Jesus is Alive Colouring Page