Children's Teacher: April- June 2022

By R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation

Children’s Teacher is a teacher’s quarterly for children 11 and under. In addition to the exposition of the printed text, each of the thirteen lessons includes the purpose of the lesson, extensive teaching plans, lesson introduction, background of the lesson, meaningful insights, and related activities.

• Language: English
• Publisher: R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation
• Release date: Mar 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781681679433

Book preview

Lesson 1 for Week of April 3, 2022

CROWDS WELCOME JESUS

UNIFYING TOPIC

King Jesus Enters Jerusalem

LESSON SECTIONS

I. Jesus Prepares to Enter Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1–2)

II. Jesus Enters the City in Triumph (Matthew 21:3–11)

KEY VERSE

The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven! (Matthew 21:9, NRSV)

BIBLICAL EMPHASES

1.To hear about Old Testament prophecies.

2.To identify ways to follow Jesus’ example of being a humble leader.

3.To celebrate Jesus’ triumphal entry to Jerusalem.

UNIFYING PRINCIPLE

People long for leaders who can liberate them from tyranny and be worthy of their praise. What does humility teach us about leadership? Matthew describes Jesus’ humility and the crowds blessing Him.

LESSON EMPHASES

•Follow the Lord’s directions even if it may seem strange.

•Celebrate the Lord at all times.

Target Emphases

PRESCHOOLERS: Smaller children enjoy watching parades.

YOUNGER CHILDREN: Young children understand that parades relate to joyful celebrations.

OLDER CHILDREN: Some children look for strong, competent, and commanding persons as leaders.

Materials Needed to Teach

For further reference, see today’s lesson from Boyd’s Commentary, New National Baptist Hymnal, 21st Century Edition.

Need more teacher helps?

Visit rhboyd.com.

Suggested Teaching Plan

GROWING WITH JESUS

MATERIALS NEEDED: Music Player, Crayons or Colored Markers, Pencils, Printout of Large Palm Leaf

GETTING STARTED: Greet the students as they enter the classroom. Have a familiar children’s Christian song playing as they are seated. Begin the lesson with prayer.

A GREAT BEGINNING: Share with the students that today’s lesson is a study of Jesus’ triumphant entry to Jerusalem. Have the students imagine that they were living in Jerusalem at the time that Jesus entered in triumph. Ask them what their feelings or thoughts would be about what they were seeing around them. How would they have reacted to the scene? Would they have been confused? Or happy and cheering like the crowd?

AN IMPORTANT LESSON: Read today’s lesson story. Give each student a printout of a palm leaf and instruct them to cut it out and color and decorate their palm leaf. Have the class join in a mini parade around the classroom celebrating the triumphant entry of Jesus to their lives. Have them wave their palm leaves and shout Hosanna! while they parade around the classroom.

KEEPING IT GOING: Make sure the students complete the other activities in their student books. Gather the students . After the prayer, dismiss the class.

JUST FOR YOU: Pray that your students will understand the importance of why the people were celebrating this event.

YOUNG LEARNERS

MATERIALS NEEDED: Music Player, Paper, Crayons, Pencils, Colored Markers

GETTING STARTED: Greet the students as they enter the classroom. Have a familiar children’s Christian song playing as they are seated. Begin the lesson with prayer.

JUMP START: Ask the students to share their thoughts on what Hosanna means. Why were the people cheering and praising Jesus as He entered the city? In today’s lesson, Jesus’ triumphant entry was the fulfillment of Old Testament hopes and promises for the people. This was a turning point in Jesus’ life and in the lives of the people who witnessed His entry. The people were recognizing Jesus as the One who came in the name of the Lord.

THE LESSON STORY: Read the lesson story to the students. Explain to the students how many people who lived in Jerusalem did not know who Jesus was. They asked the crowds in the streets who this man was, and they were told that He was Jesus. Included in the crowds surrounding Jesus’ entry to the city were His followers, citizens who lived in Jerusalem, and visitors who were in Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. There was a large, varied crowd witnessing and welcoming Jesus to the city.

TAKING IT HOME: Allow the students time to complete the activities in their student books. Have the students form a circle and close the class in prayer.

ENERGY TO EDUCATE: Take the time to pray each week for your students, especially those who are considering salvation.

ADVENTURERS WITH JESUS

MATERIALS NEEDED: Music Player, Paper, Markers or Colored Pencils, Pens or Pencils

BEFORE YOU BEGIN: Greet the students as they enter the classroom. Have a familiar children’s Christian song playing as they are seated. Begin the lesson with prayer.

‘NET CHECK: Complete the activity from www.rhboydpublishing.com. Bring extra copies to class for those who do not have one. Check and discuss answers together.

INTRODUCTION: Ask the students if they have ever been a part of a large parade or celebration. Discuss with the students how Jesus was greeted when He rode into the city of Jerusalem. Explain to the students how even people who did not know Jesus were caught up in the celebration.

TODAY’S LESSON STORY: Ask for a volunteer to read today’s story. Explain to the students how Jesus instructed His followers to prepare for His entry. Explain to the students why the people were cheering Jesus. Explain to the students how Jesus’ entry to the city was the fulfillment of Old Testament promises and hopes.

LESSON REVIEW AND CLOSING: Give the students time to complete the activities in their student books and review the key verse. After taking prayer requests, close the class in prayer.

— Lesson Overview —

Introduction

Jesus’ instructions to His disciples connected with the prophecy that had been given by Zechariah in the Old Testament. Zechariah’s prophecy promised hope for the people that came with the arrival of a triumphant, victorious King. This King would be humble and would bring hope to all the people. The people had been waiting and they had been hoping. Explain to the students that the people were waiting for a king to ride in on a white horse, they were not expecting Jesus.

Matthew stressed in his Gospel that Jesus’ journey was a fulfillment of Old Testament hopes and promises. The people could be reassured that Jesus was the answer to their long–awaited prayers. Jesus would not only fulfill the Old Testament but He would also bring salvation to the world. It is also important to note that the Old Testament was filled with prophecy that the Lord would come to save mankind. Not only did Zechariah claim this, but so did Isaiah. But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed (Isaiah 53:5, NRSV).

Help the students to understand that when Jesus rode into Jerusalem, His supporters were excited and filled with joy and happiness. They shouted a joyful welcome of Hosanna! Blessed is the One! Ask the students if they know what the word, Hosanna means and why the people were shouting to Him.

The crowds surrounding Jesus recognized Him and they identified Him to those who had not experienced Jesus. This was a happy, wonderful time of celebration. The King had arrived! Imagine how that must have felt, to see the One that was promised ride in on a colt. Do you identify Jesus to those who do not know Him? Discuss with the students ways they can share knowledge and talk about Jesus like the people in the crowds did.

CREATE INTEREST: Ask the participants why Jesus’ entry was so important?

I. Jesus Prepares to Enter Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1–2)

Imagine that you were a follower of Jesus and you had just completed a long journey across the Kidron Valley. You were present with Jesus when He had delivered His Sermon on the Mount on the eastern side of the Mount of Olives. From there, you traveled to Jerusalem. While you had been with Jesus throughout His journey, you noticed that everywhere they went, more and more people began following Jesus. Now that you were preparing to enter Jerusalem, the crowd was enormous. Some of the people wanted to witness for themselves the miracles they had been hearing Jesus was performing. Some of the people wanted to learn from Jesus. Can you imagine what a sight that must have been for the people who lived in the region?

Explain to the class this is one way to spread the Gospel. Tell one person about His goodness and what He’s done, then that person tells another person, and so on, and so on. Before you know it there’s an enormous crowd of people praising and following the Lord! Some may visit the church or Sunday school just to hear more about Him for themselves. Others may truly understand that power of Jesus just from listening to you!

As they got closer to the city of Jerusalem, Jesus sent two of His disciples into the town. He told them that they would find a donkey tied to a tree. The donkey’s colt was close by it. Jesus told His disciples to untie them and bring them to Him. Jesus told them that if anyone questioned what they were doing that they were to tell them that the Lord needs them. They would not stop them from taking the animals. They were to do this to fulfill the