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TEXT: John 19:16-18,31-34
OBJECTIVE
The students will understand that it takes the Blood of Jesus to take away our sins. They will be able to explain how and why Jesus' Blood was shed.
BIBLE LESSON OUTLINE
Introduction: Show the construction paper heart with sin's dark spots on it as described in the In-Class Activity. Review the fact that all are born with sin in their hearts.
Progression of Events:
- Everyone commits sin. (Add words to heart describing committed sin.)
- Good works, going to church, paying tithes, etc., will not save us. (Add colored tissue overlay for each.)
- Jesus died so that His Blood could wash away our sins. (Cover sinful heart with red heart.) He had not sinned, and because of this He could die for our sins.
Climax: Only the Blood will cover sin. Use the red page of the Wordless Book.
Conclusion: Forgiveness comes through the cleansing power of Jesus' Blood.
Response: The students will be able to explain how and why Jesus' Blood was shed.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
From the moment man sinned, God's plan of salvation was set into motion (Genesis 3:15). Because of Adam's sin the sentence of death was passed on all men (Genesis 2:17; Romans 5:12), but because God's purpose in creating man was that He might receive man's love and worship, He isn't willing for any to perish (2 Peter 3:9).
Jesus' death was no accident of history. It was God's predetermined plan that His Son should die in man's stead (Acts 2:23).
Because of Adam's sin and our own sins the sentence of death is upon us. How then can Christ's death erase our sins and therefore give us life? (Romans 6:23).
Under the Law of Moses a man paid for his sin by being executed or by the sacrifice of an innocent animal. The New Testament makes it clear however, that neither of these methods fully satisfied God's justice (Romans 3:20; 1 Corinthians 13:3; Hebrews 10:4). Only a perfect, complete payment will satisfy God's requirements. Our own eternal death or Christ's perfect sacrifice are the only sufficient payments (John 3:16, 18; Hebrews 9:13-15). Jesus' sacrifice was perfect and complete because He was sinless and the possessor of eternal life, yet He was willing to taste death (the penalty of sin) for us (Hebrews 2:9). As Jesus said, "If a man keep my saying he shall never see death" (John 8:51).
We have only two choices, suffer eternal death or submit to God's loving plan and believe that Jesus Christ paid the penalty of our sin by His own death.
IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES
- Make a construction paper heart of white paper with several dark spots on it. Review the fact that all are born with sin in their hearts. Later, further sins are committed. Add words such as lying, stealing, disobeying, sassing, etc., to the heart. Describe the ways some people try to cover their sins, putting a heart made out of tissue paper over the sin-stained heart as you talk about each way. These tissue paper hearts should be the same size as your original but can be cut from different colors. Eventually cover with a red heart made from construction paper. Explain that the red represents the Blood of Jesus, which was shed on the cross and covers the sins in our hearts.
- Rub hands in ashes, then try to wash them off in water. It doesn't work. Now use liquid soap to clean hands. Make analogy of how water is like good works—just going to church, and trying to be a Christian on our own. The soap is like Jesus' Blood. We must have it applied to our hearts or we cannot be truly saved.
- Draw a cross on a sheet of paper, cutting a round circle at the intersection of the parts of the cross. Make a slit at the bottom and top of the cross. Thread in a strip of paper on which you have allowed the students to draw their own face. Just below the face, paste a sticker of Jesus. Pull the strip until their face shows on the cross. A further pull will show Jesus. On the bottom of the paper, write the words, "I should have died, but Jesus took my place."
Special Unit Instructions:
This week's lesson will focus on the red page of the Wordless Book. Use this page to explain the way of salvation. Review the fact that we cannot save ourselves from the darkness of sin. But God has provided a way to have our sins forgiven—washed away.
Our red page stands for the Blood of Jesus. God loves us so much that He sent His own Son, the Lord Jesus, to take the punishment for our sins. Wicked men nailed the sinless Son of God to the cross, but while He hung there God put all our sins on Him.
When He was nailed to the cross, His precious Blood flowed from His hands and feet. Through this Blood, our sins can be washed away. Help the child realize that tears cannot wash away sin. Words cannot wash away sin. Doing good cannot wash away sin. The Bible tells us that only Jesus' Blood can wash away our sins. Jesus shed His Blood so we can have our sins forgiven and someday go to Heaven.
QUESTIONS
- What does it mean to be ''washed" in Jesus' Blood?
- Why did Jesus have to die for us?
- Why did Jesus give us His Blood and life on a cross?
- Did Jesus just die for good people? For whom did He die?
- What can we do to let Jesus know how thankful we are that He died for us?
PRE-SCHOOL SUGGESTIONS
- Make a cross out of popsicle sticks.
- Color picture of manger and cross.
- The first In-Class Activity may be adapted for preschoolers, using individual hearts with pictures of sinful acts being done. Cover these pictures with a red heart. Also, if available, overhead projectors with pictures and overlay would work very well in this type of activity.
- Allow your children to help you set up a sand box scene depicting the crucifixion. Use popsicle sticks to make a little cross. Paper-mache makes a good tomb. Instead of putting Jesus on the cross, just paste a little red heart in the center of it, explaining that Jesus loved us so much that He died there for us.
REVIEW IDEAS
A puppet show with two characters: First puppet just came from Sunday school and begins telling a second puppet all about the crucifixion story. Second puppet wants to know why Jesus died on the cross. First puppet tells him. Second puppet wants to know how his sins can be forgiven. First puppet tells him. Second asks how Jesus can live in our hearts. First one tells him. You may wish to bring a few pictures for the first puppet to use to show second puppet about the crucifixion.
Display a glass of clear water to picture the way God made man in the beginning. Man was created in God's image, without sin, and placed in a beautiful garden home, the Garden of Eden. Next, show a bottle marked "Poison"—it represents the work of Satan. Satan entered the beautiful Garden of Eden to poison the minds and hearts of Adam and Eve. (Pour the contents of the poison bottle into the glass of pure water.) They listened and obeyed Satan rather than God. Sin entered the human race and Adam and Eve lost all of their godlikeness. Notice how the contents of the bottle marked "Poison" have changed the contents of the glass of clear water. Just so, sin marred and discolored the lives of Adam and Eve. As soon as sin entered the human race God gave a wonderful promise, the promise of a Savior. The Lord Jesus came into the world to save sinners and give back to them all that they had lost by sin. Christ did this by dying upon the cross of Calvary. Next, a bottle of bleach—pour contents into the glass of discolored water. See how pure and clear it becomes, just as it was before sin entered. When a boy or girl, man or woman receives the Lord Jesus as Savior, He washes away all their sins in His own precious Blood.
Make an overhead story of the crucifixion. Include a heart with sin spots done on an overlay. Use red acetate to represent the Blood of Jesus which covers the heart, removing the sin spots at the same time.
There are a number of audio dramatizations of the crucifixion available. Possibly some of these could be worked into a pantomime or role play of the event.
SUPPORT MATERIAL
- The Crucifixion and Resurrection — Panorama, Standard Publishing
- Crucifixion and Resurrection — Pict-o-graph, Standard Publishing
- My Bible Story Card — Series II
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