Despite a legally binding treaty and several other declarations, agreements and promises on gender equality and human rights in the past 50 years,
Being a Christian: Why is This Week So Special? By Minister Abby Phillips
This week is a very special one for Christians, and in this lesson we’ll look at why we should be so happy about these seven days.
Dear God, it is so wonderful that You were our hero and saved us from our sins. Help us to thank you in our hearts and our lives every day for Your wonderful gift. In Your son Jesus’ name we pray, Amen
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday was just celebrated by many Christians around the world. It was the day Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey. He did a lot of work between this Sunday and the next Sunday which is called “Easter†or “Resurrection Sundayâ€Â! He would take our punishment, die for our sins, and rise from the dead!
Let us start out by looking at what happened on Palm Sunday in Matthew 21:1-11:
“Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, ‘Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.’ 4 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: 5 “ Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ †6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. 8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD! Hosanna in the highest!’ 10 And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, ‘Who is this?’ 11 So the multitudes said, ‘This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.’ â€Â
Jesus sent the disciples into town for a donkey! He was the Son of God! He could have ridden into the city of Jerusalem on a huge powerful horse! But He didn’t come to Earth to brag to people about all of His things. He came to save them from their sins.
Sometimes when royal people came to a place, people put things on the ground for them to walk on so their feet would not have to touch dirt or mud. This was done out of respect for the royal person. When Jesus rode through the street, people spread clothes on the ground and pulled branches from the palm trees (which is why it’s called Palm Sunday) for the donkey to walk on. They were showing their respect for Him as Lord!
They cheered Him and gave and praise to Him. Can you imagine how exciting and wonderful that day must have been? What happened that day is often called “The Triumphal Entry†because Jesus rode into the city in victory, and the people worshipped Him.
The Lord’s Supper
This was the week of Passover. A very large tribe of people called the children of Israel had been slaves in Egypt for more than 400 years! That is a very long time! Many generations had begged God to set them free, and He heard them and sent a man named Moses to free them.
God allowed many diseases and strange things in Egypt to show that He was the true God and that the children of Israel must be freed, but the ruler of Egypt refused. The final thing that God allowed to happen came through an angel of death. In the middle of the night, the angel would go into the homes and all the firstborn of the Egyptians would die. But if lamb’s blood was brushed on top of the door of a home, the angel would pass over that home and the firstborn inside would live.
The ruler of Egypt, who was called “Pharaohâ€Â, had ignored Moses’ warnings to free God’s people, but when the Pharaoh’s own son died, the ruler told Moses to take the people and go. They were finally free from slavery!
God told the people to have a feast of Passover to thank Him and to remember how He brought them out of slavery. You can find that story of Moses and the children of Israel in the Old Testament book of Exodus.
While Jesus and His followers were having such a feast of Passover, Jesus told them that He wanted them to have a new feast to thank and remember Him. We call it “The Lord’s Supper†or “Communion.†1 Corinthians 11:24-26 says:
“And when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord`s death until He comes.â€Â
When Christians take the Lord’s Supper, for us, it is like the Passover that the children of Israel celebrate.
· The children of Israel were slaves of the Egyptians. We were all slaves to sin.
· God sent Moses to free the children of Israel from slavery. God sent Jesus to free us from our slavery.
· The death angel did not go into houses where lamb’s blood was brushed on the top of the door. When we ask Jesus into our hearts, because He shed His blood for us on the cross, our sins are forgiven and we won’t have to spend eternity apart from God.
· God told the children of Israel to remember what He did with a Passover feast. Jesus told the disciples (which means us too) to remember how He died and rose again from the dead by taking the Lord’s Supper.
Good Friday
Later that week, Jesus was arrested, lied on, and beaten very badly. On the day we call Good Friday, He was hung on a cross where He died for our sins. Even though it’s called “Good Fridayâ€Â, it wasn’t good for Him. It was very painful. While He hung there, even though He had never sinned, He paid for our sins. No, it wasn’t good for Him, but it was very good for us! Because He did this, our sins are forgiven when we trust Him as our Savior! Luke 23:34-47 (The Message) says:
~~~
“Jesus prayed, ‘Father, forgive them; they don`t know what they`re doing.’ Dividing up his clothes, they threw dice for them. The people stood there staring at Jesus, and the ringleaders made faces, taunting, ’He saved others. Let`s see him save himself! The Messiah of Godâ€"ha! The Chosenâ€"ha’! The soldiers also came up and poked fun at him, making a game of it. They toasted him with sour wine: ‘So you`re King of the Jews! Save yourself!’ Printed over him was a sign: this is the king of the jews. One of the criminals hanging alongside cursed him: ‘Some Messiah you are! Save yourself! Save us!’ But the other one made him shut up: ‘Have you no fear of God? You`re getting the same as him. We deserve this, but not himâ€"he did nothing to deserve this.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom.’ He said, ‘Don`t worry, I will. Today you will join me in paradise.’ By now it was noon. The whole earth became dark, the darkness lasting three hoursâ€"a total blackout. The Temple curtain split right down the middle. Jesus called loudly, ‘Father, I place my life in your hands!’ Then he breathed his last. When the captain there saw what happened, he honored God: ‘This man was innocent! A good man, and innocent!’ “
~~~
Romans 6:23 says: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.†and Hebrews 9:22 tells us that “without shedding of blood there is no remission.†Jesus shed His blood for us, took our punishment, and gave us the gift of eternal life! That is why this Friday is called “good†for the believer!
Resurrection Sunday
What wonderful news: Jesus’ death was not the end of the story! On the third day after He died, He rose from the dead! Matthew 28:1-10 says:
~~~
Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.’ So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!†So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.’ “
~~~
On Resurrection Sunday we celebrate Jesus’ rising from the dead. That’s what “resurrection†means: rising from the dead. We were born in sin and it was part of our nature. Because of that sin we were going to have eternal punishment, but because of what Jesus did, we have a new nature in God. This is a great reason to celebrate for the person who loves Jesus: because of what He did on this day, anyone who accepts Him has their sins forgiven, God lives inside of them, and they will receive eternal life with Him!
Remember:
· Palm Sunday Jesus went to Jerusalem and got ready to die for our sins. We celebrate Him as King with rejoicing on this day.
· Later that week, He told the disciples to eat the bread and drink from the cup to remember the price He would pay for them. We’re His followers too, so that means us as well.
· On Good Friday He hung on the cross, took our punishment, and died for us.
· On Resurrection Sunday, Jesus rose from the grave! Sin and hell have no power over anyone who accepts Christ as their Savior.
That is why this week is so special: because of the things Christ did for us so that we could have eternal life.
The Sinner’s Prayer:
You may never have known all that Jesus did, or why He did it. Now that you do, God may be speaking to you, asking You to accept Jesus into your life. If so, please answer Him today. You can do so by praying something like this:
~~~
“Lord, the Bible says that You came to Earth to save me from my sins. I confess that I am a sinner, I thank You for the price You paid to save me from my sins, and I ask You to come into my life and wash my sins away.
In Your name I pray, Amen.â€Â
~~~
What Should I Do Now?
If you prayed that prayer and you really meant it, then you are a friend of God! Jesus saved you. He is your hero! All of those things we talked about today, Jesus did for you! He’s living inside of you, helping you to please Him, and one day you will live with Him forever in Heaven!
Tell a grownup who loves Jesus so they can pray with you and help you learn how to live for Jesus. Pray to God every day. Thank Him for being your friend and ask Him to show you how to live for Him.
Welcome to the family of God!
© Minister Abby Phillips, Speak Life Ministries, 2007. All scriptures used come from the New King James Version of the Bible.
Dear God, it is so wonderful that You were our hero and saved us from our sins. Help us to thank you in our hearts and our lives every day for Your wonderful gift. In Your son Jesus’ name we pray, Amen
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday was just celebrated by many Christians around the world. It was the day Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey. He did a lot of work between this Sunday and the next Sunday which is called “Easter†or “Resurrection Sundayâ€Â! He would take our punishment, die for our sins, and rise from the dead!
Let us start out by looking at what happened on Palm Sunday in Matthew 21:1-11:
“Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, ‘Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.’ 4 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: 5 “ Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ †6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. 8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD! Hosanna in the highest!’ 10 And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, ‘Who is this?’ 11 So the multitudes said, ‘This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.’ â€Â
Jesus sent the disciples into town for a donkey! He was the Son of God! He could have ridden into the city of Jerusalem on a huge powerful horse! But He didn’t come to Earth to brag to people about all of His things. He came to save them from their sins.
Sometimes when royal people came to a place, people put things on the ground for them to walk on so their feet would not have to touch dirt or mud. This was done out of respect for the royal person. When Jesus rode through the street, people spread clothes on the ground and pulled branches from the palm trees (which is why it’s called Palm Sunday) for the donkey to walk on. They were showing their respect for Him as Lord!
They cheered Him and gave and praise to Him. Can you imagine how exciting and wonderful that day must have been? What happened that day is often called “The Triumphal Entry†because Jesus rode into the city in victory, and the people worshipped Him.
The Lord’s Supper
This was the week of Passover. A very large tribe of people called the children of Israel had been slaves in Egypt for more than 400 years! That is a very long time! Many generations had begged God to set them free, and He heard them and sent a man named Moses to free them.
God allowed many diseases and strange things in Egypt to show that He was the true God and that the children of Israel must be freed, but the ruler of Egypt refused. The final thing that God allowed to happen came through an angel of death. In the middle of the night, the angel would go into the homes and all the firstborn of the Egyptians would die. But if lamb’s blood was brushed on top of the door of a home, the angel would pass over that home and the firstborn inside would live.
The ruler of Egypt, who was called “Pharaohâ€Â, had ignored Moses’ warnings to free God’s people, but when the Pharaoh’s own son died, the ruler told Moses to take the people and go. They were finally free from slavery!
God told the people to have a feast of Passover to thank Him and to remember how He brought them out of slavery. You can find that story of Moses and the children of Israel in the Old Testament book of Exodus.
While Jesus and His followers were having such a feast of Passover, Jesus told them that He wanted them to have a new feast to thank and remember Him. We call it “The Lord’s Supper†or “Communion.†1 Corinthians 11:24-26 says:
“And when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord`s death until He comes.â€Â
When Christians take the Lord’s Supper, for us, it is like the Passover that the children of Israel celebrate.
· The children of Israel were slaves of the Egyptians. We were all slaves to sin.
· God sent Moses to free the children of Israel from slavery. God sent Jesus to free us from our slavery.
· The death angel did not go into houses where lamb’s blood was brushed on the top of the door. When we ask Jesus into our hearts, because He shed His blood for us on the cross, our sins are forgiven and we won’t have to spend eternity apart from God.
· God told the children of Israel to remember what He did with a Passover feast. Jesus told the disciples (which means us too) to remember how He died and rose again from the dead by taking the Lord’s Supper.
Good Friday
Later that week, Jesus was arrested, lied on, and beaten very badly. On the day we call Good Friday, He was hung on a cross where He died for our sins. Even though it’s called “Good Fridayâ€Â, it wasn’t good for Him. It was very painful. While He hung there, even though He had never sinned, He paid for our sins. No, it wasn’t good for Him, but it was very good for us! Because He did this, our sins are forgiven when we trust Him as our Savior! Luke 23:34-47 (The Message) says:
~~~
“Jesus prayed, ‘Father, forgive them; they don`t know what they`re doing.’ Dividing up his clothes, they threw dice for them. The people stood there staring at Jesus, and the ringleaders made faces, taunting, ’He saved others. Let`s see him save himself! The Messiah of Godâ€"ha! The Chosenâ€"ha’! The soldiers also came up and poked fun at him, making a game of it. They toasted him with sour wine: ‘So you`re King of the Jews! Save yourself!’ Printed over him was a sign: this is the king of the jews. One of the criminals hanging alongside cursed him: ‘Some Messiah you are! Save yourself! Save us!’ But the other one made him shut up: ‘Have you no fear of God? You`re getting the same as him. We deserve this, but not himâ€"he did nothing to deserve this.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom.’ He said, ‘Don`t worry, I will. Today you will join me in paradise.’ By now it was noon. The whole earth became dark, the darkness lasting three hoursâ€"a total blackout. The Temple curtain split right down the middle. Jesus called loudly, ‘Father, I place my life in your hands!’ Then he breathed his last. When the captain there saw what happened, he honored God: ‘This man was innocent! A good man, and innocent!’ “
~~~
Romans 6:23 says: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.†and Hebrews 9:22 tells us that “without shedding of blood there is no remission.†Jesus shed His blood for us, took our punishment, and gave us the gift of eternal life! That is why this Friday is called “good†for the believer!
Resurrection Sunday
What wonderful news: Jesus’ death was not the end of the story! On the third day after He died, He rose from the dead! Matthew 28:1-10 says:
~~~
Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.’ So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!†So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.’ “
~~~
On Resurrection Sunday we celebrate Jesus’ rising from the dead. That’s what “resurrection†means: rising from the dead. We were born in sin and it was part of our nature. Because of that sin we were going to have eternal punishment, but because of what Jesus did, we have a new nature in God. This is a great reason to celebrate for the person who loves Jesus: because of what He did on this day, anyone who accepts Him has their sins forgiven, God lives inside of them, and they will receive eternal life with Him!
Remember:
· Palm Sunday Jesus went to Jerusalem and got ready to die for our sins. We celebrate Him as King with rejoicing on this day.
· Later that week, He told the disciples to eat the bread and drink from the cup to remember the price He would pay for them. We’re His followers too, so that means us as well.
· On Good Friday He hung on the cross, took our punishment, and died for us.
· On Resurrection Sunday, Jesus rose from the grave! Sin and hell have no power over anyone who accepts Christ as their Savior.
That is why this week is so special: because of the things Christ did for us so that we could have eternal life.
The Sinner’s Prayer:
You may never have known all that Jesus did, or why He did it. Now that you do, God may be speaking to you, asking You to accept Jesus into your life. If so, please answer Him today. You can do so by praying something like this:
~~~
“Lord, the Bible says that You came to Earth to save me from my sins. I confess that I am a sinner, I thank You for the price You paid to save me from my sins, and I ask You to come into my life and wash my sins away.
In Your name I pray, Amen.â€Â
~~~
What Should I Do Now?
If you prayed that prayer and you really meant it, then you are a friend of God! Jesus saved you. He is your hero! All of those things we talked about today, Jesus did for you! He’s living inside of you, helping you to please Him, and one day you will live with Him forever in Heaven!
Tell a grownup who loves Jesus so they can pray with you and help you learn how to live for Jesus. Pray to God every day. Thank Him for being your friend and ask Him to show you how to live for Him.
Welcome to the family of God!
© Minister Abby Phillips, Speak Life Ministries, 2007. All scriptures used come from the New King James Version of the Bible.
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