Scripture: Matthew 27:33-56, Mark 15:23-41, Luke 23:32-49, John 19:18-37
Learning Objectives:
- Students will learn Jesus was willing to endure a painful death to provide for the forgiveness of our sins.
- Students will learn Jesus was the ultimate and perfect sacrifice.
- Students will learn when we are baptized, we participate in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus – getting forgiveness of our sins and becoming Christians. (Romans 6:3-5)
- Students will serve the elderly by working with them to make bracelets that will remind them of those close to them.
Guiding Question: How does rememberance of those close to us help us remember the special life of Jesus?
Materials: Many different types of beads (beads that represent favorite color of that person, favorite hobby, personality, favorite memory, favorite season, month they were born (birthstone color), bracelet plastic cord
Procedure: Review the story of the Crucifixion with the students from the scripture above. Emphasize that because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we can experience forgiveness for our sins through baptism. Explain that we use communion as a way to remember the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Some ways that we remember people who mean a lot to us are by having pictures of them or wearing jewelry that reminds us of them.
Tell the students that those who live at nursing homes or assisted living homes have friends or relatives that they either don’t see often or have passed away that they like to remember. Introduce the service project. Tell the students they are going to go with you to a nursing home/assisted living home (find a facility that will let you implement the project before the lesson) and work with the residents to help them make bracelets that will remind them of a friend or relative. The residents can choose the beads they want to use depending on how they want to remember that person (favorite color of that person, favorite hobby, personality, favorite memory, favorite season, month they were born/birthstone color). Encourage the students to also practice sharing their faith with the residents.
Additional Questions: How can remembering the life of Jesus encourage others in their faith?
Supplemental Activity: Have the students plan and implement a congregation wide fellowship night. The students can choose worship songs that focus on the life, death, resurrection of Jesus and pick scriptures to read that fo