Jesus’s Trials to the Cross

Jesus’s Trials to the Cross

Main Point: Jesus was NOT GUILTY but came to die as a sacrifice for guilty people.

Devotional Content:

Be on the lookout! Questions

After each trial, was Jesus called Guilty or Not Guilty?

What did the religious leader say Jesus was guilty of? [Saying he was the Son of God]

Was Jesus GUILTY or NOT GUILTY of anything deserving the death penalty? [According to Pilate & King Herod?]

Kid’s Devotional:

When Jesus was on trial before the religious leaders, his accusers said, “So, are you the Son of God?”

Jesus said, “You say correctly that I am.”

They didn’t believe him. So, they thought he must die for saying he was the Son of God. But he REALLY was the Son of God!

When Jesus was on trial, no one could convict him of doing anything wrong. Pilate, the governor, said he saw no reason to charge him. He said, NOT GUILTY. King Herod sent him back without charging him; so, NOT GUILTY. But, the mob shouted for Jesus to be crucified. Pilate gave in to the mob and let them crucify Jesus.

That was not fair! Why would God – who is just and fair – let that happen? God was making a trade. Jesus was innocent. He gave himself as a sacrifice. He let his body be broken and his blood be poured out. But it wasn’t to pay for his own sins. He didn’t deserve to be punished.

Every person is guilty of doing something wrong, except Jesus. Jesus was the only person who lived his whole life without ever doing anything wrong! So, Jesus didn’t have to pay for his own sins. God let Jesus – who was NOT GUILTY -- be punished to pay for the sins of GUILTY people. Jesus made a way for guilty people to be forgiven. He even prayed for those crucifying him to be forgiven!

Jesus died on the cross during Passover. Remember how a lamb's blood was used to protect people from death? The innocent lamb was sacrificed to put its blood on the doorposts to protect people from death. Jesus’s blood was put on the wood of the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. Anyone who believes in Jesus will be protected from death and have eternal life. God was working out His plan to overcome sin and death!

Remember kiddo, Grandma Goodie loves you but God loves you more!

Pray:

[Before you pray, ask your child what feelings this story made them feel. Insert those into the prayer.]

Our Daddy (or Father) in heaven,

Thinking of Jesus on the cross makes me feel ____________________________.

Thank you for sending Jesus, Your one and only Son, to take the punishment for our sins.

Thank you for trading the one who was not guilty to give guilty people forgiveness of sins.

Amen

Play Ideas:

Remember this from Easter Story #1 [If it’s already made, retrieve it. If not can do this now.]

Make the doorposts of Passover:

1.Take a piece of thick paper and draw a small house with a door in it. Make the door a little shorter than a popsicle stick.

2.Glue 3 popsicle sticks on the edges of the door to make the doorposts.

3.Use something red (paint, nail polish, markers or juice) to stain the top and sides of the doorposts.

Cover one half of the door and notice how the blood on the wood resembles a bloodstained cross.

Tell someone about how the blood of the Passover lamb on the doorposts protected from death.

[Grownups should listen attentively. In recalling and retelling – even imperfectly or incompletely – your child is learning. Affirm their retelling of what they recall.]