Online Session 08 - Easter & Holy Week

 
 
 
 

QUICK JUMP MENU!

 

@NarratologyOnline Instagram

 
 

VIEW THIS SESSION ONLINE!

 
 

Original Video(s)

EASTER!

 

List of Online Links & Other Embedded Content

 
 
 

Check-In Storytimes!

Jesus Triumphant Entry Into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday – Based Off Matthew 21:1-17)

Readers: Narrator, Jesus, Disciple 1, Disciple 2

 

Narrator: When Jesus and the gang got closer to Jerusalem, they came to Olive Mountain—because, ostensibly, it had lots of olive trees on it. Jesus was looking pensive, deep in thought. He looked like he was about to say something, because . . . well, he was.

Jesus: Hey, you two disciples-o-mine...

Disciple 1: Yes, master?

Disciple 2: Whatchoo want?

Jesus: Go ahead to a village. There, you'll find a donkey with a colt.

Disciple 1: What's a colt?

Disciple 2: It rhymes with "dolt" – it's a baby donkey, you goof!

Disciple: Oh...

Jesus: Just listen now! Go ahead to the village and you'll find these two animals. Take them and bring them to me.

Disciple 1: Um. Won't people kinda wonder why we're just hijacking the donkeys?

Jesus: Not to worry—when they ask, just tell them that "the Lord needs them." This'll fulfill all that prophetic stuff I gotta do.

Disciple 2: Makes sense to me!

Narrator: So, the two disciples did exactly as Jesus had told them. They got there and saw there was a donkey with its colt, both tied up just as Jesus had said.

Disciple 1: I s'pose we better take them.

Disciple 2: Just hold on a sec. I'll tell these questioning people off the screen over here where you can't see them, that the animals are for Jesus. "It's okay! These are for the Lord."

Disciple 1: Ah... they're nodding now. Must be okay.

Disciple 2: Eyup. Let's go before they change their minds!

Narrator: The two disciples then brought the donkey and the colt, and put their coats on them, and Jesus sat on them. And they started to enter into Jerusalem. A super humungous then crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the palm trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed started shouting:

‘Hosanna to the Son of David!
   Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!’ 

When he entered Jerusalem, everyone in the crowd wanted to know who the famous guy coming in on the donkey and the colt was!

Disciple 1: Yes, yes, yes. Everyone . . . this is Jesus from Nazareth. He's the prophet you've been expecting!

Disciple 2: The top dude!

Disciple 1: The BIG cheese.

Disciple 2: But plenty humble, too.

Disciple 1: Yeah. And he's gonna make everything right! Well, in a nice sort of way.

Jesus: [leaning back to two disciples, whispering] And maybe a little not nice, in places where I need to be.

[Two disciples look at each other quizzically.]

Narrator: Then Jesus went in the temple. He frowned. He didn't like what he was seeing there.

Jesus: I don't like what I'm seeing here! What have you all done?! You've turned this house of prayer into a den of thieves and con-men!

Narrator: So, Jesus started turning over all the money-changers' tables and whipped everyone out!

Disciple 1: Now THIS is what I'm talking about!

Disciple 2: Yeah. But won't it make him a bit . . . I dunno . . . unpopular with the ruling class?

Narrator: Then, the blind, the lame, and everyone who was hurting came to Jesus and he healed them all.

Jesus: God loves you and cares for you.

Disciple 1: I s'pose THIS will make him kinda unpopular too.

Disciple 2: I'm thinking so...

Kid Story: Tell about a time when saw or heard someone speaking the truth, even though you knew it was unpopular.

Good Friday (Based off Luke 23:32-47)
"Good? Friday?"

*NOTE: To answer the questions for this month's session, you'll need also to read the other readings. Here are some handy links so you can get to them quickly! Mt 27:27-61, Mk 15:16-39,
Jn 19:31-42.

Readers: Narrator, Kid

 

Kid: Why do they call it "Good" Friday? What's so "good" about it anyway? Wasn't this the day when Jesus was executed?

Narrator: That it was.

Kid: Well . . . why is it called good??!!

Narrator: Good question!

Kid: I'm waiting . . . 

Narrator: All right. Well, I'll tell you what I know. I only know what others have told me and I was reading this article here. I guess the word "good" actually comes from "God" in English. So, Good Friday is really just God's Friday—a holy day.

Kid: Then why not just call it God's Friday and stop confusing people?!

Narrator: Another good question! You're full of 'em today!

Kid: Right, well. It's still hard to think about—Jesus being killed and all.

Narrator: I agree. Especially when you think about the grisly death and all. And how one of his friends—one of his closest followers—Judas betrayed him!

Kid: The question I have is that, if the crucifixion was necessary and everything for God, that Jesus was a sacrifice for us, well . . . doesn't that mean that Judas betraying Jesus was necessary too?

Narrator: I LOVE all the questions you're asking!

Kid: That's nice—how about answering them, then?!

Narrator: Some questions don't have answers; we need to keep asking them to find our own answers. And look to what others have said, too. I think the thing that's important is that God died that day . . . on Good Friday.

Kid: God's Friday.

Narrator: Right.

Kid Story: Share your beliefs about God "dying." What does it mean to you that Jesus died? Could God's grace, love and the relationship God wants with us have been achieved without a death?

*Scripture citations taken from The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. 1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers. As found in the Logos Bible study software program.

 

Check-In Questions and Mentor Meeting Options

THIS MONTH'S MENTOR MEETING OPTIONS

Choose one of these activities for your next mentor meeting.

Activity #1: Palm Branches

Gather palm branches for your congregation to use on Palm Sunday. Coordinate, if needed, with the Sunday school leaders.

Activity #2: Visit a Horse Ranch

Locate a riding stable or friends who have horses to ride. Plan an outing to see what it’s like to ride a horse, which was a common mode of transportation during Jesus’ time.

Activity #3: Create Your Own

Discuss with your mentor or teacher what kinds of things you both enjoy doing. Decide on an activity for this month that you and your mentor will do.


CHECK-IN QUESTIONS

Instagram/Phone Check-in: Palm Sunday (See above for Check-In Storytimes!)

  • Why were people excited to see Jesus?
  • What did people do when Jesus entered Jerusalem? What did he enter riding on?
  • Right after Jesus entered Jerusalem, he entered into the temple to do what? Why?

 

Instagram/Phone Check-in: Good Friday (See above for Check-In Storytimes!)

  • Make a timeline of all that occured on Good Friday concerning Jesus.
  • Who betrayed Jesus and why? How did it happen? Do you think Jesus forgave this person?
  • Why do you think Jesus was sentenced to death?