The Last Supper: Activity for Kids

I love reading the New Testament.  I love reading the Old Testament.  Precious A once asked me how I could know that the Bible was true.  I told her how the Bible wasn’t just written by one man, but by 40, how it was written over thousands of years, and how it all told one story: the story of man’s need for a Savior and God’s provision of that Savior.  I asked her, “If you and I went to different rooms and started to write a story how likely would it be that we would write the same one?”  “Not very,” she replied.  “This one of the many reasons why I believe the Bible is true, A.  It wasn’t just written by one man claiming that he had a revelation from God. It was written by many, over many many years, and they were all pointing the to same thing, Jesus.”  I told her.

Christmas and Easter provide the perfect opportunity to show our kids how God weaved his story through the ages.

Last night we had a passover dinner together.  Not the full traditional Jewish passover, but something similar.  We had brisket, roasted potatoes, carrots with bitter herbs, unleavened bread, and grape juice (my kids are so not old enough for wine!!)

If you want to do this activity with your kids, read the following passages beforehand so you are familiar enough to tell the stories without reading them word for word, it would take too long and their attention span would be maxed out!

• The Story of the Israelites’ Exodus From Egypt: Exodus 7:1-12:51
• The Story of the Last Supper:  Mark 14:12-26

Explain how God provided protection for the Israelites by providing a passover lamb.  Make sure to point out that the lamb had to be spotless and that it was the lamb’s blood that was the sign for the angle to passover the house.

After you have explained the importance of the passover feast to the Israelites, explain that this was the meal Jesus had with his disciples the night of his arrest.  Explain that when he took the unleavened bread and broke it, he was saying that he was the ultimate passover lamb, that his body would be broken for us.  When he took the wine and said it was his blood of the covenant that would be poured out for many, he was saying that his blood would cover us and God’s wrath would passover us.

Share with them that we now call this breaking of bread and drinking of wine (or grape juice) communion.  We no longer celebrate the passover because we celebrate God’s rescue of us from sin.  We have communion in remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, the payment he made for my sin, for their sin, for your sin.

Princess L and Precious A have both asked Jesus to forgive their sin, so we celebrated communion together as a family at dinner.  The boys at this point were done with their dinner and playing with a step-stool so they didn’t feel at all left out!

Here are some questions to ask as you eat your dinner:

• What did the angel look for so he would passover?
• What did the bitter herbs stand for?  (their bitter years in slavery)
• What kind of lamb did they have to use?
• Why did it have to be spotless?
• Why was Jesus’s sacrifice enough to satisfy God’s wrath for sin?
• What made Jesus spotless?
• Who did Jesus claim to be?
• What did he want us to do to remember his sacrifice?

Today, is Good Friday.  The day Jesus gave the ultimate sacrifice, himself as payment for sin.

We are going to finish our activity from Monday today (you can read about that activity here Getting Ready For Easter).

I’ll read Isaiah 53 and Mark 15 and ask these questions:

• What is the payment for sin?
• Why did Jesus have to die?
• What would happen if we had to pay for our own sin?
• When we sin what should we do?
• What happens when we tell Jesus we sinned and ask him to forgive us?
• What does God offer us in exchange for our sin?
• Why would God do this for us?

I am so humbled that God, who is rich in mercy, would send his own son to pay my debt.  Amazing love, how can it be that thou my God would die for me!!

Have a great celebration of the greatest gift ever given this weekend with your families!