This is the 5th and final part in a mini-series of lessons/ activities for a one day Easter VBS event called “A Week with Jesus.” You can find the introductory materials about this event and the teaching materials for the opening ceremony here, the activities for stations 1 & 2 here, the activities for stations 3 & 4 here and the activities for stations 5 & 6 here.
SERIES INDEX – part one – part two – part three – part four – part five
In this post you’ll find the teaching materials for the closing ceremony & tips on preparing for the closing ceremony.
Preparing for the CLOSING CEREMONY:
Whichever group is at your station last, will be the ones to present your station during the closing ceremony. You should allow a few extra minutes (maybe 25-30 minutes total) at this station. Go through the activity and then work with them to figure out some way to present that station during the “closing ceremony”. You (or one of the kids) can tell your portion of the story, someone can explain the activity or show what you did. The main point of this time is to review all the stories and show how each station pointed to the truth that Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for our sin.
CLOSING CEREMONY
Welcome the parents and give them a brief overview overview of the morning. Explain that we spent the morning walking through the last week of Jesus’ earthly ministry and now we’d like to have them join us for that journey.
“We started by seeing Jesus come into Jerusalem riding on a donkey and the people sang Hosanna…”
SING – – Hosanna (chorus of “Glory Be to God” – Sovereign Grace Music)
“Then we followed Jesus through the city for the week and watched to see what would happen.”
Call groups up one at a time to explain what they learned at that station. (You should call up the group that finished the morning at each station)
- Station 1 – – Jesus Cleanses the Temple
- Station 3 – – Jesus Washed His Disciples’ Feet
- Station 2 – – The Last Supper
- Station 4 – – Jesus’ Arrest
SING – – Mighty Mighty Savior (Sovereign Grace)
- Station 5 – – Jesus Died on the Cross
SAY: I know there is one more group, but we’re going to save them until the very end because they have a very special part in our story.
After Jesus died, He was buried. Everyone was sad and confused. Many people thought that Jesus was the Son of God. Many people thought that He was the Savior they had been waiting for. Now, they didn’t know what to do.
Jesus’ disciples and followers spent all day Saturday waiting and wondering and confused.
Then, early on Sunday morning, a group of ladies went out to the tomb where Jesus had been buried. They went to put spices on His body because there wasn’t time to properly prepare His body on Friday afternoon.
As they walked out of Jerusalem and toward the cave where He had been buried, they wondered how they were going to move the stone and open the tomb. They might have even been wondering why all of this had happened.
Then, they got close to the cave and they saw something weird. The big heavy stone that sealed the tomb wasn’t there. Someone had moved it.
They got scared and wondered what was going on. But, they walked on toward the tomb. When they got there, the stone was gone and they peaked inside and it was empty. They wondered if someone had stolen Jesus’ body. They didn’t know what to think.
Then, and angel appeared to them and told them the best news they had ever heard. The angel said…. “He’s not here. He has risen. Jesus is alive!” (have station 6 group say this part with you).
- Station 6 – – Get Ready for Easter – -(group should be waiting on the side of the room and then should look into the cave/ tomb and repeat their line with you)
Jesus had come back to life. He wasn’t dead anymore. Jesus was alive.
What the women didn’t really understand yet, but what we can understand by looking at this whole story is the this was the whole reason that Jesus had come to earth.
Jesus had come to earth as the promised rescuer. He had come to die on the cross and pay the price for our sin. He had come to die in our place. Then, 3 days later, He rose again and conquered death. Jesus came back to life so that we can live with Him forever.
Let’s sing a song that reminds us why Jesus came and what He came to do.”
SING – – Jesus Came to Save Sinners (Village Church Kid’s CD)
Close in Prayer
Send kids home with this activity book (download here) that they can work through with their parents.