Easter part 1: A Supper to Remember

Hello again, and welcome back to Kid's Bible Stories.

Today's story is called A Supper to Remember.

And this comes from Matthew 26, John 13, and 1 John 1 verse 9.

And a quick reminder that out of respect for each family's ages and stages of life,

I have adapted some of this.

So please read the scriptures referenced in the show notes, and from there you can decide

to discuss further what's appropriate for your family.

Today marks the beginning of a special series as we dive into Easter.

Easter is more than colorful eggs and chocolate bunnies.

It's a time when we remember and celebrate the most incredible and meaningful events

in the life of Jesus.

Why is Easter so important for Christians?

Well, tell me out loud, what is Easter?

I'll wait.

You do the time when we celebrate when Jesus died on the cross for us, and he watched

well ever since.

Well, God was from the dead.

The people went in the tomb because they were sad, but then there was an angel and

he should go tell the world God isn't dead.

Yes.

On Christmas we celebrate Jesus's birth, and on Easter is when we celebrate the gift Jesus

gave us when he died and rose again.

It's a time when we reflect on the ultimate act of love, sacrifice, and justice that

Jesus made for us.

Easter is the big moment in the story of God's plan for our redemption, washing away our

sin.

So buckle up for a journey to the pages of the Bible as we set the stage for the events

leading up to Jesus' death and resurrection.

Let's jump right in.

As we open the pages of the Bible, we find Jesus preparing his disciples for what is

about to happen.

Let's listen in.

Jesus said to his disciples,

As you know, the Passover is two days away, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be

crucified.

I wonder how Jesus' disciples responded to what he said.

Were they scared?

Do they think, no way, that can't happen to Jesus.

Do you think what Jesus said will happen though?

Yes.

Yes, because he is always right.

Let's keep listening.

Then, the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the

high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly.

But not during the festival.

They said,

Or, there may be a riot among the people.

While Jesus was in Bethany, in the home of Simon the leper, a woman came to him with an

alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining

at the table.

When the disciples saw this, they were upset.

Why waste this?

They asked.

This perfume could have been sold at a high price, and the money could be given to the

poor.

Aware of this, Jesus said to them,

Why are you bothering this woman?

She has done a beautiful thing to me.

The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me.

When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.

Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has

done will also be told in memory of her.

While all this was happening, in the shadows Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples,

quietly slipped away from the group.

His heart, clouded by a betrayal that had been set in motion, led him to the religious

authorities, seeking to use this moment to turn against Jesus.

What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?

Judas asked the chief priests and elders.

They struck a deal that would seal the fate of the very one who had walked alongside

him, shared meals, and performed miracles.

Thirty pieces of silver exchanged hands, a price tag on the betrayal of Jesus.

And from that time, Judas looked for a good opportunity to betray Jesus.

Now listeners, we find ourselves in a room where something extraordinary is about to happen.

The last supper.

Have you heard of this?

Yes.

Let's continue.

On the first day of the festival of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked,

Lord, where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?

He replied.

Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, the teacher says, my appointed time is near.

I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.

The disciples did as Jesus directed them and prepared the Passover.

Listeners, do you remember way, way back when God's people were in Egypt?

There was a Pharaoh, sound familiar?

Pharaoh treated them terribly and made them slaves.

But who rescued them?

God?

Yes.

Some of you may have said Moses, God did choose Moses to lead them out, but it was God who

truly rescued them.

Remember, God sent the plates, part of the Red Sea?

Well in order to remember that time and thank God for rescuing them, they had a celebration

called the Passover.

Okay, let's see what they are preparing to do for this special time.

The disciples listened to Jesus and prepared the place to celebrate the Passover.

In an upper room adorned with a warm glow of oil lamps, the air was thick with anticipation

as Jesus and his disciples gathered for the sacred Passover meal.

The atmosphere buzzed with a mixture of excitement and an underlying awareness that something

significant was about to unfold.

As they sat around a low table, laden with bread, bitter herbs and wine, Jesus took on

the role of a servant, a basin filled with water stood nearby, and Jesus with love gleaming

in his eyes, began to wash the dusty, grimy feet of his disciples.

Who is Jesus, why are you washing all feet?

Yeah, we should be washing yours.

The disciples, surprised by this unexpected act of servitude from their teacher, soon embraced

the incredible humility and love in this gesture.

Once the foot washing concluded, Jesus, his gaze filled with both tenderness and seriousness

addressed his disciples.

I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover meal with you before I suffer.

He shared.

Truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.

Silence.

Dishes stopped clanking, people stopped chewing, a sense of weight settled over the room

as Jesus told them about the betrayer in their midst.

They were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another.

Is it I, Lord?

He answered.

He who has dipped his hand in the dish will betray me.

The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to the man by whom the Son of Man

is betrayed.

Do you remember who we heard will betray him?

He made the deal for thirty pieces of silver?

Say it out loud if you know.

Judas.

Yes.

Judas, who would betray him answered.

Is it I, Rabbi?

You have said it so.

Jesus replied.

Let's press pause.

I have so many questions.

If they all know it's Judas, I wonder if they try to talk him out of it.

Do they try to get him to leave or maybe watch him closely wanting to prevent it from happening?

What do they have to think about all of this?

Well, I don't know, but I'm always curious.

Okay.

Back to our story.

Then in the flickering light of the oil lamps, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke

it and gave it to the disciples, saying,

Take, eat.

This is my body.

And he took a cup.

And when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, drink of it, all of you, for

this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

As the disciples ate, they were not just partaking in a regular meal.

They were sharing in a profound moment of intimacy with their teacher.

The last supper is significant in Christian faith.

It is filled with love, humility, and foreshadowing.

That means showing what is to come.

Jesus, knowing the events that would happen, used this time to establish a reminder for

all of us of his sacrifice.

The breaking of bread symbolizes his body, given for us, and the shared cup symbolizes

his blood, which seals the new covenant with forgiveness of sins.

That is an incredible thing.

Hallelujah.

But the disciples still didn't quite understand exactly what Jesus was talking about.

They didn't understand the depth of his words and actions in that moment.

Well, that is it for our story today.

And before we go, let's think of what we just heard.

The very special meal we heard Jesus share with his disciples to celebrate the Passover

is called the last what?

The last supper?

Good.

Do you ever see people take communion at your church?

Yes.

We do this because of the last supper.

And as a way, we remember this special moment.

It's so important because it reminds us of what Jesus did on the cross.

You heard Jesus talk about the bread and the wine, but he was saying they are symbols

for something else.

Jesus was saying, these things are like me.

I will be broken for you.

We heard Jesus say this would happen for the forgiveness of what?

Sins.

What's a sin?

Guess out loud.

Thanks for sharing.

Sin is when we disobey God.

So do you and I sin sometimes?

Yes.

Yeah, we do.

But guess what?

Jesus was the only perfect person.

Not a single human.

None of us are perfect, which means all of us sin.

But there is good news.

The Bible says that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us

our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Because of Jesus, we are forgiven.

We have a savior.

When you believe in him, you are chosen and holy.

In the Bible, Paul even calls Christians saints.

Whoa.

Wow.

I hope that you can think about that this week.

We have to stop for today.

Next week we'll pick up in the garden.

What do you think will happen with Judas?

We're going in next week to find out.

Thanks again for listening.

And as always, bye for now.