Lesson Summary:

Students will participate in a Bible Game Show that reviews and compares important Palm Sunday details from all four Gospels. Students will finish with a "Hoop-sanna" reflection game.

Scripture:

This particular workshop in the set will use all four Gospel accounts of the Palm Sunday story: 

Matthew 21:1-11 (includes the palms, doesn't include the stones), Mark 11:1-10 (no mention of Zechariah's prophecy), Luke 19:28-44 (includes Pharisee telling them to be quiet, and Jesus' reply that stones will shout, but doesn't mention palms and doesn't use the word "Hosanna"), and John 12:12-19 (brief, mentions people greeting Jesus with palms before he gets on the donkey).

Memory Verses referenced in the Bible Game Show:

“Hosanna to the Son of David!  Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” Matthew 21:9 

"Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, 'Teacher, rebuke your disciples!' 'I tell you,' he replied, 'if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.'"  Luke 19: 39-40

"As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, "If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes."  Luke 19:41-42  (This is the memory verse for the computer workshop.)

Objectives for the Rotation

See Bible Background at rotation.org for this set's complete list of objectives. 

Additional Objective for the Bible Skills & Games Workshop:

• Familiarity with the knowledge that the four Gospels often tell the same story with slightly different details.
  
  

Materials and Preparation

• Read the Bible Background and this lesson.
• Bibles
• Gameshow "buzzers" or sound props (bells, rattle, horn)
• Gameshow scoreboard (easel or whiteboard) -decorated with palms.
• Two or three non-bouncy balls, wide masking tape, marker, picture of Jesus, and either a hoop or decorated bucket for the "H-O-O-P--S-A-N-N-A" game.  * See the "Hoop-sanna" Reflection below for details of how to set-up your hoop area ahead of class.
• Paper, 8 ½” x 11” and markers to write answers on.
• Print this lesson's quiz questions (below).

Lesson Plan

This lesson plan assumes your students know something of the Palm Sunday story, but it will also get them digging into their Bibles. 

Open

Welcome your students and tell them about today's activities and subject. Don't introduce the story of Palm Sunday as you don't want to give away any of the quiz answers.  The Game Show is your Bible study. During parts of it they will need to read the story.

PALM SUNDAY GAME SHOW QUESTIONS

The game instructions are designed to keep certain students from dominating their team answers, and to emphasize different types of answering skills, including memory, and deducing the right answer through reasoning.  Some rounds have different ways of answering so that winning is not just about who's fastest.  Each team will need a way to be heard (buzzer, bell), and paper and marker to write down some of their answers. Point values are relative and rather unimportant. Make sure everyone feels like a winner. Play in teams of 2 to 3 players.  

For younger players, have a teacher/helper assist them in thinking about the answers, and give them clues.

1. Write down the names of the 4 Gospels.  (1 pt for every correct Gospel.)
[Matthew, Mark, Luke, John]

2. Now CIRCLE the Gospel or Gospels which have the story of Palm Sunday in them.  (1 pt for each correct. All four have it.)

3.  Write down 3 things, actions, or important points from the Palm Sunday Story.  (1 point per correct answer)

ROUND 2:  LIGHTNING ANSWER ROUND

Be the first to buzz in. ONLY when I say your team name, may your appointed captain answer for your team. If you get it wrong, I will say "wrong" and then all other teams can buzz in, wait to be recognized, then try to answer. Wait for me to recognize you before answering. If you shout out the correct answer without being called on, I will say, "too soon" and then other teams can buzz in to answer. 

1. What did Jesus ride on Palm Sunday?

2. According to Matthew, Mark and Luke, what did the disciples do once they brought the donkey to Jesus —before Jesus sat on it?  (they put their cloaks on it)

3. According to three of the Gospels, what one special word did the people shout when they saw Jesus riding on the donkey?  (Hosanna)

4. What was the name of the town Jesus was riding into?  (Jerusalem)
Hint: It was the capitol of Israel.

5. Why was Jerusalem so full of people, what were they doing there?  (it was Passover)
Hint:  It was a Jewish festival.

ROUND 3:  LOOK THEM UP & WRITE THEM DOWN

Teacher: List these four gospels for all to see: Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19,  John 12.

1. According Matthew 21: Jesus riding on the donkey was a sign that he was what?   There are TWO possible answers, and you MAY look them up.   I will award 3 points for each correct answer.  (humble and a king)

2. One of the four Palm Sunday stories in the Gospels does NOT contain the words, "Hosanna" or "palms."  Which one is it?   (Luke)

3. Three of the Four Gospels mention people spreading their cloaks on the ground before Jesus. Which one makes no mention of people spreading their cloaks?  (John)

4. What does the Hebrew word "Hosanna" mean?   (Save us, rescue us)

ROUND 4:  CLOSED BIBLES

1. All four Gospels recall the crowds shouting the following phrase. I will give you 2 points for each correct answer:
"__________is the one who comes in the name of ____________."  (Blessed, the Lord)

2. At the end of Luke's version of the Palm Sunday story, a group of people yells something at Jesus.  

(a) For two points: Who were those people?  (Pharisees)

(b) For two more points: What did they yell?  (Teacher, order your disciples to stop.)

(c) For three points: What answer did Jesus give them?  ("if these were silent, the stones would shout.")

(d) And finally, for two points:  After Jesus rode in through the gates of Jerusalem, he did something unusual, and then said, "if only they knew what really made for peace."  What did he do that was unusual? (he cried).   (Hint if needed: he was sad)

FINAL ROUND:

You can win a total of ten points for your final answer. After I hear all the answers, I will award the 10 points to the best answer, 7 points to the second best, 5 to the third best, and 3 to the fourth best. (Shorten if you have fewer than four teams.) You have two minutes to discuss and write down your answer.  

Here is the question:
It is easy to stand around waving and cheering for Jesus on Palm Sunday, but what things can you do to show him and others that Jesus really is your King and Lord?

"Hoop-sanna" Reflection

*Place a hoop or basket against the wall, label it "Believing Jesus is The One," and put a picture of Jesus beside it.

In front of the Hoop/Basket, place 3 masking-tape lines on the floor —one at 10', the second at 5', the third at 3' from the hoop.   Mark the 10' line with the words, "Only here for the fun parade." Mark the 5' line with the words, "Sort of paying attention and trying a little."  And the third line: "Trying to be regular with worship, prayer, study and service."  

Let everyone have two or three throws to see if they can get the ball into the basket/hoop.

The point: Believing in Jesus is harder when you stand back in the crowd.  Getting closer to Jesus —talking to him, letting his words guide your life, thanking him for what he has done to save you, —these are the things that will make your faith come alive.  

Ask your students to suggest other things that could have been written on the lines.

Final Hoop Reflection:  

Tell your students that there is something wrong with this Hoop game. Because, in fact, it is Jesus who reaches out to each of us. (As you say this next thing, walk the basket to the person standing at the far away line.)  It is Jesus who approaches us, and if we're receptive, he can un-harden our hearts, Jesus can give us the faith we hope for.  

And here's one more twist: maybe WE are the bucket/hoop, and Jesus is the one tossing the ball!   Some people really want Jesus and give him a big target to aim at. While others make their hoop small and hard to reach. (Demonstrate this by having the kid toss the ball to each other, one of them pretending to be a small hoop, then big hoop.) Amen?  Amen!

 Written by Ruth Wilcox and the Rotation.org Writing Team

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Printed from https://www.rotation.org