Jesus Gave the Great Commission

Thank you for continuing this journey of The Gospel Project^® for Kids. This week, we will learn about Jesus giving the Great Commission in Matthew 28:16-20 and Mark 16:15-16.

After Jesus’ death and resurrection, He appeared to His disciples over a 40 day period. At one point, He appeared to over 500 disciples. Then He appeared to James, His half-brother, and the rest of the apostles. (1 Cor. 15:5-7) During that time, Jesus taught them about the kingdom of God. (Acts 1:3) Some disciples wondered if Jesus was going to restore the kingdom of Israel. (Acts 1:6)

But Jesus and the Father had another plan for the disciples. Jesus directed the Eleven to go to a mountain, where He appeared to them again. When Jesus appeared, they worshiped Him, but some still doubted. (Matt. 28:17) Before we condemn the disciples who doubted, remember they had not yet received the Holy Spirit. (Luke 24:49) Without the Holy Spirit, the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. (1 Cor. 1:18)

On the mountain, Jesus gave His disciples the Great Commission. First, Jesus stated that all authority had been given to Him. Before the resurrection, Jesus had authority as God the Son. Through the resurrection, however, the Father gave Jesus far more than even Satan had promised. (Matt. 4:8-9) Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, God subjected everything to His beloved Son. (See Heb. 2:5-9.)

Jesus commanded His disciples to go into the world and preach the gospel, the good news about Him. The Great Commission is not just for missionaries far from home. All believers are called to share the gospel with others, to teach them to obey God’s commands, and to baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus finishes His commission with a profound promise: “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20).

The good news about what Jesus has done to rescue us from our sins is too great to keep to ourselves. Before Jesus went back to heaven, He gave the disciples a job to do. Jesus wants His followers to teach people everywhere about Jesus so they will trust in Him as their Lord and Savior.

Reinforce learning with the following activity:

Make a list as a family of all the things you like to talk about with family or friends. Beside that list, make a list of the people you see often that you talk with or could talk with. Read Matthew 28:16-20. Discuss how you might talk about Jesus with the people on your list.

Jesus Served Breakfast by the Sea

This week’s Bible account is found in John 21:1-19.

After Jesus’ resurrection and His appearance to the disciples, seven of the disciples returned to Galilee, near the Sea of Galilee. It was the same sea where Jesus had called four of His disciples, promising to make them fishers of men. (See Luke 5:1-11.) Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples decided to go fishing. Perhaps they felt it prudent to return to the fishing business since Jesus had died and resurrected. Their stint as His disciples was apparently over—or so they thought!

In Bible times, nighttime was the preferred time for fishing. Fish caught at night could be sold fresh in the morning at market. But at daybreak, the disciples had caught nothing. Jesus stood at the shore, but the disciples did not know it was Him. He called to them, “Men, you don’t have any fish, do you?” (John 21:5). Then He encouraged them to cast their net on the right side of the boat. They obeyed, and they were unable to haul in the catch because of the large number of fish.

John, the disciple Jesus loved, knew right away who He was. “It is the Lord!” John exclaimed. Immediately, Peter tied his outer garment around him and jumped into the sea, swimming to shore about 300 feet away. When the other six disciples arrived in the boat, they found Jesus sitting beside a charcoal fire with fish and bread. “Come and have breakfast,” Jesus said. Jesus ate with His disciples, then turned to Peter.

John 21:15-19 describes Peter’s restoration. The disciple who had told Jesus that he would die for Him (Luke 22:31-34) had denied Jesus three times. (Luke 22:54-62) Jesus asked, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” Peter responded, “Yes, Lord. You know that I love you.” Jesus told Peter to feed His lambs. Two more times Jesus asked this question, and on the third time, it grieved Peter. “Lord, You know everything! You know that I love You,” Peter said. (John 21:17) “Feed My sheep,” Jesus said again, and then told Peter how Peter would die to glorify God. “Follow Me!” Jesus said. (John 21:19)

Jesus’ plan for the disciples did not end with His death and resurrection. When Jesus first called the disciples to follow Him, Jesus had promised to make them fishers of men. Instead of catching fish, they would tell people about Jesus. (Luke 5:1-11) The disciples had left Jesus when He was arrested, but Jesus still wanted to use them in God’s plan to rescue people from their sin. Jesus is a Lord who forgives us and makes things right again.

When Jesus was arrested, His closest friends ran away. Jesus showed them that He had forgiven them, He still loved them, and He wanted them to follow Him. Sometimes we make mistakes, but that doesn’t mean that God no longer wants to use us in His plan! Jesus is a Lord who forgives us and makes things right again.

Jesus Appeared to the Disciples

This Sunday in The Gospel Project^® for Kids, our journey takes us to Jesus’ appearance to the disciples in Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-29; and Acts 1:3.

Perhaps one of the most gracious things Jesus did after His resurrection was appear to the disciples, proving He was alive. The disciples were devastated to see that Jesus had died. How could He save them if He was dead? Even though Jesus had foretold His death and resurrection (Matt. 20:17-19), Jesus’ disciples believed by seeing.

Jesus showed the disciples His hands and His side to prove He was not a ghost. He had a real, physical body. Then He spoke to them: “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (John 20:21). This verse contains the Gospel of John’s version of the Great Commission. Jesus, the One sent from the Father, was now sending the disciples to be His messengers and representatives. Jesus equipped the disciples with the Holy Spirit to proclaim the gospel.

Thomas, who was not with the disciples when Jesus came, had a hard time believing that they saw Him. Thomas wanted physical proof—and that is just what He got! Jesus showed Thomas His hands and His side. Thomas immediately believed.

Jesus’ resurrection proved that God was satisfied with Jesus’ blood sacrifice for sins and that God’s new covenant had begun. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul addressed how the resurrection is essential to the gospel. In verse 17, Paul writes, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.”

If Christ had remained dead, His death would have meant nothing more than yours or mine. Humanity would still be without hope. Jesus’ resurrection gives us hope that we one day too will be raised and changed. God gives us victory over death through Jesus. Emphasize to the kids you teach that Jesus is alive! Share with them that they have a special purpose: to tell others that Jesus is alive. He reigns today as King over all of creation.

Use the following activity to reinforce Bible learning this week. Provide a bag of dried beans and a bucket. Guide kids to pour what they think is 500 beans onto the table. Help kids count the beans after they have poured them, collecting all the beans in the bucket. Explain that Jesus appeared to more than 500 people after He rose from the dead. Ask kids if they would believe something that 500 different people told them had happened. Review Luke 24:36-43. We know that Jesus is alive today!

The Triumphal Entry

Even though we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus earlier this month, in our chronological study of the Bible, we have reached the Biblical account of the crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord. It is a good time to remind ourselves, absent many of the events associated with the Easter holiday, that Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins, and that He was raised from the dead, making a way for us to be saved into eternal life with Him.

Thank you for continuing this journey of The Gospel Project^® for Kids. Sunday’s Bible account focuses on The Triumphal Entry (Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; John 12:12-19). The Sunday before Easter is Palm Sunday—the day Jesus entered Jerusalem as the King of kings the week before Passover. Many of God’s people traveled to Jerusalem for Passover. Jesus and His disciples traveled to Jerusalem as well. Near Bethphage (BETH fayj) and Bethany near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples ahead into a village. Jesus told them, “You will find a young donkey tied there. No one has ever sat on it. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone says to you ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’” Jesus was going to fulfill a prophecy by the prophet Zechariah that said, “Look, your King is coming to you, gentle, and mounted on a donkey.” (Zechariah 9:9)

Jesus made a spectacular entrance into the city. He rode a donkey, and people laid branches and their robes on the ground in front of Him. The people welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem believed He was the promised Messiah, but they expected Him to overthrow Roman oppression and set up an earthly throne. Jesus sent a different message.

Jesus entered the temple and turned over the tables of the moneychangers and those selling doves. Read Isaiah 56:6-7. Jesus referred to Isaiah, declaring that His kingship would not just be over the Jews but over all people. While Jesus was in the temple, He healed the blind and the lame. Check out the words of Isaiah 35:4-6. Jesus’ actions declared, “I am not just your King; I am also your God.”

Finally, the priests and the scribes heard the children worshiping Jesus as their King. “Do You hear what these children are saying?” they asked. Jesus replied, quoting Psalm 8:2: “Have you never read: You have prepared praise from the mouths of children and nursing infants?” Jesus gladly received their praise because He was worthy of their praise.

As we prepare for and celebrate Easter, help kids connect the dots between God’s promises of a Messiah and Jesus’ coming. Help them understand why Jesus came: to save the world from sin!

Use the following activity with your children to revisit the Bible content for the week: Conduct a parade through your home. Allow one child to march around while other family members wave their arms and show excitement as he marches by. Read Luke 19:28-44 and remind kids that people welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem as King! Talk about ways that others can see that Jesus is King in your life.

The Last Supper

This Sunday in The Gospel Project^® for Kids, our journey takes us to The Last Supper in John 13–17. Although this is the same event as we focused on last week, this week we are emphasizing Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. Our story starts when Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, approached the religious leaders. (Matthew 26:14-16) For 30 pieces of silver, Judas agreed to betray Jesus. Hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth, David prophesied the Messiah would be betrayed by a close friend—one who broke bread with Him. (Psalm 41:9) Jesus knew Judas Iscariot’s true motivations from the moment Jesus called him to be a disciple.(John 6:70-71; 13:18-19; 17:12) Jesus’ death and resurrection was God’s plan from the very beginning. (Acts 2:23)

During the Passover meal on the night He was betrayed, Jesus did something very unusual. Knowing that His death was near, Jesus washed His disciples’ feet—even the feet of Judas. (See John 13:2-11.) Jesus set forth an example of love and humility for His disciples to mirror in their own actions towards each other. (John 13:14-16)

After Judas left to betray Jesus, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him” (John 13:31). He told His disciples He would prepare a place for them (John 14:1-4), promised that the Holy Spirit would come to them (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:7-14), warned them about the trials they would face as His followers (John 16:1-4, 33), and encouraged them through prayer (John 17:9-19). Jesus also prayed for all who would believe the gospel from their testimony. (John 17:20-26) Then Jesus led them to the garden where He was betrayed and arrested.

In the Old Testament, God made a covenant—or promise—with His people. He gave them commandments to follow so they could live in right relationship with Him. God’s people broke the covenant. They didn’t obey God, and they didn’t love Him. Jesus made a new covenant by dying on the cross. He brought forgiveness and made the way for people to know and love God again.

When believers participate in the Lord’s Supper, they remember the last night of Jesus’ life, when He prepared to take God’s wrath upon His sinless shoulders. Believers also proclaim His death and resurrection until He returns for His church, like He promised. (John 17:24;1 Corinthians 11:26)

Use the following activity with your family to reinforce learning:

Begin your time with prayer. Review John 13–17. Using a pitcher of water, a bucket, and a towel, wash your family members’ feet. Remind kids that Jesus washed His disciples’ feet at the last supper. There were no paved roads in Jerusalem, and everyone walked everywhere they went. Feet were probably stinky! Normally, the least powerful person in a household would wash feet, but in this story, Jesus, who has the power of God, humbly washed His disciples’ feet.

The Widow's Gift

This Sunday’s Bible account comes from Mark 12:41-44 and Luke 21:1-4, and it focuses on the widow’s gift. While Jesus was in Jerusalem in the days leading up to the Passover, He often taught in the temple complex. The scribes and Pharisees questioned Jesus in hopes of tricking Him into saying something that would provoke the Romans against Him (Luke 20:20) or would make Him seem like a blasphemer. But all their questions simply proved that Jesus, the Son of God, had a wisdom and authority that could only come from God. (Matthew 22:46; Mark 12:34)

After warning the people against the scribes, Jesus sat down where He could watch people give their offerings. The treasury of the temple was located in the women’s court. Thirteen trumpet-shaped receptacles were set up to receive donations, purification offerings, and the half-shekel tax. Jesus watched as the wealthy put large sums of money in the offering boxes. Then a poor widow put in two small copper coins.

Jesus summoned His disciples and remarked, “I assure you: This poor widow has put in more than all those giving to the temple treasury” (Mark 12:43). Undoubtedly the disciples were astonished. The widow had given the smallest amount of currency in Jesus’ time. Hadn’t Jesus noticed all the others giving more?

The widow was desperately poor. Jesus mentioned that she had given everything she had to live on. The woman, who should have been a recipient of charity, instead gave to God, trusting Him to take care of her needs. The wealthy people, however, had given out of their surplus. They gave a lot of money, but it did not really “cost” them much.

Jesus gave up everything He had in heaven to come to earth and save us from our sins. Jesus even gave up His own life, dying on the cross in our place. When Christians know and love Jesus, we can serve Him as the Lord of our lives. Out of love for Jesus, we offer everything we have. God takes care of His children and rewards those who seek Him. (Matthew 6:31-33; Mark 10:29-31; Hebrews 11:6)

Continue the conversation with the following activity:

Ask each family member to go get the best gift he or she has been given recently. Guide each family member to show and tell about the gift, explaining why it is the favorite. Remind kids that everything we have is a gift from God. Read Mark 12:41-44. Discuss ways you can serve Jesus with what you have, no matter how much or little.