2025-06-08 Zealous

Introduction

AsImagine for a moment a soldier on a mission—he is prepared, focused, and ready. He does not go into battle lackadaisically. He's all in. There is no thought of turning back until he reaches his goal. Zeal drives him on.

"Zeal" isn't a word used very often in contemporary culture. When it is used, it's often used in a negative sense. People tend to be put off by a person who seems too passionate and intense. Or, we prepareare rightly alarmed by zealots who are fanatical in their destructive purposes. But when applied to teachGod thisand lesson,His let’perfect purposes, how right and good that He is zealous! To see God's reflect on the incredible zeal ofin God.action, Injust alook worldat where commitment often wavers, God demonstrates HisJesus' passionate and intense pursuit of His purposes.sinners. His zeal isn'tto justsave enthusiasm—it'sus took Him down a road of selfless humility and unimaginable pain and suffering. Yet He never wavered. Jesus would pursue His wholehearted dedication to accomplishing His perfect plans.

Today’s lesson helps children understand that God acts with His whole heart in everything He does. He is never half-hearted or lukewarm in His actions. We'll use the story of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem to illustrate how Jesus' zealous pursuit of God's plan of salvation demonstrates God's wholehearted commitment to us.

Our goal is to help children recognize that God's zeal is directed toward His glory and our salvation. We want them to grasp that Jesus was so committed to saving us that He was willing to choose the difficult path of the cross rather than the easy path of earthly kingship.

As you teach, pray that each child will understand the depth of God's commitment to them. May they see in Jesus' journey to the cross the picture of a God who pursues them with His whole heart, until it had been accomplished! But even beyond His zeal for saving us, is God's zeal for His glory—it is ultimate. In this lesson and maythe next, we will be explaining, as simply as possible, how God accomplished this ultimate goal through the act of loving and saving an unrighteous people.

Pray that the children would have hearts tuned in to receive the truths taught. Pray that their perceptions of Palm Sunday would go far beyond the traditional celebrations and songs. May they respondcome to realize the intense passion with wholeheartedwhich loveJesus andpursues devotion to Him.sinners.

Before Service

Ensure parents take their child to the restroom before bringing them to the children's area and use the QR code to sign in their child before the service.

Praise and Worship (15 mins)

Parents: The parent and child scheduled for this week will lead us in singing on Sunday. Please take time to practice the songs together at home, helping your child feel confident and joyful as they prepare to lead.

Prayer and Offering (5 mins)

Parents: Please encourage your children to bring an offering to church. You may help your child prepare by setting aside a coin for them to bring on Sunday. This is a great opportunity to teach them about giving to God with a thankful heart and trusting Him to provide.

What is Offering?

Offering is when we give something to God to show our love and thankfulness. In church, we often give money as an offering, but we can also give our time, talents, and kindness to God and others.

Why Do We Make an Offering?

1️⃣ To Thank God – Everything we have comes from God! Giving back is a way to say, “Thank You, God!”
2️⃣ To Trust God – When we give, we show that we trust God to take care of us.
3️⃣ To Help Others – Offerings help the church teach about Jesus, help people in need, and share God’s love.

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 9:7,
"God loves a cheerful giver!" That means God is happy when we give with a joyful heart!

Prayer for Offering

Dear God, thank You for giving us everything we need. We want to give back to You with joyful hearts. Please use our offering to help others and share Your love. Help us to always trust You. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Review Verse from Last Week

Psalm 145:8 (NIV) —'"The LORD is gracious and compassionate,merciful, slow to anger and richabounding in steadfast love.'"

Bible Story (10 min): God is Zealous

Introduction (1 min)

(Teacher holds up a piece of candy in one hand and a scrub brush in the other.)

"Okay,

• friends!

  “TheI've LORDgot two things here. One is gracious”

  a

  (Pointyummy upwardpiece toof representcandy "the Lord"🍬… and openthe handsother asis if giving a gift for "gracious")

• “and compassionate”

  (Place hands over heart to show "compassion")

• “slow to anger”

  (Move hands slowly and then make a calm-down motion)

• “and rich in love.”

  (Hug yourself to show "rich in love")

Supplies Needed

• Bible - Open to Isaiah 42:13 and Luke 19:30-38
• Candy - A small piece for demonstration
• Wash pail andthis scrub brush 🧽. Now let me ask you:

  If I gave you the choice to either eat this candy OR scrub the floor with this brush, what would you choose?"

  (Pause and look around. Raise your hand as you ask:)

  "Who would choose the candy? Raise your hand." (Wait a moment.)

  "And who would actually choose to scrub the floor?" (Some may laugh—wait for responses.)

  (Now, hold up the candy again with a smile.)

  "BUT—what if I told you that if you scrub the floor, you get something way better than this candy? Like… a dream vacation to anywhere you want, a brand-new bike, five awesome new games, $100, and all the candy you could ever want! THEN who would choose to scrub the floor?"

  (Let them react again. Emphasize the change in attitude.)

  "See? When something really matters to us—when the reward is big—we go for it with energy and excitement! We give it our best!"

  (Now crouch down and dramatically act out two versions of scrubbing: lazy and zealous.)

  "Would you scrub like this—'Ugh, I guess I have to'?" (Slouch and fake scrub slowly.)

  "Or like this—'Yes! I'm gonna do my best!'" (Scrub with enthusiasm, big energy.)

  "When we care about something, we don't do it halfway—we do it with our whole heart. That's called being zealous."

  "And did you know—God is zealous! That means when He does something, He gives it everything He's got. He acts with His whole heart."

  Story Telling (5 min) - ForThe demonstration

Zealous
• "Reward" visual - Picture showing various rewardsKing (vacation, bike, games, etc.)
• Palm leaf visuals - Paper palm leaves (one per child if possible)
• Throne chair - A chair draped with nice fabric
• Crown - A simple crown or picture of a crown
• Garbage pail - With crumpled paper to represent sin
• Letter Z visual - Large letter "Z" for "Zealous"
• Memory Verse - Isaiah 42:13 written on a slide or posterboard
• Craft supplies - "Z" worksheets, crayons, markers
• Game materials - Paper, sticks/straws, tape for palm leaf crafts

Additional Scripture References

• Isaiah 42:13 (NIV) - "The LORD goes out like a mighty man, like a man of war he stirs up his zeal; he cries out, he shouts aloud, he shows himself mighty against his foes."
• Luke 19:30, 35-38a38a)

  (NIV)Props -needed: Bible, palm leaf props or visuals, throne chair with cloth, crown, trash can with crumpled paper, jewelry box, "Sin" sign)

  "Okay kids, now I want to tell you a true story from the Bible. It's about the time when Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem—just days before He would die on the cross. Let's find out what happened!"

  Scene 1: Jesus Sends His Disciples

  "Jesus had spent three years helping people—He healed the sick, made blind people see, fed thousands of people with just a few loaves and fish, and even raised people from the dead!

  But now, something very important was about to happen. Jesus had a special mission—and it would take Him right into the city of Jerusalem."

  "Before entering the city, Jesus told two of His disciples something unusual."

  (Open the Bible and read slowly with expression)

  Luke 19:30 – "Go tointo the village ahead of you,you. and as you enter it,There you will find a colt tied there,up, whichone that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here..."

  (Pause and look at the kids.)

  "A colt? That's a young donkey! And that's exactly what the disciples did."

  (Continue reading)

  Luke 19:35-36 – "They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 'Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!'"

• Hebrews 12:2b (NIV) - "For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
• Psalm 69:9 (NIV) - "For zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me."

Bible Story (10 min): God is Zealous

Introduction (1 min)

(Hold up a piece of candy and a scrub brush with enthusiasm.)

Boys and girls, I have a question for you. If I gave you a choice between these two things—eating this delicious candy or scrubbing the floor with this brush—which would you choose?

(Let children answer briefly.)

Most of you would probably pick the candy because it's easy and fun! But what if I told you that if you choose to scrub the floor instead, you would get an amazing reward? You would get a trip anywhere you want to go, a new bike, five games, $100, AND all the candy you want! Now which would you choose?

(Let children answer again.)

If you knew you'd get that great reward, would you scrub the floor like this?

(Demonstrate scrubbing lazily, without energy)

Or would you scrub like THIS?

(Demonstrate scrubbing with great energy and enthusiasm)

When something is really important to us, we don't do it halfway—we put our whole heart into it! Today we're going to learn about a special word that describes how God acts. He always puts His whole heart into everything He does. This special word starts with the letter Z.

Story Telling (5 min) - Jesus Enters Jerusalem

(Open your Bible to Luke 19 and Isaiah 42:13. Have the throne chair covered and ready, the palm leaves, and a garbage pail with crumpled paper nearby.)

First, let's look at what the Bible says about God in Isaiah 42:13:

"The LORD goes out like a mighty man, like a man of war he stirs up his zeal; he cries out, he shouts aloud, he shows himself mighty against his foes."

What word beginning with Z do you hear in this verse? Yes, "zeal"! God has zeal. That means He acts with His whole heart—like a mighty soldier going into battle with energy and determination!

Now let's hear a story about how Jesus showed God's zeal.

Jesus had spent three years telling people about God and doing amazing miracles. He healed sick people, made blind people see, fed thousands of hungry people, and even made dead people come alive again!

Now Jesus needed to go to Jerusalem for a very important mission. Before entering the city, Jesus gave two disciples a special job.

(Read from Luke 19:30, 35-36.)

"Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here... They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road."

Scene 2: The Crowds Celebrate

The(Hold up a palm leaf prop or motion to a child holding one.)

"Crowds of people alsocame to welcome Jesus. They cut palm branches from the trees and laid them on the road.

(Show the palm leaves and invite children to wave them if you have enough.)

As Jesus rode into Jerusalem, the people were so excited! They shouted:even put down their coats—like rolling out a red carpet!"

"Let's say what they shouted together—repeat after me:"

'Blessed is the kingKing who comes in the name of the Lord!"

'

Let's(Say allit saytogether that2–3 together:times, "Blessedlouder iseach thetime. kingWave whopalm comesleaves inif the name of the Lord!"available.)

(HaveScene 3: The Throne or the childrenMission?

repeat

(Point to or uncover the phrase.)

The people thought Jesus had come to be their king—to sit on a throne andchair wear a crown.

(Uncover the "throne chair" and showwith the crown.)

It"Everyone would have been easy forthought Jesus was going to becomebe theking—sit kindon ofa kingthrone, thewear peoplea wanted.crown, Heand couldrule havewith power. That's what they wanted!"

"But Jesus had a comfortabledifferent thronemission. He wasn't going to sit on that throne—at least not yet."

Scene 4: The Garbage and athe beautiful crown. Everyone would have served Him!Treasure

But(Now Jesus knew there was something much more important to do. He had come to take awayuncover the sintrash ofcan with crumpled paper, and then the world.jewelry box behind it.)

"Do you see this trash? It's gross, right? It represents sin—all the things we do that go against God: lying, disobeying, being selfish."

(ShowHold up or point to the garbage'Sin' pailsign withand crumpledplace paper.it on the trash.)

Sin"And this beautiful jewelry box? That reminds us of how amazing and perfect God is—His glory."

"God is likeholy thisand uglybeautiful garbage.and Itvaluable—more separatesthan usany treasure. But because of our sin, we turned away from God.Him. And Jesus knew thatcame to savefix peoplethat. fromBut theirit sins,wouldn't be easy."

(Pause and look around the room.)

"The crowd gave Jesus a choice: 'Take the throne! Be our king!' Like giving Him candy."

(Remind them)

"But remember the choice earlier—scrubbing the floor for a better reward? Jesus did the hard thing because He wouldsaw needthe greatest reward: bringing glory to doGod somethingby verysaving hard.sinners Helike wouldyou needand tome."

die

Scene 5: Jesus Acts with Zeal

(Display the "Z-Zealous" visual or write the word on the cross.board.)

"Jesus coulddidn't choose the easy way—becomeway. anHe earthlydidn't kingquit when things got hard. He went to the cross. He suffered and died. And He did it with a crown—or He could choose the hard way—die on the cross to save us. What did Jesus choose?

Jesus chose the hard way! He was so zealous—so committed zeal—with His whole heart—heart."

"Because Jesus is zealous to save us from our sins that He was willing to suffersinners and die.

show

That'show what it means thatgreat God is zealous. He doesn't do things halfway or without energy. He puts His whole heart into saving us because He loves us so much!is."

Wrap-up & Discussion (4 min)

(SitHold withup the childrenZ-Zealous invisual a circleagain, or relaxedpoint posture.to the word on the board.)

Today"Let's weremember learnedwhat thatthis Godspecial isword zealous.means—zealous. ThatSay it with me:

Zealous means Hedoing actssomething with Hisyour whole heart."

(Repeat it together.)

"Was Jesus showedlazy God'sor zealhalf-hearted byabout choosingsaving the hard path of the cross instead of the easy path of being an earthly king.us?"

Just(Wait likefor kids to respond: "No!")

"Exactly! He was zealous. He gave everything He had—even His own life—so we could be forgiven and know God."

"Let me ask you would clean the floor with lots of energy if you knew you'd get a wonderfulfew reward,simple Jesus pursued God's plan with His whole heart because He knew the joy that would come from saving us!questions."

Ask❓Question a few gentle, reflective questions:1:

1. "What does it mean thatwhen we say God is zealous?"

   (Let a few kids answer, then summarize:)

   "It means He acts with His whole heart,heart—He withdoesn't energyhold back. He's strong, determined, and determination)

never
2. Whatgives hardup thingon didHis plans."

❓Question 2:

"Why didn't Jesus choosejust to do instead of becoming an earthly king? (Diesit on the crossthrone toand saveenjoy usthe fromcrown ourlike sins)the

Whenpeople youwanted?"

really

(Let lovethem something,respond.)

do

"Because youHe puthad yoursomething wholeeven heartgreater intoin it?mind: (Allowshowing childrenGod's toglory shareby examplessaving ofsinners thingslike they do with zeal)

us!"

(Bring❓Question it together with this summary.)3:

God's zeal means He doesn't do anything halfway. When He decided to save us, He was all in! Jesus was willing to leave heaven, come to earth as a baby, live a perfect life, and then die on the cross—all because He"What is zealousone toway saveyou us!

When we understand how zealous God is for us, it helps us want tocan be zealous for HimGod?"

too!

(Possible answers: praying, helping others, singing with joy, forgiving, being kind even when it's hard.)

"That's right! We can putbe zealous by giving God our whole hearts into best—loving God, obeying Him, and telling others about Him.

Here are some ways we can show zeal for God:

• Reading the Bible with excitement to learn about God
• Singing praises to GodHim with our whole heart
• Praying with enthusiasm
• Telling others about Jesus with courage
• Obeying God completely,heart, not halfway
just

going through the motions."

Remember,"Jesus Godwas doesn'zealous for you. He didn't justgive loveup, useven awhen littleit bit—hurt. He loves usacted with His whole heart!heart. HeAnd isnow, zealouswe forcan us!follow Him and do the same—loving Him and others with everything we've got!"

Memorizing Verse: Isaiah 42:13

Isaiah 42:13 (NIV)
"The LORD goes out like a mighty man, like a man of war he stirs up his zeal; he cries out, he shouts aloud, he shows himself mighty against his foes."

"Let's learn today'sour Biblespecial verse thatfrom the Bible. This verse tells us abouthow God'spowerful zeal.and Listenzealous carefully.God is!"

(Read slowly and clearly, pointing to the words if displayed):

💡 Break It Down & Explain

"Let's say it together—repeattogether afterwith me!some motions to help us remember it."

Step-by-Step with Hand Motions

(SayRepeat ineach shortline phrases2–3 andtimes havewith motions. Encourage the kids echo):

to

say

• "The LORD" (point upward)
• "goes out like a mighty man" (flex muscles)
• "like a man of war" (stand tall and strong)
• "he stirs up his zeal" (make stirring motionit with hands)
• "he cries out" (cup hands around mouth)
• "he shouts aloud" (raise hands up high)
• "he shows himself mighty" (flex muscles again)
• "against his foes" (make a pushing away motion)

(Say it again as a group with the motions.energy!)

Now✊ let's talk about what this means:

• "The LORD goes out like a mighty man"man,"
  -

  (Stomp Godone isfoot strongforward and powerful, likestrike a brave"strong soldier

man"
• pose – arms flexed)

  ✋ "like a man of war he stirs up his zeal"zeal;"

  -

  (Pretend Godto getsstir Hisa energybig andpot determinationwith ready

both
• hands, show a focused face)

  📢 "he cries out, he shouts aloud"aloud,"

  -

  (Cup Godhands isaround notmouth quietand orcall shyout aboutloudly: His"Shouts!")

  plan

💪

• "he shows himself mighty against his foes"foes."
  -

  (Raise Godone defeatsarm anythingin a victory pose, like holding a sword high)

"Let's say the whole verse now, with all the motions—ready?"

(Do the full verse once or twice as a group.)

Ask:

• "Who does this verse say is going out like a mighty warrior?" (The LORD!)
• "What is He stirred up with?" (Zeal! That means He acts with His whole heart.)
• "Can you think of something you do with that standskind againstof Hisenergy—like goodplaying plansoccer or finishing a big Lego set?"

"God acts with even more strength and purpose than that—because He's perfect. He fights for what's right, and He never gives up!"

Craft & Game (10 mins)

Craft:

Palm Leaf Parade Craft (5 min) - Zealous "Z" Project

Materials needed: Paper with large letter "Z" printed on it, crayons, markers, stickers

(Hold up a large printed letter "Z" and say cheerfully):

We're going to make a special craft to help us remember that God is zealous. 'Z' stands for Zealous!

I want you to decorate your "Z" with bright, vibrant colors and lots of energy—just like God's zeal! Inside your "Z," draw pictures of things that remind you of today's lesson—like Jesus riding into Jerusalem, palm leaves, or a soldier ready for battle.

Remember, zealous means doing things with your whole heart, so put your whole heart into decorating your "Z"!

(While kids draw, walk around and chat with them individually, prompting reflection)

• What are you drawing inside your "Z"?
• What's something you do with your whole heart, with lots of energy?
• Why do you think it's good that God is zealous?

(After 4–5 minutes, invite kids to share their art if time allows.)

These are wonderful! Your "Z" letters remind us that God is zealous and puts His whole heart into everything He does, especially saving us!

Game (5 min) - Palm Leaf Parade

SetupMaterials Needed (beforeper class)child):

• PaperPrinted palm leavesleaf (onecolouring per child if possible)page
• Strips of fabricCrayons or paper for "cloaks"markers
• ClearTape
space
• Stick/straw/chopstick (for childrenthe to move aroundstem)

Now"Do we'reyou goingremember towhat playthe apeople gamewaved calledwhen Jesus entered Jerusalem?"

(Let kids answer: "Palm Leafbranches!")

Parade!

"That's We'reright! goingThey towaved actpalm out Jesus' entry into Jerusalem with lots of zealbranches and energy!

shouted,

Each of you will get a palm leaf (or we'll take turns). When the music starts, we'll parade around the room waving our palm leaves with lots of energy—remember, we're being zealous!

Some of you will get fabric strips to be the "cloaks" that people laid on the road. You can place these on the floor for our pretend Jesus to walk on.

When the music stops, everyone shout "'Blessed is the kingKing who comes in the name of the Lord!"' withSo now, you get to make your wholeown heart!palm Thenleaf we'llto doremember itthat againspecial with even more zeal!day."

(PlayHold livelyup worshipa musicfinished andexample if you have children parade around the room with energy, stopping occasionally for them to shout the phrase. Encourage them to show more and more zeal each time.one.)

Wonderful"Go job!ahead Youand showedcolor your palm leaf however you like—green, rainbow, even glittery if you want! After you finish, I'll help you tape a lotstick or straw to the back so you can hold it and wave it just like the crowd did for Jesus."

(As children color, move around and help. Tape stems onto leaves when they finish.)

"These are more than just fun leaves—they remind us that Jesus is the King, but He came to do something much more amazing than wear a crown. He came to save us."

Once all leaves are done:

"Let's have our own little palm parade! Everyone grab your leaf, stand up, and repeat after me while we wave them:

'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of zealthe Lord!'

(Do this 2–3 times while marching in ourplace parade!or That'walking in a circle together.)

Game: Zealous Scrub Challenge (5 min)

Materials Needed:

• Towel, rag, or scrub brush
• A marked area of the floor (real or pretend)
• Optional: stopwatch or fun music for background

(Hold up the scrub brush or towel)

"Remember when I asked if you'd rather eat candy or scrub the floor?"

(Smile and wait for reactions.)

"Well now, it's your turn to show us how excitedsomeone scrubs the people werefloor when Jesusthey're camezealous—that intomeans Jerusalem.doing Andsomething Jesuswith showedtheir whole heart."

"I'm going to call one person at a time to come up here and scrub this pretend floor with all the energy and excitement they've got!"

"But no lazy scrubbing! We want to see the best, most determined, hardest-working scrubber ever—like you're scrubbing for the greatest reward in the world!"

(One at a time, call each child up and let them scrub for about 5 seconds. Cheer them on!)

"Wow! That was amazing! God is even more zealzealous whenthan that. When He chosedoes something—like saving us—He gives it everything. He doesn't quit. And we can follow His example by giving our best, too!"

"So today we learned that God is zealous. He acts with His whole heart. Jesus didn't take the easy road—He went all the way to die on the cross to saveshow us fromGod's love and glory. Let's remember to live for Him with our sins!whole hearts too!"

Response Song

Optional Activity: Zealous Heart Bookmarks

Materials needed (if time allows):

• Cardstock cut into bookmark shapes
• Markers and crayons
• Hole punch and yarn/ribbon
• Stickers (optional)

Let's make bookmarks to help us remember that God is zealous and acts with His whole heart! On one side of your bookmark, write the letter Z for "Zealous." On the other side, write our memory verse: "The LORD goes out like a mighty man, like a man of war he stirs up his zeal."

Decorate your bookmark with bright colors and designs that show lots of energy and zeal! When you use this bookmark, you'll remember that God is zealous for you!

Closing Prayer & Snack Time (10 mins)

Dear God,

thank

Thank You for being aso zealouszealous—for Godloving who actsus with Your whole heart. Thank You for lovingJesus, uswho sodidn't muchchoose thatthe Jesuseasy wasway willingbut gave everything to diesave on the cross for our sins.us. Help us to be zealous for You too—to love You and servefollow You with all our whole hearts. InHelp Jesus'us name,remember Amen.

that

NowYou let'sare enjoyworth our very best.

Now, let us thank You for the snack together! As we eat, let's thinkwe’re about oneto wayenjoy.
We wefold canour showhands.
We zealbow our heads.
We thank You, God,
for God this week.daily bread.
Amen.

Free Time & Children Pickup (15 mins)