2025-06-15 Deliverer

Introduction

ImagineSomeday for a moment a soldier on a mission—he is prepared, focused,we and ready.our Hestudents doeswill notstand gobefore intoKing battleJesus lackadaisically.and He'shear allHim in.say There is no thoughtone of turningthe back until he reaches his goal. Zeal drives him on.following:

Matthew 25:34b—"Zeal"Come, 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 are rightly alarmed by zealotsyou who are fanaticalblessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

Matthew 25:41—"Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."

Are you faithfully and diligently preparing your students for that day? What will determine whether they inherit the kingdom, or hell? We have no greater responsibility and privilege than to pass on the gospel to our students. It is the only means of salvation. If our students are to inherit the kingdom, they must embrace the gospel and trust in theirJesus. destructiveTherefore, purposes.we Butmust whengive appliedthe greatest care to Godpresent the true essence of the gospel—the whole gospel and Hisnot perfecta purposes,watered-down, howfeel-good, rightwarm and goodfuzzy, "made-just-for-children" gospel.

Because children are concrete thinkers, this lesson attempts to clearly, yet simply illustrate what Jesus' death on the cross accomplished for sinners who will put their trust in Him. On a larger level, and one that He is zealous!more Todifficult seeto grasp, this lesson points to God's zealultimate in action, just look at Jesus' passionate and intense pursuit of sinners. His zeal to save us took Him down a road of selfless humility and unimaginable pain and suffering. Yet He never wavered. Jesus would pursue His goal with His whole heart, until it had been accomplished! But even beyond His zeal for saving us, is God's zeallove for His glory—itglory is ultimate. In this lesson and the next, we will be explaining, as simply as possible, how God accomplished this ultimate goal through the act of loving andin saving an unrighteous people.people like us.

Pray that the childrenHoly Spirit would havebe mightily at work leading and guiding, giving children a true understanding of redemption. Pray for godly grief that brings about sincere repentance. Finally, through the proclamation of the good news of the gospel, pray that God would be pleased to bring about true saving faith in the hearts tuned in to receive the truths taught. Pray that their perceptions of Palmthese Sundayyoung would go far beyond the traditional celebrations and songs. May they come to realize the intense passion with which Jesus pursues sinners.ones.

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 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 —"The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding 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! I've got two things here. One is a yummy piece of candy 🍬… and the other is this 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) - The Zealous King (Luke 19:30, 35-38a)

(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 into the village ahead of you. There you will find a colt tied up, one 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."

Scene 2: The Crowds Celebrate

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

"Crowds of people came to welcome Jesus. They cut palm branches from the trees and laid them on the road. They even put down their coats—like rolling out a red carpet!"

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

'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!' (Say it together 2–3 times, louder each time. Wave palm leaves if available.)

Scene 3: The Throne or the Mission?

(Point to or uncover the throne chair with the crown.)

"Everyone thought Jesus was going to be king—sit on a throne, wear a crown, and rule with power. That's what they wanted!"

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

Scene 4: The Garbage and the Treasure

(Now uncover the trash can with crumpled paper, and then the 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."

(Hold up or point to the 'Sin' sign and place it on the trash.)

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

"God is holy and beautiful and valuable—more than any treasure. But because of our sin, we turned away from Him. And Jesus came to fix that. But it 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 saw the greatest reward: bringing glory to God by saving sinners like you and me."

Scene 5: Jesus Acts with Zeal

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

"Jesus didn't choose the easy way. He didn't quit when things got hard. He went to the cross. He suffered and died. And He did it with zeal—with His whole heart."

"Because Jesus is zealous to save sinners and show how great God is."

Wrap-up & Discussion (4 min)

(Hold up the Z-Zealous visual again, or point to the word on the board.)

"Let's remember what this special word means—zealous. Say it with me:

Zealous means doing something with your whole heart."

(Repeat it together.)

"Was Jesus lazy or half-hearted about saving us?"

(Wait for 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 a few simple questions."

❓Question 1:

"What does it mean when we say God is zealous?"

(Let a few kids answer, then summarize:)

"It means He acts with His whole heart—He doesn't hold back. He's strong, determined, and never gives up on His plans."

❓Question 2:

"Why didn't Jesus just sit on the throne and enjoy the crown like the people wanted?"

(Let them respond.)

"Because He had something even greater in mind: showing God's glory by saving sinners like us!"

❓Question 3:

"What is one way you can be zealous for God?"

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

"That's right! We can be zealous by giving God our best—loving Him with our whole heart, not just going through the motions."

"Jesus was zealous for you. He didn't give up, even when it hurt. He acted with His whole heart. And now, we can follow Him and do the same—loving Him and others with everything we've got!"

Memorizing Verse: Isaiah 42:13

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."

Bible Story (10 min): Jesus Our Deliverer

Introduction (1 min)

(Walk in slowly, looking tired and bent over slightly as you wear the chain or carry the heavy bag.)

"Whoa… I need to sit down. This is so heavy! Do you see what I'm wearing? (Pause for responses.) Yeah—it's a chain. It might look kind of cool, but honestly… it's really uncomfortable. I thought I could carry it, but now it's pulling on my neck and shoulders, and I'm getting tired."

(Try to shift the weight or pretend to struggle with taking it off.)

"I've tried pulling it off, but I just can't do it. It's stuck. It's way too heavy for me to remove on my own. Do you think you could help me?"

(Pick a child or adult helper to come remove it.)

"Phew! Thank you so much. That was such a relief!"

(Pause, then switch to a teaching tone.)

"Did you know the Bible says sin is a lot like that heavy chain? It weighs us down. It makes our hearts feel tired and dirty inside. And just like I needed help to get this chain off, we need someone to help us with our sin—someone to save us."

(Lean in a little and smile gently.)

"Today we're going to hear about how God sent a Deliverer—someone who came to take our sin away so we don't have to carry it anymore. Are you ready to find out who that is?"

Story Telling (5 min)

(Props Needed: A cross (cardboard or drawn), bag labeled "My Sin" (trash bag filled with paper or labeled), hammer and large nail (prop), whip (rope or soft strap as a visual), "God's Wrath" and "Death" signs (print or write on paper), optional: treasure box or something labeled "God's Glory")

"Earlier we talked about how sin is like a heavy chain. Well, the Bible tells us why that chain is so serious."

(Hold up the bag labeled "My Sin.")

"See this bag? It's full of paper that says things like, 'I disobey,' 'I lie,' 'I'm selfish,' 'I get angry,' and more. We all have sin in our hearts. Can you think of something you've done that wasn't right?"

(Allow 1–2 quick responses.)

"Romans 3:23 says, 'All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.' That means everyone has sin—not just a little, but a lot. And the problem is… we can't fix it ourselves."

(Hold up the "God's Wrath" and "Death" visuals)

"Because God is holy and just, He must punish sin. That punishment is called God's wrath. And the Bible says the right punishment for sin is death."

(Pause for a second.)

"That sounds scary, doesn't it? But here's the good news…"

(Smile and speak warmly.)

"God didn't leave us in our sin. He sent Jesus—His perfect Son. Jesus never sinned. Not even once. Not in His thoughts, His words, or His actions."

(Hold up the empty bag or gesture that Jesus carried no sin.)

"Jesus was completely righteous. That's why He could take our sin."

(Begin acting out the following with props)

(Place the bag of sin at the foot of the cross.)

"1 Peter 2:24 says, 'He himself bore our sins in His body.' That means Jesus carried all this sin—all your sin and mine—and brought it to the cross."

(Pretend to hammer the bag to the cross. Be gentle with the props, just for effect.)

"God poured out His wrath—not on us, but on Jesus."

(Hold up the "God's Wrath" sign and tape it or pin it to the cross. Then gently hit the bag with the whip while turning your face away.)

"God punished His own Son. Not because Jesus did anything wrong… but because He loved us."

(Hold up the "Death" sign and add it to the cross.)

"Jesus died… and took the punishment that we deserved."

(Step back, voice softens)

"But that's not the end. After three days, Jesus came back to life! He defeated sin and death."

(Point to an empty garbage pail or clear space.)

"So now, for anyone who trusts in Jesus, the punishment is gone. The sin is gone. The garbage is gone. The chain is broken."

(Hold up the "Deliverer" visual or point to the word.)

"Jesus is our Deliverer. He came to save sinners like you and me. He didn't just take our sin away—He showed us how great God is. Now we can be clean, forgiven, and loved forever if we trust in Him."

(Smile and end with this question.)

"Will you trust Jesus to be your Deliverer?"

Wrap-up & Discussion (4 min)

(Props Needed: Your crumpled "My Sin" sheet from earlier, optional: Empty garbage pile or bag from the Story Telling time)

(Hold up your crumpled "My Sin" sheet if available.) "Do you remember this? This was my sin sheet. I had to color over every part because I've sinned too. Just like you."

(Look around the room gently.) "All of us have sinned. And when we put our crumpled sheets in the garbage, it showed us something important—our hearts without Jesus are like that too. Messy, broken, and needing help."

(Point to the now-empty or closed garbage bag.) "But remember what Jesus did? He took all that sin, and He nailed it to the cross. He was punished in our place. And now… it's gone. That's what it means to be delivered!"

Ask the following questions slowly, giving room for short responses:

1. What does sin do to our hearts and lives? (Expected answer: Makes us dirty, separates us from God, we deserve punishment, etc.)

2. What did Jesus do with our sin? (Expected answer: Took it to the cross, was punished for us, died, etc.)

3. Why is Jesus the only one who can save us? (Expected answer: He never sinned, He's God's Son, He took our place, etc.)

"Jesus is the only one who can deliver us from God's punishment. He didn't wait for us to be perfect—He came while we were still sinners."

(Hold your hands out like giving a gift.)

"He offers us a gift: forgiveness and life forever with God. But every gift has to be received. We have to trust Him. That means we believe He really did this for us, and we want to follow Him."

Close with this invitation:

"If you want Jesus to be your Deliverer, talk to Him. You can pray and ask Him to forgive you, thank Him for dying for you, and tell Him you trust Him with your heart."

(Pause gently.)

"Let's take a moment now to thank Jesus in our hearts. I'll say a short prayer, and if you agree with it, you can say 'Amen' at the end."

Short Closing Prayer:

"Dear Jesus, thank You for taking our sin to the cross. Thank You for loving us so much that You died in our place. Help us to trust You as our Deliverer and to follow You every day. Amen."

Memorizing Verse: 1 Timothy 1:15a

1 Timothy 1:15a
"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."

"Now it's time to learn our specialmemory verse from the Bible.verse! This verse tells us howthe powerfulgood news we've been learning today. It's short, simple, and zealousso Godpowerful. is!"

"Let's say it together withfirst."

some

(Say it slowly, once without motions:)

"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." —1 Timothy 1:15a

"Let's break it down and add hand motions to help us remember it.remember."

Step-by-Step with Hand Motions

(Repeat each line 2–3 times with motions. Encourage the kids to say it with energy!)Motions:

✊✨ "TheChrist LORDJesus" goes(point outup with both hands) "This reminds us Jesus is God's Son who came from heaven."

✨ "came into the world" (make a big circle with your arms like a mightyglobe) man,"Jesus left heaven and came into our world because He loves us."

(Stomp one foot forward and strike a✨ "strongto man"save" pose(cross –your arms flexed)

over

✋your "chest like a manhug) of"This warshows hehow stirsJesus upcame histo zeal;rescue and embrace sinners."

✨ "sinners" (Pretendpoint to stir a big potyourself with both hands, show a focused face)

📢thumbs) "heWe criesare out,the hesinners shoutsHe aloud,came to save!"

(Cup hands around mouth and call out loudly: "Shouts!")

💪 "he shows himself mighty against his foes."

(Raise one arm in a victory pose, like holding a sword high)

"Let's sayput it all together with motions!"

(Lead the wholegroup slowly while saying each phrase with motions.)

✨ "Christ Jesus" (point up)

✨ "came into the world" (make globe)

✨ "to save" (hug motion)

✨ "sinners" (point to self)

Repeat it 2–3 times, getting faster or quieter each round to keep kids engaged.

"This verse now,is from 1 Timothy 1:15. It's trustworthy and true—you can believe it with all theyour motions—ready?"

heart!

(DoLet's theremember fullit versethis onceweek. When you feel bad or twicemess asup, aremember: group.)

Jesus

came

to

Ask:

save

sinners—and
• "Whothat 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.)
• "Canincludes you think of something you do with that kind of energy—like playing soccer 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!me!"

Craft & Game (10 mins)

Craft: Palm"Jesus LeafTook ParadeMy Sin" Cross Craft (5 min)minutes)

Materials Needed (per child):

• PrintedA palmpre-cut leafpaper colouringcross pageshape (can be printed or cut from cardstock)
• A small red heart shape (construction paper or sticker)
• Glue stick
• Crayons or markers
• Tape
Optional:
• Stick/straw/chopstickStickers (or gems for the stem)decoration

"DoNow youthat we've learned how Jesus is our Deliverer, let's make something to help us remember what the people waved when Jesus entered Jerusalem?"

(Let kids answer: "Palm branches!")

"That's right! They waved palm branches and shouted, 'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!' So now, you get to make your own palm leaf to remember that special day.it."

(Hold up a finishedsample example if you have one.craft.)

"GoThis ahead and color your palm leaf however you like—green, rainbow, even glittery if you want! After you finish, I'll help you tapeis a stickcross. orJesus strawwent to the backcross soto take our sin. And this heart reminds us that He did it because He loves us. Even though we don't deserve it, Jesus gave us His forgiveness and love."

"Let's decorate our crosses. Write your name on the back, and on the front, you can holdwrite: it'Jesus is my Deliverer' or 'Christ Jesus came to save sinners' (1 Timothy 1:15a)."

"Then glue the red heart in the center of the cross. That's to show how Jesus gave His heart for you."

"While you decorate, think about how thankful we are that Jesus takes our sin and wavegives itus justHis like the crowd did for Jesus.love."

(As children color, moveWalk around and help.encourage Tapekids stemsindividually. ontoPraise leavestheir when they finish.creativity.)

"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 the Lord!'

(Do this 2–3 times while marching in place or walking in a circle together.)

Game: Zealous"Chain ScrubBreaker ChallengeRelay" (5 min)minutes)

Materials Needed:

• Towel,1 rag,paper chain per team (3–5 links each, labeled with simple sins like lying, disobeying, selfishness)
• Tape to hold chains together
• Space for teams to run or scrubwalk brush
in
• Aa markedstraight area of the floor (real or pretend)
• Optional: stopwatch or fun music for backgroundline

Setup: Divide kids into teams of 3–5. Give each team a paper chain and line them up.

(Hold"Who upremembers thewhat scrubsin brushis orlike? towel)

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

(Smile and wait for reactions.)

"Well now, it'That's yourright—like turna toheavy show us how someone scrubs the floor when they're zealous—that means doing something with their whole heart.chain!"

"I'mNow we're going to call one person atplay a timegame tocalled comeChain up here and scrub this pretend floor with all the energy and excitement they've got!Breaker!"

"ButHere's nohow lazyit scrubbing!works: WeEach wantteam tohas seea thepaper best,chain. most determined, hardest-working scrubber ever—like you're scrubbing for the greatest reward in the world!"

(One at a time, callyou'll eachrun childto upthe front, break one link off the chain, and letthen themrun scrubback forto abouttag 5the seconds.next Cheerperson."

them

"When on!your team has broken all the links, everyone shouts together: 'Jesus is our Deliverer!' Ready?"

(Start the game. Keep energy high, cheer all teams on.)

"Wow!Great Thatjob, waseveryone! amazing!We God is even more zealous than that. When He does something—like saving us—He gives it everything. He doesn'can't quit.break Andthe wechain canof followsin His example by givingon our best,own, too!"

"So today we learned that God is zealous. He acts with His whole heart.but Jesus didn'tcan. take the easy road—He went all the way to the cross to show us God'That's lovewhy and glory. Let'He's remember to live for Him with our whole hearts too!Deliverer!"

Response Song

Closing Prayer & Snack Time (10 mins)

"Dear God,

Jesus,

Thankthank You for being soour zealous—for loving us with Your whole heart. ThankDeliverer. You for Jesus, who didn't choosetook the easyheavy wayweight butof gaveour everythingsin so we don't have to savecarry us.it anymore. Help us to bealways zealousremember for You too—toYour love You and followto Youshare this good news with allothers. our hearts. Help us remember that You are worth our very best.Amen."

Now, let us thank You for the snack we’re about to enjoy.
We fold our hands.
We bow our heads.
We thank You, God,
for this daily bread.
Amen.

Free Time & Children Pickup (15 mins)