The Crown Of Thorns
Children's sermon
Speaking With Signs
Children's Object Lessons for Lent And Easter
Object:
A crown of thorns
Good morning, boys and girls. Perhaps you will remember where we left off last week with our story, but let me tell you a little bit about what has happened to Jesus since we left Him being taken out of Annas' house and over to the house of Caiaphas, another Jewish leader. Jesus had been shoved and pushed around from one place to another. He even spent a little time in the palace of Herod, a kind of Jewish king who worked for the Romans. All of these people were afraid to do anything. They knew what the people thought about Jesus and how much they loved Him; but they were also very sure that if they did not do something, the people would begin to follow Jesus rather than them. It was a terrible problem for the Jewish leaders. The only thing they could do was to get the Roman Governor, Pilate, to work with them and do to Jesus what they were afraid to do.
Pilate had a boss, too, and his name was Caesar. He was the most powerful ruler on earth. Caesar did not like any trouble in the places that he ruled, and he told his governors so. Their job was to keep the peace, see that the taxes were collected and the Roman law enforced.
Pilate knew that he could not have any trouble with the Jewish leaders. When Jesus was sent to Pilate, he suddenly wished that he was not the governor. Here was an honest man whom people loved and the leaders hated. He would have problems no matter what he did. He tried to get Jesus to say that He was wrong and to apologize, but of course Jesus would not do that. He finally gave up trying to change the mind of Jesus and gave Him back to the soldiers before crucifying Him.
The soldiers knew now that Jesus was going to die, and some of them were cruel men. They had a little game that they played with men who were going to die, and they took Jesus down into an area to play it with him. The game was called the "Game of Kings." Since many people believed that Jesus was the Messiah, the King of the Jews, the soldiers could hardly wait to play. There was only one difference. Jesus really was a King, but they did not know it. They took off His clothes and beat Him with a very harsh whip, and then while He was bleeding they put a scarlet red robe over him and a reed in his hand and pretended it was a royal scepter. Then the cruelest thing of all was when a soldier made a crown from a thorn branch and shoved it down on Jesus' head and began to chant, "Hail, King of the Jews. Hail, King of the Jews." Jesus, standing in the middle, was helpless while a group of soldiers made fun of Him with very cruel punishment. While He was bleeding and being tortured, He prayed to God for strength and courage. Jesus received what He asked for, and the soldiers could not get Him to break down and cry or ask for mercy. He stood there and forgave the soldiers for their evil and prayed for God to help Him.
When the soldiers had done everything they could think of, they took off the robe and put His own clothing back on His blood-stained back. They took away the scepter, but they left the crown of thorns on His head and marched Him back up the stairs and out to the crowd. He didn't look like the same man who had stood before the Governor only hours before, but He was even more determined to do what God asked of Him now than He was before.
The crowd was led by the Jewish leaders who chanted, "Crucify Him, crucify Him, crucify Him." It was terrible, but that is what happened. Jesus was led away to a hill called Calvary. On the way He carried a cross. Imagine what He must have looked like, bent over, bleeding through his clothes, and carrying that cross. But on top of His head was a crown, a crown of thorns.
I have a picture of a crown of thorns today to help you remember what happened to Jesus. The soldiers played with Him, mocked Him and even spit on Him. But even the crown of thorns is a sign for us that teaches us how much Jesus loves and forgives, even those who hate Him.
God bless you. Amen.
A crown of thorns
Good morning, boys and girls. Perhaps you will remember where we left off last week with our story, but let me tell you a little bit about what has happened to Jesus since we left Him being taken out of Annas' house and over to the house of Caiaphas, another Jewish leader. Jesus had been shoved and pushed around from one place to another. He even spent a little time in the palace of Herod, a kind of Jewish king who worked for the Romans. All of these people were afraid to do anything. They knew what the people thought about Jesus and how much they loved Him; but they were also very sure that if they did not do something, the people would begin to follow Jesus rather than them. It was a terrible problem for the Jewish leaders. The only thing they could do was to get the Roman Governor, Pilate, to work with them and do to Jesus what they were afraid to do.
Pilate had a boss, too, and his name was Caesar. He was the most powerful ruler on earth. Caesar did not like any trouble in the places that he ruled, and he told his governors so. Their job was to keep the peace, see that the taxes were collected and the Roman law enforced.
Pilate knew that he could not have any trouble with the Jewish leaders. When Jesus was sent to Pilate, he suddenly wished that he was not the governor. Here was an honest man whom people loved and the leaders hated. He would have problems no matter what he did. He tried to get Jesus to say that He was wrong and to apologize, but of course Jesus would not do that. He finally gave up trying to change the mind of Jesus and gave Him back to the soldiers before crucifying Him.
The soldiers knew now that Jesus was going to die, and some of them were cruel men. They had a little game that they played with men who were going to die, and they took Jesus down into an area to play it with him. The game was called the "Game of Kings." Since many people believed that Jesus was the Messiah, the King of the Jews, the soldiers could hardly wait to play. There was only one difference. Jesus really was a King, but they did not know it. They took off His clothes and beat Him with a very harsh whip, and then while He was bleeding they put a scarlet red robe over him and a reed in his hand and pretended it was a royal scepter. Then the cruelest thing of all was when a soldier made a crown from a thorn branch and shoved it down on Jesus' head and began to chant, "Hail, King of the Jews. Hail, King of the Jews." Jesus, standing in the middle, was helpless while a group of soldiers made fun of Him with very cruel punishment. While He was bleeding and being tortured, He prayed to God for strength and courage. Jesus received what He asked for, and the soldiers could not get Him to break down and cry or ask for mercy. He stood there and forgave the soldiers for their evil and prayed for God to help Him.
When the soldiers had done everything they could think of, they took off the robe and put His own clothing back on His blood-stained back. They took away the scepter, but they left the crown of thorns on His head and marched Him back up the stairs and out to the crowd. He didn't look like the same man who had stood before the Governor only hours before, but He was even more determined to do what God asked of Him now than He was before.
The crowd was led by the Jewish leaders who chanted, "Crucify Him, crucify Him, crucify Him." It was terrible, but that is what happened. Jesus was led away to a hill called Calvary. On the way He carried a cross. Imagine what He must have looked like, bent over, bleeding through his clothes, and carrying that cross. But on top of His head was a crown, a crown of thorns.
I have a picture of a crown of thorns today to help you remember what happened to Jesus. The soldiers played with Him, mocked Him and even spit on Him. But even the crown of thorns is a sign for us that teaches us how much Jesus loves and forgives, even those who hate Him.
God bless you. Amen.
