Stories of Jesus for Children 2 - Palm Sunday

Do you remember how the ordinary people loved Jesus? Can you remember why? And can you remember that the important people hoped Jesus would get into big trouble?Jesus and his friends had been keeping away from the big city of Jerusalem, because that’s where the important people lived. If he kept away from them, he should stay out of trouble.
But suddenly one day, Jesus decided to go right into Jerusalem to celebrate the big festival of Passover. His friends thought he was mad! ‘You’re going to get into big trouble!’ they said, but Jesus knew it was time to go, and he got ready.He sent some friends to borrow a donkey, and he rode right into the city on the cute little animal. The ordinary people came out to meet him and were so happy to see him!They treated him as if he was a king, but a king on a cute little donkey instead of on a big, white war horse! They gave him a king’s welcome, waving branches of palm trees like flags, and putting down their coats in the road for the donkey to walk over.
Don't do this with your coat, please!

The ordinary people were happy to see King Jesus. But the important people were angrier than ever. Jesus had put himself in danger by coming into the city.

Activity idea: find something to wave ( leaves, flags, your coat?) and shout 'Hosanna', which is what the children shouted when Jesus rode into Jerusalem. It means 'Save us', because they were sure Jesus was a king who would save them from their enemies. If you have a toy donkey, get it out and let it ride over leaves and coats!

jQuestion for younger children: The children in Jerusalem waved tree branches. What would you wave if Jesus was coming into your town?

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Question for older children: Would you be pleased to see Jesus coming into your town? Why, or why not?
Question for anyone still paying attention: Why on a donkey, not a horse?

Guess where..?

As I looked at this cropped detail, which I really like, it struck me that it's impossible to work out the scale or even the material of which it's made. So here's the guessing game for today: guess the origin of this photo! Answer at the bottom of the post...So today is Palm Sunday, and my parents' church, having a traditional building, provided an illustration of the first Palm Sunday for my post! Jesus, riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, instead of the war horse everyone expected. This doesn't look like my image of Jesus, mind you. Does it match your expectations?
The children were given real palm branches (someone, somewhere, has a well-trimmed tree) and waved them enthusiastically, just as you can see in the stained glass window above.

Here are two beautiful lily borders from another window in the church...

And this is the answer to the guessing game - it's the balcony in the church. Really beautiful, isn't it? The church was built in 1823, so I presume this decoration, and maybe the colour too, are original.

I sometimes find the high ceilings and imposing architecture quite daunting in traditional church buildings, so I enjoy finding the little details, and feeling the link back to the craftspeople who made them.

Tomorrow: SHOPPING!