Passover/Seder – The Last Supper – Holy Communion

Video Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities:

"How Can We Celebrate the Passover?" DVD (Vision Video)

Overview: "Beth introduces Digger to the Passover seder meal, explaining the traditional foods and customs. Animation takes young viewers back to ancient times to explain the origins of the ritual meal and its customs. Christian children between ages five and ten will be reminded of their faith's Jewish heritage - that their Savior Jesus was a Jewish man whose last meal with his disciples was the Passover meal."

Scripture Reference:

Exodus 12:1-14, Luke 22:1-21

Lesson Objectives: -

children will:

• Know that Jesus celebrated a special last meal (a Passover Seder) with his disciples before his crucifixion.
• Learn that at the Last Supper, Jesus gave new meaning to the bread and wine.
• Understand that the Christian observance of Holy Communion began with this “Last Supper”. We celebrate Communion today to remember Jesus’ death and resurrection.
• Discover that Communion is a way to feel closer to God and to other people who believe in God.

Leader Preparation:

• Read the scripture ahead of time.
• Watch the DVD ahead of time.
• Gather the Materials

Materials List:

• Bible with Luke 22:7-22 bookmarked
• TV and DVD player
• DVD – “How Can I Celebrate Passover?”  (widely available)
• ELW with page 108 (right hand side) bookmarked – Words of Institution
• Journals
• Pencils and/or colors
• Snack items
• Crossword puzzle sheets available if the lesson runs short and Children’s bulletins for the Sunday of the common lectionary

Advanced Preparation requirements:

• Have the DVD ready to go.
• Pop the popcorn

Presentation

Opening- Welcome and Lesson Introduction:

Greet the children and introduce yourself.

SAY: Before we begin, let’s say this month’s Bible verse together: “This day shall be a day of remembrance for you. You shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord. . . . .” Exodus 12:14

Opening prayer:
Ask if any student would like to lead the group in prayer. If not, be prepared to open the class time with prayer.

SAY: Today we are going to talk about remembering.

Have everyone stand up. Ask them about the following items. If they remember, have them move to one side of the room. If don’t recall, have them move to the other side.

• You remember your first day of kindergarten.
• You remember what color shirt you wore last Tuesday.
• You remember what you had for breakfast this morning.
• You remember what you had for dinner last Monday.
• You remember the name of a friend.

SAY: It's hard to remember everything. There are some things that aren't so important to remember like what we ate for lunch. But there are other things that are very important to remember.

ASK: Can you think of important things that we need to remember? (allow a few answers)

View and Discuss the Video

SAY: Our Bible story today is about a time when Jesus told his disciples to remember him. Jesus and his disciples were sharing a special meal together, the Passover meal. It was the last time that Jesus would share a meal with his disciples. That’s why we call this meal the Last Supper. At this meal, Jesus gave his disciples instructions on how they could remember him. We’re going to watch the video first. When we are done, then we will read the story of Jesus Last Supper in the Bible.

Watch the DVD

View chapter 1 (about 3 min. 15 seconds long).
Pause after puppet Beth says, “It all began in the country of Egypt.” (When the cartoon starts showing the Israelites in Egypt.)

ASK: Had you ever heard of Maundy Thursday?
SAY: We celebrate Maundy Thursday in our church with a special church service.

View the rest of the movie skipping chapters 7 & 8 if time is short.
Stop after the narrator says, “Jesus loves you very much; he died and rose for you. (Picture shows empty tomb).

Say: Now we are going to read the story of the Jesus’ Last Supper from the book of Luke. (Luke 22:7-22) Read to students or let them take turns reading

Discussion:
ASK: What were the Beth and Digger celebrating: (Passover)

ASK: What was the meal they were preparing called? (A Seder)

ASK: What were some of the things that they were eating at the meal? (Parsley, salt water, hard boiled egg, **Stress the lamb, the wine, and the bread**)

ASK: They were told to eat a special kind of bread, what kind was it? (unleavened) What does that mean? (has no yeast) Why were the Israelites suppose to eat unleavened bread? (There wasn’t time to wait for the bread to raise because God wanted them to be ready to leave on a moment’s notice.)

ASK: What did they do to their homes so God would pass over and not kill the first born child or animal in the house? (They put the blood of the lamb on the door posts.)

SAY: At the Last Supper Jesus gave new meaning to the bread and wine of the Seder. Jesus took bread and asked his disciples to remember him. “Do this in memory of me” (vv 19)

ASK: Do we do something like this in our church where bread and a cup are shared with everyone, and we hear the minister say, “Do this in memory of me”? (Communion)

SAY: When we celebrate Communion, we are following Jesus’ example from the Last Supper in the Bible. The words spoken in church during Communion are the same ones Jesus spoke to his disciples at the Last Supper. We believe that Jesus is truly present in the bread that we eat and in the wine that we drink. During our closing this morning, I will read the words that Pastor Dean says before we take Communion.

ASK: What happens when we eat and drink food? (It gives us strength and gives us life. It becomes part of us). (Be prepared for any kind of answers on this one J - if “poop it out” comes up, deal with it – it’s part of God’s plan too.)

SAY: Just as what we eat and what we drink, so does Jesus become such a total part of us when we take Holy Communion.

ASK: What things do we have at our Communion table that were also in the Last Supper? (bread, cup)

SAY: We remember what Jesus did to free us from slavery to sin. Jesus’ body, like the bread, was broken for us when he died on the cross. The cup was a symbol of Jesus’ blood shed for us. Jesus blood on the cross was also like the blood of the lamb on the doorposts right before the Passover. The blood on the doorposts freed the Israelites from being slaves and the blood of Jesus on the cross freed us from sin.

Closing:
Say: At the Last Supper Jesus gave new meaning to the bread and cup. They no longer are just reminders of what God did to save the Hebrews in Egypt, but are what God did for the entire world when Jesus died on the cross. Jesus wants us to remember him when we break the bread, and eat with one another. In a couple years, you will be able to take Communion, but until then whenever you are at the Communion rail waiting for the Pastor’s blessing, think about all the things that make this meal so very special.

Journal Time – First of all, write this month’s Bible verse on the top of your page. Draw a picture of what you think the cup that Jesus used at the Last Supper looked like and what you think the bread looked like.

Question Time- If the students have any questions about Communion, this would be a good time to have them ask them. The wafers are either ordered from a church supply store or someone will bake special unleavened bread. The wine is ordinary wine but there is also apple juice available for those who prefer. There isn’t anything special about either the bread or the wine, but it is God’s Word and His Promise of forgiveness that makes our meal at the Altar so special.

Closing Prayer:
SAY: Next week you will be in a different room. Be sure and invite a friend who doesn’t go to Sunday School to come with you. You know, that’s what Jesus wants us do – to bring others to Him. Join hands, bow your heads, and close your eyes.
SAY: Before we pray the Lord’s prayer, I’m going to read to you from our hymnal what Pastor Dean (or any pastor for that matter) says before we take Communion. ELW pp 108
SAY: Let’s pray the Lord’s Prayer together.
† Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen

A lesson written by Diane from: Augustana Lutheran Church

St. James, MN