An Unexpected King
Jesus would be unlike any other king, evidenced by the prophecies such as in this week’s session. Kings do not ride on colts; they ride on stallions. At least “normal” ones do. Now, it is true Jesus will ride on a horse one day (see Revelation 19), but riding into Jerusalem on a colt was an exclamation mark that this Messiah, this King, was different. This king was humble in a greater way than many can grasp (see Philippians 2).
Jesus is a King like none other. He is the King of kings who rules perfectly, but He is also the King of kings who serves His servants. Which is the second big idea…
A Sacrificing King
Jesus would be a King who would not only be served, but who would serve others (see Isaiah 52-53). The way that this King would serve would be by sacrificing Himself—laying down His life for others. This is the exact opposite actions of the human kings Israel demanded of God. He had warned them that human kings call on their subjects to sacrifice on their behalf, not the other way around (see 1 Samuel 8).
Jesus is a King like none other. He is the King of kings who died to pay the penalty of sin for people who rebelled against Him so that they might be restored into relationship with God. Which is the third big idea…
An Eternal King
Earthly kingdoms come and go. The Romans had quite a kingdom for a good length of time, but it ended eventually. Kings even have shorter reigns, limited to their lifespans. But Jesus is different. He is the King who reigns with no end over a kingdom with no end.
Jesus is a King like none other. He is the King of kings who reigns eternally, and because of the sacrifice He made on our behalf, we are invited in to be part of His eternal kingdom. And our participation does not begin “then,” but rather “now”—the moment we trust in Christ. At that moment, we are given eternal life and are invited into the kingdom, the eternal guests who have become brothers and sisters of the King.
Preschool Tip: Don’t hesitate to keep things simple with preschoolers—focus on the promise that was made that Jesus would ride into Jerusalem on a colt, a sign of humility, and how He fulfilled that promise as part of the triumphal entry.
Kids Tip: Unlike where Jesus was born or who His ancestors were, this was one of the Messianic prophecies that could have been orchestrated. If you have time, anticipate some of your kids picking up on this—this prophecy might seem less impressive because of this—and address it. Let your kids know that when Jesus fulfilled this prophecy, He was declaring for all that He is the Messiah.
*Devo from Pastor Brian, from The Gospel Project.
#JesusJams for today!
---> And here's this week's story!!
Christ Connection: God was going to help His people and give them a different kind of king. Jesus is the King who came and rode humbly on a donkey, just as Zechariah said. Because Zechariah’s prophecy came true in Jesus, we can have hope and forgiveness of sins when we trust in Jesus.
If you have a bible at your house, turn to the book of Zechariah. Read it with your family this week! If you don't have one, that's okay! CLICK HERE.
OPTION 1: “I had a dream that I could ...” Invite the kids to sit in a circle with one kid in the middle. Provide enough chairs for everyone in the circle but not the kid in the middle. The middle kid will say, “I had a dream that I could ____,” and state something that she is able to do, tie her shoe, play an instrument, or another activity. The kids around the circle who are able to do that activity will move to find another chair. The kid in the middle must sit in a chair that becomes empty. Whoever is left standing will be the next “dreamer” in the middle of the circle. SAY • Sometimes we have strange dreams about things that are impossible to actually do. Other times dreams are very realistic. Our story today includes some visions that Zechariah the prophet had. His visions seemed really bizarre, but they actually pointed to future events.
OPTION 2: Pin the king on the donkey Print the “Donkey and King” printable and cut out the kings. Make small loops of tape to place on the back of each king. One by one, blindfold each kid, spin him around, and allow him to attempt taping a king to the donkey. The kid who gets the closest after each kid has had a turn wins. SAY • Zechariah prophesied about the coming Messiah by saying that Israel’s king would come into Jerusalem riding on a donkey. That doesn’t sound like a very grand entrance for a king. This exact prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.
OPTION 3: Roller races Use a piece of cardboard or wood to form a ramp from the table to the floor. Provide a variety of objects for the kids to try rolling down the ramp. Let the kids make predictions about which items will get to the bottom of the ramp the fastest. SAY • Some of these items rolled much slower than others. Sometimes it was easy to guess which things would get to the bottom first, but did any of the items surprise you? Sometimes we think we know exactly how God is going to make things work out. Sometimes He surprises us. God always keeps His promises, but we don’t always know when those promises will be fulfilled. God is infinitely wiser than we are. His timing is perfect. We can trust God in all things.
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