Hosanna! Jesus is King 3-6 Lesson

Kids' Corner 3-6 Grade Children's Church / Sunday School Lesson

Title: Hosanna, Jesus is King!

Verses:

John‬ ‭12:13,‬ “They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!””

Matthew 21:15-16, “But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant. “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?”

Objective: Kids will learn that Jesus is the King who deserves our bold praise. They will understand that even when others are uninterested or make fun of their faith, they are called to be brave and proud by honoring Him through both their hearts and their actions.

Spark

Holy Week Picture Sequence

Directions: Ask the children to put the pictures in chronological order (what happened first, second, etc.) Have volunteers share why they chose their order. Briefly explain the order: Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Resurrection Sunday (Easter).

Transition: Ask the students, "If a world-famous athlete, a king/queen, or the President were coming to our town today, how would people prepare? What would the 'red carpet' look like?

Today is Palm Sunday, a very special day in history: 2,000 years ago, Jesus had a "Grand Entrance" into Jerusalem, but it wasn't exactly what people expected for a King. Why is this day so important that we still celebrate it 2000 years later? Let’s find out!

Scripture

Open your Bible to John‬ ‭12:13

Read: “They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!””

Explain:

2000 years ago, Jesus headed to Jerusalem. People heard He was coming—the one who heals the sick and raises the dead!
Jesus rode a donkey to fulfill prophecy (Zechariah 9:9)
People cut down palm branches and laid them on the ground. This is how they welcomed kings and conquerors (leaders who had won battles).
They shouted “Hosanna!” (meaning Savior) and praised Him as the King who came to save them.
This is how they praised Jesus as King!!! (Palm branch = praise as king, “Hosanna” = as Savior). Why? Because the King was coming to save them! The people thought that Jesus was only saving them from their government leaders; but we know Jesus came to save us from our sin!

Matthew 21:15-16

Read: “But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant. “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?”

Explain:

In the temple, children just like you were praising Jesus loudly! Even when some men told them to be quiet, Jesus looked out for them, saying “praise comes from the lips of children”.
The children didn't stop praising because they knew Jesus was King. They were thankful for all of the wonderful things He was doing! They were brave and proud! They are remembered 2000 years later for how they honored King Jesus!

Ask:

"How do we honor the King of all kings?"
- Encourage the kids to wave their hands high like palm branches and use their voices to praise Him! Remind them we use our hands, our lips, and our hearts too!
- Every day in every situation we praise the Lord because He is worthy. We thank Him for always teaching us and being with us.
Do we only honor Jesus (the King) when we feel like it or want to?
- We honor Jesus all the time because He is the King who deserves our praise, so we don’t let distractions—like a bad mood, feeling discouraged, being busy with sports and school, or even the fear of what our friends might think—stop us from honoring Him.

Activity

Craft: Construction Paper Palm Branch

To see an example of this craft please go to Kids Corner Pinterest

Explain: Kids will create a palm branch as a reminder that Jesus is King and they will honor and praise Him!
Kids will write “Hosanna!” down the center. On each palm frond, they will write a way that they will honor and praise Jesus. (Take time to pray, read their Bible, thank God for something that He did for them or their families this week, etc.)

Game 1: True/False: Have kids use thumbs up/down (or stand up/sit down) for these statements:

People laid down palm branches because they were trying to grow a palm tree. (False – they were honoring Jesus as King)
When the men came who wanted the children to be quiet, the children stopped praising Jesus. (False – The children were brave and proud of Jesus. They didn’t stop praising Him!)
Jesus wants us to honor Him as King. (True)
We can honor King Jesus with our hands, our lips, and our hearts. (True)
This special day we are celebrating today is called Christmas. (False – It’s Palm Sunday)
Jesus rode a horse into Jerusalem. (False – it was a donkey)
The people shouted “Hosanna” to praise Jesus. (True)

Live

Ask: This week, when you're at school or practice and it’s not 'popular' to talk about God, how can you be like the children in the temple?

Prayer Focus: Thank the Lord for the authority of Jesus and for every powerful thing He has done and continues to do in our lives today. Praise Him because He is the King who deserves all our honor – commit to being brave and bold in our faith—never letting anything stop us from praising Him.

Materials / Supplies Needed: