80. The Last Supper
Mark 14:12-26Background Scripture (read 2-3 times during the week)
Matthew 26:17-30, Mark 14:12-26, Luke 22:7-30, John 13:1-3
Story Summary
The Last Supper occurs in all 4 gospels with varying degrees of details. We are choosing the Mark version as the basis for this lesson because it is the most concise and contains most of the elements of this story. We strongly encourage you to read all 4 gospel accounts in your preparation.
There are several parts to this story that paint the whole picture:
- Jesus and his disciples were entering Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover meal. This meal was celebrated by Jews since the Exodus and the plague of the firstborn. The symbolism here is very important. Jesus will soon become the ultimate passover lamb, the one whose blood would cause God's judgment to "pass over" all those who would believe in him.
- Jesus sent two disciples ahead of them into Jerusalem to find a room and prepare it for the supper. We learn from the Luke account that these two disciples were Peter and John. By itself, this was a miracle because Jesus predicted the man they would meet (a man carrying a jar of water who would have a room for them).
- During the meal, Jesus predicted that Judas would betray him and hand him over to his enemies. We will learn more about when this actually happens in the Gethsemane lesson.
- The actual Last Supper as we know it - where Jesus passes around the bread and tells his disciples that it represents his body, and passing around the common cup and tells his disciples that it represents his blood.
- Jesus predicted his death. In Luke 22:22, he said, "The Son of Man will go to his death, just as God has already decided." In Mark 14:24, he said "I won’t drink wine with you again until the day I drink it in God’s kingdom." (thus the Last Supper)
- After the meal was finished, they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives. They very likely sang Psalms 113-118, also known as the Hallel (or praise) psalms. "Hallel" (means praise), and add "-ujah" (from "Yah", a name for God), and you get "Praise to God"! In your personal studies for this lesson, you might consider reading Psalms 113-118.
To put this story in context, see this visualization of the chronology of Holy Week.
1. Warm Up get your kids talking and engaged
Have you ever seen our church do a "Lord's Supper" or "Communion" service? Does anyone know why we do that?
Today, we are going to learn about the time Jesus had his Last Supper with his disciples, which is why we do the Lord's Supper in memory.
2. Teach the Story teach a holistic story
Read story from a Children's storybook Bible for younger children.
For older children, read the story from an age-appropriate Children's storybook Bible or read directly from the Bible.
3. Bible Mastery give them basic Bible skills
Scripture for Kids to Read Aloud Mark 14:12-26
4. Comprehension Questions make sure they understand the story
First, ask the children if they have any questions about the story. What to do if you don't know the answer?
- Why were Jesus and the disciples going into Jerusalem?
- To celebrate the Passover feast
- What was the Passover feast celebrating?
- When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt with the plague of the firstborn and original passover
- How did the disciples choose which house to have the meal in?
- Jesus sent Peter and John ahead to meet a man
- How did Peter and John know which man to meet?
- Jesus told them to find a man with a jar of water
- What did Jesus predict about one of his disciples?
- That one of them would betray him and turn him over to his enemies
- Which disciple did he predict would do this?
- Judas Iscariot
- What did the disciples eat that night?
- Bread and wine, probably more too!
- What did Jesus tell his disciples the bread represented?
- His body, which was going to be broken for them
- What did Jesus tell his disciples the wine represented?
- His blood, which was going to be poured out for the forgiveness of sins
- What did Jesus predict about himself?
- That he was going to die soon
- What did Jesus and the disciples do after the meal?
- They sang hymns and went out to the Mount of Olives
5. Faith Questions open up a conversation about faith and the gospel; close with prayer
- Jesus told his disciples that he was getting ready to be the Passover lamb, that his body was going to be broken and his blood was going to be spilled for them, for the forgiveness of sins.
- Do realize that Jesus came to die for your sins? Have you accepted his forgiveness?
6. Memory Verse hide God's Word in their heart
Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved. (Acts 16:31 ESV)
Make Matzah
Heads up! Making Mazah is an activity from the Passover lesson in the Old Testament. It should be taken a step further in this lesson and be used to teach about Jesus' commandment in Luke 22:19
Scripture It was the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. That was the time to sacrifice the Passover lamb.
Jesus' disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover meal?" Mark 12
Supplies water, flour, oven
- Matzah is the Jewish name for unleavened bread. It is a thin, wafer-like cracker. The process of making Matzah should be completed in no more than 18 minutes from start to finish, including baking time. This is to represent the dough that didn't have time to rise as the Hebrews quickly left Egypt. They put the dough on their backs, and while they were walking, the sun baked in into hard crackers. Matzah is eaten by Jews during the week-long celebration of Passover.
- 2 cups unbleached flour
- 1/2 cup water (more , if needed)
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees
- Place flour in bowl
- Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour in water, Mix.
- Add more water, as needed until flour in mixed. Knead dough until soft, not sticky
- Roll into a ball. Divide into quarters.
- Roll each quarter into a circle. Place matzah on baking sheet and prick all over with a fork.
- Bake for 5 minutes on each side, or until edges are golden.
Passover Meal Tasting
Scripture Mark 14:12-16
Supplies lamb, matzah (or crackers), grape juice
- Provide the opportunity for the students to taste some food that would have been present at the Last supper.
- Read the story and act out the breaking of the bread and drinking from the cup.
Listen to Songs based on Psalm 115-118
Scripture Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives. Mark 14:26
Supplies songs
- Listen to songs based on Psalm 115-118.
- (See Read Psalms -Write a Song Activity for the reason why these Psalms were chosen)
Act out the Story
Scripture Mark 14:12-26
Supplies matzah or crackers, grape juice, water jug, table
- Act out the story.
- Characters: Man with the water jug, disciples, Jesus
- One idea is for the teacher to be Jesus and the rest of the students can be his disciples.
Take the Lord's Supper
Heads up! Some denominations have restrictions on who can take and who can perform the Lord's Supper. Check with your leaders if you are unsure about doing this activity in your church.
Scripture While they were eating, Jesus took bread. He gave thanks and broke it. He handed it to his disciples and said, "Take it. This is my body." Then he took the cup. He gave thanks and handed it to them. All of them drank from it. "This is my blood of the new covenant," he said to them. "It is poured out for many." Mark 14:22-24
Supplies Crackers, bread (or whatever your church uses for the Lord's Supper), and grape juice
- Take the Lord's Supper with your students, according to the method your church usually uses.
Compose a Psalm
Scripture Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives. Matthew 26:30
Supplies musical instruments
- Tradition says that when the Jews celebrated the Passover feast, they sang the "Hallel" Psalms (Psalms 113 - 118)
- We don't have recordings of what tune they would have sung those Psalms to - we only have the lyrics
- Give your students a few verses from one of these Psalms and ask them to come up with a tune to sing
- You could allow them to choose, but that might take a very long time during class, so do some pre-work for them
- You might give each child a different verse, you might pair them up as a team, or you might do it altogether as a class depending on your kids.
- Give them 10 minutes or so in a quiet place if you can, and then bring them together to sing the Psalms to each other
- You might record it for them and play it for the parents