A new covenant
key words
biblical reference
Luke 22:14-20
lesson objective
To help children understand the blessings of the new covenant of grace, love, and forgiveness accomplished through Christ’s death, and that they can be a part of it (conversion)
memory verse
“‘Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you wo not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,’ says the Lord, who has compassion on you” (Isaiah 54:10, NIV*).
prepare yourself to teach
In this passage, Jesus and his disciples were about to celebrate the Passover. This was most important for the Jews for they remembered the departure of the people of Israel from Egypt after four hundred years. On that day, the angel of death killed the firstborn of Egypt. The Israelites sacrificed a lamb without blemish, and with its blood, they marked the threshold of their doors so that the angel would not destroy them.
The Passover feast consisted of bitter herbs, unleavened bread, and the roasted meat of a male lamb without blemish (Exodus 12:8).
This feast was celebrated on the 14th day of the first month, and was to be celebrated annually by all generations to teach their descendants how the people of Israel were liberated. Read Exodus 12: 1-36.
This is the last lesson of this unit. The children have developed the concept of what a “covenant” is through the lessons of Abraham and Moses. But this lesson is about a different covenant, not with the people of Israel, but with us. It does not affect the condition in which we find ourselves. It turns out to be a covenant of forgiveness and love that gives us the freedom to approach God without hindrance. This is for everyone who trusts in Christ, without distinction of persons.
Christ represents the slain Lamb, establishing a new covenant with his blood shed on the cross for us. It cost him his body being broken and his blood being shed. Anyone who needs forgiveness no longer has to offer sacrifices. We must just accept Jesus as Savior and Lord of our life. When this happens, sinners receive forgiveness and begin a new relationship with God, a new covenant.
introduce the lesson
Review the previous lessons with the following questions:
With whom did God make a covenant? (Abraham and Moses)
What is a covenant? (Listen to your children’s answers.)
What event do we remember on December 25th?
How do you celebrate this date at home?
How do you celebrate your birthday?
Say: “Today we’ll learn how the Jews celebrated a special feast, and how Jesus made that feast special for us.”
teach the lesson
For this lesson, you will use the following: some herbs, grape juice in a glass or cup, bread or crackers, a piece of meat (or a picture of these), a picture of a lamb, a sheet or tunic for Jesus. It is recommended to prepare these things during the week.
Begin the lesson by showing the objects one by one to your children and tell them what they are. Then read the following:
When the people of Israel were enslaved in Egypt, God promised to deliver them, and in order to do that he sent the ten plagues. (Ask your children which plagues they remember: the river becoming blood, flies, lice, boils, frogs, livestock pestilence, hail, locusts, darkness and the killing of firstborn children.) The last of the plagues was the death of the firstborn, that is, the first-born child. (Ask them to raise their hands if they are the oldest child in their family and tell them that they are the firstborn.)
In order for the firstborn of each Israelite family to survive, they were instructed to kill a lamb without blemish, the best of the flock, and with the blood of this animal paint the threshold (the edges) of the doors of their houses (show the picture of the lamb). They were to prepare a meal using bitter herbs (show them the herbs) and unleavened bread (show them the bread or crackers). This became a yearly celebration called the Passover, which was to remind the Israelites of how God freed them from Egypt.
When Jesus came to earth, he also celebrated the Passover with his disciples, but in a different way. Let us read Luke 22:7-23. (Act out this scene. You will represent Jesus by putting on the sheet or robe, and the children will be the disciples.)
Jesus said:
“I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” (Take the cup, lift it, give thanks to God, and then say), “Take this and divide it among you.” (Take the bread, say a prayer of thanks, break it and give pieces to your children and say Jesus’ words):
“This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” (Have the children eat the bread. Then take the cup and say Jesus’ words):
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”
Explain that the disciples did not understand what Jesus had said, they thought it was a different way to celebrate the Passover; but at that moment, Jesus made a new covenant - not with Moses or with Abraham, but with his disciples; and the cost of this new covenant was his blood shed on the cross for us.
connect the lesson
Review
Distribute Student Activity Sheet #272-A and review the lesson.
Activity: Complete the verse
Give each one Student Activity Sheet #272-B for this lesson and have the students use their Bibles to complete the verses below. This is found in Luke 22:14-20. Some may need to share Bibles.
“When the (hour) came, Jesus and his (apostles) reclined at the (table). And he said to them, ‘I have eagerly desired to (eat) this (Passover) with you before I suffer.’ . . . And he took (bread), gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘this is my (body) given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after the supper he took the (cup), saying, ‘this cup is the new (covenant) in my (blood), which is (poured out) for you.’”
Activity: What is the new covenant?
Give the group Student Activity Sheet #272-B entitled “What is the New Covenant?” Review with them the meaning of the word “Covenant.” Ask a volunteer to look up Hebrews 8:13 and read it aloud. Then have them fill in the answers to the questions.
1. What is a covenant? A covenant is an agreement with God. A relationship with him.
2. What was the “Old Covenant”? Covenants that God made with Abraham and Moses for the people of Israel. They contained laws and rules for the people to live by that would make their lives better, and included God’s promise to protect them.
3. Look up Hebrews 8:13 and fill in the missing words in the following verse.
“By calling this covenant (“new,”) he [Christ] has made the (first) one (obsolete); and what is obsolete and (outdated) will soon (disappear).”
Children of this age like to know about other countries. Explain that no matter what country we are from, we can be part of God’s people.
Activity: Add a branch
Give the group Student Activity Sheet #273-D entitled “New People in the Old Covenant Made by God.” In Romans 11:11-24, it says that the people who were not part of the people of Israel have been grafted onto the tree of the chosen family. Ask a child to read Matthew 28:19 and Acts 1:8. Ask, “Who is the new covenant for?” (For the whole world.) Make sure your children understand that they can be part of the new covenant. Have them cut out the branch, put their name on it and stick it on the tree.
This lesson gives you a great opportunity to tell your children that Jesus shed his blood on the cross to restore our relationship with God. We can be forgiven for every bad deed (sin) we have done (lying, stealing, disobeying, etc.). Show your children a needle and ask them if it would hurt if you put it into your hand. Then show them a nail and ask them to imagine what it would be like to have their hands and feet nailed to a board. Remind them that Jesus endured this because of his love for us. That was the covenant he was talking about, but he did not do it only for his disciples, he wanted us all to have a covenant with him (point to each of your children and yourself), and he is waiting for you with open arms. You are very important to him.
Ask those who wish to be part of this new covenant with Jesus to raise their hands. Tell them that Jesus wants to enter into their hearts and forgive all that they have done wrong. He will always be with them to guide them to do good, and will reserve a place in heaven for each of them. Please see and be familiar with the “Leading a Child to Christ” resource.
Lead those who raised their hands in a prayer to receive Christ as their Savior.
practice the memory verse
Since the verse has already been reviewed in previous lessons, you can write it on the board and read it out loud a couple of times. Then erase a word and continue to read it, even though the word is not there: continue to erase more words (one by one) and say it as if the words were there. Continue until the whole verse is erased and your children can say it without seeing any of the words.
If you do not have a blackboard, you can write each word on a piece of paper and stick it on the wall, so that the children can read it. Take off one word at a time until all of the words have been removed.
wrap-up
Pray
To finish the session, have them share their prayer needs. Then pray for your children aloud.
Encourage
Encourage the children to remember that no matter what country we are from, we can be part of God’s people.
Invite
Thank your children for their attendance and announce something about the next lesson to increase their interest. Remind them that in the next seesion they will begin a new unit of lessons, and it will be a good time to welcome new group members.
* Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™