The Crucifixion Sunday School Lesson For Kids

While it’s a painful subject to think about, the crucifixion of Jesus is the central event of the Christian faith. It was at this moment that Jesus took upon himself the full weight of our sinful choices. And there, upon that lonely cross, Jesus hung in our place and received the full weight of God’s wrath and judgement. This Crucifixion Sunday School lesson is among the most important you could ever share with your children. With the resources of Sharefaith Kids, you can teach this vital message with confidence, and inspire your kids along the way!

The Story of the Cross

In the above lesson video, we are reminded that the story of Jesus’ death began in an upper room where Jesus and his disciples gathered to celebrate the Passover. It was at this meal that Jesus commemorated his coming death with bread and wine, and revealed the identity of his betrayer, Judas Iscariot. Afterwards, Jesus spent a night in agony praying to his Father as the disciples slept. That evening, Jesus was arrested and brought before the Jewish High Priest. Though he was found guilty of nothing, Pilate (the Roman Governor) sentenced Jesus to be brutally whipped and then crucified upon a cross.

Upon first glance, little of this story appears victorious or uplifting. But the crucifixion of Jesus holds life-transforming power and hope for all who believe! For upon the cross, God showed the true depth of his love and just how far he would go to save a world lost in sin.

Teaching Kids About the Death of Jesus.

If Jesus was the perfect Son of God, then why did he have to die? This is the question a Sunday School teacher must be able to answer when presenting this lesson. Here are four key thoughts drawn from Sharefaith Kids’ Crucifixion Sunday School lesson curriculum:

Sin separates us from God – Without a full payment for sin, all people would be forever separated from their Creator.
Jesus died in our place – As God in human flesh, Jesus chose to die for us, in our place. By giving his life, Jesus made full payment for our sin, receiving the punishment/wrath we deserved.
The cross was an act of love – The point of the crucifixion is not to make children feel bad for Jesus. Instead, the crucifixion powerfully displays the incredible depth of God’s love. Because of his love, God sent his only Son to die for us!
The gift of salvation – Planned before the universe was created, the death of Jesus was God’s great gift. Everyone, adult or child, can find forgiveness of sin and new life by placing their faith in Jesus Christ.

Visual Aids for Your Crucifixion Lesson

Any time you open the Word of God with children, it’s incredibly helpful to have strong visual aids. These resources not only encourage classroom participation, but they help keep you on track as you endeavor to cover a lesson’s key points. When sharing this Crucifixion Sunday School lesson with your class, here are some of the key elements that make up this Sharefaith Kids lesson slideshow:

Q&A Discussion Slides: These slides empower your class to have a meaningful and interactive discussion about the crucifixion. Children will be asked questions that first help them remember the story and then to apply what they have learned. For example, their first question is: The last meal Jesus had with his disciples was in celebration of what holiday? (Passover). Then to help them enter into this moment, they are asked: If you knew that you would never see or speak to your best friend again, what would you say to him or her? What a great question to discuss with your kids!
Artwork Slides: An amazing way to help this lesson really stick is to let your kids retell the story in their own words. After you show them the lesson video, let them retell the story of Jesus’ death using this lesson’s artwork slides as a guide.
Big Idea Slide: This slide makes sure that after everything’s said and done, your kids understand the heart of this lesson – Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures.
Memory Verse Slide: Nothing is more transformational than a child hiding Scripture away in their heart. Use this slide to reinforce 1 Corinthians 13:3 with your class: “In the ultimate act of love, Jesus died to save us from sin and death.”
Closing Prayer Slide: Guide the response of your kids to this powerful lesson with an uplifting closing prayer: “Dear God, we can’t thank you enough for sending Jesus to die for our sins. May we think of this forever and live for Him each day! We ask these things in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Fun Activities to Support Your Teaching

Sunday School should not only be filled with learning…it should also be filled with fun! Included in this Crucifixion Sunday School lesson for kids are a collection of fantastic printable activities. Each one has been designed to help incorporate fun, learning, and creativity into your teaching.

Coloring Pages: Art is a vital part of a child’s learning. Encourage your children to creatively engage this lesson through with two hand-illustrated coloring pages that take scenes from the lesson video on Christ’s crucifixion.
Bible Maze: Everyone loves a good maze…as long as it’s not too difficult 🙂 The Crucifixion Bible maze leads students through each twist and turn as Jesus heads to Golgotha.
Crossword Puzzle: Crossword puzzles are not only a blast to fill out, they are an incredible learning tool as well! You’ll love watching your kids search their Bibles as they answer questions like: Jesus was killed on a hill called _______, which means ‘Hill of the Skull’.
Spot the Difference: This activity makes sure your lesson has a healthy dose of silly fun. See if your kids can spot the difference between the two illustrations. A handy answer guide will make sure you can find them all as well!
Bible Bookmarks: At the end of every Sunday School lesson, we should encourage students to go home and read this story in their own Bibles. Creative Bible bookmarks are an excellent way to encourage your students to do just that!

Why This Lesson Matters

Kids, like us all, struggle with sin and its consequences. It’s so important that our children know there is freedom from sin! Children don’t have to be imprisoned by shame, guilt or regret. Instead they can experience the full victory over sin that Christ has won. The Crucifixion Sunday School lesson is perfect for showing your kids how much they are loved. God loved them so much that he sent his only son to die on their behalf. Perhaps John 3:16 puts it best:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Give Sharefaith Kids a Try!

Finding and choosing the right resources to support your Sunday School lessons is an important decision. If you would like to learn more about Sharefaith Kids and how it might be used in your classroom, we’d love to give you four lessons FREE. Each lesson will follow the same basic format laid out in this article. If these lessons are a good fit for your ministry, you can gain full access to our 95+ Sunday School lessons for an unbeatable price!

For less than $1/Day you can rally your leadership around amazing Kids Bible Resources that build confident teachers and inspire your kids.