Parents,
This activity is designed to be solemn and reflective. You will be engaging your child in scripture, prayer and art depicting the last steps of Jesus as he traveled to the cross. We know that most children are going to speak out, ask questions, and some just may not understand what is happening. Keep teaching! This is an opportunity and a tool to engage in your child’s faith development in a very unique way.
At each meditation area:
- Pray the little prayer together
- Read the passage of scripture while your child looks at the art
- Discuss the artwork (we have provided you with possible questions to help your child engage in the artwork and the scripture)
- Read the child’s meditation
- Pray the prayer together
The last station offers a place to reflect on the completed journey. Have your child write a prayer or draw a picture in response to what they have experienced.
You can go as slow or quickly through these meditations as you like. Let this journey together be one that draws your family into the story of Jesus.
Blessings on your journey.
1. JESUS IS TEMPTED
Parent tip: The idea of the “Cup” was a common symbol for God pouring out His judgement (punishment) on sinners.
Pray Together: My Jesus, I love you and I bless you. For by your cross you have redeemed (brought salvation to) the world.
Read: Matthew 26:36-46
36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
Artwork thoughts and questions:
- What do you see?
- Why do you think there is a snake in the picture?
- Why is there a picture of a skull on the cup?
Read: Jesus you knew what was about to happen. You knew you would die for the sins of everyone. Jesus that was a hard thing to do but you asked God the Father to help you. There are times when it is hard for me to follow you.
Think about: When has it been hard for you to follow God’s will?
Pray Together: Dear Jesus, I ask that you help me follow you even when it is hard. Amen
O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy on me.
2. JESUS IS BETRAYED
Parent tip: Betrayal is when a friend does something to hurt you typically to make life better for themselves.
Pray Together: My Jesus, I love you and I bless you. For by your cross you have redeemed (brought salvation to) the world.
Read: Matthew 26:47-56
47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” 49 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.
50 Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”
Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. 51 With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
52 “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. 53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”
55 In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. 56 But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
Artwork thoughts and questions:
- What do you see?
- How many coins do you count?
- Why do you think there is a key hole in the wrist?
Read: Jesus you knew that Judas was going to turn you in. He messed up and did things for his own good. He was not a good friend.
Think about: When have you not been a good friend?
Pray Together: Dear Jesus, you are the perfect friend. Help me to do things with love and not because I think I know what’s best for me.
O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy on me.
3. JESUS IS CONDEMNED
Parent tip: Condemned is when a person is declared guilty of a horrendous (really bad) crime or sin and sentenced (given) a punishment (often death)
Pray Together: My Jesus, I love you and I bless you. For by your cross you have redeemed (brought salvation to) the world.
Read: Matthew 27:22-23
22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked.
They all answered, “Crucify him!”
23 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
Artwork thoughts and questions:
- What do you see?
- What do some of the symbols on the hands mean to you?
Read: Jesus you never did anything wrong but the people shouted “Crucify him!” No one stood up for you. You were alone. Jesus you chose to die for things that I have done.
Think about: Have you ever been accused of doing something bad?
Pray Together: Dear Jesus, it was my sin that put you on the cross. Please help me to hate my sins from the bottom of my heart and to really ask for your forgiveness. Amen
O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on me.
4. JESUS IS MOCKED
Parent tip: Mocking someone goes beyond teasing. It makes fun of or ridicules a person to the core of who they are.
Pray Together: My Jesus, I love you and I bless you. For by your cross you have redeemed (brought salvation to) the world.
Read: Matthew 27:27-31 Matthew 20:18-19
27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. 30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
18 “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death 19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”
Artwork thoughts and questions:
- What do you see?
- What would it feel like to have the items in the picture touch you?
- How do you think Jesus felt?
Read: Jesus, you stayed silent while people spit on you, hurt you and made fun of you. Jesus they did not believe you were the Son of God so they treated you like you were a criminal.
Think about: How do you feel when someone makes fun of you?
Pray Together: Dear Jesus, you never spoke a word when the people mocked you. You trusted your Heavenly Father. Give me the same trust to love and be courageous.
O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on me.
5. JESUS IS GIVEN HIS CROSS
Parent tip: The idea of “taking up your cross” is a very abstract concept to a child. To a disciple of Jesus they would understand that to carry your cross you were headed to death. When we “take up our cross” we are agreeing & submitting to following Jesus in His suffering.
Pray Together: My Jesus, I love you and I bless you. For by your cross you have redeemed (brought salvation to) the world.
Read: John 19:16-17
16 So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).
Artwork thoughts and questions:
- What do you see?
- What is happening in this picture?
- What smaller pictures does the artist include? Why do you think that is?
Read: Jesus, you willingly took your cross without complaining. You ask me to carry a cross and follow you. Sometimes it is so hard to do everything I’m asked to do.
Think about: What are the things you want me to do without complaining?
Pray Together: Dear Jesus, You carried your cross when it was the hardest. Please help me everyday to obey you and follow you even when it is hard. Amen
O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy on me.
6. JESUS FALLS
Parent tip: The account of Jesus falling does not appear in the four gospels but this meditation brings out how Jesus was crushed under the weight of our sin.
Pray Together: My Jesus, I love you and I bless you. For by your cross you have redeemed (brought salvation to) the world.
Read: Isaiah 53:4-6, John 12:24
4 Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
Artwork thoughts and questions:
- What do you see?
- What happens to leaves once they fall?
- The trees are most beautiful when their leaves are about to fall
Read: Jesus the cross you carried was heavy. It crushed you. You know that there are things that are too hard for me. You know what it feels like to not be able to do something, to need help.
Think about: How do you feel when you are unable to do something?
Pray Together: Dear Jesus, it was my sin that made the cross heavy. Please help me to come to you for help and help me to help others when they need it. Amen
O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on me.
7. SIMON CARRIES JESUS’ CROSS
Parent tip: Simon’s story represents the call to “deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me”. He was in great danger and could have easily been crucified that day too.
Pray Together: My Jesus, I love you and I bless you. For by your cross you have redeemed (brought salvation to) the world.
Read: Matthew 27:32, Matthew 16:24-25
32 As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.
Meditate: What is one thing I wish not to deny myself?
Pray: O Jesus, may it be my privilege also to bear your Cross as did Simon of Cyrene. May I glory in nothing else for by your Cross the world is crucified to me and I and crucified to the world. May I be counted worthy to suffer for your sake. Amen.
O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on me.
8. JESUS IS STRIPPED
Parent tip: Casting lots was essentially a game of chance that was used to make a decision. Similar to modern day version of flipping a coin. Thinking of Jesus being stripped can be traumatizing to a child, especially one who is developing a sense of personal space. Be aware of how your child is processing this information.
Pray: My Jesus, I love you and I bless you. For by your cross you have redeemed (brought salvation to) the world.
Read: Psalm 22:14-18; Luke 23:34-38
14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted within me.
15 My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death.
16 Dogs surround me,
a pack of villains encircles me;
they pierce[b] my hands and my feet.
17 All my bones are on display;
people stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.
34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”[a] And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”
36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the King of the Jews.
Artwork thoughts and questions:
- What do you see?
- Why do you think the artist used a saw in this picture?
- Why do you think the branches are cut off?
Read: Jesus the soldiers were mean. They took your clothes from you and played a game with them, leaving you exposed and humiliated and embarrassed. You were stripped so that I could be clothed with righteousness.
Think about: When have you felt embarrassed? Jesus knows what that feels like too.
Pray Together: Dear Jesus, remind me that you took away my shame and guilt and humiliation and clothed me in honor and joy.
O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on me.
9. JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS
Parent tip: It is hard for a child to think of Jesus hurting because of them. Use this time, to help your child understand that Jesus chose to do this because of His great love for us.
Pray: My Jesus, I love you and I bless you. For by your cross you have redeemed (brought salvation to) the world.
Read: Matthew 27:33-43
33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 34 There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 36 And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is Jesus, the King of the Jews.
38 Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” 41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42 “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”
Artwork thoughts and questions:
- What do you see?
- Why do you think the artist chose to use three nails?
Read: Jesus, they nailed you to the cross and crucified you. They put the nails in your hands and feet. No nail could have stopped you but you chose to stay on the cross, all alone and forsaken.
Think about: Sometimes I feel all alone, that no one understands and no one cares.
Pray Together: Dear Jesus, you stayed on the cross for my sin. Remind me that you were forsaken and alone so that I would never truly be alone.
O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on me.
10. JESUS DIES
Parent tip: This passage talks about the temple curtain spitting in two. The curtain represented that the people needed a priest in order to gain access to God’s presence.
Pray: My Jesus, I love you and I bless you. For by your cross you have redeemed (brought salvation to) the world.
Read: Luke 23:44-49
44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”[a] When he had said this, he breathed his last.
47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” 48 When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. 49 But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
Artwork thoughts and questions:
- What do you see?
- Why is there a lamb?
- Why is it cut in two?
Read: Jesus, it was done. All the pain, all the embarrassment, all the suffering you experienced was finished. You died. The curtain of the temple split in two. People now had a direct way to God.
Pray Together: Dear Jesus, help me to understand your death. Help me to die to my sins, to want to not sin.
O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on me.
11. JESUS IS BURIED
Parent tip: Jewish law said that the body must be buried that day. Joseph and Nicodemus both followed Jesus quietly. By burying Jesus, they showed that they were his friends. The myrrh and aloes followed Jewish custom. The amount that they used was typical for burying a king.
Pray: My Jesus, I love you and I bless you. For by your cross you have redeemed (brought salvation to) the world.
Read: John 19:38-42
38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
Artwork thoughts and questions:
- What do you see?
- What do the pictures represent?
- Why do you think the artist drew a rose?
Read: Jesus, your friends cared for your body. They laid you in a new tomb. By doing that they showed the world that they were your followers.
Think about: Jesus’ followers are known by how they love others.
Pray together: Dear Jesus, you ask that me to die to my sin. Help me to understand what it means to be buried with you with the promise of new life to come.
O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on me.
12. JESUS RISES
Parent tip: Though the cross is a significant part of the gospel story, it is incomplete without the resurrection of Jesus.
Pray: My Jesus, I love you and I bless you. For by your cross you have redeemed (brought salvation to) the world.
Read: Revelation 1:17-18
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
Artwork thoughts and questions:
- What do you see?
- Why do you think the artist chose to show Jesus Rises this way?
- Why do you think he used a stump?
Read: Jesus, you are alive! You rose from the grave! You beat sin and death! You did what you said you would do. You laid down your life for me and you rose again to give me a new kind of life!
Think about: Jesus’ resurrection started a new way to be human in this world.
Pray together: Dear Jesus, help me to see that I have been raised from the dead to live my life in a supernatural, Kingdom of God, kind of way.
O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on me.
Come and Lay Your Burdens Down
Parent Tip: Give your family the opportunity to respond to the journey that they have just taken by drawing or writing a prayer and have them to leave it at the cross. We encourage you to discuss this journey on your way home tonight.
Read:
Come, Little Child.
Bring your sadness.
Bring your pain.
Bring your struggles and your anger.
Bring your worries, your fears, your guilt and shame.
Come and lay your burdens down at the Cross of Jesus.
Write out or draw a prayer, laying your sins at the Cross, and when you go from this place, leave your sins at the Cross.
Pray: O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, thank you for having mercy upon me.
Go in peace, to love and serve the Lord.
Written and Compiled by Jim Lovelady–2019
