Jesus on the Cross Sunday School Lesson for Kids

This free Jesus on the cross Sunday school lesson teaches kids that God loves us so much that Jesus died for our sins. Jesus had done nothing amiss (Luke 23:4, 23:41), His blood was "shed for many for the remission of sins" (Matthew 26:28), and on the cross He prayed for the people who hurt Him (Luke 23:34). It is told reverently, with no gore, and ends with the promise that He would rise again. It comes in four age levels, each a separate printable teacher lesson, plus one take-home sheet for families.

Choose your age level

• Preschool (ages 3–5), 20–30 minutes, 2 pages: a heart hunt, a short, gentle story with hand motions and repeat-after-me lines, three simple questions, a shortened memory verse ("Christ died for us") with motions, and a heart-and-cross drawing. Teacher notes say what is left out for little ones and how to answer a sad or scared child.
• Kindergarten to 2nd grade, 45 minutes, 3 pages: the Pass the Heart game, the story in simple words from Gethsemane to the tomb, five recall questions with answers, and the Heart Verse game with six paper hearts.
• 3rd to 5th grade, 45–60 minutes, 4 pages: a "fair or not fair" opening game, kids look up verses in their own Bibles during a fuller story (Matthew 26:28, the twelve legions, "I find no fault in this man," the thief, the darkness and the torn veil), five thinking questions and three recall questions, and a Bible look-up race.
• Preteens (ages 11–12), 45–60 minutes, 4 pages: students read Matthew 26:36–56 and Luke 23:33–49 out loud themselves, then discuss Jesus choosing the cross, His innocence, forgiving while being hurt and God's love for sinners. Six discussion questions, a journal page, and two memory verses (Romans 5:8 and 2 Corinthians 5:19).

Lesson at a glance

• Bible passage: Matthew 26:36–27:61 and Luke 23
• Main point: God loves us so much that Jesus died on the cross for our sins.
• Memory verse: Romans 5:8 (KJV), with 2 Corinthians 5:19 added for preteens
• Ages: preschool to preteen, in four versions
• Season: Easter (teach it the week before the Easter Sunday school lesson)

Lesson outline (the same in every version)

1. Opening game: a short game about love, fairness or forgiving.
2. Bible story: Jesus prays in Gethsemane, is arrested, is found without fault by Pilate, and is crucified at Calvary. He prays "Father, forgive them," promises the thief paradise, and dies. Joseph lays Him in the sepulchre, and Jesus had said He would rise again after three days. Every fact has its verse reference so you can check it.
3. Questions to ask: with answers, at the right level for each age.
4. Memory verse: a game or motions to help kids learn Romans 5:8.
5. What this means for us: God's love at the cross, the gospel (Acts 2:38), and a challenge to forgive this week.
6. Activity: the Jesus dies on the cross word search, crossword, maze, worksheet, the Good Friday craft, a Bible look-up race or a journal page, depending on the age.
7. Prayer.

Tips for teaching the cross

• Keep it reverent and simple. Every level leaves out the beating and how a crucifixion was done, and each one has a teacher note saying what was left out and how to answer if a child asks.
• Read Luke 23:34 straight from your Bible. "Father, forgive them" is the heart of the story for kids, and each level has a short note on who Jesus was praying to: Jesus is God manifest in the flesh, and as a man He prayed (1 Timothy 3:16; John 14:10).
• End with hope. Jesus said, "After three days I will rise again" (Matthew 27:63), so the story leads straight into next week's lesson on the empty tomb.
• Short on time? Do the story, three questions and the memory verse. That is a solid 25-minute lesson.