Weekly Video Lesson
This week our Sunday School classes continue our study of the life of Christ with a lesson from Matthew 27, Jesus Endures the Cross. Check out the video lesson and discussion questions from our Children & Family Minister Daniel Sheaffer below:
Video Discussion Q+A
1) How did the Roman Soldiers Mock Jesus?
– They took a crown of thorns, a scarlet robe, and a reed for a scepter and placed those on him. they then took the reed and beat him with it. They called out and said sarcastically ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’
2) What was everyone telling Jesus to do on the cross to prove he was the Son of God?
– They called out to him to come down from the cross. This would have taken a miracle, but it would have proved that he was the Son of God. However, Jesus had done so many miracles to show this already, would this one have been any different?
3) Why does Matthew tell us about the 6 hours Jesus was on the cross and why does he mention darkness?
– Matthew tells us these things because he wants us to see that Jesus is the true passover sacrifical lamb who is being sacrificed for the sins of his people. The judgment of God was about to come, but not on the people, but on Christ. Like the 9th plague of Egypt and the 10th plague coming on the first born, Jesus the true firstborn son was going to die for the sins of the people and take the judgment they deserved.
4) Why did the curtain split into two in the Temple? Why does that matter?
– The curtain tore in two to show us the way to God was open, but it was specifically showing that they way to God has changed! It means that the temple that always pointed to the heavenly one was now going to be through Jesus. It is through Jesus, the greater temple, that we come into the presence of God. It is no longer through the earthly temple we access God, it is through Jesus who has went into the heavenly temple to offer himself (Hebrews 9:11).
5) What did the Centurion say about Jesus and what does that show?
– The Centurion and others who were with him, when they saw everything that happened with Jesus when he was on the cross, said “truly this was the Son of God”. There was only one person who Romans believed or at least confessed as the representation of god/the gods and that was the Emperor, Caesar. Here, the Centurion was saying that Jesus was truly the representative of God, even God himself. This points us to what Matthew has been showing us this whole time, that Jesus is the true king and it shows us that many nations will come to believe this too.
6) Why did Pilate grant the request for a guard at the tomb and how does this give us confidence Jesus really was raised from the dead?
– This would take away any doubt that the disciples would come and steal the body of Jesus and make up untrue stories about his resurrection. There was no way after sending a roman guard, sealing to tomb, and being stationed there the whole time, that the disciples could make this up. Our faith is true and Jesus was really raised from the dead.