Jesus came to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, the feast where God's people remembered being rescued from slavery in Egypt. The crowds welcomed Him like a king.
At the Last Supper, Jesus took bread and wine and gave them new meaning as symbols of His body and blood, given for them.
Behind the scenes, Satan was working through Judas to hand Jesus over to his enemies. Jesus knew exactly what was coming and chose to go through it anyway, out of obedience to his Father.

• The Passover was a special feast. What were God's people celebrating when they had it? 
• Jesus knew Judas was going to betray him, and he knew he was going to die, but he did it anyway. Why do you think he did that?
• Judas betrayed Jesus, but the Bible reminds us Satan was behind it. What does it tell us about God that even when Satan thinks he's winning, God's plan will not be stopped?
  

The religious leaders brought Jesus to Pilate, who knew Jesus was innocent but handed him over anyway to keep the crowd happy.
Jesus was beaten, crowned with thorns, and crucified. The crowd that had just welcomed him as king was now calling for his death.
Even while dying, Jesus showed grace, promising the believing thief next to him a place in Paradise.
When Jesus died, God tore the Temple curtain from top to bottom, a powerful sign that the way to God was now open through Jesus.

• What were Jesus' last words on the cross? And what do they mean? ("It is finished." God's rescue plan was completed!)
• Pilate knew Jesus was innocent but sentenced him anyway. Have you ever done something you knew was wrong just to make other people happy? How did that feel?
• Jesus is called the Lamb of God, and he died on the same day the Passover lambs were being sacrificed at the Temple. Why do you think God would set it up that way?
  

Pilate put guards at Jesus' tomb to make sure nothing funny happened, but Sunday morning God had other plans. An earthquake shook the ground, an angel rolled the stone away, and the guards fainted. 
The women who came to honor Jesus found the tomb empty, and an angel told them to go tell the disciples Jesus was alive. 
Jesus rose from the dead as the acceptance of the full payment for sin, once and for all. Eternal life is now available to anyone who puts their faith in Jesus and what he did on the cross.

• Does Jesus need to die again and again for our sins like the lambs in the Temple did? (No, his sacrifice was one and done)
• Does everyone automatically go to heaven because Jesus died on the cross? What does it actually take? (No, only those who put their faith in Jesus and what he did)
• A lot of people believe there are many ways to get to God, but Jesus said there is only one. How do you think about that? And how would you talk about it with a friend who disagreed?

God made humans uniquely, in his image and for relationship with him. But every person is born a sinner, which is why God had a plan to send Jesus. Jesus lived a sinless life, and took the punishment for our sins. We learned what it means to become a child of God, putting our faith in  Jesus dying for our sins and rising again. Faith in Jesus is the only way to eternal life with God.

• God made humans different from animals. What makes us so special to him? (He made us in his image and to have a relationship with him)
• If a friend asked you how to become part of God's family, what would you tell them?

Forty days after his resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven in front of his disciples. Before leaving, he promised to send the Holy Spirit and assured them he would return. 
This reminds us of the hope of eternal life with Jesus!

1. The disciples watched Jesus go up into heaven and were told he would return. How do you think they felt; sad, hopeful, or something else?
2. Jesus promised his followers they would not be alone, the Holy Spirit would come. As believers, how does the Holy Spirit help us today?

•3.What do you imagine when you think about heaven? Where do those ideas come from?