Craft/Discussion

Distribute craft materials, saying: Place one hand on the paper with your palm down and fingers spread apart. Trace around your entire hand, cut out the handprint, and write your name on it. Now, let’s review the story with our handprints.

• HAND

Have the children hold their handprints out in front of them. The hand is a symbol of service. How did Jesus serve His disciples? He gave them communion, washed their feet, taught them.

Bend down and lower the handprints to the floor. Jesus was very humble when He washed His disciples’ dirty feet. This was the duty of a slave or servant, not the Son of God! Peter could not believe Jesus would do this and refused at first to let Jesus wash his feet!

• PALM

Have children point to the palms on the handprints, then wave them high in the air. When Jesus rode the donkey into Jerusalem, why did people wave palm branches? This symbolizes triumph and honors a conquering hero. Showed Jesus respect and that they thought He was important. 

We need to show the proper respect to God and humbly praise and worship Jesus, too! The religious leaders were jealous of Jesus’ popularity and were full of pride—so much so that they told Jesus to quiet the crowd! Do you remember what Jesus’ answer was? If they were quiet, the rocks would cry out!

• CROWN

Have the children press the thumb behind the other fingers so the rest of the handprint looks like a crown. Jesus did not walk around with a crown on as other kings of that time did. Jesus did not come to have an earthly kingdom. But, Jesus is King and Lord over all. Everything is under His power. He is King of kings and Lord of lords.

Close your eyes and imagine meeting Jesus face to face. Can you picture Him? He is God’s Son—more important and powerful than any king or president!

Read Matthew 20:28: Jesus says,

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

I asked us to imagine meeting Jesus. But did you know we really can meet Him, today? He wants to come into our hearts and have a wonderful relationship with us—to be Lord of our life! All we need to do is ask! We can’t see Jesus with our physical eyes point to eyes, but we can see Him with our eyes of faith! Point to heart.

Have the children write a way that they have served others on their handprints, then tape the handprints to the wall with the writing hidden to show how we should serve others with humbleness, and not show off.

Let’s pray: Dear Jesus, thank You for loving us so much that You humbly came to Earth to serve us by dying on the cross to set us free from our sins. Please come and live in our hearts forever as Lord and Savior. In Your name, Amen.