Free Bible lesson for kids · Holy Week

In the Garden of Gethsemane

Jesus went to a garden called Gethsemane to pray. He asked Peter, James and John to watch with Him, but they fell asleep. Jesus prayed, “Not my will, but thine, be done,” and then He was arrested.

Teach this lesson: film, sheets and guide Print the coloring page

Bible passage: Matthew 26:36–56 · Mark 14:32–50 · Luke 22:39–53 · John 18:1–11
Big idea: Jesus chose to obey His Father, even when it was hard.
Memory verse: Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:41 (KJV)
Ages: Preschool to preteen (3 to 12), with tips for each age
Time: About 45 minutes
Included, free: Animated story film, coloring page, class sheet, teacher guide, questions and answers, a game

The story

Jesus went with His disciples to a garden called Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36; John 18:1). He took Peter, James and John and said, “tarry ye here, and watch” (Mark 14:33–34). Very sad, Jesus fell on the ground and prayed, “Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee” (Mark 14:35–36). Then He prayed, “not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). An angel came and strengthened Him (Luke 22:43).

Jesus found the disciples sleeping. He said, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation” (Matthew 26:40–41). Later Judas came with a crowd carrying swords and torches (Matthew 26:47; John 18:3). Jesus stepped forward and said, “I am he” (John 18:4–5). Peter struck a servant with a sword, but Jesus touched the man’s ear and healed him (John 18:10; Luke 22:51). Jesus could have called for angels, but He let them take Him (Matthew 26:50, 53).

Read it in the Bible: Matthew 26:36–56 (KJV)

³⁶Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. ³⁷And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. ³⁸Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. ³⁹And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. ⁴⁰And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? ⁴¹Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. ⁴²He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. ⁴³And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. ⁴⁵Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me. ⁴⁷And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. ⁴⁸Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. ⁴⁹And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. ⁵⁰And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. ⁵¹And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear. ⁵²Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. ⁵³Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? ⁵⁴But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? ⁵⁵In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. ⁵⁶But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

Read it in the Bible: Mark 14:32–50 (KJV)

³²And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. ³³And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; ³⁴And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch. ³⁵And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. ³⁶And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. ³⁷And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? ³⁸Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. ³⁹And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words. ⁴⁰And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him. ⁴¹And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴²Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand. ⁴³And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. ⁴⁴And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely. ⁴⁵And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him. ⁴⁶And they laid their hands on him, and took him. ⁴⁷And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. ⁴⁸And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me? ⁴⁹I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled. ⁵⁰And they all forsook him, and fled.

Read it in the Bible: Luke 22:39–53 (KJV)

³⁹And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. ⁴⁰And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. ⁴¹And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, ⁴²Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. ⁴³And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. ⁴⁴And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. ⁴⁵And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow, ⁴⁶And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. ⁴⁷And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. ⁴⁸But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss? ⁴⁹When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword? ⁵⁰And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. ⁵¹And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him. ⁵²Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves? ⁵³When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.

Read it in the Bible: John 18:1–11 (KJV)

¹When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples. ²And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples. ³Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. ⁴Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? ⁵They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. ⁶As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. ⁷Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. ⁸Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: ⁹That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none. ¹⁰Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. ¹¹Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

Questions to ask

What was the garden called?
Gethsemane.
What did the disciples do while Jesus prayed?
They fell asleep.
What did Jesus pray?
“Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”

What this story teaches

Jesus prayed to His Father when He was very sad (Matthew 26:38–39).
Jesus chose His Father’s will over His own (Luke 22:42).
Prayer helps us stand strong against temptation (Matthew 26:41).
Jesus could have called angels, but He chose the cross (Matthew 26:53–54).
Jesus showed kindness even to those who came to arrest Him (Luke 22:51).

Jesus Obeyed for Us

Jesus chose His Father’s will, even when it was hard. He humbled Himself and obeyed all the way to the cross.

Philippians 2:8

A 45-minute lesson plan

5 min	Welcome and pray. Greet each child by name and pray: Ask God to help us obey Him when it is hard.
10 min	The story. Play the story film: each verse appears on screen in the King James Version while the scene plays. Pause to ask what happens next.
10 min	Talk about it. Ask the three questions below. Then ask: “Jesus chose to obey His Father, even when it was hard.” What does that mean for us?
5 min	Memory verse. Say Matthew 26:41 together, covering one word at a time until the children can say it alone.
10 min	Activity. Younger children color the coloring page while you retell the story; older children do the class sheet (memory-verse fill-in, word search and questions).
5 min	Pray and send home. Pray together and send the sheet home so families can talk about the first question this week.

Preschool: keep it short and physical. Act out the story, use a simple prop, and repeat the big idea in one sentence.
Elementary: let children find the passage in their own Bibles. Ask “who, what, where” questions first, then “why.”
Preteens: read the verses before and after the passage, and ask how this story fits the whole story of the Bible.

Game time

For kids · activity · indoors · about 15 minutes

Prayer Garden

You need: Paper flowers or cutouts, crayons, a corner of the room with a blanket

Make a quiet “garden” corner.
Each child writes or draws a prayer on a paper flower and “plants” it in the garden.
Pray together, ending with Jesus’ words: “Not my will, but thine, be done.”

In the garden, Jesus prayed and trusted His Father, even when it was very hard.

For youth group · activity · indoors · about 20 minutes

Not My Will

You need: Paper, pens, a shredder or a trash bag

Read Luke 22:39–46 together.
Each person writes something hard they need to hand over to God.
Pray over them, then shred them, as a sign of trusting God with it.

Jesus prayed, “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” Surrender is trusting that God’s way is best.

Pray

Ask God to help us obey Him when it is hard.