Why do we take the Lord’s Supper today?

To remember Jesus and what He did for us.

Free Bible lesson for kids · Holy Week

The Last Supper

At the Passover meal, Jesus washed His disciples’ feet. Then He took bread and the cup and told them to do this in remembrance of Him.

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

Bible passage: John 13:1–17 · Matthew 26:17–30 · Mark 14:12–26 · Luke 22:7–23
Big idea: Jesus served us and gave Himself for us.
Memory verse: And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Luke 22:19 (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

It was time for the Passover, and Jesus sent Peter and John to prepare the meal (Luke 22:7–8). Jesus loved His disciples “unto the end” (John 13:1). He rose from supper, wrapped a towel around Himself, poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet (John 13:4–5). He said, “I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you” (John 13:15).

As they ate, Jesus said one of them would betray Him, and the disciples were very sad (Matthew 26:21–22). Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, saying, “This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). He took the cup and said it was His blood, shed for many for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:27–28). Then they sang a hymn and went out (Matthew 26:30).

Read it in the Bible: John 13:1–17 (KJV)

¹Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. ²And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him; ³Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; ⁴He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. ⁵After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. ⁶Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? ⁷Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. ⁸Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. ⁹Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. ¹⁰Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. ¹¹For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. ¹²So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? ¹³Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. ¹⁴If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. ¹⁶Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. ¹⁷If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

Read it in the Bible: Matthew 26:17–30 (KJV)

¹⁷Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover? ¹⁸And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples. ¹⁹And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover. ²⁰Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve. ²¹And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. ²²And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? ²³And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. ²⁴The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. ²⁵Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said. ²⁶And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. ²⁷And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; ²⁸For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. ²⁹But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom. ³⁰And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

Read it in the Bible: Mark 14:12–26 (KJV)

¹²And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover? ¹³And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him. ¹⁴And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? ¹⁵And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us. ¹⁶And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. ¹⁷And in the evening he cometh with the twelve. ¹⁸And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me. ¹⁹And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I? ²⁰And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish. ²¹The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born. ²²And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. ²³And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. ²⁴And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. ²⁵Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. ²⁶And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

Read it in the Bible: Luke 22:7–23 (KJV)

⁷Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed. ⁸And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat. ⁹And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare? ¹⁰And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in. ¹¹And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? ¹²And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready. ¹³And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. ¹⁴And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. ¹⁵And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: ¹⁶For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. ¹⁷And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: ¹⁸For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. ¹⁹And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. ²⁰Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. ²¹But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. ²²And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed! ²³And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.

Questions to ask

What did Jesus wash?
His disciples’ feet.
What did Jesus take and give thanks for?
Bread, and the cup.
Why do we take the Lord’s Supper today?
To remember Jesus and what He did for us.

What this story teaches

Jesus loved His followers all the way to the end (John 13:1).
Jesus, our Lord and Master, humbly served others (John 13:13–14).
Jesus wants us to serve one another like He did (John 13:14–15).
Jesus gave His body and blood for our sins (Matthew 26:26–28).
The Lord’s Supper helps us remember what Jesus did (Luke 22:19).

Jesus Gave Himself for Us

At supper Jesus showed His love by serving. Soon He would love us all the way to the cross, giving Himself for us.

Ephesians 5:2

A 45-minute lesson plan

5 min	Welcome and pray. Greet each child by name and pray: Ask Jesus to help us serve others like He did.
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 served us and gave Himself for us.” What does that mean for us?
5 min	Memory verse. Say Luke 22:19 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 · game · indoors · about 10 minutes

Serve One Another Relay

You need: For each team: a tray, a paper cup, a napkin, a towel, a chair

One teammate sits in the chair at the far end.
Each runner carries the tray with the cup and napkin to them, serves it with a smile, wipes their shoes with the towel, and runs back.
Keep going until everyone has served.

Jesus, the King of kings, washed His disciples’ feet. “I have given you an example.”

For youth group · activity · indoors · about 30 minutes

Shoe Shine Service

You need: Shoe polish, cloths, chairs, a sign

After a service, set up a free shoe shine for church members.
While you work, chat and thank people for coming. Don’t accept tips.
Talk afterward: what was it like to serve this way?

Jesus washed His friends’ feet and said, “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.”

Pray

Ask Jesus to help us serve others like He did.