What did the people spread in the way?

Their garments, and branches from the trees.

Free Bible lesson for kids · Holy Week

The Triumphal Entry

Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a colt. A great multitude spread their garments and branches in the way and cried, “Hosanna to the son of David.”

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

Bible passage: Matthew 21:1–11 · Mark 11:1–11 · Luke 19:28–44 · John 12:12–19
Big idea: Jesus is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.
Memory verse: And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. Matthew 21:9 (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

Near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples to a village to bring a donkey and her colt. If anyone asked, they were to say, “The Lord hath need of them” (Matthew 21:1–3). This happened just as the prophet said: “Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass” (Matthew 21:4–5). The disciples laid their garments on the colt, and Jesus sat on it (Mark 11:7).

A very great crowd spread their garments on the road. Others spread branches in the way, and some carried palm branches (Matthew 21:8; John 12:13). The people cried, “Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Matthew 21:9). When some Pharisees told Jesus to quiet His disciples, He said the stones would cry out (Luke 19:39–40). As He came near Jerusalem, Jesus wept over the city (Luke 19:41).

Read it in the Bible: Matthew 21:1–11 (KJV)

¹And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, ²Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. ³And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. ⁴All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, ⁵Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. ⁶And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, ⁷And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. ⁸And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. ⁹And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. ¹⁰And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? ¹¹And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

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

¹And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, ²And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him. ³And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither. ⁴And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him. ⁵And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt? ⁶And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go. ⁷And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. ⁸And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way. ⁹And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: ¹⁰Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest. ¹¹And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.

Read it in the Bible: Luke 19:28–44 (KJV)

²⁸And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem. ²⁹And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, ³⁰Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither. ³¹And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him. ³²And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them. ³³And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt? ³⁴And they said, The Lord hath need of him. ³⁵And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. ³⁶And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way. ³⁷And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; ³⁸Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. ³⁹And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. ⁴⁰And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. ⁴¹And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, ⁴²Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. ⁴³For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, ⁴⁴And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

Read it in the Bible: John 12:12–19 (KJV)

¹²On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, ¹³Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. ¹⁴And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, ¹⁵Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt. ¹⁶These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him. ¹⁷The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record. ¹⁸For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle. ¹⁹The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.

Questions to ask

What did Jesus ride into Jerusalem?
A colt, the foal of an ass.
What did the people spread in the way?
Their garments, and branches from the trees.
What did the crowd shout?
“Hosanna to the son of David.”

What this story teaches

Jesus deserves our praise and worship as King (Matthew 21:9).
Jesus is a gentle King, not a proud one (Matthew 21:5).
Jesus fulfilled what the prophet wrote about the King (Matthew 21:4–5).
If people stayed silent, even the stones would praise Jesus (Luke 19:40).
Jesus cares deeply for people who do not know Him (Luke 19:41–42).

Jesus Is the Humble King

Jesus came to Jerusalem as a gentle King. He came not to be served, but to serve and to give His life for many.

Mark 10:45

A 45-minute lesson plan

5 min	Welcome and pray. Greet each child by name and pray: Praise Jesus as our King.
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 is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.” What does that mean for us?
5 min	Memory verse. Say Matthew 21:9 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 or out · about 10 minutes

Palm Path Relay

You need: Paper palm branches and old jackets for each team

Each team must lay a path of branches and jackets across the room.
One at a time, kids run out and add one piece to their road.
When the road is finished, the whole team marches down it waving branches and shouting “Hosanna!”

The crowds spread their garments and branches in the way and cried, “Hosanna to the Son of David!”

For youth group · activity · indoors · about 15 minutes

Hosanna Cheer-Off

You need: Paper, markers, anything for props

Teams have eight minutes to write a cheer that praises Jesus, using “Hosanna” and at least one true fact about who He is.
Perform them for the group with motions.
Leaders judge on volume, creativity and truth.

Jesus said that if the people held their peace, the stones would cry out. He is worth all our praise.

Pray

Praise Jesus as our King.