The Last Supper , Jesus Shares the New Covenant (4th-6th Grade (Ages 9-11))

The Last Supper , Jesus Shares the New Covenant

Scripture: Matthew 26:17-30, Luke 22:7-20

Theme: Jesus’ body was broken and His blood was shed for us

Age Group: 4th-6th Grade (Ages 9-11)

Overview

Lesson Overview: “The Last Supper , Jesus’ Promise of Forever Love” (Matthew 26:17, 30 / Luke 22:7, 20) This lesson explores how Jesus shared a special meal with His disciples, marking the beginning of something new, His covenant of love that lasts forever. Using simple, engaging stories and questions, we’ll show kids that just like the bread and wine symbolized Jesus’ body and blood, His sacrifice gives us eternal life. The goal is to help them see that even though Jesus died on the cross, His love never ends, it’s part of God’s promise to us! — 1. Setting the Scene: A Meal of Love Jesus knew He’d soon be arrested, but before that happened, He gathered His friends for a special meal. He took bread, broke it, and said, “Take and eat, this is My body.” Then He took wine, poured it out, and said, “This is My blood.” His disciples didn’t understand at first, but Jesus wanted them, and us, to remember: His body was broken for us, His blood was shed so we could be forgiven. The meal wasn’t just food; it was a sign of His love and a promise that His love never ends! Deeper Question: “Why do you think Jesus chose bread and wine for this meal? What other times in the Bible did God use food or objects to teach a lesson?” Personal Application: “How can we thank God today for His love, like we would thank someone who gave us a gift?” — 2. The Passover Tradition: A Story of Freedom Before Jesus shared the Last Supper, the Israelites celebrated Passover, a festival that remembered God’s miracle when He spared their firstborn son by painting blood on their doorposts. Jesus linked this meal to the story, saying, “This is My blood… for the forgiveness of sins.” Just like the Israelites escaped slavery, Jesus’ blood sets us free from sin, so we can live with God forever! Deeper Question: “What does it mean that Jesus’ blood is like ‘new wine’? Why is that special?” Personal Application: “When have you felt like you’ve been ‘freed’ from something hard? How can you thank God for His freedom?” — 3. Jesus’ Biggest Gift: A New Covenant The Old Testament covenant (like the Passover) was temporary. Jesus changed that by offering Himself as the perfect sacrifice. When He said, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood,” He meant: “This love is mine to give forever!” The disciples didn’t know it yet, but this meal was the first hint of the Eucharist (Holy Communion), where we remember Jesus’ sacrifice and feast on His love today. Deeper Question: “Why do you think Jesus said the disciples should keep eating this meal as long as they remember Him?” Personal Application: “How can you ‘feast’ on Jesus’ love this week, even when things feel hard?” — 4. A Promise for Us: Jesus’ Love Never Ends Even after Jesus died, His love didn’t disappear. The bread and wine didn’t vanish, they were His way of showing us that His body and blood are still with us in a special way. Just as we can’t see Jesus’ love, but we feel it (like warmth or comfort), His love is always near us, waiting to take us home to Him. Deeper Question: “If Jesus’ love is forever, what’s one way you can share His love with someone this week?” Personal Application: “Write or draw something to remember: ‘Jesus’ love is my forever promise!’” — 5. Closing with Encouragement & Prayer End the lesson by asking kids to share one thing they learned (e.g., “Jesus’ love is forever!”) and then pray together. End with a simple song or scripture reading (e.g., John 3:16) to remind them that their biggest gift is being loved by Jesus, no matter what! Volunteer Tip: Use visuals like a simple bread/wine illustration or a “covenant promise” chart to reinforce the lesson. Keep it interactive, maybe have kids act out Jesus breaking bread or hold a “new covenant” ceremony with a small symbol (like a piece of paper with “Jesus’ love” written on it). Optional reflection: children can draw a picture of Jesus helping their friends, then share one way they can help someone else this week. This extra activity supports the lesson’s theme and gives teachers a simple, lowprep option for extending the discussion.

Bible Story

The Last Supper: Jesus Celebrates a New Promise

One night, just before Jesus was to be arrested and crucified, He gathered His disciples for a special meal. As they sat around a table, Jesus looked at them with love and said, “I’ve been thinking about something important.” He then took a loaf of bread, gave thanks, and broke it into pieces, placing some in their hands. “This is my body,” He told them. “It will be broken for you, just as this bread will be broken. Do this in remembrance of Me until I come again.” The disciples were amazed and ate the bread with Him. Next, Jesus took a cup of wine, thanked God again, and passed it to them. “Drink from it all of you,” He said. “This cup represents My blood, which will be poured out for many people to forgive their sins.”

Later, as they ate and talked, Jesus looked at His friends and said, “This night, one of you will betray Me.” Peter, one of Jesus’ closest friends, got upset. “Lord, really? Not me!” he exclaimed. Jesus smiled sadly but said, “It’s true, one of the twelve will do it.” Though Jesus knew the betrayal would hurt Him deeply, He didn’t let fear stop Him. He continued to love His disciples and wanted them to understand His plan. He took another cup and said, “This cup will be the end of My life, but it will also bring life to many others.” Jesus didn’t just speak words, He showed His love by giving them His body and blood as a sign of His sacrifice.

After the meal, Jesus and His disciples went outside to pray. Though He knew He would soon suffer and die, He didn’t give up hope. He prayed earnestly, trusting God to guide His work. As He finished praying, He walked back inside and found His disciples sleeping. “Why can’t you stay awake and pray with Me?” Jesus asked gently. “The hour has come when the Son of Man will be handed over to be betrayed.” Jesus knew His friends wouldn’t understand yet, but He gave them time to prepare their hearts.

The next morning, Jesus was arrested, and His disciples scattered in fear. But Jesus knew that through His death, He would win the victory over sin. He gave His life as a sacrifice, and through His blood, God forgave all who believe in Him. Even though Jesus was betrayed, He trusted God to bring good out of His suffering. When we follow Jesus, we too can trust that God will use our struggles to do even greater things. Just as Jesus shared bread and wine with His disciples, we can remember His love and sacrifice when we celebrate Communion, a reminder of His promise to be with us forever.

Why This Story Matters: Jesus’ Last Supper wasn’t just a meal, it was the start of something new! By giving His body and blood, He made a covenant (or promise) with God to forgive us all our sins. Just like the bread and wine were broken and shared, Jesus’ sacrifice was broken for us, so we could be forgiven and have eternal life. The next time you celebrate Communion, remember Jesus’ love and how He wants you to trust Him with all your heart.

Deeper Questions: 1. Why do you think Jesus chose to share this special meal with His disciples? 2. How did Jesus’ words “This is My blood” show that He cared deeply about their future? 3. What does it mean to “do this in remembrance of Me” today? 4. Why did Jesus trust God even when He knew He would suffer?

Personal Application: Think about a time you felt afraid or unsure. How can you trust Jesus, like He trusted God, even when things seem difficult? What can you do to remember His love today?

Activities

Supplies: Use recyclables (e.g., empty water bottles for cups, crackers for bread).

Introduce the Symbols (3 min):
Read Matthew 26:26, 28 (“This is my blood of the covenant”) and John 13:12, 17 (footwashing as a new commandment).
Ask: “What do you think bread and wine (or water) represent in this story? How is this different from a regular Passover meal?”
Write key symbols on the board: bread (body), wine (blood), footwashing (love), cup (new covenant).
Create Symbol Art (5 min):
Give each student a sheet of paper. Fold it in half to create two halves: one side for traditional Passover symbols (lamps, matzah, lamb), the other for Jesus’ new symbols (cup, bread, footprints).
Use scissors to cut out simple shapes (e.g., a cup, a loaf of bread, footprints) from pre-cut paper. Glue them onto their sides.
Color with crayons/markers to personalize (e.g., turn bread into a heart or footprints into a path).
Share and Discuss (7 min):
Invite students to share their artwork and explain one symbol they chose. Ask:
“Why did Jesus pick these symbols for his new covenant? How does this help us understand his love?”
“How can we ‘wash’ others’ feet in our daily lives?” (Use John 13:14, 15 as a springboard.)
Conclude by praying: “God, help us to remember this covenant in our hearts and actions.”
Deeper Questions for Reflection:
“If you could ask Jesus one question about the covenant, what would it be?”
“How do you think people today still celebrate or remember this covenant?”
2. Activity: “Pass the Covenant: A Guessing Game”
Divide into Teams (2 min):
Split students into 3, 4 small groups (3, 5 people each). Assign a team leader per group.
Introduce the Game (3 min):
Explain: “We’ll play like detectives! Each team gets a clue about a symbol from the Last Supper. Their job is to guess what it means and why Jesus chose it. Ready… GO!”
Hold up a symbol (e.g., a cup) and say: “This was a symbol of the new covenant. What does it mean?” (Wait for answers; reveal the answer from Scripture.)
Gameplay (5, 7 min):
Round 1: Teams receive 3 slips of clues (e.g., “Passed from person to person” bread, “Washed feet to show humility” footwashing, “Blood poured out for others” wine).
Give 1 minute per clue. If a team guesses correctly, they earn a point. If not, the next team can challenge them!
Round 2: Add a twist, teams must explain why the symbol matters in modern life (e.g., “How does remembering bread remind us to share?”).
Wrap-Up Discussion (3 min):
Have each team share one symbol and its takeaway. Ask:
“Which symbol surprised you the most? Why?”
“How can we live out the covenant today, even in small ways?” (e.g., sharing food, serving others).
End with prayer: “God, help us to carry this covenant in our hearts and actions.”
Deeper Questions for Personal Application:
“How does the idea of a ‘new covenant’ change how you think about forgiveness? Why?”
“If you could have dinner with Jesus, what question would you ask about the Last Supper?”
Tips for Both Activities:
For deeper discussion: Pair one activity with a short group devotional (e.g., read 1 Corinthians 11:23, 26 after the first activity).
For movement: In the guessing game, have teams physically pass the “covenant” (a small cup or token) as they share answers.

Discussion Questions

Here are four open-ended discussion questions for upper elementary students (ages 9-11) based on The Last Supper and Jesus sharing the New Covenant. These questions encourage reflection, deeper thinking, and personal connections to the story:
1. Sharing and Forgiveness
Jesus shared bread and wine with His disciples as a symbol of His body and blood, representing a new kind of covenant. Think about a time when someone hurt you or you hurt someone else. How did you feel, and what did you do to make things right? Why do you think Jesus chose to use food (like bread and wine) to show His love and forgiveness in this way? How can we use small acts of kindness or words of forgiveness today to build a better relationship with others?
2. Leading by Example
Jesus knew He would soon face hardship and death, but He still chose to share a meal with His disciples. What does it mean for you to be a leader in your family, school, or community? How can you show courage, love, and care for others, even when it’s difficult? Have you ever seen someone lead with kindness, and what did you learn from them? How can you follow Jesus’ example by serving others in small ways?
3. Faith and Trust in the Future
During the Last Supper, Jesus told His disciples that one of them would betray Him. Afterward, they argued about who the traitor was. How do you think they felt? Why do you think Jesus let this happen? Later, Jesus rose from the dead and proved His love for us. What does it mean to trust in God’s promises, even when things don’t seem fair? Have you ever faced a hard time where you had to trust God, even when you didn’t understand everything? What helped you hold onto hope?
4. Giving Thanks and Remembering
Jesus told His disciples to remember the bread and wine as they shared them, saying, “Do this in remembrance of me.” Why do you think Jesus wanted them, and us, to keep remembering Him? What does it mean to give thanks in your own life? Have you ever been thankful for something big or small? How can you make sure to remember Jesus’ love for you, especially when you feel forgetful or distracted?
These questions help students explore the story’s deeper meaning while encouraging personal reflection and application.

Prayer Focus

Prayer Focus: A Heart Open to Sharing and Trust Dear God, Thank You for the special meal Jesus shared with His friends, the Last Supper. He took bread, broke it, and shared it with them, saying, “This is my body, broken for you.” Then He took wine and blessed it, saying, “This cup is new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” Jesus wanted us to remember how much He loved us. Help us to be like Him, trusting and sharing with others, just as He did. Teach us to take time to thank You for the gifts we receive, and help us to share kindness and love with those around us. Why do you think Jesus chose this special meal to share His love with His friends? How can we show love to others through our actions, like sharing food or time with friends? Teacher Prayer: “Lord Jesus, thank You for breaking bread with us and giving us a new way to connect with You. Help us to remember Your love every time we share a meal or give thanks. Give us hearts open to sharing Your grace with others, just as You did. May we trust in You and love our neighbors as You have loved us. In Your name, Amen.” — Personal Reflection: How does it feel to think about Jesus sharing His body and blood with His friends? What does it mean that we can trust Him with our lives? If you had been there, what would you have wanted to ask Jesus about this special meal? Action Step: Next time you eat with someone, take a moment to say thank You for the food and for the love of Jesus. Can you share a kind word or a smile with someone else today? — Let’s pray together: “Lord, help us to remember Your love through the bread and wine You shared. May we be faithful to share Your love with others, just as You did. Thank You for being our friend forever. Amen.”

Missions Spotlight

Among the Berber (Amazigh) people of North Africa, sharing a meal is a sacred act of community. The Last Supper story resonates deeply , Jesus shared a final meal with His friends before giving His life for them. Many Berber believers are discovering this truth.

To the Cross

At the Last Supper, Jesus took bread and said, ‘This is My body, broken for you.’ He took the cup and said, ‘This is My blood, poured out for the forgiveness of sins.’ The very next day, it all came true on the cross. The Last Supper and the cross are one story.

Family Take-Home

This Sunday School lesson teaches children about Jesus’ last supper with his disciples, where he shared bread and wine as symbols of his new covenant with God. He said it was a way to remember his love, death, and promise of eternal life for those who believe.

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