Children's object lesson: "Why Did Jesus Cry?"

Objective: Help children understand that Jesus understands our feelings and is with us in hard times. He knows what it’s like to feel sorrow.

Object lesson items needed:

A box of Kleenex (tissues)

Welcome "Hi, everyone! I’m so glad you’re all here. Today, we’re going to talk about something special. It’s something that reminds us just how much Jesus loves us and understands our feelings!"

Begin the Lesson

Show the Box of Kleenex

Hold up the box of Kleenex.

"Does anyone know what these are?"
Pause for answers.
"Right, these are tissues! (or Kleenex) And when do we usually need tissues?"
Pause for answers like: 'when we’re sick' or 'when we cry.'

Discuss Why We Cry

"Sometimes we use tissues when we’re sad or hurt. Have you ever felt sad? Maybe you lost a toy, or maybe a friend moved away. Sometimes, sad things happen to us, and we feel like crying. And that’s okay! God made our tears and gave us feelings so we can express when we’re sad or hurt." (Be prepared for a child giving you a gut wrenching story about a loved one)

Introduce the Story of Jesus Weeping

"Today, we’re going to look at a very short verse in the Bible, but it’s a super important one. In the Gospel of John, there’s a verse that says, ‘Jesus wept.’ (It’s the shortest verse in the Bible.) That means that Jesus, the Son of God, cried. Isn’t that amazing to think about?"

Explain Why Jesus Cried

"Do you know why Jesus cried? It happened when His friend, Lazarus, had died. Jesus saw everyone around Him being really sad and crying. Even though Jesus knew He could bring Lazarus back to life, He still felt sad because His friends were sad."

Use the Kleenex as an Object Lesson

Pass around the box of Kleenex, inviting each child to hold one tissue.
"When we cry, we might reach for a tissue to dry our tears, right? Just like we’re holding these tissues, Jesus holds us close when we’re sad. He doesn’t leave us alone with our sad feelings; He feels them with us."

Relate It to the Kids’ Lives

"So, next time you feel sad or see someone else who is sad, remember that Jesus understands. He knows how it feels to be sad, and He’s right there with you. And you can talk to Him about it!"

Closing Prayer

"Let’s pray together and thank God / Jesus for always being with us and for understanding our feelings and our tears."

Prayer: "Dear God, thank you for understanding us and loving us. Thank you for being with us when we’re sad and for caring about our feelings. Help us remember that you are always there to comfort us. – In Jesus’ name Amen."