Garden of Gethsemane | My Everyday God

Glow stick truth

Judas Iscariot led a company of soldiers into the garden, armed with torches and weapons, and ended up falling to the ground in the presence of Jesus. In fact, Jesus approached them and asked who they were looking for, even though He knew. Jesus was, and is, God, and responded to the mob by giving them a glimpse through His words of His true identity. When the group said they were looking for Jesus of Nazareth, He responded, “I am He.”

Jesus IS the Great I AM. He is the God who created the universe, the God who brought the Israelites out of Egypt with amazing signs and wonders, the Jesus who was slain before the foundation of the world.

In the aftermath of Jesus being arrested, His disciples scattered. They ran away terrified into the dark of the night. After our Bible study time, we played glow stick seek and find. Each kid took turns hiding glow sticks all over the living room, and the other worked to find them all in the dark.

Read about Jesus being arrested in the garden in John 18:3-11.

Learn more about 2 Weeks 2 the Cross and explore ways to experience Easter in a meaningful way with your family.

Garden of Gethsemane dioramas

After Jesus had His last supper with His disciples, they went out into the Garden of Gethsemane. There, Jesus began to feel the weight of the cross and was overwhelmed. He instructed his friends to pray for Him and with Him. After going on alone, He fell to the ground and prayed. If there was any other way to redeem us, to pay for our freedom from sin, Jesus begged His Father to do it instead. Yet, no matter the answer, He said, “not my will, but Your will.” Jesus would do whatever it took to save you and me.

After collecting rocks and twigs outside, the kids created their own Garden of Gethsemane dioramas. We covered shoe boxes with black construction paper, glued stick trees and moss, and carefully laid rocks to set the scene. Then we placed Jesus in the Garden and considered how He willingly decided to go to the cross. We prayed next to our gardens, thanking Jesus for His great love.

Read about Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane in Matthew 26:36-46.

Learn more about 2 Weeks 2 the Cross and explore ways to experience Easter in a meaningful way with your family.