The Two Crowns

Children’s Message on Luke 23:33–43

(Show two crowns: one shiny/golden, one made of thorns wrapped in brown vine.)

Hi friends! Let’s look at these two crowns.

• Here’s a shiny gold crown. Who usually wears a crown like this? (Wait for answers: a king, a queen!) Yes! A crown like this shows someone is powerful and important.

• Now look at this crown. It’s made of thorns. What happens if someone wears it? (Wait for answers: it hurts, it pokes!) That’s right. This crown hurts. It doesn’t look like something a king would want to wear.

In Bible times, people thought a king should wear gold and rule with power.

But those against Jesus chose something different for him, a crown of thorns.

That actually becomes a great story to tell.

A crown of thorns is a crown of love for all.

Jesus didn’t come to boss people around.

He came to carry our pain, our worries, our sins.

He came to be a king of love.

Every Sunday, when we share bread and the cup, it’s like a little meal of love. Jesus feeds us—not with food for our tummies, but with gifts for our hearts: love, forgiveness, and thankfulness.

That’s why we call it a Thanksgiving Meal. And this week, when we celebrate Thanksgiving, let us remember to thank Jesus, our King, who wears love instead of gold.

Prayer with Our Hands

(Invite children to follow along with motions.)

• Put your hands on your heart: “Jesus, feed me with love.”

• Open your hands wide: “Jesus, feed me with forgiveness.”

• Lift your hands high: “Jesus, feed me with a grateful heart.”

Amen.