Stations of the Cross
2006 Celebration

Ben Calf Robe School



Opening Message:
The Stations of the Cross represent the journey Jesus took in order to reach eternal life at the right hand of God the Father. Jesus died for us. He died for our sins, and to save us from the pain and suffering he endured. When we learn about the Stations, we relive the journey that Jesus took, and we pray that God will save us the way he saved Jesus Christ.

Procedure:
When you enter the gymnasium with your students… PLEASE READ the ‘OPENING MESSAGE’ to them and proceed to the first station.

AT EACH STATION…
Read the explanation of the station and the accompanying prayer.
- TEACHER may act as LEADER (or you may choose a student to do this.
- STUDENTS echo the prayer (teacher or leader gives them the prayer in bits to echo)


Pause for a moment of SILENT REFLECTION
PLAY/GO OVER music that may be at station.


Hymn: Only A Shadow


Station 1: Jesus is condemned to death.

Leader: Pontius Pilate answers the call of the people and condemns Jesus to die by crucifying him on the cross.

Students: Dear Jesus, make me brave / so that I do the right thing / when it is hard to do. / Help me be honest / and give me strength / to show courage.


Hymn: Were You There, Verse 1


Station 2: Jesus takes his cross.

Leader: The cross is placed on the shoulders of Jesus, and he is forced to carry it through the streets of Jerusalem

Students: Dear Jesus, / let me always remember / the cross you carried / when something is hard for me to do. / Help me be good / and kind to others / when it is not always / easy to do.


Station 3: Jesus falls the first time.

Leader: The Cross is crushing the shoulders of Jesus. Jesus tries as hard as he can to move faster while carrying the cross, but he stumbles and falls.

Students: Dear Jesus, / if something hurts me today, / remind me to offer / my hurt to God. / Help me not to be mean to others, / or laugh when someone else gets hurt.


Station 4: Jesus meets his mother.

Leader: Mary is in the crowd and reaches out to Jesus to put her arms around him. Her face is full of tears, as is Jesus’. Mary is not allowed to stay close to Jesus.

Students: Dear Jesus, / when I have to be away / from people I love, / help me offer / my lonely feelings to you. / Help me do / what God wants me to do today.


Station 5: Simon helps Jesus carry his cross.

Leader: On his way home from work, Simon is told to help Jesus carry his cross. Simon does not want to, since he does not know Jesus.

Students: Dear Jesus, make me strong / when I have to do something hard, / or when I don’t like / the task given to me, / like making my bed, / or doing my school work. / Don’t let me push it off / on someone else.


Station 6: Veronica wipes Jesus’ face.

Leader: Veronica pushes through the crowd to offer Jesus a cloth to wipe his face. When he returns it to her, it has His picture on it.

Students: Dear Jesus, let me be thankful / to people who help me / when I need help. / Help me do kind things for others / even when I don’t get / any rewards for it.


Station 7: Jesus falls the second time.

Leader: Jesus is weak and shaky. The guards keep pushing Him to walk faster. As He tries, Jesus falls a second time, and the cross falls on top of Him.

Students: Dear Jesus, / when I try to do something / and mess it up, / help me start over again / as you did. / Let me be there / to help others / when they fall down.


Station 8: Jesus meets the weeping women.

Leader: Jesus meets a group of women who feel sorry for them. Jesus tells them that He will feel better if he knows they will try to be kind and gentle to others.

Students: Dear Jesus, / teach me to share with others / so that I am not / always keeping the best of everything / for myself. / Show me how / I can make others happy.


Station 9: Jesus falls the third time.

Leader: The soldiers are afraid that the people watching and yelling at Jesus may start a riot. He takes several more steps before falling for the third time.

Students: Dear Jesus: if I am slow / and people rush me, / help me not to get mad. / Help me to be kind to others, / as we all need help sometimes.


Station 10: Jesus’ clothes are taken away.

Leader: Jesus is standing on a hill called Calvary. His clothes are being pulled off him roughly, and they are sticking to his sore back.

Students: Dear Jesus, keep me strong / in the battle I will have to fight / to be good and true to you. / Let me never forget / that I can always / pray to you for help.


Hymn: Where Have You Gone?


Station 11: Jesus is nailed to the cross.

Leader: Jesus is laid flat on the cross. A soldier takes spikes and nails them into Jesus’ hands. The soldier nails Jesus’ feet. Then, the soldiers stand the cross in a hole in the ground. This is the first Good Friday.

Students: Dear Jesus, / when someone hurts me, / help me be forgiving. / Help me to live / so that Mary would be proud / to count me as her child.


Hymn: Were You There, Verse 2


Station 12: Jesus dies on the cross (HAVE ALL STUDENTS KNEEL)

Leader: Jesus has been on the cross for three hours. He prays to the Lord, and tells Him His work is done. He bows his head and dies. A soldier runs a spear into Jesus’ side, where blood and water run out. This is the sign that Jesus gave everything for us.

Students: Dear Jesus, no matter / what may happen to me, / where I am, /or how long I love, /let me always be thankful / that You died for me.


Station 13: Jesus is taken from the cross.

Leader: Jesus is taken from the cross and is washed of the blood and dirt. Mary cradles her son in her arms, but she does not cry. She remembers about waiting three days.

Students: Dear Jesus, / let me always remember / You have given me new life, / and when people / leave us on earth, / help me see them / up in heaven. / Help me remember / to be kind / when others are sad.


Hymn: Look at the Cross


Station 14: Jesus is put into the tomb.

Leader: Jesus is laid to rest in the tomb. After they leave him, they roll a huge stone in front of it.

Students: Dear Jesus, / teach me to be patient / when I don’t get my way / or I can’t get what I want. /Help me to pray / when you seem far away.


Hymn: Were You There, Verse 3


Before leaving the gym, have the students go over the last verse of the hymn and discuss what is coming in the days ahead.


Hymn: Were You There, Verse 4


Students quietly leave gym.









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