A Children’s Sermon on John 18:12-27 — Jesus and the High Priest

This children’s sermon on John 18:12-27 is another special one for my friends at Lakeview Mennonite Church. 

I usually try to focus my retelling of a story on just one thing, but this scene goes back and forth between Jesus’ trial and Peter’s denials. And it’s all interrelated. So I kept the narrative structure straight from the Gospel. I know that there’s a risk that this might lead some kids into a bit of confusion. Let me know by email or in the comments how kids respond when you read it to them.

A Children’s Sermon on John 18:12-27

Good morning, kids! I am so happy to see you. Thanks for coming up to hear the children’s sermon. 

Our story from the Gospel tells us of things that happened on the very last night before Jesus was killed. Earlier that evening, at his very last dinner with his disciples, Jesus told them that he was going to be arrested — and that they would all run away scared.

Peter didn’t believe it. Peter said “No! I’ll never run away. I will never turn my back on you!” 

Jesus looked at Peter sadly, his big brown eyes all full of love. “Oh my friend,” he said, “It really is going to happen. Tonight before the rooster sings ‘Cock-a-doodle-doo!’ you will tell people you don’t even know me — three times.”

Arrested

Well, things started to happen just as Jesus had said. 

After dinner Jesus prayed for a while.

Then some soldiers came and arrested him. 

And Jesus’ disciples really did run away. 

But Peter and John did not run very far. They wanted to follow, and see what happened when the soldiers took Jesus away. Maybe they thought they could find some way to help Jesus.

Sneaking In

The soldiers took Jesus to the house of a man named Annas. Annas used to be the High Priest. Annas was still a very powerful man. Annas wanted to ask Jesus some questions. 

John had met Annas before. So, when the soldiers brought Jesus out the house, they let John sneak through the door too. But Peter was stuck outside.

When John realized Peter wasn’t with him, he went and talked to the servant girl who was watching the gate.

“Hi there!” said John. “My friend is stuck outside. He’s a really good guy. Could you let him in please?” 

“Okay,” she said, and she waved at Peter to come in. But when Peter came close, the girl got suspicious.

“Are you one of Jesus’ disciples?” she asked. “I’m not supposed to let any of Jesus’ disciples in.” 

“Nope!” Peter lied. “Not me!” 

And he made his way through the gate, into the courtyard of Annas’ house.

Jesus and the High Priest

Peter and John could see and hear what happened. 

They watched as Jesus was set before Annas. Jesus was surrounded by soldiers and guards. His hands were tied. 

You might think Jesus wold have looked kind of helpless, but he stood straight and tall. He looked straight at Annas as if he were a friend, with his big brown eyes all full of love. 

“I’ve been wanting to meet you, Jesus of Nazareth,” said Annas. “Tell me about the things you have been teaching. I hear you are leading the people. astray.”

 Jesus said to Annas, “You know, I never did anything in secret. I taught publicly in the synagogues. I taught publicly in the Temple. Ask anyone who was there. They’ll tell you what I taught.”

That made one of the guards really angry. He hit Jesus, right across the face! 

The guard said, “Show some respect! Is that how you talk to the High Priest?”

Jesus turned to the guard, his back still straight and tall, his big brown eyes still all full of love. He said, “If I said something that wasn’t true, tell me what it was. But if what I said was true, why did you hit me?”

In the Courtyard

Peter was getting kind of chilly out there in the courtyard. He saw that some guys had made a little fire to keep warm. So he went over to warm up

“Nice fire,” said Peter, stepping into a spot where he could still see Jesus. “Mind if I join you?” 

“Sure” said one of the guys. “Oh, hey, aren’t you one of this guy’s disciples? What’s Jesus really like?” 

“Nope, not me,” Peter said, warming his hands over the coals.

Now Peter was quite close to one of the High Priest’s servants. 

“Yes you are!” the man said. “I was there in the Garden of Gethsemane when we came to arrest Jesus: I saw you for sure!” 

“Sorry,” Peter said, shaking his head. “Must have been someone who looked like me. I — I’ve never met Jesus.” 

Then Peter turned around. It looked like he just wanted to warm his backside by the fire, but really he didn’t want anybody else to recognize him. 

And then, up on the roof of the house, a rooster sang out “Cock-a-doodle-doo!”

Peter heard it. Jesus heard it too.

Wondering.

I wonder how Peter felt when he heard the rooster sing “Cock-a-doodle-doo!”? 

I wonder how Jesus felt when he heard it. 

I wonder how the servant girl knew by looking at Peter that he belonged to Jesus?

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