Lesson Continued...

Warm Up 

Does anyone know why we celebrate Easter? Is it about Easter bunnies, eggs, candies, presents, and dressing up in our nicest outfits?

Today, we are going to learn about the real reason we celebrate Easter. This is the most important story in the whole Bible!

Teach the Story

 Matthew 28:1-10 

• Jesus was crucified on Friday (Good Friday), and was buried and in the tomb through Saturday (the Sabbath) and into Sunday morning.

  • This is the point at which Christians began their weekly celebrations on Sunday, instead of the traditional Sabbath (Saturday).

  • The story specifically says that they went to the tomb very early on Sunday morning (Matthew says it was at dawn).

  • This is why we have Easter sunrise services.

• Several women had taken up the cause to take care of Jesus' body in the tomb to embalm it: Mary Magdalene (the former prostitute), Mary the mother of James, Salome. They had the burial spices with them and were discussing on the way how they were going to get the very large stone moved from in front of Jesus' tomb.

• When they got there, they saw that the stone had been moved already and they saw an angel who told them that Jesus had risen from the dead.

  • Notice that none of the 12 were with them. Peter had denied Jesus publicly and the disciples were mostly scattered by the time the crucifixion happened. Here we are, 3 days later and these women were dutifully taking care of Jesus' body.

  • So the very first proclamation that Jesus had been risen from the dead was given to 3 women.

• They went and told Peter and the disciples, who then ran to the tomb. John gives us the story of John and Peter racing to the tomb. John was apparently the better athlete because he beat Peter to the tomb. But John was a little afraid when he got there, and just stood outside the tomb, looking in. Peter, in accordance with his personality, arrives at the tomb after John but just rushes in the tomb right past him (think the tortoise and the hare!).

• Peter saw the strips of linen that they wrapped Jesus' body in just lying there in the tomb. You could imagine how bloody those strips of linen would be. There would be no doubt that Jesus was no longer there.

• In Matthew, we learn that Jesus then appeared to the group of women and the disciples. They fell down and worshipped him.

• By the time the women got there, the guards had already left and were on their way to the city to tell the chief priests that something had gone horribly wrong. They were in charge of guarding Jesus' body, and somehow he was gone! The chief priests paid off the soldiers to tell everyone that the disciples came to get Jesus' body while they were sleeping.  This is silly though - how would the disciples be able to roll away a large stone and take a body without waking up the guards right next to the tomb?

• Even still, some of the disciples who hadn't seen Jesus still didn't believe that Jesus had risen from the dead solely based on the testimony of these women. But Jesus proceeded to appear to many people over the next 40 days to prove that he was indeed risen from the dead.

Comprehension Questions

• What day was Jesus crucified?

Friday, what we celebrate as "Good Friday"

• Who went to visit Jesus' tomb?

Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome

• Why were they going to Jesus' tomb?

To prepare his body, or to embalm it with burial spices

• What day did they go to the tomb?

Very early on the day after the Sabbath, Sunday

• What did they find when they got there?

The stone had been rolled away from the tomb, and they saw an angel

• What did the angel tell them?

That Jesus was no longer there, that he had risen from the dead

• What did they do next?

They went back to tell the disciples

• Who was the first disciple to enter the tomb?

Peter - John got there first, but Peter rushed in before him as John was waiting outside the tomb

• What did Peter find?

The linens they used to wrap Jesus' body after he died, lying in the tomb

• How do we know that Jesus rose from the dead?

Because he appeared to many people after he rose from the dead

• This is the most important story in all of the Bible! Jesus rose from the dead and so we know he is God, that he has power of death, and can save us from our sins with the same power he has to raise himself from the dead.Romans 10:9 tells us: "Say with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord.' Believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead. Then you will be saved." Have you done that?

Memory Verse hide God's Word in their heart

Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved. (Acts 16:31 ESV)

Directions

Directions

1. Give the kids some paper, painters tape to make a cross, and some paint or watercolors. 
2. Let them make a cross out of the painters tape and then make line going all around the cross as seen in the picture. Use at least two alternating colors. 

Directions

1. Play a racing or running game of your choosing (a relay, for example)

2. Bring out the part in the story where Peter and John run to Jesus' tomb

Directions

1. Divide the kids into two teams and have them play volleyball with the balloon!