Lesson Snapshot
BOTTOM LINE:
Because Jesus died and rose again, we can have eternal life!
OBJECTIVE:
– For kids to understand that Jesus’ death is the reason we can have eternal life.
KEY PASSAGE:
Mark 15:6-15, John 19:17-30, Luke 23:39-43: Jesus dies and is buried
MEMORY VERSE:
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
– John 15:13 (NIV)
SUMMARY:
The tomb is no one’s favorite part of the Easter story, but without the tomb, there is no story. Jesus was put to death, and his death was the final sacrifice for our sins. Without the tomb, there is no resurrection. The good news is, because Jesus died and rose again, we can be with him in paradise.
Object Lesson
ITEM NEEDED:
An apple
I’m guessing most of you in here, given the chance, would take a shiny red apple over a black jelly bean, right? Apples are the perfect snack; all natural, nutritious, and deli- cious. But apples have another purpose besides food. Apples are an apple tree’s only hope of producing more trees. Apples contain the seeds to grow even more apple trees, and unless an apple “dies”, there won’t be any apple trees in the future.
Just like an apple, which must go into the darkness of the Earth to create new life, Jesus had to die and be buried in a tomb in order to fulfill God’s promise of salvation. Without the death of Jesus, there’s no resurrection, and without the resurrection, there’s no eternal life for you or me.
Let’s thank God for sending his Son to die for us, and let’s thank Jesus for his obedi- ence to that calling. It’s because he died that we are here today celebrating his death and his resurrection!
Game
Skit
JUST BEFORE DAWN
ITEMS NEEDED:
Blankets Pillows
CHARACTERS:
Simon the Zealot Thad (Thaddeus)
Simon is laying on the stage asleep. Thad lies beside him but is not sleeping; he can’t. He rolls over and looks at Simon.
THAD: Simon? You awake? Simon?
Simon doesn’t move. Thad decides to fake rolling over in his sleep. He lies down, then flops backwards, slinging his arm around and hitting Simon.
SIMON: Hey!!
THAD: (pretends to be waking up) What? Huh? What’s the matter, can’t you sleep?
SIMON: I was asleep.
THAD: I can’t sleep either.
SIMON: Why don’t you get a glass of water?
THAD: I tried that, but I still can’t sleep. I don’t see how you can either.
SIMON: We’ll need it. Tomorrow they may be looking for us, and then we’ll have to run.
THAD: You think they’ll come after us?
SIMON: They might.
THAD: Why?
SIMON: They want to make sure they stamp out what Jesus was doing; they’ll round up as many of his followers as they can. Trust me, it won’t be good.
THAD: I don’t wanna die on a cross.
SIMON: I don’t either. So let’s get some sleep so we can get out of here tomorrow. Simon lies back down.
THAD: I still can’t believe it. Just two days ago, we were all together. We had Passover, we went out to the garden, and now…
SIMON: I know. Now he’s dead.
THAD: I hear the ladies are going down to the tomb to prepare the body in the morning. Maybe we should go.
SIMON: You know they have guards down there, right? Roman soldiers, big swords, spears. I don’t think that’s a good idea.
THAD: Yeah, maybe not. I just thought going down there might give me some sense of closure, you know?
SIMON: I guess so.
THAD: I can’t help feeling like it’s not really over. Like there’s still something more to come. This can’t be the end, can it?
SIMON: Thaddeus, he’s dead.
THAD: I know he’s dead. But so was Lazarus. And so was that little girl, remember?
SIMON: I remember.
THAD: He knew he was going to die, and he let them take him away. What if…
SIMON: Now you’re talking crazy.
THAD: Yeah, I guess so.
They both lay down.
THAD: Hardly seems worth going to sleep. It’s almost morning.
SIMON: Is it?
THAD: Take a look for yourself.
SIMON: Wow. Sunday morning.
THAD: What do you think will happen today?
SIMON: I’d say anything is possible.