Preschool
The Empty Tomb
Matthew 28:1-10; Luke 22:2; 23:33-24:9; John 19:38-42
BIG IDEA: We are happy that Jesus is alive!
GET TALKING:
- Last week we talked about how many people celebrated Jesus coming to town, but other people weren't so excited. They didn't like Jesus at all. What did they do to Jesus? (They hung him on the cross.)
- After Jesus died, where did they put His body? (In the tomb. A cave with a big stone rolled in front of it.)
- His friends were very sad. A couple of women went to the tomb and found quite the surprise! What did they find? (Jesus' body was gone! Two angels were there and told them Jesus was alive!)
- What did the women do when they heard the good news? (They ran to tell Jesus' friends that He was alive!)
ACTION PLAN: When we have good news, we want to share it with everyone! Name a friend that you want to tell the good news that Jesus is alive.
PRAYER: Thank God that Jesus is ALIVE and ask Him to help us share the good news with others.
APRIL MEMORY VERSE:
"How good it is to sing praises to our God." Psalm 147:1
Elementary
Jesus Is Risen
John 17-20
BIG IDEA: God loves me and made a way for me to be part of His family.
GET TALKING:
- What happened after Jesus had gone away to pray? (His disciples fell asleep. He was arrested, beaten and died on the cross.)
- What happened 3 days after Jesus died? (The stone was rolled away. He rose from the dead. He appeared to his friends.)
- Why did Thomas doubt that Jesus is alive? (Thomas had not seen Him yet.) How did Thomas end up believing? (Jesus appeared to him and allowed him to touch his hands and side.)
CONNECTING TO JESUS: When Jesus died and rose again, everything happened just as God had said it would. The Old Testament tells many details about Jesus, written long before Jesus was even born. God wants to show us that Jesus is the MOST IMPORTANT part of God's plan. He is the only way to know God the Father. He died and rose again so that we can be part of God's family!
ACTION PLAN: Tell what you know to be true about Jesus. Talk about how it may be easy or difficult to believe in someone we cannot see.
APRIL MEMORY VERSES:
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32