The Beginning!
Children's sermon
Activity: The Easter Game. See the note.
Note: The object of the Easter Game is for the children to remove pieces of the stone over the door by answering questions about the Easter story. I have included questions, though you may certainly edit or add your own. I have also included images that I use of the tomb, the stone, and what it looks like when I have them setup for the game. I usually draw the tomb on a large piece of paper or posterboard. I then draw the large round stone on posterboard, cut it into pieces so I have one piece for each question, and then stick the pieces over the tomb door with tape so I can remove each piece as the questions are answered. Have fun with the game by cheering for their correct answers and giving a few hints if they are having problems with any questions.
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Sample images: The Tomb | The Stone | The Empty Tomb
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Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent! And since this is Easter morning, does anyone want to guess what our story is about this morning? (Let them respond.) It is about Easter!
But I’ll bet that most of you already know what happened on Easter morning, so I thought that instead of just telling you the story again, we would play a game about what happened on Easter morning. Let me show you how we play the game. (Show the tomb and stone.) This is a picture of the tomb Jesus was buried in, with the big stone rolled in front of the door. Our job is to remove the pieces of the stone, so the door is open. I have some questions I will ask you about the Easter Story, and each time you know the answer to a question, we will remove one piece of the stone. Are you ready to play our game? (Let them respond.) Great.
Here is question number one. After Jesus died on Friday, where did Jesus’ friends put his body? (Let them respond.) They put it in an empty tomb, didn’t they? (If they answered the question correctly, remove a piece of the stone.) That wasn’t too hard, was it? But if you didn’t remember, don’t worry, we aren’t finished yet.
Let’s see if anyone remembers the answer to question number two. The soldiers were afraid that someone might try to steal Jesus’ body, so how did they protect the tomb so no one could get in to take the body away? (Let them respond,) They rolled a great big stone in front of the door. (Point to the stone on your paper.) I was a big round stone like this that was too big for someone else to move. (If they answered the question correctly, remove a piece of the stone.)
Now for question number three. Who went to the tomb early on Sunday morning? (Let them respond.) This is a tricky question because there is more than one answer. In the Bible, there are four people who tell us the story of what happened on Easter morning, and each one of them tells it a little differently. Matthew says that Mary Magdalene and another woman called Mary went to the tomb. Mark says that Mary Magdalene went, Jesus’ mother Mary went, and another woman called Salome went to the tomb together. Luke says that Mary and the women went, and John just says that Mary Magdalene went alone. (If they answered the question correctly, remove a piece of the stone.)
Now let’s hear question number four. Why did Jesus’ friends go to the tomb on Easter morning? (Let them respond.) They wanted to take some perfume and oil to put on Jesus’ body. That’s something they did when they buried someone back then. They did it to show how much they cared for the person who had died. (If they answered the question correctly, remove a piece of the stone.)
Let’s hear question number six. When they got to the tomb, how did they get inside with that big stone in the way? (Let them respond.) Matthew says that when they got to the tomb, there was a big earthquake, and an angel opened the door and sat on it. Mark, Luke and John say the stone was already moved out of the way when they got there. (If they answered the question correctly, remove a piece of the stone.)
Now question seven. Who did Jesus’ friends see when they got to the open tomb? (Let them respond.) Matthew says they saw the angel that opened the door and sat on it. Mark says they just saw a young man sitting by the tomb. Luke says they saw two men wearing clothes that were shining like lightning. John says they saw two angels and Jesus standing by the tomb. (If they answered the question correctly, remove a piece of the stone.)
Let’s try question number eight. What did those people tell Jesus’ friends when they saw them at the tomb? (Let them respond.) They told Jesus’ friends to not be afraid, and that Jesus was not there because he had risen from the dead, and they told them to go and tell the rest of Jesus’ friends that he is alive.
Those are all of the questions in our game, so let’s see how we did. Did we get the tomb open? (Let them respond.)
(If they removed all of the pieces, say this.) We got them all! Congratulations. You really know the Easter Story!
(If they did not remove all of the pieces, say this.) We didn’t get all of the pieces you did a great job of trying. And now we know the story!
But do you know the best part of our game about the Easter Story? (Let them respond.) The best part is that Jesus’ friends didn’t have to answer a bunch of questions to open the door to Jesus’ tomb, did they? God helped them do that. And I hope our game will remind us that we don’t have to pass some kind of test to get God to care about us and help us, either. Jesus’ friends were told to not be afraid, but to watch for Jesus and do what he wants them to do.
And we remember what Jesus said he wants us all to do, don’t we? (Let them respond.) I hope our story will help us remember that Jesus wants us to just do two things. He wants us to love God, and to help take care of each other and not just take care of ourselves.
Happy Easter!
Let’s pray and ask God to remind us that Jesus loves every one of us and wants us to follow him and take care of each other the way God takes care of us.
Prayer
Dear God, thank you for reminding us how much you love us and for forgiving us when we forget that. And please help us remember that you love all of the people you have created and help us let the people around us know that we love them just like Jesus loves us. Amen.
Note: The object of the Easter Game is for the children to remove pieces of the stone over the door by answering questions about the Easter story. I have included questions, though you may certainly edit or add your own. I have also included images that I use of the tomb, the stone, and what it looks like when I have them setup for the game. I usually draw the tomb on a large piece of paper or posterboard. I then draw the large round stone on posterboard, cut it into pieces so I have one piece for each question, and then stick the pieces over the tomb door with tape so I can remove each piece as the questions are answered. Have fun with the game by cheering for their correct answers and giving a few hints if they are having problems with any questions.
* * *
Sample images: The Tomb | The Stone | The Empty Tomb
* * *
Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent! And since this is Easter morning, does anyone want to guess what our story is about this morning? (Let them respond.) It is about Easter!
But I’ll bet that most of you already know what happened on Easter morning, so I thought that instead of just telling you the story again, we would play a game about what happened on Easter morning. Let me show you how we play the game. (Show the tomb and stone.) This is a picture of the tomb Jesus was buried in, with the big stone rolled in front of the door. Our job is to remove the pieces of the stone, so the door is open. I have some questions I will ask you about the Easter Story, and each time you know the answer to a question, we will remove one piece of the stone. Are you ready to play our game? (Let them respond.) Great.
Here is question number one. After Jesus died on Friday, where did Jesus’ friends put his body? (Let them respond.) They put it in an empty tomb, didn’t they? (If they answered the question correctly, remove a piece of the stone.) That wasn’t too hard, was it? But if you didn’t remember, don’t worry, we aren’t finished yet.
Let’s see if anyone remembers the answer to question number two. The soldiers were afraid that someone might try to steal Jesus’ body, so how did they protect the tomb so no one could get in to take the body away? (Let them respond,) They rolled a great big stone in front of the door. (Point to the stone on your paper.) I was a big round stone like this that was too big for someone else to move. (If they answered the question correctly, remove a piece of the stone.)
Now for question number three. Who went to the tomb early on Sunday morning? (Let them respond.) This is a tricky question because there is more than one answer. In the Bible, there are four people who tell us the story of what happened on Easter morning, and each one of them tells it a little differently. Matthew says that Mary Magdalene and another woman called Mary went to the tomb. Mark says that Mary Magdalene went, Jesus’ mother Mary went, and another woman called Salome went to the tomb together. Luke says that Mary and the women went, and John just says that Mary Magdalene went alone. (If they answered the question correctly, remove a piece of the stone.)
Now let’s hear question number four. Why did Jesus’ friends go to the tomb on Easter morning? (Let them respond.) They wanted to take some perfume and oil to put on Jesus’ body. That’s something they did when they buried someone back then. They did it to show how much they cared for the person who had died. (If they answered the question correctly, remove a piece of the stone.)
Let’s hear question number six. When they got to the tomb, how did they get inside with that big stone in the way? (Let them respond.) Matthew says that when they got to the tomb, there was a big earthquake, and an angel opened the door and sat on it. Mark, Luke and John say the stone was already moved out of the way when they got there. (If they answered the question correctly, remove a piece of the stone.)
Now question seven. Who did Jesus’ friends see when they got to the open tomb? (Let them respond.) Matthew says they saw the angel that opened the door and sat on it. Mark says they just saw a young man sitting by the tomb. Luke says they saw two men wearing clothes that were shining like lightning. John says they saw two angels and Jesus standing by the tomb. (If they answered the question correctly, remove a piece of the stone.)
Let’s try question number eight. What did those people tell Jesus’ friends when they saw them at the tomb? (Let them respond.) They told Jesus’ friends to not be afraid, and that Jesus was not there because he had risen from the dead, and they told them to go and tell the rest of Jesus’ friends that he is alive.
Those are all of the questions in our game, so let’s see how we did. Did we get the tomb open? (Let them respond.)
(If they removed all of the pieces, say this.) We got them all! Congratulations. You really know the Easter Story!
(If they did not remove all of the pieces, say this.) We didn’t get all of the pieces you did a great job of trying. And now we know the story!
But do you know the best part of our game about the Easter Story? (Let them respond.) The best part is that Jesus’ friends didn’t have to answer a bunch of questions to open the door to Jesus’ tomb, did they? God helped them do that. And I hope our game will remind us that we don’t have to pass some kind of test to get God to care about us and help us, either. Jesus’ friends were told to not be afraid, but to watch for Jesus and do what he wants them to do.
And we remember what Jesus said he wants us all to do, don’t we? (Let them respond.) I hope our story will help us remember that Jesus wants us to just do two things. He wants us to love God, and to help take care of each other and not just take care of ourselves.
Happy Easter!
Let’s pray and ask God to remind us that Jesus loves every one of us and wants us to follow him and take care of each other the way God takes care of us.
Prayer
Dear God, thank you for reminding us how much you love us and for forgiving us when we forget that. And please help us remember that you love all of the people you have created and help us let the people around us know that we love them just like Jesus loves us. Amen.
