Happy face
Children's sermon
Object:
a large "happy face" you have drawn that looks like a
"sad face" upside down
Good morning! CHRIST IS RISEN! Easter has come and Jesus has
risen from the grave! What wonderful news this is!
When Mary first went to the tomb, she was not happy. She was very sad. She thought Jesus was dead. She was so sad, she cried. (Hold the happy face upside down so that it looks like a sad face.) Even when she saw Jesus, she cried. She couldn't even see Jesus because of the tears in her eyes. Have you ever had so many tears in your eyes that you couldn't see clearly? I have!
Besides that, she knew Jesus was dead. She thought that he would be like everyone else who has died and that she would not see him again in this life. But Jesus spoke to her. Does anybody know what he said to Mary? (Let them answer.) Jesus simply said her name: "Mary." (Now turn the smiley face happy-side-up.) Now Mary was happy -- very happy. She thought Jesus was dead, but he was alive. She thought she would never see him again, yet here he was. She thought the man speaking to her was the gardener, but it was Jesus. Mary was very, very happy.
Today is a happy, joyful day for us as well. Jesus is raised from the dead. It is like it's happening all over again. It's like Jesus is calling our names. It's like being in the garden and seeing the risen Jesus. What a wonderful, great day Easter is. I believe Easter is the most important day of the year.
Dear Jesus: Thank you for knowing our names and for rising from the dead. Amen.
(You could buy some stick-on happy faces to give each child coming for the children's sermon and give them to the children as they leave.)
When Mary first went to the tomb, she was not happy. She was very sad. She thought Jesus was dead. She was so sad, she cried. (Hold the happy face upside down so that it looks like a sad face.) Even when she saw Jesus, she cried. She couldn't even see Jesus because of the tears in her eyes. Have you ever had so many tears in your eyes that you couldn't see clearly? I have!
Besides that, she knew Jesus was dead. She thought that he would be like everyone else who has died and that she would not see him again in this life. But Jesus spoke to her. Does anybody know what he said to Mary? (Let them answer.) Jesus simply said her name: "Mary." (Now turn the smiley face happy-side-up.) Now Mary was happy -- very happy. She thought Jesus was dead, but he was alive. She thought she would never see him again, yet here he was. She thought the man speaking to her was the gardener, but it was Jesus. Mary was very, very happy.
Today is a happy, joyful day for us as well. Jesus is raised from the dead. It is like it's happening all over again. It's like Jesus is calling our names. It's like being in the garden and seeing the risen Jesus. What a wonderful, great day Easter is. I believe Easter is the most important day of the year.
Dear Jesus: Thank you for knowing our names and for rising from the dead. Amen.
(You could buy some stick-on happy faces to give each child coming for the children's sermon and give them to the children as they leave.)
