esus Dies & Lives Again • . • • • • • • •

Who? Jesus, Jesus' friends, Mary, two angels

What? Jesus showed His love by dying on a cross and then coming alive again (Matthew 26-27; John 18:1-20:20)

When & Where? In the morning of the third day after Jesus died on the cross, in Jerusalem

Why? To help children know that Easter celebrations show our gladness that Jesus is alive and loves them

Goals Por each child

1 2 3

Tell that Jesus' lrlends lelt happy when they lound out Jesus is alive

Show gladness that Jesus is alive

Thank Jesus lor His love

Teacher Challenge Read Matthew 26-27; John 18:1- 20:20.

How can this story make a dif-ference in your own life and in the lives of the children you teach? It looked as if death had tri-umphed: Jesus had died and been buried. Jesus' friends were terrified and brokenhearted. But they only saw part of the picture. Jesus was not rotting in a tomb-He was triumphing over it! Jesus' death, resurrec-tion and ascension to God's right hand in heaven converge as the pinnacle of history. J esm did exactly what He had said H, would do, completing the task that His Father had given Him to do. It is finished-He has done it!

How has t;he t;rut;h oP Jesus' deat;h and resurrect;ion changed your \iPe? How has it; changed t;he lives oP people ar ound you?

• In light; oP Jesus' vict;or y over deat;h, what; concerns or Pears in your liPe can you t;rust God more wit;h? .................

• • • • • • • • Because most young children have not yet had a firsthand experience with death, they r .. • • • Bible Verse • • • •. not comprehend what death and resurrection are all about. But let them share the joy

• • • "Sing praises to the Lord." • •. wonder that Jesus' victory over death has wrought in you! They'll respond gladly to .•• Psalm 9:11 • • good news that Jesus is alive! . . . . . . . . .•

Play t::io Learn •

D.ramatic Play Center Collect; Bible, Bible-times costumes.

Do Children dress up in Bible-times clothing and tell others that Jesus is alive! (Optional: Invite children to give each other a high five when they say, "Jesus is alive.")

Teaching Tip To help children say the words "Jesus is alive," count aloud, "1-2-3"; and then shout the words together.

Bible Story Activities

• • Nature Center Collect; Bible, play dough, a variety of na-ture objects (artificial or real flow-ers and leaves, rocks, twigs, etc.) .

Do Children flatten play dough and arrange nature objects in the dough to make garden scenes. As children work, talk about the Bible story.

Spring • Lesson 2

• • • • •

Teaching Tip Children may want to work together to create one large garden scene, : or each child may want to make his or her own scenes. Allow each ,

•••• • • • • • • • • • child to make choices about how he or she will play with the ' .. . . • • • • • • dough and nature objects .

.. •••••:~n our !~~~:day,~•••••• ••• • • • woman named Mary was sad • • •

• • because her friend Jesus was dead. •. / But God made Jesus alive! Mary first \

: saw Jesus alive again in a garden. •. . . : • Mary went and told Jesus' friends that Jesus •.

: was alive. How did Jesus' friends feel when they ... : heard this good news? Who will you tell? .

Tip for Younger Children : • Point to Psalm 9:11 in your Bible. The Bible says, Having a Dramatic Play Center : "Sing praises to the Lord." We can be glad and in your class is important for : praise God that Jesus is alive. At Bastertime, we young children. Dressing up • celebrate that Jesus is alive! . helps them use their imagination \ • What are some of the ways we show that we're

. . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . and practice dressing themselves. •. glad that Jesus loves us? (Sing songs. Tell . . I I I I I I I

•. Jesus, 'Thank You for loving us.") I • _ , . .

Tip for Younger Children To make cleanup easier, cover table where children will work

and the floor under the table with vinyl tablecloths.

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Play Co Learn Art Center

Bible Verse Activities Spring • lesson 2

Collect Bible, _large sheets of construction paper, a variety of decorating matenals (flower stickers, doilies, rickrack, yarn, etc.) , glue sticks, crayons or markers; optional-clear Con-Tact paper.

Prepare Print "Jesus is alive!" on one construction paper for each child.

Do

• • • • • • Game Center Col lec t

• Bible, basket, beanbags; optional-plastic eggs.

Prepa re Place basket in an open area of the room.

Do Children take turns tossing the beanbag into the basket. (Optional: Ch~ldren t~ss pastic eggs into basket.) Every time a child gets a beanbag into ~he baske~, say, Jesus is alive! Repeat as time permits.

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Children use decorating materials to make Easter place mats. (Optional: Cover finished place mats with clear Con-Tact paper). En-courage children to take place mats home and to tell family members that Jesus is , Teaching Tip : alive. • • • • • • • • • • • If children are having a difficult time getting the beanbag ,

•• • • • • • • • •.. into the basket, try holding the basket and moving : Teaching Tip •• ··• Talk About; ••••• ... i·t to catch the beanbag. , If a child asks, "Why did Jesus die?" answer simply • • • • • Open your Bible to Psalm • and accurately. Jesus was killed by people .•• 9:11 and point to the Bible verse . •. who didn't believe He was God's Son. But •• The Bible says, "Sing praises to the ••. Jesus knew this would happen. It was .-• Lord." We can praise the Lord by telling ••. part of God's plan made long ago so that .: Him "Thank You" for being alive and for •. we could become part of His family. : loving us. •. And Jesus didn't stay dead. God made : ". Him alive again! : • Easter is a happy day because Jesus is alive. •.

• Sometimes we wear new clothes or eat special • Tip for Younger Children : treats to show how glad we are that Jesus is alive. : Before children decorate : What does your family do to show that they are : papers, tape each paper to : glad Jesus is alive? : Tip for Younger Children '.

Make sure that the basket is large , enough for younger childre? t~ : toss in to . If such a basket 1sn t ,

available instead use a large card- '

the table. Children will be ••. • I'm glad to know that Jesus loves me. I'm glad : able to work on their paper •. that Jesus loves you, too. Thank Jesus for His : without holding onto it. •. love. .: ·. .. . . . . • . ....·

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• ' ' board box, laundry basket, or some ,

other large container. '.

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Listen ~o Learn Large-Group Time Spring • Lesson 2

Collect Bible, Everyday Life Poster 1 and Figures 5-13 from Visual Resources Pre~chool Music,#1 CD and player, Buddy puppet, stone, flannel board'. opt10nal-God s Story for Me Bible storybook.

Come Together Lead children in saying the following rhyme:

Hello, good friends, And how are you? Say your name, And we'll clap for you.

Point to six children, invite them to stand up and say their names, and then lead group to clap. Repeat the rhyme, point to another six children who say their name, and then lead group to clap. Continue game until all have had a tum to say their name.

Bible Verse Show Everyday Life Poster 1. Do these children look glad or sad? Point to someone who looks glad. Volunteers re-spond. Sometimes I smile when I'm glad. What do you like to do when you are glad? Open your Bible to Psalm 9:11. Our Bible tells us something we can do when we feel glad: "Sing praises to the Lord." Repeat Bible verse with children several times .

Enrichment Idea Invite children to pretend to play instruments like the children in the • poster. If possible, use an instant camera to photograph children pan- , tomiming actions. Display photos near door for parents to enjoy.

Prayer Pray with children. Dear Jesus, thank You for Your love. We are glad You are alive. Amen.

Song Easter is a very special time. We are glad that Jesus is living today. Play "Jesus Is Alive!" (track 8 on CD) several times, inviting children to sing along with you.

Puppet Time Use Buddy puppet to perform the puppet script on the last page of this lesson.

Bible Story Use stone and Figures 5-13 to help tell the Bible story on the next • page.

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List;en Go Learn Jesus Dies & Lives Again h 26 27· John 18:1-20:20 Matt ew - '

Spring • Lesson 2

• • • • • • • Introduction Children take turns holding stone. Does this stone feel light or heavy? Vol-unteers respond. In our Bible story today, we'll hear about a very heavy stone. Listen to hear about the heavy stone and a very glad day. (Hold your Bible open to Matthew 26 as you tell the following story.)

The Sad Words One day Jesus told His friends, "In a few days, some people are going to take Me away. I'm going to be killed." Jesus' friends were very sad. But Jesus was not afraid. Jesus knew this was part of God's good plan. Jesus knew He wouldn't STAY dead!

The Sad Day When the people who wanted to kill Jesus came to get Him, Jesus let them take Him. And Jesus let them kill Him on a cross. Jesus' friends were very sad that Jesus had died. They took Jesus' body and put it into a tomb. (This tomb was a little room made in the side of a hill.) Later, a heavy stone was rolled in front of the doorway of the tomb. It was a very sad and scary time, but it didn't STAY sad and scary!

· · • · One angel asked, "Why are you crying?" .d "Because Jesus is gone, and I don't know where He is. Marysa1 , • ,

h d round and almost bumped into someone. "Maryi• th , S e tume a . . JESUS! M . e ' "d Maryknewthatv01ce-1twas . arywassohap person sai . . . 1 PY : to know that Jesus is alive. ' Jesus said to her, "Go and tell the others." And Mary did! She must : have run very fast! "J · ALIVE' I have seen Him!" she said. Jesus' other friends were : esus 1s • . h B , so surprised, some of them did not believe er. ut that night, Jesus ,

e to the place where His friends were. Now Jesus' friends SAW , Jesus is alive. They knew that He loved them! The very SAD day :

had turned into a very GLAD day-because Jesus is alive!

Conclusion Jesus' friends were so glad when they saw that Jesus is alive. : Jesus' friends knew how much Jesus loved them. Jesus loves , us, too. We're glad that He is alive and that He loves us. Our : Bible says, "Sing praises to the Lord." ( Optional: Review story by , using pages 425-430 in God's Story for Me Bible storybook.) '

The Glad Day ••••••••••••• . . . . .. On the third morning, Mary, one of Jesus' friends, went to ••• • • • • ••• the tomb. It was still a little dark, but she could see that • •• Creative Bible • • .. the big rock was NOT fn frohnt of thbe doodr. Mary was •• • • Storytelling Idea • •. rery sad. She looked into t e tom an saw two .• •. ngels. • • Dress up in a Bible-times costume and tell the • •.

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: • story while pretending to be Mary or a gardener who • • : wants to share the good news. Tell the story with lots •. • of expression. • • . . . . . . • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • I I I

Puppet Scrip~ • • • • • •

Happy Dogs (Note: Play both part ch • . 0 s, anging your voice for the puppet.

r you Dlay have a helper play one of the parts.)

Buddy: (Panting.) Hi, Teacher !

Leader: Hello, Buddy! Tell me, why are you breathing so hard?

Buddy: Well, I've been running with my cousin Jake. He's a fas t runner!

Leader: Is it hard to keep up with Jake?

Buddy: (Nods head.) Sometimes! But it's always fun. He knows lots of good places to run to where there are lots of good things to smell!

Leader: What did you smell this time? Flowers?

Buddy: (Laughs.) No! DOG smells! You know, like old cheese and dirt and-

Leader: (Interrupts.) Okay! Okay! I get it! What else did you do? Buddy:

Leader:

Buddy:

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Oh all the things that make us glad! We barked at cars and du~ up bones. Then we got tummy pats and head scratches!

Oh, yes. You love tummy pats and head scratches, don't you? (Scratches BUDDY on the head.)

f . I (Very happy.) Those are my avontes.

Leader: Buddy:

Leader:

Buddy:

Leader:

Spring • lesson 2

• • I What do you do to show how happy you are? I I : Oh you know-I wag my tail (Wiggles toshowtailwaggi : spi~ around (Turns around.) and jump up and dowu (J ng.), ,

umps • up and down.)!

Those are all fun things! Boys and girls, what do you do to : show that you are happy or glad? (Pauses to allow children : to respond.)

Oh! Those are fun ideas! Do you know what dogs do when '. they are really, really happy?

What's that, Buddy?

Buddy: (Howls. Leader puts hand over his mouth to stop him.) OOOWWF! Oh. Was I too loud?

Leader: A little! Buddy: Well, that is the way I show I'm glad!

Leader: Well, it makes ME glad to see that all the boys and girls AND all the dogs can show we are GLAD!

Buddy: (Wiggles.) Time for me to run! Bye!

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