Jesus is Alive! - Easter Sunday 2020
What is Easter all about? If you said, “Jesus,” you’re absolutely right! But why did Jesus come and how did end up on the cross? The short answer is, “Because He loved us.”
Here’s a little bit of a longer version of the story: God wanted a family to spend eternity with, and that’s why He made the earth in the first place, and put Adam and Eve in it. But Adam and Eve disobeyed God, or sinned. Sin can’t exist in the presence of God, so He had to send them away from the Garden, and find some way to fix the sin problem so He could be with His creation once again.
Enter: Jesus! Jesus, as part of the God-head, decided to come to earth as a man, and take the punishment for sin, which is death. Since He was sinless, His death on the cross paid the price for sin, once and for all! And His resurrection showed He conquered death, and we can live forever with Him once again.
Now when we receive the payment of His sacrifice for ourselves, His blood will wash away our sin, and we can have a close relationship with God, starting today, and lasting throughout all eternity! Pretty sweet deal! That’s really something to celebrate.
You can read about the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection in every one of the gospels.
You may want to pick one of these to read and then summarize for your kids:
Matthew 26-28 Mark 14-16 Luke 22-24 John 18-20
Or, here are two great videos you can watch with your kids about Jesus’ Death and Resurrection:
Saddleback Kids - The Story of Easter
Crossroads Kids - Easter (God’s Story: Easter; Crossroads Kids)
If you want to receive Jesus’ payment for your sin, all you need to do is ask Him, decide to turn from sin and towards Jesus, and ask Him to help you live for Him. This is what we call asking Jesus to, “Come into our hearts.” The New Testament is full of explanations of how it works with “Christ in us.” (Be sure to email me if you’d like some help with this at hello@gatewayvictory.com .)
Let’s say this prayer together: Dear Father, we come before You with our hearts. Please cleanse us and make our hearts new. Thank You for coming to Earth and dying on the cross to save us. We receive Your sacrifice for our sin, and call you Lord over our lives. Come in to my heart, make me clean and new, and be with me forever! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If this is the first time you’ve prayed this kind of prayer, please let me know!
And have fun with the following activity, and the attached puzzle sheets. Christ is Risen!
Activity: A Different Kind of Easter Egg Hunt
Print off the attached file and have fun with a very different kind of Easter Egg Hunt! (Recommended ages: elementary school age to Junior High)
A Different Kind of Easter Egg Hunt