Jesus Christ Was Resurrected (Easter)

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Show the picture on page 122. Point out details in the picture as you tell the story of Jesus Christ’s Resurrection very simply (see John 19:41–42; 20:1, 11–16). The following is an example:

When Jesus died, His friends were very sad (have the children make sad faces). They put Jesus’s body in a tomb, which is like a cave (point to the tomb in the picture). A big stone was rolled in front of the door (have the children pretend to roll a big, heavy stone). After three days (have the children hold up three fingers), two angels rolled the stone away. Jesus had come back to life! (Point to Jesus in the picture.) He was resurrected (help the children say “resurrected”). Jesus’s friends were very happy! He was alive, and He would never die again!

Mary was one of Jesus’s friends (point to Mary in the picture). She was sad when He died. When Jesus was resurrected, Mary was the first person who saw Him. She was very happy because Jesus was alive (have the children make happy faces).

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Jesus and Mary by the tomb

Tell the children that because of Jesus, everyone will be resurrected and live forever. Have the children make happy faces again.

Sing or say the first verse of “Did Jesus Really Live Again?” (Children’s Songbook, 64) and do the actions below. Invite the children to join you.

Invite the children to say, “Jesus Christ was resurrected,” one or two words at a time. Briefly share with the children your testimony that Jesus Christ was resurrected.

Invite a child to give the closing prayer.

• For the story: Copy the illustrations on page 123. Color them and mount them on heavier paper, if desired. Cut out each figure and cut out the opening in the tomb door along the dotted line.

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  coloring page, Resurrection illustration

• For the coloring activity: Make a copy of page 123 for each child. Cut out each figure and cut out the opening in the tomb door.

Invite the children to stand in a circle and hold hands. Sing or say the following words to “Jesus Has Risen” (Children’s Songbook, 70) and do the actions below:

Repeat as often as the children would like.

Tell the story of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ again, this time using the illustration you have cut out. Below is an example:

(Begin with the figure of Jesus standing upright and the stone rolled away from the opening in the tomb.) When Jesus died, his body was laid in a tomb (lay the figure of Jesus in [behind] the tomb). A large stone was rolled in front of the door (roll the stone in front of the opening in the tomb). On the third day two angels came and rolled the stone away (roll the stone away from the opening). Jesus was resurrected (stand the figure of Jesus upright). His spirit and His body were together again! [See Susan Payson, “Easter Story,” Friend, Apr. 1995, 32–33.]

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illustration diagram

Give the children the illustrations you have cut out for them. Show them how they can use the illustrations to review the story of Jesus’s Resurrection. This activity is especially appropriate for older children.