CELEBRATE EASTER LESSON 1 | SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2020 BIG PICTURE: Celebrate Easter
BIG IDEA: Cross equals love BIG POINT: God showed his love for us through Christ Jesus
BIG STORY: Read Mark 14 & 15 or chapter 26 of The Story for Kids, The Story for Children, or The Story for Little Ones BIG WORD: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NIV) LEARNING OUTCOMES
Through this lesson, children will: • Know that the symbol of the cross represents God’s love for us. • Understand that God showed his love for us through Jesus. • Discover ways to tell others about Jesus.
THE BIG QUESTION (to discuss with your kids)
1. What is Easter all about? Easter is when we take time to celebrate Jesus. We celebrate that Jesus died on the cross and rose again to take the punishment for our sin, so we can be saved. The cross of Jesus Christ represents his love. Cross = Love. 2. How did God show his love for us? God showed his love for us through Christ Jesus, and because of what Jesus has done for us, we can share that love with others, too. John 3:16 (NIV) says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God so loved the world that he sent his only Son, Jesus, for us! 3. How can you share the message of God’s love to others? We can tell our friends about what Jesus has done for them. We can pray for them and show God’s love in our actions. What are some practical ways we can do this? Invite the children to come up with some ideas. Example: Give Easter eggs with a card that tells them about Jesus, bake some hot cross buns for our friends and share with them what the cross represents, etc.
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AT-HOME ACTIVITIES: ELEMENTARY
Create a “God is Love” Poster Get out the markers, crayons, and paper and design a “God is Love” poster. Include a picture of God’s love, your favorite Bible verse about God’s love, and definitions and symbols of God’s love. Take a picture of your poster and share it on the CCC Kids Facebook Page. Share the Jelly Bean Prayer Print the Jelly Bean Prayer cards on page three (print them double-sided). Cut them along the marked lines and attach them to pre-packaged bags of jelly beans with a ribbon or staple. Share the promise of new life with a friend or neighbor.
AT-HOME ACTIVITIES: EARLY CHILDHOOD
Memory Match Game Print the Memory Match cards starting on page five (print them double-sided) and cut them apart, or make your own matching cards with the symbols described below. Lay all the Memory Match game cards face down in a 4 x 3 grid. Players take turns flipping over two cards only to see if they match. If they do match, that player scores one point and removes the cards from play. If the cards don’t match, the player turns them face down again in the same position. As symbols are matched, parents can give a short explanation of what they mean. Cross: Jesus died on the cross and rose again so that we could be saved from sin. Heart: God loves us so much he sent his Son Jesus for us to be our savior. Equals: Today’s lesson is that the cross equals love, it reminds us that God showed his love for us through Christ Jesus. Easter Egg: We celebrate Jesus at Easter, when we remember that he died and rose again for us. Bible: God’s Word tells us all about the life of Jesus and how much God loves us. Palm Leaf: Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey and people laid their coats and palm branches along the path, honoring and praising Jesus as their king. Playdough Time Break out the playdough and have kids make the shapes described above. Give an explanation of each symbol and what it means as you and the kids make the shapes.
PRAYER Dear God, thank you for loving us so much that you sent your one and only Son Jesus for us. We pray that this Easter we can share with our friends the message of Jesus and the message of your love for them. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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(Jellybean Prayer Front)
Graphic is courtesy of Freedom Fellowship Church of Pittsburgh
(Jellybean Prayer Back)