LESSON OVERVIEW FOR ADULTS
In Matthew 26-28, we find the most important story ever told. Jesus, knowing what was ahead, rode into Jerusalem on a donkey as crowds cheered and welcomed Him as King. He then shared a final meal with His twelve disciples, breaking bread, and sharing a cup with them, pointing toward the sacrifice He was about to make. He slipped away to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray, pouring out His heart to the Father before soldiers arrived to arrest Him. After being falsely accused and mocked, Jesus was crucified on a cross and buried in a sealed tomb.
Three days later, everything changed. Women who came to the tomb found the stone rolled away and an angel waiting with the most remarkable news the world had ever heard. Jesus was not there. He had risen from the dead, exactly as He had promised. The resurrection is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. It confirms that Jesus is who He said He is, that sin and death do not have the final word, and that everyone who trusts in Him has the hope of eternal life. This Easter Sunday, children will walk through this story egg by egg, seeing, touching, and hearing the story of a risen Savior.
PLAY ROOM 8:45-9:00
Children will be dropped off in the playroom between 8:45-9:00 a.m. Allow them to play freely as they arrive. Transition them to the classroom at 9:00 a.m.
OPENING ACTIVITY 9:00-9:15 | Resurrection Egg Memory Match
Items Needed:
- Easter Story Memory Match Cards (two sets per game)
Print two copies of each of the cards per game table. Lay them all face down in a grid on a low table or the floor. Children take turns flipping two cards at a time, trying to find matching pictures. When a match is found, the child gets to keep the pair. After all matches are found, briefly name each picture together as a group to preview the story they will hear later.
BIBLE STORY 9:15-9:25 | Resurrection Eggs
Items Needed:
- 12 Resurrection Eggs
- Small basket
Question 1: Where is this story found in the Bible? (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John)
Question 2: Is this in the Old Testament or New Testament? (New Testament)
[Hold up the egg carton with all 12 eggs.]
Boys and girls, today is Easter Sunday, and I have twelve special eggs that are going to tell us one of God’s stories. Are you ready to open them?
[Wait for response.]
Every time we open an egg, I need you to help me tell the story.Let’s go! Egg number one is the BLUE egg!
[Open Blue Egg 1. Hold up the donkey.]
A donkey! Can you say “donkey”?
[Kids say “donkey.”]
One day, Jesus was getting ready to go into a big city called Jerusalem. He needed to ride there. And do you know what He rode on? A donkey! Can you make a sound like a donkey?
[Allow kids to say eww-haw-eww-haw.]
Everyone in the city was SO happy to see Jesus coming. They waved branches in the air and shouted, “Hosannah” Let’s wave our hands and shout “Hosannah”
[Wave hands and shout together.]
Great job! Now let’s open egg number two. The light pink egg!
[Open Light Pink Egg 2. Hold up the silver coins.]
Coins! These are silver coins. Can you rub your fingers together like you are holding coins?
[Rub fingers together. Kids copy.]
One of Jesus’s friends was named Judas. But Judas did something very sad. He told the bad guys where to find Jesus, and they gave him thirty silver coins for doing it. That is not what a good friend does. But here is the thing, boys and girls. Even when Judas did that wrong thing, Jesus still loved him. Jesus loves us even when we do wrong things too. Let’s open egg number three. The light purple egg!
[Open Light Purple Egg 3. Hold up the cup.]
A cup! Can you say “cup”?
[Kids say “cup.”]
Before all the hard things happened, Jesus sat down for a very special dinner with His twelve friends called disciples. He took some bread and broke it. Let’s pretend to break bread with our hands.
[Pretend to break bread. Kids copy.]
Then He took a cup and said, “This is to help you remember Me and how much I love you.” Jesus wanted His friends to always remember His love. We are going to remember His love today too!
Okay, egg number four. The orange egg!
[Open Orange Egg 4. Hold up the praying hands.]
Praying hands! Let’s fold our hands right now.
[Fold hands. Kids copy.]
After dinner, Jesus went to a quiet garden called Gethsemane to talk to God. He knew something very hard was coming. Do you know what He said to God His Father? He said, “Father, I will do whatever you want.” Can you whisper that with me? “Father, I will do whatever you want.”
[Whisper together.]
Jesus trusted God even when it was scary.
Let’s open egg number five. The green egg!
[Open Green Egg 5. Hold up the whip.]
This one is a whip. While Jesus was in the garden, soldiers came and arrested Him. They took Him away even though He had not done anything wrong. The soldiers were very mean to Jesus. They hurt Him with a whip. Jesus let them do it because He had a very special plan. He loves us SO much.
Let’s open egg number six. The yellow egg!
[Open Yellow Egg 6. Hold up the rooster.]
A rooster! Can you make a rooster sound? Cock-a-doodle-doo!
[Do it together.]
Do you know what a rooster does? It crows in the morning! Cock-a-doodle-doo!
[Do it again.]
Jesus had another friend named Peter. Peter loved Jesus very much. But that night, Peter got scared. Some people asked Peter, “Do you know Jesus?” And Peter said, “No, I do not know Him.” He said it three times. And then a rooster crowed, just like Jesus said it would.
Peter felt so sorry. Have you ever felt sorry for something you did wrong?
[Wait for response.]
Jesus forgave Peter. And Jesus forgives us too when we are sorry and ask for forgiveness.
Egg number seven. The light orange egg!
[Open Light Orange Egg 7. Hold up the crown of thorns.]
A crown made of thorns. Can you poke your finger in the air and say “ouch”?
[Kids poke finger and say “ouch.”]
The soldiers took thorns, which are very sharp and poky, and twisted them into a crown. Then they put that poky crown on Jesus’s head. That really hurt. Let’s touch the top of our heads gently.
[Touch heads gently.]
The soldiers were laughing at Jesus and being very mean. But Jesus did not stop loving them. He did not stop loving us.
Now egg number eight. The light green egg!
[Open Light Green Egg 8. Hold up the nails.]
Nails! These are big nails. Can you tap your hands together like a hammer?
[Tap hands together. Kids copy.]
The soldiers used big nails to put Jesus on a cross. Jesus died on that cross. But keep listening. The story is not over.
Egg number nine. The purple egg!
[Open Purple Egg 9. Hold up the spear.]
A spear. This is a long, sharp weapon. Can you stretch one arm out long and straight like a spear?
[Stretch arm out. Kids copy.]
After Jesus died on the cross, a soldier poked Jesus’s side with a spear to make sure He was really gone. Jesus really did die. His friends were so heartbroken.
But keep listening. Egg number ten. The light blue egg!
[Open Light Blue Egg 10. Hold up the linen cloth.]
A piece of cloth! This is called linen cloth. Can you wrap your arms around yourself like you are wrapped in a blanket?
[Kids wrap arms around themselves.]
Jesus’s friends carefully took His body down from the cross. They wrapped Him up in clean white linen cloth, just like a blanket. Then they carried Him to a special cave in the ground called a tomb. They laid Jesus inside.
Egg number eleven. The pink egg!
[Open Pink Egg 11. Hold up the stone.]
A big rock! A really big, heavy rock was rolled in front of the opening of the tomb to seal it shut. Some of Jesus’s friends thought the story was over. They were so sad. Let’s all sit very still and quiet for just a second.
[Brief pause of quiet.]
But boys and girls. Are you ready? It is time for the very last egg. Egg number twelve. The white egg!
[Hold up White Egg 12 dramatically. Pause before opening it.]
What do you think is inside?
[Wait for responses. Let kids guess.]
Let’s find out.
[Slowly open the egg and tip it over to show nothing falls out.]
It is EMPTY! There is nothing inside! The tomb was empty! Jesus was not there anymore! He rose from the dead! He is ALIVE! Can you jump up and shout “Jesus is alive!”?
[Jump up together and shout “Jesus is alive!”]
An angel came and rolled away that big stone, and Jesus was GONE because He had come back to life! Some women came to the tomb that morning and the angel said, “Do not be afraid! Jesus is not here! He has risen!” Can you say “He is risen”?
[Kids say “He is risen!”]
Louder!
[Kids say it louder.]
One more time as loud as you can!
[Kids shout “He is risen!”]
That is the best news in the whole entire world. Jesus died because He loves us. And He rose from the dead to show that He is more powerful than anything. Even death.
[Settle kids back down.]
Theological Questions:
- Why did Jesus die on the cross? Jesus died on the cross because He loves us and wanted to take the punishment for our wrong things, called sin, so we can be close to God forever.
- What does it mean that the tomb was empty? It means Jesus did not stay dead. He rose from the dead because He is God’s Son and He has power over everything, even death.
Life Application Questions:
- How do you feel knowing that Jesus loves you so much that He did all of those hard things for you?
- Who is one person you want to tell today that Jesus is alive?
Prayer: Dear God, thank You for sending Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. Help us to remember every day that Jesus is alive and that nothing can ever change how much He loves us. Amen!
[Encourage all kids to say “Amen!” together.]
WORSHIP IN SONG 9:25-9:35
PRAYER 9:35-9:45 a.m.
Transition kids to the floor for prayer time. Pray for the children and families celebrating Easter today, that the good news of Jesus rising from the dead would take root in every heart in the room, that children would go home and tell their families “Jesus is alive,” and that anyone who does not yet know Jesus would come to trust Him today. Allow kids to go around the prayer circle and pray individually.
BIBLE VERSE GAME 9:45-9:55 | John 3:16 Hopscotch
Memory Verse: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (ESV)
Items Needed:
- Masking tape or painter’s tape
- Easter egg memory verse
Setup: Use tape to make a hopscotch grid on the floor. Place the Easter eggs in the right order on the floor.
Motions to Teach First: Before hopping, teach the whole group the motions while standing together.
- FOR GOD, point both hands up to the sky.
- SO LOVED, wrap both arms around yourself in a big hug.
- THE WORLD, stretch both arms out wide to the sides.
- THAT HE GAVE, hold both hands out open in front of you like you are giving a gift.
- HIS ONLY SON, point up with one finger.
- THAT WHOEVER, point to different people around the room one at a time.
- BELIEVES IN HIM, place both hands over your heart.
- SHOULD NOT PERISH, shake your head no and cross arms in an X.
- BUT HAVE, cup both hands together like you are holding something.
- ETERNAL LIFE, throw both arms up in the air and cheer.
- JOHN 3:16, hold hands together like a book and open them.
Practice the motions together as a group two times before anyone hops.
How to Play: One child hops through the squares one at a time. Each time both feet land on a square, the whole group says the words on that square together and does the motion. The hopping child does the motion too while standing on the square. When the child reaches the end, everyone says the whole verse together one time before the next child hops. Every child gets a turn. Leaders hop too.
BIBLE CRAFT 9:55-10:10 | Holy Week Mini Book
Items Needed
- Holy Week Mini Book (pre-cut)
- Crayons
- Glue
Have children color their mini books and glue their pieces together. Help them fold the books. Review the pictures in the book and encourage them to share the story with others.
SNACK TIME AND BIBLE STORY VIDEO 10:10-10:25
Pass out snacks and allow kids time to eat snacks while watching the video.
BONUS ACTIVITY | Resurrection Eggs Retelling
Items Needed:
- Resurrection Eggs Set
Leaders and kids sit in a circle together. The leader holds the carton and removes eggs one at a time, handing each egg to a different child to open. The child opens the egg, holds up the item, and the whole group together calls out what it is. Leaders prompt with the story. This is a whole-group, leader-involved retelling game that lets kids be the ones to “open the story.”
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE
Matthew 28:5-6 (ESV): “But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.'”
Luke 19:35-36 (ESV): “And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road.”
Matthew 26:26-28 (ESV): “Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’ And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.'”
Matthew 27:50 (ESV): “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.”
PARENT TAKE HOME SHEET
Today’s Key Takeaway: Jesus Is Alive
What I Learned Today: Today we learned that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, shared a special last supper with His friends, and died on a cross for our sins because He loves us. Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead and the tomb was completely empty. Because Jesus is alive, we can know God and live with Him forever.
Questions to Ask Me:
Theological Questions:
- Who is Jesus? (Jesus is God’s Son who came to earth to save us.)
- Why did Jesus die on the cross? (Because He loves us and wanted to take the punishment for our sin.)
- What happened three days after Jesus died? (He rose from the dead! He came back to life.)
- What did the angel tell the women at the tomb? (He said Jesus is not here, He has risen.)
- What does it mean that Jesus is risen? (It means Jesus is alive.)
Life Application Questions:
- How does it make you feel to know that Jesus loves you enough to die for you? (Answers will vary.)
- Who can you tell that Jesus is risen? (Answers will vary, encourage family members, friends, neighbors.)
- What is your favorite part of the Easter story? (Answers will vary.)
- What should we remember every time we see a cross? (That Jesus died there because He loves us, and then He rose again.)
- What is the best news you have ever heard? (Accept answers, guide toward: Jesus is alive! He loves me!)