Sunday School at Home for April 17

The Faces of Easter

Theme: The joy of Easter
Scripture: Luke 24:1-12
Complete Supply List:
● 5 craft sticks
● Paper
● Pen
● Tape
● Stones
● Fine-tipped marker
● “Lower Elementary Easter Egg Hunt” handout - 1 per child
● 8 plastic eggs
● A permanent marker
● Small piece of rope
● A thorn or rose
● 3 small nails
● Black material
● A cotton ball
● A stone
● Gauze
● Bibles
● “Faces of Easter” video lesson
● Something to play the video
● “Joy Balloons” handout - 1 per child
● Paper - 1 per child
● Markers
● Scissors - 1 per child
● Paper balloons from the craft


The Children’s Sermon
You’ll Need:
● 5 craft sticks
● Paper
● Pen
● Tape

Get Ready: Cut out five circles, and draw the following faces on one of each of the
circles: happy, sad, surprised, angry, and afraid. Tape one circle to the top of the craft
sticks.

Do This:
SAY: Easter is a very happy day, isn't it? (Pause for responses.) It’s the day we
celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. It’s interesting to think about what Jesus’ friends
might’ve been feeling on that day.
We all know our faces show the way we feel. Sometimes we try to hide it, but we’re
not always so great at hiding how we feel. Today, I don’t want you to hide it. As I
tell the story, I want you to show on your faces how the people in the story feel
about what is happening. (Invite five kids to stand in front of the class, and have each
child hold one of the signs. They’ll hold their signs up when they think the emotion
would be present. Explain that more than one emotion could be present. The children
in the audience will show on their own faces what emotion they might feel. If they
want to show more than one emotion, they can alternate the emotions on their faces
repeatedly.)
It was early in the morning on the first day of the week when some women went to
visit the tomb where their friend, Jesus, had been buried. He had been crucified
and died on a cross. (This might be a time kids show sad faces. Point out the signs
and kids’ faces. Pay attention to any unique responses so you can quickly pause and
let the child briefly explain.)
He was buried in a borrowed tomb and the women were going to put spices on His
body. (Pause.)
When they arrived at the tomb, the women discovered that the stone that had
covered the entrance had been rolled away. (Pause.)
When they looked inside the tomb, they had the biggest surprise of all. The tomb
was empty! They thought someone had stolen Jesus’ body. (Pause.)
Suddenly, two men in bright shining clothes came and stood beside the women. In
their fright, they bowed down with their faces to the ground. (Pause.)
The men spoke to the women and said, "Jesus is not here; He has risen! Don't you
remember what He told you when He was in Galilee?" (Pause.)
Then the women remembered what Jesus had told them and they were no longer
afraid. Their fear turned to happiness and they went back and told Jesus' disciples
what they had seen and that Jesus had risen, just as He had told them He would.
What a happy day! (Pause.)
You and I have reason to be happy today. We’re happy because we know that
Jesus rose from the grave and that He lives forever. But we’re also happy because
we know that the Bible tells us that "Whoever believes in Him will not perish, but
will have everlasting life." Now that is something to be happy about, isn't it? (Invite
kids to show their happy faces by holding up the sign.)

PRAY: Dear Father, we’re happy today because Jesus rose from the grave and lives
forever. We are also happy because we know that those who believe in Him will
also have everlasting life. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Bible Memory Verse
“He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you: 'The
Son of Man must be crucified and on the third day be raised
again.' " Luke 24:6-7

You’ll Need:
● Stones
● Fine-tipped marker

Get Ready: Write words or phrases from the verse on the stones and hide them
around the room.

Do This:
Have kids learn the verse in this way:
● Remind kids how the stone that was blocking the opening of Jesus’ tomb had
been rolled away on Easter morning.
● Explain that you’ve hidden stones around the room with words from the verses
on them.
● Have kids find the stones and put them in order.
● Lead kids in saying the verse several times.
● One by one, gently roll each stone away, saying the verse without the missing
words each time you omit a stone.
● Repeat until kids say the whole verse without the help of the stones.

ASK:
● What’s special about Easter for you?

SAY: Easter is a special day because we celebrate that Jesus died and then came
back to life! Wow! That’s something to celebrate.

Bible Interactive Experience
You’ll Need:
● “Lower Elementary Easter Egg Hunt” handout - 1 per child
● 8 plastic eggs
● A permanent marker
● Small piece of rope
● A thorn or rose
● 3 small nails
● Black material
● A cotton ball
● A stone
● Gauze
● Bibles

Get Ready: Put the items in the eggs and number the eggs, according to the
handout. If you have more than eight kids, make more than one set. Hide the eggs
around your room.

Do This:
SAY: Let’s have an Easter egg hunt! Ready? Go! (Let kids find the eggs.)
Lead kids through these steps:
● Have kids gather in a circle with the eggs they found.
● Give each child a handout and a Bible.
● Have kids find the verse in their Bibles according to any eggs they found.
● Once all the kids have found their verses, invite those with an egg labeled “1” to
open it and reveal the contents.
● Invite one child to read the description for egg one.
● Have a child with the verses for that egg read. (Or you can read.)
● Repeat for each egg.

ASK:
● Which part of what you learned today is your favorite, and why?
● Which part is your least favorite part, and why?

SAY: God sent Jesus to Earth because He loves us. Jesus came as a baby, but then
He grew up and taught many people. He healed people and did amazing things. But
then He died on a cross. He was punished for all the world’s sin, even though He
never did anything wrong. But three days after He died, He rose again. When we
believe in Him, we can live forever in heaven!

Video Lesson
You’ll Need:
● “Faces of Easter” video lesson
● Something to play the video


Do This:
Show the video.

ASK:
● Why do you think Jesus’ friends were sad?
● If you had been in their situation, how would you react to find out Jesus was
alive again?

Paper Balloons
You’ll Need:
● The Faces of Easter How-to Video
● “Joy Balloons” handout - 1 per child
● Paper - 1 per child
● Markers
● Scissors - 1 per child

Do This:
To make the craft, have kids follow these steps:
● Have kids name all the things they see at celebrations.
● Point out that balloons are at celebrations and how they’re a symbol of joy.
● Tell kids they’re going to make their own paper balloons.
● Give each child a piece of paper and a “Joy Balloons” handout.
● Guide them through the steps to make the balloons.
● Invite them to decorate their balloons to make them look joyful.

SAY: Take home your Easter balloons as a reminder that God breathed life into
Jesus and He came back to life. That brings us so much joy!

Living Prayers
You’ll Need:
● Paper balloons from the craft

Do This:
Lead kids to pray in this way:
● Have kids sit in a circle, holding their paper balloons.
● Remind kids that Jesus died on the cross.
● Have them deflate their balloons.
● Allow a moment to talk to Jesus silently.
● Have kids say allowed the Bible verse for today: “He is not here; He has risen!
Remember how he told you: 'The Son of Man must be crucified and on the third
day be raised again.' " Luke 24:6-7.
● Have kids breathe air back into their balloons to symbolize how Jesus came
back to life.
● Allow a moment for kids to thank Jesus.

PRAY: Dear God, thank You for bringing Jesus back to life! We celebrate Easter
with joy. In Jesus’ name, amen.