Listen: Listen to the prerecorded Children’s Message together. 

You can find it at pacificunionchurch.org/churchsmall

Review:

Why does Pastor Nate need a do-over?

Why does everyone need a do-over?

Lesson:

God created a beautiful world out of nothing. It was all dark and then he made light. Then he made the sky, land, and water, and filled the universe with beautiful things. He filled the sky with birds, stars, the moon, and the sun. He filled the sea with whales, sharks, fish and all kinds of incredible creatures. He filled the land with animals and bugs and you and me. God made it all very, very good. But we ruined God’s beautiful world and it all ended with Jesus, the Son of God, dying on the cross and everything went dark. The question for us is this: as the sun rises on Easter Sunday morning, will God give us a big surprise do-over? Let’s find out …

Read John 20:1-2 together.

What surprised Mary Magdalene when she went to Jesus’ tomb?

How does she feel about it? Why?

Who does she tell? 

Let’s find out what Peter and the other disciple do when they hear Mary Magdalene’s news.

Read John 20:3-9 together.

What do Peter and the other disciple find at the tomb?

What is strange about Jesus’ clothes?

What happens to Peter and the other disciple when they see the empty tomb and the clothes?

[Hint to parents: look at verses 8 and 9.]

Peter and the other disciple go home, but Mary Magdalene still doesn’t know what happened to Jesus, that is why she is still sad. She stands at Jesus’ tomb crying. Then she gets a big surprise. She will be the first to get this really big surprise. Let’s find out what the surprise is.

Read John 20:14-16 together.

Who surprises Mary Magdalene? How does she feel about this surprise? How would you feel?

Mary Magdalene is the first person to see Jesus after he rose from the dead. She sees Jesus before Peter and any of the other disciples. The reason is that Jesus has a very important job for Mary Magdalene. Let’s find out what it is…

Read John 20:17-18 together. 

What is Mary Magdalene’s special job?

[Hint: she has a message to deliver to a specific group of people.]

What message does  Mary Magdalene give to the disciples?

Jesus has a special message for the disciples and for us:

Jesus not only died for our sins. Jesus is the start of a whole new world. 

Jesus will never sin, and his new body will never die. One day, we will get a new body, and we will never get sick, never die and never sin! That is the big Easter do-over. We broke God’s world, but God is creating a new world and he starts with Jesus rising from the dead.

Respond. Have a conversation with your family: How do you need a do-over like Pastor Nate?

[Hint to parents: you might want to give an example for your kids.]

Why is Easter good news for us? 

How can we say thank you to Jesus for this big surprise do-over?

Activity. If you can, decorate some Easter eggs as a family and go on an Easter egg hunt. Easter eggs are a picture of new life and the do-over we get from Jesus.

Share. How can you follow Mary Magdalene’s example and share the good news of Jesus’ big Easter surprise and do-over? Make a plan to tell someone that you know.