With Easter just days away this is a good night to have an FHE lesson about the resurrection. I know my kids have heard the story many times, but it never hurts to talk about it more. Because, the way I see it, we can never fully appreciate the sacrifices and blessings the Lord has given us.
FHE Theme: The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Scriptures: Luke 24:6-7
Songs: "I Wonder when He Comes Again" and "Did Jesus Really Live Again" in the Children's Songbook
Start the lesson with a brief description of the days leading up to Jesus's death: He comes to Jerusalem for the Passover and is welcomed whole-heartedly by His followers. He spends a few days teaching the people, and has the last supper with His 12 apostles where He introduces the sacrament. The apostles go to the garden of Gethsemane with Him where He atones for our sins. Judas Iscariot betrays Jesus and the guards take Him away. Jesus is then accused and condemned, and when Pontias Pilot asks the people to release Him they choose to free Barabbas instead. Jesus is then tortured and mocked, and dies on the cross. You can go into much greater detail about these events - I have small kids so we're going to keep it brief so we can take more time talking about the resurrection.
I like visual aids, so I'll be using these resurrection story printables, which you can get for free on our printables site:
Using the pieces, tell the story of the resurrection - you can read it from the New Testament in Matthew chapter 28, Mark chapter 16, or Luke chapter 24 (any of those chapters are good - I couldn't pick a favorite). I'll probably tell the story in my own words hitting these points:
• Jesus's friend, Joseph of Arimathea, begged Pilate to get Jesus's body. He let Jesus be put in his tomb since Jesus did not have his own.
• Because Jesus prophesied that He would be resurrected, they rolled a big stone in front of the tomb and placed guards there to make sure no one took the body.
• People could not come and visit Jesus's body because it was the Passover.
• After He had been dead for 3 days, an angel appeared and rolled the big stone away from the opening of Jesus's tomb.
• The guards were so astonished that they "fell down as if they were dead". (I know that one guard just looks like he's sleeping, but I didn't want to scare kids with a picture of someone looking dead.)
• Early on the first morning after the Passover Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James came to the tomb to put good smelling spices on Jesus's body. But instead they found that the guards were gone and the stone had been moved. An angel told them that Jesus was not there because He had risen from the dead. They ran back to tell the apostles.
• The apostles did not believe the women, even when Peter saw the empty tomb himself.
• Mary Magdalene was very upset and returned to the tomb and cried because she was afraid that the angel was wrong and that Jesus's body had been stolen by bad men. Jesus appeared before her and told her not to be sad because He was alive.
• Jesus appeared another time to two of the men along the road, but they still had trouble believing in the resurrection.
• It wasn't until Jesus ate dinner with them and let them touch His hands and feet that the apostles believed that Jesus had really been resurrected and was living again.
• Because Jesus was willing to die and be resurrected, all people have been given the gift of eternal life.
End the lesson with a testimony and answer any questions. Hopefully everyone will be able to feel the spirit during the lesson, and better enjoy the coming Easter holiday.
FHE Theme: The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Scriptures: Luke 24:6-7
Songs: "I Wonder when He Comes Again" and "Did Jesus Really Live Again" in the Children's Songbook
Start the lesson with a brief description of the days leading up to Jesus's death: He comes to Jerusalem for the Passover and is welcomed whole-heartedly by His followers. He spends a few days teaching the people, and has the last supper with His 12 apostles where He introduces the sacrament. The apostles go to the garden of Gethsemane with Him where He atones for our sins. Judas Iscariot betrays Jesus and the guards take Him away. Jesus is then accused and condemned, and when Pontias Pilot asks the people to release Him they choose to free Barabbas instead. Jesus is then tortured and mocked, and dies on the cross. You can go into much greater detail about these events - I have small kids so we're going to keep it brief so we can take more time talking about the resurrection.
I like visual aids, so I'll be using these resurrection story printables, which you can get for free on our printables site:
Using the pieces, tell the story of the resurrection - you can read it from the New Testament in Matthew chapter 28, Mark chapter 16, or Luke chapter 24 (any of those chapters are good - I couldn't pick a favorite). I'll probably tell the story in my own words hitting these points:
• Jesus's friend, Joseph of Arimathea, begged Pilate to get Jesus's body. He let Jesus be put in his tomb since Jesus did not have his own.
• Because Jesus prophesied that He would be resurrected, they rolled a big stone in front of the tomb and placed guards there to make sure no one took the body.
• People could not come and visit Jesus's body because it was the Passover.
• After He had been dead for 3 days, an angel appeared and rolled the big stone away from the opening of Jesus's tomb.
• The guards were so astonished that they "fell down as if they were dead". (I know that one guard just looks like he's sleeping, but I didn't want to scare kids with a picture of someone looking dead.)
• Early on the first morning after the Passover Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James came to the tomb to put good smelling spices on Jesus's body. But instead they found that the guards were gone and the stone had been moved. An angel told them that Jesus was not there because He had risen from the dead. They ran back to tell the apostles.
• The apostles did not believe the women, even when Peter saw the empty tomb himself.
• Mary Magdalene was very upset and returned to the tomb and cried because she was afraid that the angel was wrong and that Jesus's body had been stolen by bad men. Jesus appeared before her and told her not to be sad because He was alive.
• Jesus appeared another time to two of the men along the road, but they still had trouble believing in the resurrection.
• It wasn't until Jesus ate dinner with them and let them touch His hands and feet that the apostles believed that Jesus had really been resurrected and was living again.
• Because Jesus was willing to die and be resurrected, all people have been given the gift of eternal life.
End the lesson with a testimony and answer any questions. Hopefully everyone will be able to feel the spirit during the lesson, and better enjoy the coming Easter holiday.
