The Resurrection
Theme: Good News to Share
Theme Verse: "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10b NIV
Readings: John 20:1-22; Luke 24:1-12; Mark:16:1-11
Memory Verse: "'Don't be alarmed', he said. 'You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him' ." Mark 16:6
INTRODUCTION: Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the glad tidings which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. (1 Corinthians 15:1-8)
The MOST IMPORTANT thing to know about Jesus, Paul says, is that he really died, really was buried & really rose again the third day. That truth is in our basic creeds. Unless it all really happened we are trusting in a lie. The resurrection story has to begin with Jesus' death and burial. John gives witness in John 19:32-36 about what he saw as he was standing at the foot of the cross with the Marys (vs.25,26, 35). He wants us to know the truth so that we might believe and so that we know the Scriptures were fulfilled.
One of the ways the unbelieving world reacts is to say that there is no resurrection because Jesus never really died. Muslim do not believe Jesus was crucified, just someone who looked like him, because God wouldn't let that happen to a prophet. Others say that Jesus just fainted and was revived by the cool tomb and went away some place. There are examples of this in the false gospels that get a lot of publicity these days. Matthew 27:62-66 and 28:4:11-15 tell the story that was deliberately spread by the elders of Israel and the soldiers, that Jesus' body was stolen by his disciples, i.e., he died but never rose. Another common lie is that the women got confused. The gospels record all the people who saw where Jesus' body was buried. Also the soldiers were not posted to the wrong tomb.
Paul talks about all the people who saw the risen Jesus. many who could still be interviewed in Paul's lifetime. His followers saw him many times, not just once. It is absurd to think that Jesus' disciples would die for something they knew to be a lie. The other thing to say is that the risen Jesus did not have s resuscitated earthly body. It was a resurrection body which could go through locked doors and still wrapped grave clothes and yet be touched and eat and appear and disappear to his followers.
Now look at the Memory Verse. "He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him." Word received: I want you to share these words with others around you. This IS the reason I came--to triumph over death and sin. Don't stop sharing, don't stop telling others about Me. Now look at what the angels said in Luke 24:5-6. "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he is risen! " Word received: I am not dead as many think so today. I AM living. I want to live in your lives if you will let Me. Open your heart and let Me in. That is the real Easter.
Now look at John 20 first. On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene comes to the tomb early, by herself, in the dark, sees the stone rolled away and runs to Peter and John. It was still dark -- not only physical but spiritual darkness. Peter and John race to check it out. John saw the still rolled up head cloth and believed. Word received: "He saw and believed. Blessed are those who haven't seen and yet believed. But then they went home! for they did not yet know the scriptures that he must rise from the dead.(vs.9) Word received: Pray for My people that they will know My word. Mary came back and stood outside the tomb sobbing. She waited outside the tomb. Word received: Are you willing to stay on and wait for me? As Mary stayed she saw two angels and then Jesus himself. We need to be willing to stay and wait. Jesus had great compassion on Mary and reveals himself first to her. He sees her pain and grief and wants to comfort her. Word received: I have come to comfort those who mourn. Word received: I want to comfort you in your time of pain, loss and grief. Come to Me.
Then Mary Magdalene stooped down to look inside and saw two angels, sitting one at the head and one at the feet of the place where Jesus had lain. (Notice that the two angels are arranged like the cherubim over the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant!) The angels asked Mary why she was sobbing but she didn't wait to hear more. Word received: Many times in your lives things look bleak or hopeless, but I AM there working My purposes. She turned around and saw Jesus but didn't recognize him even when he asks her why she was crying and who she was looking for. She thought he was the gardener and offers to take Jesus' body away. (She offered to carry his body, not only was he probably heavier than she was but there were 100 pounds of spices wrapped around the body!)
Then Jesus calls her name, "Mary". She immediately recognizes him and immediately turns to him in joy and calls him, "Rabboni" (teacher, master). Word received: I want you to recognize Me when I speak to you. Jesus knows your name and he loves you. Have you ever heard him call your name? Are we as eager as Mary to show our love to Jesus? Are we willing to love and wait for him when he seems to have gone away? The two disciples, Peter and John, came to the tomb but went home again after the saw the empty tomb. Mary "loved much because she had been forgiven much" and had been delivered from seven demons.
Jesus tells her not to touch (literally) or cling to him "because he has not yet ascended to the Father." That part is puzzling but she is not to hold on to the old earthly relationship. There is going to be a different one. Then Jesus (1) sends her to go tell the disciples and (2) tells her he is ascending to "My Father and your Father, My God and your God". Jesus also points her to a new relationship with her heavenly Father. She is part of his family.
Mary goes and tells the disciples but they are still hiding behind locked doors that first day in the evening out of fear that the authorities would come after them. Compare this with Mark 16:8,11. The disciples didn't believe Mary or the other women who were sent by the angels. Word received: You see, the women and the disciples are just like you. They had doubts, you have doubts. They had fear, you have had fear. I still loved them and I still love you. Come to Me with all your fears and doubts. I AM the only one who can satisfy them.
When the disciples finally saw Jesus that night, his greeting was one of peace and then he showed them his hands and side. Then they believed and were full of joy. Then Jesus gave them his Holy Spirit and sent them out just as the Father had sent him. (Later he tells them to wait for the power of the Holy Spirit. He came at Pentecost and then they were finally ready to go out. (Acts 1 and 2) We too receive the Holy Spirit when we are baptized and need to have the Spirit's power and joy in us so that we too can go out to do his work and have his joy. Sometimes the power of the Spirit comes on people as they are baptized and sometimes people receive it later or more than once. All we need to do is ask if we already have received Jesus as our Lord and Savior. In Acts 4:31 the disciples are filled again with the Holy Spirit when they pray after being threatened. After we meet Jesus, he wants us to share that with others, that he lives and wants to meet them.
NOTE: The four accounts are slightly different depending on who wrote them Several times the experiment has been done in a classroom situation of the teacher and a few people planning a surprise disruption with a certain amount of confusion. Later the class is asked to write an account and there are always small differences in the stories. Accounts with identical details would be suspect, i.e., that someone smoothed out the details or made it up. The important facts are the same.
Questions:
1.The stone was rolled away. What stones that cover your heart need to be rolled away?
2. Have you experience the risen Christ in your life?
3. Are we willing to tell others about the risen Jesus even if some will no believe it?
Notice that the women were obedient to their responsibilities. They had brought spices to anoint the body of Jesus as was the burial custom. Their obedience was blessed by being the first ones to see Jesus. Remember that a Jewish woman was not considered a legal witness. Jesus blessed their love and obedience even though they could never legally testify! Another example of the blessing of obedience was the widow of Zarephath who fed Elijah what she thought was her last meal.
How to teach teachers' word: I AM. That is what it all comes down to. I AM alive.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 27
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1 ) It is a fact that Jesus died , was buried, and rose from the dead.
2 ) Jesus is alive today.
3 ) Jesus wants to live in our hearts today. Have you asked Jesus to live in your life?
4 ) You can ask Jesus into your life by asking Him to forgive you for the things you have done wrong, and then invite Him into your heart.
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