The Empty Tomb. Focus on Mark 16:1 8. n PREPARING FOR THE SESSION. WHAT is important to know? WHERE is God in these words?

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1 April 1, 2018 Easter Day Acts 10:34 43 Ps. 118:1 2, Cor. 15:1 11 Mark 16:1 8 The Empty Tomb Goal for the Session Children will be amazed with Mary, Mary Magdalene, and Salome at the discovery of the empty tomb. n PREPARING FOR THE SESSION Focus on Mark 16:1 8 WHAT is important to know? From Exegetical Perspective, Beverly Roberts Gaventa Generations of interpreters have been so disturbed by Mark s ending that they have rushed to supply their own. But Mark s story defies such control. The final words of the young man, words from Jesus himself, remain to be fulfilled. They are not to be fulfilled by the faithfulness of the disciples, since the disciples are not heard from again. Neither will they be fulfilled by the obedience of Mary Magdalene, Mary, and Salome, whose terrified departure is not to be smoothed over by reference to other Gospel traditions. Only God s faithfulness will complete this story. WHERE is God in these words? From Theological Perspective, Serene Jones God breaks through the wall that our flight from God has constructed around us, just as God also breaks through the waves of grief that flow out from us when we refuse to flee from the horror and stand speechless and undone in its presence. Both of these breaks are needed for an honest account of who we are as people of faith. We are always both the faithless abandoners and killers of God and the faithful mourners and lovers of God. Here, where we expect to find Jesus dead, the tomb does not hold him. And with often unspoken force, grace abounds. SO WHAT does this mean for our lives? From Pastoral Perspective, D. Cameron Murchison Dealing with death is inevitably complex. Grief is almost always in the forefront. But other feelings swirl through the experience as well relief, to name one. The women on their way to anoint Jesus body in the tomb were making peace not only with the death of Jesus but with the death of Jesus claim to embody the reign of God for the well-being of the world. In Mark, a tension is manifest between the trustworthiness of the message of God s present and powerful reign and the fearful response of disciples more ready to make peace with the death of the gospel than to enter into its promise. NOW WHAT is God s word calling us to do? From Homiletical Perspective, Gail R. O Day He has been raised puts the focus on Jesus as the object of the action done by another. That the women flee in terror and amazement indicates that they know exactly the identity of the unnamed subject of that verb. Terror and amazement are words that describe one s response to a revelation of God. It is God who has raised Jesus and altered the rules of their known world. Silence is not a failed or inadequate response. The women s silence creates a space for the voice and presence of God to resound. We also stand hushed in awe at the cosmic power of God to take away death s sting. 1

2 The Empty Tomb FOCUS SCRIPTURE Mark 16:1 8 Focus on Your Teaching Children dwell in a world of emotions, and their emotions sometimes are more real to them than the events around them. They also can be very concerned and compassionate about the feelings of others. The story of Easter in Mark s Gospel is filled with emotion the women s sorrow and anxiety as they walk to the tomb, their surprise when the stone has been moved, their fear when they see the man dressed in white. Encourage the children to enter this story by imagining the emotions of it. YOU WILL NEED white cloth white batterypowered candle Easter eggs and Easter basket (March 4) small wrapped treats Singing the Feast, ; CD player Color Pack 10, 11, 12, 34 Bible copies of Resource Sheet 1 on card stock crayons, scissors craft sticks, tape For Responding option 1: Color Pack 30; Singing the Feast, ; CD player option 2: watercolor paper or white construction paper, watercolor paints and paintbrushes, spray bottle, sponge option 3: copies of Resource Sheet 2, pencils, crayons Amazing God, in becoming human you chose to share in human sorrows and joys, fears and hopes. Help me to remember that nothing can separate me from your eternal love. Amen. n LEADING THE SESSION GATHERING Before the session, empty the purple decorator stones from the plastic Easter eggs used in previous sessions. Place a small wrapped treat inside each egg, being mindful of allergies. Hide the eggs in your meeting space. Have extra Easter eggs to hide for children who don t have one from a previous week. Arrange the white cloth, candle, and Color Pack 10 in the center of your meeting space. As children arrive, invite them to shake hands with one another, saying, Happy Easter! When all have arrived, have children search for their eggs while singing Jesus Loves Me (Color Pack 34; track 14 on Singing the Feast, ). When each child has found the egg with his or her name on it, gather the group to open the eggs and eat the treats. Explain that white is the color that your church uses during the Easter season. As you light the candle, say, Jesus Christ is the light of our world. Offer this prayer: Thank you, God, for this happy Easter day. Thank you for being with us as we learn and celebrate together. Amen. Show Color Pack 11. Invite the children to imagine what happened just before this photo was taken what might have surprised this girl? As you hold the Easter basket, tell the children about a time that you received a happy surprise, placing your Easter egg in the basket as you talk. Invite each child, in turn, to hold the basket and tell about a favorite surprise while placing his or her egg in the basket. 2

3 The Empty Tomb Jesus Loves Me Jesus loves me! This I know, For the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong; In his love we shall be strong. Refrain: Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so. Jesus loves me! This I know, As he loved so long ago, Taking children on His knee, Saying, Let them come to me. Refrain Jesus loves me, still today, Walking with me on my way, Wanting as a friend to give Light and love to all who live. Refrain EXPLORING Sit together in a circle. Remind learners that last week was Palm Sunday, the day that Jesus rode into the city of Jerusalem on a donkey and the crowds cheered for him. Some children may not know about Jesus death. Explain gently that some of the leaders in Jerusalem were angry with Jesus because of what he was teaching about God s ways. They put him on trial and punished him by hanging him on a cross. Jesus died and was buried in a cave with a large stone rolled in front of it. Tell how his disciples were sad and afraid when Jesus died. Open your Bible to Mark 16:1 8, telling the children that the Easter story is found here. Ask a volunteer to hold up Color Pack 12 as you read the story from your Bible. Begin a conversation by saying: I wonder what it was like to find that the stone had been rolled away. I wonder what it was like to find out that Jesus was gone. I wonder what it was like to listen to that man dressed in white. Wait patiently for comments from the children don t rush to fill in the quiet spaces. Stand up and say: Let s imagine that we are the women walking to the tomb with the burial spices. The women were worried and sad. How do you think their faces looked? How do you think they walked? Let s pretend we are walking to the tomb. Follow me. Walk in a circle very slowly, looking sad. Say: Let s imagine that we ve just arrived at the tomb. We are surprised that the stone is rolled away and that Jesus body is gone. How would our faces look? Make surprised faces together. Say: Now let s imagine that we are listening to the man dressed in white, and he tells us that God has raised Jesus from the dead. What would our faces look like? Make faces to express this feeling, and then say: Now let s imagine we are the women running from the tomb. Follow me! Run around in a circle and return to your seats. Distribute copies of Resource Sheet 1 (Expressions). As a group, identify the feelings represented on these three faces (sad/worried; surprised; amazed/frightened). Provide crayons for learners to use to color the faces to look like the women. After they finish coloring, have learners cut out the faces and tape each one to a craft stick. Read Mark 16:1 8 again, pausing after verse 3, verse 4, and verse 8 for children to hold up the face that shows how the women are feeling at that point. Form groups of three. Ask each group to pretend they are the women leaving the tomb. Have them act out what the women might have said to each other as they ran away, and what they might have said when they found the other disciples. Have each group of three present its skit to the whole group. Summarize that God raised Jesus from the dead, and that Jesus will live with God forever. 3

4 The Empty Tomb The story of Jesus resurrection is amazing! Children may have many questions about it. Welcome their questions, being honest that adults also wonder about the wonderful thing God did for Jesus and promises to do for us. I m Gonna Sing When the Spirit Says Sing I m gonna sing when the Spirit says sing, I m gonna sing when the Spirit says sing, I m gonna sing when the Spirit says sing, and obey the Spirit of the Lord. I m gonna walk... I m gonna leap... I m gonna praise... EASY PREP The great promise of Easter is that God promises that we will live with God forever, too. Wrap up Exploring by listing ways that the group might tell others the good news of the empty tomb. RESPONDING Mark the activities you will use. 1. I m Gonna Sing Christ is risen! I m Gonna Sing When the Spirit Says Sing (Color Pack 30; track 13 on Singing the Feast, ) gives children an avenue for celebrating through song. Sing together, adding motions. Clap during the first verse. For walk, march around in a circle. For leap, jump high into the air. For praise, lift hands high. Encourage children to make up their own motions to the verses, as well. 2. The Tomb at Sunrise This art activity will give children additional opportunity to wonder about the events of the first Easter. Don t be surprised if they are full of questions as they work. This wet-on-wet painting technique works best with watercolor paper, but you can use white construction paper. Begin by having children spray water on one side of their paper using a spray bottle; wipe off excess water with a sponge. Place a small dab of two or three sunrise colors of watercolor paint on each child s wet paper. Children can use watercolor paintbrushes to move the color around to create a beautiful sunrise. Next, place a small dab of brown watercolor paint on each paper that children can shape into the tomb. Encourage the children to show these paintings to their families as they tell the Easter story. 3. My Easter Book Telling important Bible stories to others helps children to grow in their understanding of the amazing love of God. Distribute copies of Resource Sheet 2 (My Easter Book). Guide the children in cutting out the rectangle and folding the books. After folding the books, provide pencils for the children to use to fill in the blanks, helping them as needed. Have them use crayons to complete the pages. Form pairs for learners to read their completed books to one another. CLOSING Gather in a circle, hold up Color Pack 10, and invite the children to tell their favorite part of the Easter story. Take the Easter eggs from the basket one at a time, offering the following blessing to each child as you deliver his or her egg to take home: (Name), God bless you on this happy Easter day. 4

5 April 1, 2018 The Empty Tomb Grades (K)1 2 Resource Sheet 1 Expressions 2018 Westminster John Knox Press

6 April 1, 2018 The Empty Tomb Grades (K)1 2 Resource Sheet 2 My Easter Book The women were amazed, and they _ to the other _. ran disciples tell On Friday, _ died on the _. His body was put in a tomb with a big _ in front of the door. cross stone Jesus On Sunday, _ walked to the tomb with for Jesus burial. The stone was away! rolled women spices Jesus body was not there! A man dressed in _ said God had Jesus from the dead. white raised 2018 Westminster John Knox Press