Basic Truth: Je sus wants to be my friend forever. Key Question: Who is your friend? Bottom Line: Jesus is my good friend.

Transcription

1 Basic Truth: Jesus wants to be my friend forever. Key Question: Who is your friend? Bottom Line: Jesus is my good friend. Memory Verse: A friend loves at all times. Proverbs 17:17, NIrV Bible Story: Easter Jesus loves me. The Lord s Supper, Resurrection Matthew 26:20-30; 28:1-7 Basic Truth: Jesus wants to be my friend forever. Key Question: Who is your friend? Bottom Line: Jesus is my good friend. Memory Verse: A friend loves at all times. Proverbs 17:17, NIrV Bible Story: Easter Jesus loves me. The Lord s Supper, Resurrection Matthew 26:20-30; 28:1-7

2 What You Need: A loaf of French bread or plastic toy bread, a CD player, and a CD of your choice. What You Do: Arrange children in a circle. Start the music and instruct the children to pass the bread to the person sitting next to them. Turn off the music periodically. The person who has the bread when the music stops should sit in the middle of the circle. Play until only two children are left or the children lose interest. What You Say: During the activity: Do you want to play a fun game with me? Do you know what this is? (Hold up the bread.) Yes, it is a loaf of bread. We are going to pass the bread around the circle. I am going to turn on some music, and you are going to start passing. When the music stops, the person with the bread has to go sit in the middle of the circle. (Play the game.) At the end of the activity: That was so much fun. Today we are going to talk about people who had some bread for a very special supper. Let's get ready to hear our true story from the Bible.

3 What You Need: The book Do You Want to Be My Friend? by Eric Carle. What You Do: Sit with the children and read the book, Do You Want to be My Friend? by Eric Carle. After you read the book, have everyone stand up, hold hands, and walk in a circle while you lead the children in singing the first verse of the song The More We Get Together. Later, reverse the direction you are walking while continuing to sing. What You Say: After you read the book: The little mouse in the story was asking everyone to be his friend. I like having friends. Do you like having friends? Sure you do! And look at all the friends we have here today! Let s stand up and sing a song with our friends! (Singing) The more we get together, together, together, The more we get together, the happier we'll be. Your friends are my friends, and my friends are your friends. The more we get together, the happier we'll be. (Repeat.) At the end of the activity: Friends are very special. Our Bible story today is about the BEST friend we will EVER have. His name is Jesus.

4 What You Need: 5 Circle Mats What You Do: Place the circle mats in a row on the floor. Show the children how to jump from one spot to another while saying one word of the Bottom Line each time they hop to a different hoop. (Options: Zigzag the hoops, put more distance between each hoop, jump sideways rather than straight forward, etc. Keep changing it up and playing as long as the children are interested.) What You Say: During the activity: Watch what I can do! (Jumping from hoop to hoop as you say each word of the Bottom Line) [Bottom Line] Jesus is my good friend! Can you jump from hoop to hoop while saying [Bottom Line] Jesus is my good friend? Sure you can! At the end of the activity: One more time: Who is your friend? [Bottom Line] Jesus is my good friend!

5 What You Need: sticky cross, magnet, bible verse, tissue paper squares What You Do: 1. Peel the top yellow layer off of the top of the cross 2. Have kids put bible verse card on first 3. Kids decorate the cross with tissue paper squares 4. Put magnet on back of sticky cross

6 Pin the Tail on the Bunny Parachute with balls Play doh

7 The Easter story is right here in the Bible. (Hold up the Bible and then open it to today s passage.) Do you remember when I told you about how Jesus rode the donkeys into the city and everyone praised and cheered for Him? They said, Hosanna! Hosanna! Yay, Jesus! (Wave your hands in the air.) Well, after that, Jesus and His close friends, the disciples, had a very special meal together. It was kind of like a going away dinner. You see, Jesus knew He was about to go away and that His friends would be very sad. Because Jesus is such a good friend, He wanted to do something special that would help them remember Him while He was gone. Jesus asked His friends to help Him get together a special meal. They did everything Jesus told them to do. When it was time to eat, they all sat around the table together. They all watched Jesus as He took some bread (holding up a large piece of bread) and thanked God for it. Can you say, Thank You, God with me? CHILDREN and STORYTELLER: Thank You, God! Next, Jesus gave each one of His friends a piece of bread, and they ate it. Now we all have some bread to eat, just like Jesus and His friends. (Eat a little bread.) Next, Jesus picked up a drink and thanked God for it too. (Hold up a large drink container.) Can you say, Thank You, God with me again? CHILDREN and STORYTELLER: Thank You, God! STORYTELLER: Then He gave all His friends something to drink. STORYTELLER: Jesus ate this special meal with His friends because He wanted everyone to remember what He was about to do to show the world how much He loved them. The meal ended, and then (talking slowly with sadness in your voice) everything happened just like Jesus said it would. (Pause.) Jesus died on a cross and was buried. (Pause.) He was gone, and His friends were very sad and afraid. They missed Jesus and didn t know what to do without Him. (After a brief pause, smile, and with joy in your voice, say the following.) But the story doesn t end there! Three days later something amazing happened! Can you count to three with me? (Lead the kids in doing so.) That's right. Three days later... JESUS CAME BACK! Jesus was NOT gone. Jesus is ALIVE! And He wants you and me and everyone in the whole wide world to remember how much He loves us. That s what Easter is all about remembering that Jesus is alive and He loves you very much. Jesus wants so much to be your good friend. Who is your friend? [Bottom Line] Jesus is my good friend. Who is your friend? CHILDREN and STORYTELLER: [Bottom Line] Jesus is my good friend. STORYTELLER: That s right. Not only is Jesus a good friend, He [Basic Truth] wants to be my friend forever! Who wants to be your friend forever? CHILDREN and STORYTELLER: [Basic Truth] Jesus wants to be my friend forever! STORYTELLER: That s right! I hope you always remember that Jesus loves you thiiiiiis (spreading arms out as wide as you can) much! And He wants to be your friend forever. Let s pray and thank Jesus for loving us so much. Jesus, we praise You and cheer for You today. We want to thank You for loving us so much. You are the best friend a person could ever have. Amen.