EASTER Session 5 Use Week of: Jesus Appeared to the Disciples Luke 24:36-49; John 20:19-29; Acts 1:3 MAIN POINT: Jesus appeared to His disciples. KEY PASSAGE: Romans 10:9 BIG PICTURE QUESTION: Who saves us from our sin? Only Jesus saves us from sin. BIBLE PASSAGE: INTRODUCE THE STORY TEACH THE STORY APPLY THE STORY (10 15 MINUTES) (25 30 MINUTES) (25 30 MINUTES) PAGE 69 PAGE 71 PAGE 77 Leader BIBLE STUDY Only a few days had passed since Jesus was arrested, beaten, and crucified. His followers were undoubtedly afraid and confused. They met together in a house, locking the doors because they were afraid of the Jews. Would the Jews do to them what they had done to Jesus? They had believed that Jesus was the Messiah, but they had abandoned Him and Jesus was killed. How could He save anyone if He was dead? 5 But now some people were reporting that Jesus was alive! Could it be true? The disciples were talking about these things when Jesus stood among them. They thought they were seeing a ghost. 65 Younger Kids Leader Guide Easter Session 5
Peace to you! He said. What good news. Imagine how Jesus words might have calmed the disciples anxious hearts. Their Lord, whom they had deserted, didn t show up to scold them for their failures or shame them for their lack of faith. He spoke peace to them. Even though Jesus had foretold His death and resurrection (Matt. 20:17-19), Jesus showed His disciples physical proof that He was alive. He showed them His hands and His side. With His resurrection, Jesus mission was accomplished. He paid the debt for sinners, and the transaction cleared. But the disciples work was just beginning. Jesus gave His followers a job to do: As the Father has sent Me, I also send you (John 20:21). This verse contains the Gospel of John s version of the Great Commission. Jesus, the One sent from the Father, sent the disciples to be His messengers and representatives. Jesus equipped the disciples with the Holy Spirit to proclaim the gospel the good news of what Jesus has done to the world. Emphasize to the kids you teach that Jesus is alive today. We haven t seen Him for ourselves, but we believe this by faith. He sends out all believers to tell others about Him, and He gives us power through the Holy Spirit. 5 66
The BIBLE STORY Bible Storytelling Tips Set the scene: Create a house s perimeter with large blocks or masking tape on the floor. Gather kids inside the house and pretend to lock the door. Tell the story. Use emotions: Tell the story. Pause from time to time and ask kids to show you how they might have felt if they had been there with Jesus friends. Would they feel afraid? Amazed? Happy? Joyful? Determined? Jesus Appeared to the Disciples Luke 24:36-49; John 20:19-29; Acts 1:3 On the first day of the week, in the evening, the disciples gathered together in a house. They locked the doors because they were afraid of the Jews. They didn t want to be killed like Jesus had been killed. But wait Jesus had appeared to two disciples on the road, and Mary Magdalene had reported seeing Him alive too. Could it be true? As the disciples talked, Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, Peace to you! The disciples were afraid! Was this really Jesus? The disciples thought they were seeing a ghost. Why are you afraid? Why do you doubt? Jesus said. Look at Me and touch Me. A ghost does not have flesh and bones, but I do. I m not a ghost. Jesus showed His disciples the nail holes in His hands and the hole in His side. Jesus was alive? It seemed too good to be true. The disciples rejoiced because they were so happy to see Jesus! The disciples gave Jesus some fish to eat. Jesus talked to them and explained the Bible to them. The Bible is about Me, Jesus said. Then Jesus told them that they had a job to do. Jesus had died and was raised from the dead so that people could be forgiven for their sins. The disciples needed to tell other people to repent from their sin and be forgiven. Peace to you! Jesus said to them again. God sent Me to earth, and in the same way, I am sending you. Then Jesus breathed on them and said, Receive the Holy Spirit. Jesus sent out the disciples to be His 67 Younger Kids Leader Guide Easter Session 5
witnesses and to tell all the people that He is alive. One of the disciples, Thomas, was not there when Jesus came. The other disciples kept telling him, We have seen Jesus! But Thomas doubted. He said, I don t believe you! I want to see and touch the holes in His hands and His side, or I will never believe! Eight days passed, and the disciples were indoors again. This time, Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came in and stood among them. He said, Peace to you! Then He said to Thomas, Touch the marks on My hands and My side. Don t be an unbeliever; believe! Thomas believed. My Lord and my God! he said. Jesus said, Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Those who believe in Me without seeing Me are blessed. Jesus continued to appear to the disciples, proving He was alive, and He taught them about the kingdom of God. Christ Connection: For 40 days, Jesus presented Himself to at least 500 people and proved that He is alive. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8) Jesus is still alive today. WANT TO DISCOVER GOD S WORD? GET ADVENTURE! Invite kids to check out this week s devotionals to discover how God s Word can help them grow in the gospel.order in bulk, subscribe quarterly, or purchase individually. For more information, check out www.lifeway.com/ devotionals. 68
Introduce THE STORY SESSION TITLE: Jesus Appeared to the Disciples BIBLE PASSAGE: Luke 24:36-49; John 20:19-29; Acts 1:3 MAIN POINT: Jesus appeared to His disciples. KEY PASSAGE: Romans 10:9 BIG PICTURE QUESTION: Who saves us from our sin? Only Jesus saves us from sin. Welcome time Greet each kid as he or she arrives. Use this time to collect the offering, fill out attendance sheets, and help new kids connect to your group. As kids arrive, invite them to tell church-appropriate knock-knock jokes to each other. Point out that when you tell knock-knock jokes, you imagine you are standing at a door telling the joke to someone inside. SAY In our Bible story today, the disciples were behind a closed door. The door was locked. They were scared! All of a sudden, someone appeared in the room with them. That person didn t need to knock. We ll find out who it was in our Bible story today. Hidden Letters activity page, 1 per kid pencils or markers Activity page (5 minutes) Invite kids to complete the Hidden Letters activity page. Kids should find all the hidden letters and unscramble them to see what Jesus said to His disciples when He appeared. Each word uses only one color of letter. SAY In today s Bible story, Jesus appeared to the disciples. At first when they saw Him, they felt afraid. Jesus said Peace to you! Let s find out what happened next. 69 Younger Kids Leader Guide Easter Session 5
Session starter (10 minutes) OPTION 1: Do you trust me? Set up a simple obstacle course in your room using tables, chairs, or other items readily available. As kids arrive, assign each of them a partner. Blindfold one partner (or let her cover her eyes with her hands) and direct the other partner to lead her through the obstacle course. Allow kids to take turns being blindfolded and leading. SAY Was it easy or hard to trust the person leading you? Sometimes we like to see things for ourselves. In our Bible story today, one of Jesus disciples would not believe Jesus was alive again until he saw Him for himself. OPTION 2: Touch bags Collect several household items and place each in individual gift bags. Label some of the bags with the name of the object inside. Label several bags falsely. Invite kids to take turns reaching their hand into a bag to feel the object inside without looking at it. Allow the kids to share if they think the label on the outside is true or false. SAY In today s Bible story, someone said they would not believe Jesus was alive unless he could touch the holes in Jesus hands and side. You will want to listen closely to our story to discover who said that. LOW PREP blindfolds (optional) various household items gift bags, 1 per item labels, 1 per item Transition to teach the story 70
Teach THE STORY SESSION TITLE: Jesus Appeared to the Disciples BIBLE PASSAGE: Luke 24:36-49; John 20:19-29; Acts 1:3 MAIN POINT: Jesus appeared to His disciples. KEY PASSAGE: Romans 10:9 BIG PICTURE QUESTION: Who saves us from our sin? Only Jesus saves us from sin. countdown video Countdown Show the countdown video as your kids arrive, and set it to end as the session begins. leader attire Introduce the session (3 minutes) [Leader enters.] LEADER Hello again! Welcome back. You will never believe what I saw on my way over here! It was a spider the size of a car! I wish I had taken a picture of it, because it was so big. I have never seen a spider that big before. I just wish I had proof Well, actually, the spider I saw wasn t quite as big as I described. I was exaggerating a bit. But it was big. Sometimes when people talk about incredible or unusual things, it can be hard to believe without proof. That reminds me of a story I read in the Bible. One of Jesus disciples did not believe Jesus had beenraised from the dead until he saw Him with his own eyes! He wanted proof that Jesus was really alive. Let s listen to learn about what happened. 71 Younger Kids Leader Guide Easter Session 5
Big picture question (1 minute) LEADER Over the past few weeks, we ve been learning about our big picture question to help us see the bigger picture of God s story. Do you remember it? Who saves us from our sin? [Accept responses.] That s right! Only Jesus saves us from sin. We know that Jesus death on the cross and His resurrection was God s plan to rescue people from sin and bring them back to Him. Giant timeline (1 minute) LEADER Last week, we heard the story of two disciples walking to the village of Emmaus when they were joined by Jesus. They did not recognize Jesus, but Jesus explained that all the Scriptures point to Him. As soon as the disciples recognized Jesus, He disappeared, and they hurried back to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples. In our Bible story today, we pick up right where we left off. The disciples were locked in a house together, scared and confused. They were afraid the Jews would hurt them and were still unsure whether Jesus was really alive. Two other disciples had just shown up to tell them they had seen Jesus. Let s hear what happened next. Tell the Bible story (10 minutes) Open your Bible to Luke 24:36-49; John 20:19-29; Acts 1:3. Use the Bible storytelling tips on the Bible story page to help you tell the story, or show the Bible story video Jesus Appeared to the Disciples. LEADER Jesus appeared to the disciples and showed Giant Timeline or Big Story Circle Bibles Jesus Appeared to the Disciples video Big Picture Question Poster Bible Story Picture Poster 72
them He is alive. But Jesus also did more than that! Jesus explained to the disciples what the Old Testament said about Him. The Bible says Jesus opened their minds to understand. The disciples were with Jesus for three years before Jesus died on the cross. They heard Him teach the words of Moses and the Prophets, but they did not understand that those words were about Jesus. When Jesus explained the Bible to them, they could see how everything that was written had come true. How would you have reacted if you were one of the disciples? One minute, the disciples were scared and crowded in a locked room. The next minute, their friend who was dead appeared and was eating a piece of fish! Are you like Thomas? Would you need to see the holes in Jesus hands and side? Jesus said those who believe in Him without seeing are blessed. Believing what we cannot see is difficult; it requires faith. We cannot see Jesus now, but we can read about Him in the Bible and know that He is alive! When we repent of our sins and trust in Jesus death and resurrection, we will be blessed to spend eternity with God! Who saves us from our sin? Only Jesus saves us from sin. Note: You may use this opportunity to use Scripture and the guide provided to explain how to become a Christian. Make sure kids know when and where they can ask questions. Christ connection LEADER For 40 days, Jesus presented Himself to at least 500 people and proved that He is alive. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8) Jesus is still alive today. Jesus resurrection is so important because we know through Jesus resurrection that God was satisfied with His death as the payment for our sin once and 73 Younger Kids Leader Guide Easter Session 5
for all. If Jesus had stayed dead, He would have been like every other leader. But Jesus did not stay dead. God raised Him from the dead on the third day, just as He promised in Scriptures. The Bible says the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead also gives us eternal life with Him when we trust in Jesus. (Romans 8:11) Key passage (5 minutes) Show the key passage poster. Lead the boys and girls to read together Romans 10:9. LEADER Our key passage helps us remember how easy it is to receive salvation and eternal life. We don t have to work really hard to be good enough to earn our salvation. That would be impossible! Instead, the Bible says we have to confess and believe in Jesus. Let s practice our key passage together. Salvation is a gift from God. Lead boys and girls in singing You Will Be Saved. Key Passage Poster You Will Be Saved song Discussion starter video (4 minutes) LEADER Has someone ever told you something that you didn t believe? Watch this video. Show the Easter, Session 5 discussion starter video. LEADER Nell did not believe Samuel was going to the Rocket Pack Jack premiere until she saw him on TV. Sometimes it can be hard to believe something because it sounds so incredible even if you trust the person who told you. Who was like that in our Bible story? Why do you think Thomas doubted? Jesus showed Himself to Thomas and over 500 people. Though we haven t yet seen Jesus with our Easter, Session 5 discussion starter video 74
own eyes, we can believe He is alive because of those witnesses. More so, we believe because God said it in His Word, and God is completely trustworthy. Jesus Paid It All (Whiter Than Snow) song Sing (4 minutes) LEADER Jesus was the disciples leader and friend, but He was so much more. He was their Savior and Lord. When we put our trust in Jesus to forgive our sin, He becomes our Savior and Lord, too! Jesus is the only way to God. Let s sing this song to worship Him. Sing together Jesus Paid It All (Whiter Than Snow). Pray (2 minutes) Invite kids to pray before dismissing to apply the story. LEADER Lord, thank You for helping us to understand Your Word. Give us wisdom to see that all Scripture is about Jesus. Thank You for sending Him to save us from sin. Help us live for You and glorify Your name. Amen. Dismiss to apply the story 75 Younger Kids Leader Guide Easter Session 5
The Gospel: God s Plan for Me Ask kids if they have ever heard the word gospel. Clarify that the word gospel means good news. It is the message about Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation. Use the following guide to share the gospel with kids. God rules. Explain to kids that the Bible tells us God created everything, and He is in charge of everything. Invite a volunteer to read Genesis 1:1 from the Bible. Read Revelation 4:11 or Colossians 1:16-17 aloud and explain what these verses mean. We sinned. Tell kids that since the time of Adam and Eve, everyone has chosen to disobey God. (Romans 3:23) The Bible calls this sin. Because God is holy, God cannot be around sin. Sin separates us from God and deserves God s punishment of death. (Romans 6:23) God provided. Choose a child to read John 3:16 aloud. Say that God sent His Son, Jesus, the perfect solution to our sin problem, to rescue us from the punishment we deserve. It s something we, as sinners, could never earn on our own. Jesus alone saves us. Read and explain Ephesians 2:8-9. Jesus gives. Share with kids that Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again. Because Jesus gave up His life for us, we can be welcomed into God s family for eternity. This is the best gift ever! Read Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; or 1 Peter 3:18. We respond. Tell kids that they can respond to Jesus. Read Romans 10:9-10,13. Review these aspects of our response: Believe in your heart that Jesus alone saves you through what He s already done on the cross. Repent, turning from self and sin to Jesus. Tell God and others that your faith is in Jesus. Offer to talk with any child who is interested in responding to Jesus. Provide I m a Christian Now for new Christians to take home and complete with their families. 76
Apply THE STORY SESSION TITLE: Jesus Appeared to the Disciples BIBLE PASSAGE: Luke 24:36-49; John 20:19-29; Acts 1:3 MAIN POINT: Jesus appeared to His disciples. KEY PASSAGE: Romans 10:9 BIG PICTURE QUESTION: Who saves us from our sin? Only Jesus saves us from sin. Key Passage Poster dry erase board and markers (optional) paper marker Bibles, 1 per kid Main Point Poster paper pencils Key passage activity (5 minutes) Make sure the key passage, Romans 10:9, is visible for each child, either as the printed poster or written on a dry erase board. Read the verse together. Divide the key passage into phrases and write each one on a separate piece of paper. Distribute the sheets of paper to the kids. Instruct kids to hold their paper in front of them so the words are visible. Any child who does not have a sheet of paper may help arrange the kids in the correct order of the key passage. Invite the kids to say the phrases on their sheets of paper in order. Take turns as time allows. For a greater challenge, kids may also mix up their pages and try to put them in the correct order as fast as they can. SAY Our key passage comes from the Book of Romans in the New Testament. Paul wanted the Christians in Rome to understand that only Jesus saves people from sin. Bible story review & Bible skills (10 minutes) Encourage the kids to find Luke, John, and Acts in their Bibles. Help them as needed. SAY The first four books of the New Testament are called 77 Younger Kids Leader Guide Easter Session 5
the Gospels. Can you name them? (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) Part of today s story comes from the Book of Acts. Acts is the only book of History in the New Testament. Acts tells us about the early church after Jesus resurrection. As you retell the story, tell the kids to count how many times Jesus said, Peace to you! After reading the story, lead kids to work together to create a fact sheet by listing facts from the story while an adult records them. Read the fact sheet to the class. You may also ask the following review questions. 1. Why were the disciples gathered together in a house? (They were afraid of the Jews, John 20:19) 2. What did Jesus say when He appeared in the room? (Peace to you, Luke 24:36) 3. Who doubted that Jesus was alive? (Thomas, John 20:24-25) 4. Who did Jesus say is blessed? (those who believe in Him without seeing Him, John 20:29) 5. Who saves us from our sin? Only Jesus saves us from sin. Option: Retell or review the Bible story using the bolded text of the Bible story script. Activity choice (10 minutes) OPTION 1: Eyewitness game Before class, arrange for someone to come into class while the kids are engaged in another activity. Enlist someone the kids would not normally see. The guest should plan on doing several things in the room, such as eating a snack, moving several things around, writing on the board, opening a window, flipping the lights, talking to someone, or playing music. After the guest leaves the room, tell the kids you want LOW PREP guest markers large sheet of paper 78
to see what kind of witnesses they are. Ask kids what they observed and list their observations on the large sheet of paper. Take a poll to find out how many kids remember seeing that action. For a challenge, ask if kids remember more specific details like what the guest was wearing, what she ate, whom she talked to, and so forth. SAY You were all very good eyewitnesses. After Jesus died on the cross and rose again on the third day, Jesus appeared to His disciples. At least 500 people were eyewitnesses of Jesus in the 40 days after His resurrection. Jesus prepared His followers for the next part of their mission: telling people all over the world that only Jesus saves us from sin. smocks or large T-shirts, 1 per child paper finger paint wet wipes (for cleanup) OPTION 2: Make handprints Guide each child to put on a smock. Provide paper and finger paints. Tell kids they will paint pictures using only their hands. Show kids how to apply paint to their hands to make a handprint. Allow kids to be creative. Encourage them to write Jesus is alive on their artwork. SAY Jesus appeared to His disciples, but Thomas wasn t there the first time. Thomas wanted to see the holes in Jesus hands before he would believe that He was really alive. When we look at our handprints, we can remember the holes made in Jesus hands when He was crucified to rescue us from sin. Who saves us from our sin? Only Jesus saves us from sin. 79 Younger Kids Leader Guide Easter Session 5
Journal and prayer (5 minutes) Distribute each child s journal. Ask the kids to write about or draw a picture of Jesus, including the scars on His hands and feet. Writers can complete the sentence, I believe Jesus is alive because SAY Thomas refused to believe Jesus was alive without seeing Jesus and touching His scars. Jesus said those who believe without seeing would be blessed. We are part of the group Jesus was talking about! We cannot see Jesus, but we believe He is alive because we know what the Bible says about Him and His death and resurrection. Make sure each child secures this week s sheet in the journal, and then collect them. Keep the journals in the classroom so they will be available every week or as often as you wish to use them. If time remains, take prayer requests or allow kids to complete the Bible story coloring page provided with this session. Pray, for each child by name asking God to make the resurrection real to her. pencils and crayons Journal Page Bible Story Coloring page, 1 per kid Tip: Give parents this week s Big Picture Cards for Families to allow families to interact with the biblical content at home. 80