EASTER 2016 RESOURCES - The Methodist Church in Ireland

EASTER2016RESOURCES
CHILDREN’SWORK
HELPINGRESOURCELOCALCHURCH
ResourcesforMinisters,Children&YouthLeaders
At Christmas 2015, IMYC complied some useful resources to
help leaders with their programming. We thought that people
may benefit from some Easter Resources too.
These resources have been compiled by us, through online
resources, books we have and subscriptions which we are
signed up to.
We hope there is some interesting and helpful things to aid
you in your ministry.
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INDEX
CHILDREN’SRESOURCES
THEREALEASTEREGG 4-6
CRAFTFORKIDS 7
COLOURINGSHEETS
8-10
CHILDREN’SGAME
11-12
CHILDREN’SASSEMBLY 13
15
YOUTHGROUPSESSIONS
16-19
PLAYITBYEARDRAMA 20-23
EASTERGAME
24-26
27-40
YOUTHRESOURCES
CRAFTIDEAS
EASTEREGGSTRAVAGAZA
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Youthgroupsessionsonpages16-19fromYouthworkmagazine.
Tosubscribetotheseresourcessee:hAp://www.premieryouthwork.com/
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1. On average how many Real Easter Eggs can be made
from the crop from one chocolate tree?
A) 10
B) 2
C) 16
6. What type of chocolate is the Best Selling Real Easter
Egg made from?
A) Fairtrade Milk Chocolate
B) Fairtrade Dark Chocolate
C) Non-Fairtade Chocolate
2. To melt the chocolate to make the Real Easter Egg
how hot did it have to be?
A) 28 degrees, like a warm bath
B) 100 degrees, like a hot drink
C) 20 degrees, like a warm room
7. How many Easter eggs are sold in the UK every year?
A) 1 million
B) 10 million
C) 80 million
3 How many Real Easter Eggs can be made a minute?
A) 12
B) 3
C) 8
8. What is the name of the company that make the
Real Easter egg?
A) The Meaningful Chocolate Company
B) Cadburys
C) Mars
4. How many wooden items can be seen on the
Real Easter Egg box?
A) 3
B) 4
C) 11
9. Easter celebrates the coming back to life of Jesus a!er
he died. What do we call the day he died?
A) Good Friday
B) Sad Saturday
C) Bad Monday
5. How may Real Easter Eggs have been sold over the
past five years?
A) Between 5000 and 100,000?
B) Over one million
C) Between 1,000 and 5,0000
Answers: 1C, 2A, 3A, 4C, 5B, 6A, 7C, 8A, 9A.
THEREALEASTEREGGWEBSITERESOURCES
ONLINERESOURCES
http://www.realeasteregg.co.uk/download/
School & Church presentations
There are four assembly resources for schools and churches which we hope will help you to
explore the story of Easter. You may want to take the resources directly or adapt them to suit
your own purposes.
KS 1-2 Getting Ready For Easter: the Easter story.
This is a resource aimed at Key Stage 1 and 2 (ages 5-11). In this resource we reflect on how
we celebrate Easter in the modern word and reflect on the story at the heart of the Easter.
This resource makes use of the beautiful illustrations by Helen Cann which can be found in the
Real Easter Egg Easter story booklet.
KS 1-4 Searching for Easter.
This is a highly informative resource for all ages. It describes the traditions surrounding Easter
eggs in history and across the world. It also explains how Easter eggs are made by our
company. It also provides an Easter reflection.
KS 3-4 Last Instructions
This resource is aimed at Key Stage 3 and 4 (above 11). It explores the history and traditions
surrounding Maundy Thursday. It also provides a fun way for teachers to reflect on the
washing of the disciples' feet by Jesus.
KS 3-4 I'm washing my hands of it
Aimed at Key Stage 3 and 4, this resource reflects upon Pilate's washing his hands of Jesus'
death. It demonstrates how we may 'wash our hands' of our responsibilities and it challenges
pupils to be more involved in issues of justice, peace and fair trade in the world around them.
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Ready-To-Use
Craft Ideas
What is this?
Family ministry without craft is like tea without biscuits. This regular
page will bring you a bountiful supply of brilliant new ideas from the
creative minds behind Messy Church
Easter Sunday falls on 20th April, so here are three Easter-themed
crafts. They are the kinds of activities which your group might also do
around Christmastime and so they could be used to explain that Easter
is just as important as Christmas. You could also explore why Christmas
is seen as a bigger deal – is it because we don’t like thinking about the
things we do wrong? There’s no need to take the children on a guilt
trip, but you may well get some very insightful comments from them.
To see photos of the craft ideas
on this page, and templates for
the first two activities visit
childrenswork.co.uk
Easter card
Saltdough decorations
Easter tree decoration
YOU WILL N EED:
YOU WILL N EED:
YOU WILL N EED:
Sheets of A4 card, brown paper or old
brown envelopes, glue, butterfly pins,
felt tips.
One cup of plain flour and one cup of table
salt will make enough dough for about six
crosses and six eggs. You will also need
spare flour, rolling pins, poster paint,
paintbrushes, dessert spoons, knives,
plastic drinking straws, the template
of the cross from
childrenswork.
co.uk, cord to hang the craft up, lots of
newspaper, baking trays and hand wipes.
Bright paper, scissors, glue, thread, felt
tips, a branch secured in a plant pot.
We send loads of cards at Christmas but
very few people send them at Easter.
With this card you can roll the stone
away to reveal the Easter message. Fold
the sheet of card in half. Cut out the
shape of a cave from the brown paper
using the template at
childrenswork.
co.uk Stick the cave onto the card and
write ‘RISEN’ or another Easter word in
the cave mouth. Cut out a circle from
the brown paper for the stone. Use the
butterfly pin to attach the top of the
stone across the top of the cave mouth
– younger children may need some help
with this.
Children often make salt dough
decorations at Christmas, using cookie
cutters to make stars, trees and snowmen.
These Easter shapes are made by cutting
round a template of the cross or, for the
eggs, pressing the shape out of the dough
with the scoop of a dessert spoon, and
then tidying the edges.
To make the dough, mix the flour and
salt and gradually add water to make
a soft dough that isn’t too sticky. Roll
the dough out onto a floured surface,
but don’t roll it too thin – about 5mm
thick is best. Cut out the shapes and a
make a hole to hang the decorations
up by pressing through the dough
with a plastic straw. Bake the shapes
for two to three hours at about 100°C.
They don’t spread out too much while
cooking so you can put them quite close
together on the trays. If you can, do the
mixing and cutting with the children
one week and take the shapes home to
bake yourself, so they are ready to be
decorated next time.
Since ownership rights are very
important to young children, make sure
that each child’s initials are scratched
onto the reverse of their decoration.
If it’s not practical for you to mix the
dough with the children and take
it home, you can make the shapes
yourself and ask your group to decorate
them. If you want to do this craft with a
few groups, the saltdough mixture will
keep for several weeks in an airtight
container in the fridge.
We are all used to Christmas trees,
but people now create Easter trees by
standing a branch in a pot and decorating
it with hollow eggs. You could decorate
your tree with saltdough shapes or other
symbols of resurrection and new life
such as this starburst decoration.
Cut out a circle about 6cm in diameter.
For each circle you will need eight
triangles. The ones shown are made
from 6cm squares, cut in half diagonally.
Stick the triangles together in pairs as
shown online at
childrenswork.co.uk,
and then stick the pairs of triangles onto
the back of the circle. If they want to, the
children could write an Easter word on
their sunburst. Make a hole at the top of
the decoration, and hang on the tree.
Jenny Gilbertson is a lay reader at
St Paul’s Church, Chester, where she
coordinates their Messy Church
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Ready-To-Use
Assembly Plan
What is this?
You said: ‘We need inspiration for our
assemblies’. So here it is: a ready-touse assembly outline. Let us know how
you get along with it
Easter
Aim:
Opening activity
Why did it all happen?
To hear the story of
Easter and reflect
on what it means for
Christians
Before the assembly, carefully open up one of
the hollow eggs and place a treat inside (make
sure it’s different from the brand of the egg).
Wrap the egg back up and place it back in the
packaging, making sure it doesn’t look like you
have tampered with it.
At the start of the assembly, show the children
your three Easter eggs. Choose the already filled
one, and ask the children to guess what is inside.
Hopefully, they will say what is on the box! Ask
for a volunteer to open up the egg. When it’s
been opened up, comment that the children
were right!
Hold up the egg that you have put a different
treat inside. Again, ask the children what they
think is inside. They will probably say what is on
the box again. Ask for another volunteer to open
it up. Express surprise when the treat isn’t what
is on the box. Were the children expecting that?
Finally, show the hollow egg, once again asking
the children what they think is inside. Get
one final volunteer to open the egg. Are they
disappointed with what they find (or don’t find)?
Briefly explain what Jesus’ death and resurrection
means to Christians in your own words, or use
this paragraph:
Bible base:
MARK 15–16
Equipment:
Three Easter eggs (one
with a treat inside, two
hollow); a different treat
to put inside one of the
eggs; a Bible; one or
more children’s Bibles
– look for one suitable
for KS1 children, such as
The Big Bible Storybook
(Scripture Union), Baby
Bible (Lion Children’s)
or My Very First Bible
(Lion Children’s). If you
have a large group, look
for suitable royalty-free
artwork on the internet
and create your own
picture story on a slide
show. Prep someone
for the ‘Ask a leader’
activity.
Bible Story
If you have a small group of children, show them
your children’s Bible. With a larger group, either
gather the children around different leaders,
each with their own copy of the Bible, or show a
slide show of pictures.
Say that the story you’re going to hear
today comes from the Bible. Show the Bible to
the children, then explain that you’re using a
children’s version. Use it to tell the Easter story,
showing the pictures as you read. Read the
crucifixion part of the story, being aware that
this might be sad for some children, particularly
if they have never heard it before. After reading
about Jesus being put into the tomb, ask the
children:
Jesus died because some people didn’t like
him, but he came back to life three days later!
Why? Well, often people aren’t very loving and
don’t do the right thing. We hurt each other and,
Christians believe, we make God sad because we
don’t love him. God sent Jesus to do something
about it. Jesus hadn’t done anything wrong, but
he was punished for all the wrong things other
people have done. He let it happen because
he wanted us to know how much he loves us.
Christians believe that we can be friends with
God again, because of what Jesus did.
Ask a leader
Ask a leader to explain what the Easter story
means to them. Make sure they have practised
what they’re going to say, so that it is simple
and understandable for KS1 children. Encourage
them not to use any jargon or assume any
knowledge on the part of the children.
Prayer
If appropriate, finish with a simple prayer,
thanking Jesus for what he did for us. Then wish
the children a happy Easter. As the children
leave, you might like to give everyone a piece of
your Easter egg, or leave it with the teachers!
~ How do you think Jesus’ friends felt?
~ What do you think happens next?
Then read the resurrection story. Ask how the
women and disciples might have felt when they
found out the tomb was empty. Remind the
children how surprised they were when they
found out the Easter egg was empty. This must
have been 100 times more surprising!
Alex Taylor is an experienced children’s
worker
and
trainer,
and
Childrenswork
magazine’s staff writer
43
EASTER2016RESOURCES
YOUTHWORK
CRAFTIDEAS
15
READY-TO-USE SCHOOLS WORK
ASSEMBLY
LOVE IS
SACRIFICE
PREPARATION
This assembly works best when
done by two people, where one
of you is prepared to be the
volunteer who ends up with an
egg cracked on their head. It
can be done as a one-person
assembly but you will need
another teacher or trusted pupil
to crack the egg on your head at
the end.
You will need: one egg, towel,
plastic sheeting / black sacks
and a large chocolate Easter
egg. You will also need a willing
teacher who is prepared to look
like they are about to have an
egg cracked on their head – the
more senior or precious they are
about their hair the better!
INTRODUCTION
As the pupils are coming into assembly give
a class worth of pupils a piece of paper with
the question, ‘What is love?’ on it, and pens or
pencils to scribble down their thoughts.
Welcome the students and explain that
this assembly will be exploring the idea of
love at Easter. Say: I wonder if anyone can tell
me what love is?’ Field the various responses
and if you have given out the question to a
class prior to the assembly, share some of
their answers.
Say: Sometimes love is giving up something
so that you can help someone else. For example,
you may give up watching a TV programme so
you can help your mum with the housework or
dinner, to show her you love her. Or you might
give some of your time and effort to raise money
for people less fortunate than yourself because
you care for them, for example on Red Nose
Day. Now, this kind of giving we call sacrifice
which means ‘giving up something valuable for
something else that’s really important’.
ILLUSTRATION
Say: To explain a bit more about sacrifice
we’ve got a little quiz with a big Easter egg as a
prize for the winner and a nasty forfeit for the
loser. The winner gets a lovely chocolate egg,
while the loser will get an egg on their head!
Don’t use pupils for this, but instead
prepare a teacher and another adult
volunteer to be your partners in crime. Ask
them three questions each, taking it in turns,
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easy ones to your volunteer - they of course
get the questions right. The teacher is given
the impossibly difficult questions – they of
course get the answers wrong!
Questions for the volunteer
•
What are Easter eggs made of? (Chocolate)
•
What colour is chocolate? (Brown)
•
What day of the week is Easter Sunday?
(Sunday)
Questions for the teacher
•
When was the first mass produced Easter
egg made? (1873)
•
What is the volunteer’s favourite kind of
chocolate?
•
What was the date of Easter Sunday in the
year 2000? (23rd April)
in him may not be lost but have eternal life’
(John 3:16). Christians believe that this was
the greatest sacrifice anyone has ever made,
to lay down his life for the whole world.
You will hopefully never be in the place of
having to give up your life for someone, but
you might think about some sacrifices you
could make, to show someone you care or
love them. And when eating your chocolate
Easter eggs, perhaps you might remember
the Christian message behind Easter, that of
Jesus giving up his life for us all.
As the questioning progresses it is likely that
the students will get quite noisy as they see
that one of their teachers will get egged. It
is important that you ensure that they are
listening. At the end, say you are going to
egg the teacher as they clearly got all their
questions wrong. Make a big deal of giving the
large Easter egg to your volunteer and then,
standing the teacher on the plastic sheeting /
black sacks, get ready to egg them. Encourage
the assembly to count down from three for
you to break the egg on the teacher’s head.
As you go to bring the egg down on their
head your volunteer moves the teacher out
of the way and steps in to take the egging in
the teacher’s place. You carry on oblivious
and break the egg on your volunteer’s head.
Once this has happened thank the teacher,
give them the large Easter egg, and allow your
volunteer to go and get cleaned up.
TALK
Say: Sacrifice is a really important part of
love. And [name the egged person] suffered
a little there; they gave up their nice hairdo
so your teacher didn’t have to take the
punishment for getting all those questions
wrong. Now it’s easy to say you love someone,
it’s easy to give someone a hug, and hugging
is a part of showing someone you love him
or her, ut are we prepared to suffer to help
others?
We’re coming up to Easter, a time when
Christians remember the death of Jesus and
celebrate his resurrection. Just as [name
your egged volunteer] stepped in to take the
punishment for the wrong answers from
your teacher, we believe that Jesus stepped in
and was crucified to take the punishment for
all the wrong things we do, so that if we chose
to follow him we can be forgiven and one day
have eternal life with him.
There is a verse in the Bible that says: ‘For
God loved the world so much that he gave his
one and only Son so that whoever believes
CHRIS KIDD
is director of children’s and youth ministries at St
Andrew’s Church, Dibden.
RESOURCES
ADAPTABLE MEETING GUIDE #2
THE EASTER
STORY: THE
LAST SUPPER
THIS WEEK’S PASSAGES
MATTHEW 26:26-28
JOHN 13:1-20, 31-38
Lion King – Scar and the hyenas plot and sing
the ‘Be prepared’ song; Star Wars – Luke and
Obi Wan meet Han Solo at Mos Eisley; Toy
Story – Woody and Buzz argue in the Pizza
Planet claw machine. Ask: why is this scene
so important to the movie? After this scene,
life is never going to be the same for the
characters, why? The answer is that – as in all
films – this setup moment forces the drama
forwards. It is often a moment of calm before
the storm, but the storm has to happen. This
session looks at the ‘setup’ of the Easter
movie – Jesus’ last night with his disciples.
MEETING AIM
To experience - and understand the
origins of - the Communion meal,
and to explore how it fits into the
story of Jesus’ journey to the cross.
BACKGROUND PREPARATION
You’ll need bread and grape juice
for communion. For the other
activities you’ll need celery, small
round Brussels sprouts, drinking
straws, string, John 13 printed
out and chopped up into lots of
reading parts, and if possible a
large table.
FOODLYMPICS
Kick off the session with a fun, threepart food-based ice-breaker. Health
and safety best practice suggests that
chubby bunnies is no longer a recommended
youth ministry activity, so instead, pull
volunteers out of the group to compete against
one another in the following events:
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•
•
•
Celery javelin: recreate the thrills of London 2012 by seeing who can throw a stick of
celery the furthest. Make sure your competitors use the traditional javelin technique, and
include foul line to stop any cheating.
Sprout-blowing dash: on a table, use
string to create two ‘lanes’, then get two
volunteers to compete to blow a Brussels
sprout to the finish line the fastest. If they
blow their sprout out of their lane, they have
to go back to the start.
Vegete-boule: play a quick game of bowls
using a small round vegetable (eg a sprout)
as the ‘jack’, and two sets of larger round
vegetables (eg turnips vs swedes) as the
bowls; closest vegetable wins.
Award small chocolate prizes for the victors
in each competition, and offer the vegetables
to the losers!
OPTIONAL - SERIES LINK
If you’re running the four-part
series, show a clip from your chosen
movie. The clip should be the
moment where the action is set up. Eg The
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40
LAST NIGHT
Break into small groups. Invite
everyone to discuss what they
would do with their last night on
earth? Give the groups a moment to discuss
this. Now ask, by show of hands, how many
people focused on a) their own pleasure, b)
spending time with loved ones, c)
something else?
Ask the groups to discuss a second,
related question: if you knew you had a
little longer to live – perhaps a few weeks
or even months – what kind of impression might you want to leave behind on
the world? How would you want others to
remember you, and what would you do to
make sure they did? After taking feedback,
explain that we might refer to this ‘impression’ we leave behind after our death as our
‘legacy’ – and as we look at Jesus’ last night
with his disciples, we find someone who is
very focused on that legacy.
BREAD AND WINE
Remain at the table. Explain that
the different Gospel accounts tell
us different parts of the story. If we
turn back to Matthew’s Gospel, verses 26-28
give us Jesus’ famous words about bread and
wine. If we went into pretty much any church,
in any place throughout history, we’d know
those people were Christians because they
still share this meal in his memory. As you
read these verses, pause to allow the young
people to share in the Communion meal,
either in line with the traditions of your
church or using simple words like – ‘this
represents Jesus’ body.’
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10
KEY POINT #2
This meal – which we call Communion – is
the ritual which connects every place and
time of the Church together; the bread and
wine are like cement between the billions
of bricks that make up the Church.
ROUND THE TABLE PART TWO
Remain at the table, and finish your
reading from John 13. Skip verses
21-30, restarting from verse 31, and
again pause for comments and questions
after verses 32, 33, 34, 35 and 38. Focus
particularly on those first five verses, and ask
the group: why does Jesus say this now, in his
final briefing to his disciples? Why is their
behaviour from now on so important to him?
10
KEY POINT #1
Jesus spent three years training up and
investing in his small team of disciples.
The Church – which grew out of these 12
disciples – would become Jesus’ legacy.
ROUND THE TABLE PART ONE
Seat everyone around a large table.
Hand everyone who is comfortable
with reading out loud a section of
the Bible readings from John 13. Explain that
you’re going to read two of the Gospel
accounts of Jesus’ last meal with his disciples.
Instead of a straight reading, you’re going to
have a chance to ask questions at every turn.
Begin the reading at verse 1, then stop
after the following verses: 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 15,
17, 20. At each stopping point, invite the group
members to ask questions, reflecting on what
they think is going on. Encourage them to
consider this bigger question throughout:
what would it feel like to be sitting there, as
one of the disciples, hearing this from Jesus?
KEY POINT #3
The disciples were Jesus’ legacy, and
became his Church; today we are their
descendants, carrying that on. So the
way we behave and the difference –
positive or otherwise – that we make on
earth is Jesus’ legacy among humanity.
Are we ready to take that responsibility
seriously?
10
BODY CARE
End the session by telling the group
a little about the places in the world
where the Church – of which we are
part – is persecuted for its faith (information
available from www.opendoorsyouth.org).
Spend a few minutes in two’s and three’s
praying for Christians in those places, that
their faith would remain strong, their hope
would not be extinguished, and their
numbers would grow.
5
RESOURCES
ADAPTABLE MEETING GUIDE #3
THE EASTER
STORY: THE
CRUCIFIXION
OF JESUS
THIS WEEK’S PASSAGES
MARK 15:15-40
ROMANS 3:23-24
MEETING AIM
To explore why Jesus died, what
happened when he did, and our
response to that.
BACKGROUND PREPARATION
You’ll need pieces of paper with
a diverse range of job titles on,
paper, pens, scissors, art stuff,
Bibles and a distinctive chair.
You should prepare one or two
volunteers – either leaders or
Christian young people – for the
Hot Seat activity.
BLINK BALLOON DEBATE
As they arrive, give everyone a piece
of paper with a job title on it. The jobs
should be very varied in terms of
their perceived ‘worthiness’; ranging from
things like surgeon general to drug dealer. Ask
them to think about why this person’s role is
needed in society; to consider all the positive
contributions they make. Explain that you are
all passengers in a hot air balloon. The balloon is
losing altitude, and the only way to save the
majority is to throw a third of you overboard!
Everyone has 20 seconds to explain to the
group why they should live. At the end of that
time, the group takes a vote as to whether the
person gets to live or die. Once everyone has
spoken, check whether you’ve managed to
eliminate a third of the group. If not, repeat the
exercise with the survivors – but this time they
only have ten seconds to explain why they
should make the cut.
10
OPTIONAL - SERIES LINK
If you’re running the four-part
series, show a clip from your chosen
movie. Every movie contains an ‘all is
lost’ moment, where it appears that good is
losing the fight with evil; where hope is all but
extinguished, and that’s the clip you’re showing
here. Some examples: The Lion King – the death
of Mufasa; Star Wars – Obi Wan Kenobi is
‘killed’ by Darth Vader; Toy Story – Buzz realises
he’s a toy and loses his arm. Ask: why is this
scene so important to the movie? What is your
emotional response when you watch it - and
what do you want to happen next? We’re wired
to find this kind of ‘all is lost’ moment hard to
watch; we desperately hope that there’ll be
redemption, even if it seems impossible. In this
session we’ll look at the ultimate ‘all is lost’
moment – Jesus’ death on the cross.
5
Jesus came to die for everyone, not just
the well-behaved. When he was on earth
he ate with tax collectors – the most
despised members of the community.
He died for the drug dealer just as much
as for the surgeon; and he doesn’t view
those people with prejudice in the way
that we sometimes do.
KEY POINT #3
Jesus died as a sacrifice in our place,
because of our sins (read Roman 3:24).
But that’s not the end of the story. Like
the ‘all is lost’ moment in a film where it
appears the hero has failed, it’s followed
by something incredible…
SIN LEAGUE
Split into groups of four or five, and
give out paper, pens and scissors.
First, ask the group to write down
all the ‘sins’ they can think of. Now get them to
cut up their pieces of paper so that each ‘sin’ is
on its own piece. Can they order the ‘sins’ from
most serious to least bad? After a few minutes,
take some whole-group feedback. Some
questions to prompt discussion:
10
•
How did you decide which sins were worst
/ least serious?
•
Which sins do you think matter most to
God, and why?
•
Who do these sins cause a problem for?
You? Others? God?
KEY POINT #2
The Bible tells us that even the things
we consider to be small sins are enough
to separate us from God, who is perfect
(read Romans 3:23). There are no ‘big’
or ‘small’ sins – just sin, and sin had
to be dealt with in order for us to be in
relationship with God.
HOT SEATS
KEY POINT #1
Brief some volunteers in advance to play
the parts of key characters at the cross. One
person should be the centurion, others could
be disciples, the person who think’s he’s
calling Elijah, or Simon from Cyrene. One by
one, invite them to sit in the ‘hot seat’. Once
they’re sitting there, anyone in the group
can ask them any question they like; your
volunteers must improvise an answer. Make
sure everyone has access to their Bible –
including the volunteers, and allow a certain
amount of silly questions. You may not need
to guide the discussions, but try to focus it
on what they saw and how they felt at the
cross. Before each one leaves, ask them a final
question: what do you think was really going
on at the cross?
Give out Bibles to everyone, and place
a distinctive chair in the middle of
the room. Ask someone to read Mark
15:15-40 to the group, and encourage those who
know the Bible well to try to hear it in a fresh
way. It’s the familiar story of Jesus’ death; yet
it’s also the most dramatic and important story
in the Bible. In an attempt to get inside it a bit
better, you’re now going to meet a couple of the
key characters.
15
SILENT AT THE CROSS
Hand out pens, paper and arty
materials for sketching, but ask
everyone to put away their Bibles
and any distractions such as phones. Explain
that you’re going to attempt the ancient
Christian practice of solitude together. Talk
through, then work through the following list.
20
•
Once everyone is in a relaxed and comfortable position, read the passage from Mark
15 again.
•
Ask everyone to think about what they’ve
just heard. Pray, inviting God to help you all
reflect on the story, then start the clock on
three minutes of silence.
•
Invite those who want to, to pick up a pen
and start writing a letter or prayer to God
in response. No one else will see it. Allow
up to five minutes for this; less if they’re not
engaged.
•
Read the passage again.
•
Repeat step two, but this time holding the
silence for at least five minutes. After three
minutes is up, they can begin to draw anything they like as an artistic response or
prayer.
As you finish, encourage everyone to keep
reflecting on the cross and what it means for us
in the week ahead. You may want to end with
a time for people to silently talk to God about
their own sins, and if you’re running a series,
make sure you encourage everyone with the
news that next week, it all gets a lot better!
APRIL
41
RESOURCES
ADAPTABLE MEETING GUIDE #4
THE EASTER
STORY: THE
RESURRECTION
OF JESUS
THIS WEEK’S PASSAGES
LUKE 24:1-8
MEETING AIM
To explore what the Resurrection
means for us today, and how it
should impact the way we live
our lives.
BACKGROUND PREPARATION
You’ll need food – as extravagant
and delicious as budget and
helpful parents allow – for the
feast, copies of the passage for
writing on, pens, ambient music,
Easter eggs and sticky labels and
Chinese lanterns and matches.
PREPARE THE FEAST
This session is based around an
opportunity to eat delicious food and
celebrate together (be aware of
allergies etc). As people arrive, invite them to
join you in preparing the food. This might
involve some cooking or baking if you’re feeling
adventurous, or it might just be about opening
packets onto plates and laying the table. Set the
scene for a big celebration, but crucially, don’t let
anyone eat anything yet!
5
KEY POINT #1
Today we’re looking at Jesus’
Resurrection from the dead and all that it
means. There’s been no greater cause for
celebration in the history of the universe!
OPTIONAL - SERIES LINK
If you’re running the four-part
series, show a final clip from your
chosen movie. The clip should be
the redemptive moment in the film’s finale.
Some examples: The Lion King – Simba is
restored to his rightful place as king; Star
Wars – Han Solo returns to help Luke destroy
the Death Star; Toy Story – Buzz and Woody
pursue the removal van by rocket power, and
Andy finds his two favourite toys safe and
well. Ask: think back to last week’s clip – how
does this scene make you feel in the context of
that earlier scene? Do you prefer stories
5
42
which have a happy ending? Why? Not all
movies include a moment of redemption, but
the most satisfying ones often do. In this
session we consider the final scenes of the
Easter ‘movie’ – the greatest redemption
story ever told.
VICTORY REFLECTION
Explain that the reason for our
focus on celebration – and the big
table full of food – is the
redemption moment in the Easter story.
We’re here to celebrate Jesus’s resurrection
from the dead - the big comeback after
Good Friday’s ‘all is lost’ moment.
Take this opportunity to look at how
the Bible tells the story. Give everyone a
copy of Luke 24:1-8 as a print-out which
they can write on. Give them ten minutes
to read and reflect on the passage in quiet
while you play some ambient music in the
background.
Pray briefly, that God would speak to
them through his word, then start the
music. After ten minutes, ask if anyone
would like to share any words or phrases
which particularly stood out or spoke to
them, anything that they felt God might
be saying, or anything significant that the
passage made them think about. If no one
clearly brings this out, make sure you clarify that Jesus’ death was all part of the plan
– a plan which means we can be in relationship with God.
10
KEY POINT #2
The Bible reminds us that Jesus predicted
his death, and had to die in order to fulfil
his role. Because he died and rose again,
the way is open for people to know God –
and the exciting news is that he’s still alive
today.
FEAST!
Sit everyone around the table, and
ask someone to give thanks to God
for the food. Invite people to serve
one another – as Jesus encouraged through
his words at the Last Supper – and to enjoy
the lavish banquet you’ve prepared together.
As you eat, ask the group how they
think Christians are seen by the rest of the
(non-Christian) world? As do-gooders perhaps? Religious weirdos? Ask the question a
different way: do they think Christians are
known for what they stand for, or for what
they stand against? Lots of people think of
Christians as the people who wave placards
saying what God hates… or want to try to get
fun things banned. Yet as you eat this meal,
15
you’re getting to the heart of what Christianity is really about – celebration, community,
serving each other out of love.
Ask: so what does it mean to live as ‘resurrection’ people, rather than as ‘Good Friday’
people? How can our lives better reflect that
the Christian faith is about good news, not
a list of things we have to stop doing? Invite
everyone as they eat to come up with one way
in which their lives are going to better reflect
the celebration heart of their Christian faith
from now on.
KEY POINT #3
Our faith is built on life, not death –
we mustn’t confuse the two as we
communicate it to our friends and
neighbours. Christians are people
who stand for something, not against
everything.
CHINESE LANTERN PRAISE
Write short prayers of praise to
Jesus for his death and
resurrection, what that means for
us, and the life of love and celebration that
he invites us into. Insert these prayers into
Chinese lanterns, then pray together as you
release them into the night sky.
10
REVERSE EASTER EGG HUNT
You’ve given your young people
an opportunity to practice
celebration among themselves; to
finish, take some time to practice it as an
encouragement to others. Give out Easter
Eggs to the group, along with pens and
sticky labels. Invite everyone to write
something on their label which would
encourage someone who found it – perhaps
something they’ve heard or thought of in
this session. Now affix the labels to the
eggs.
Take the group somewhere to hide the
eggs. You could choose to hide them around
your church building (but not near any
radiators) or you could be bolder and hide
them around another place or building in
your local community. The idea is that the
finders will be both blessed by the gift, and
encouraged by the message (so make sure
you check that the messages are encouraging!).
10
MARTIN SAUNDERS
is Youthscape’s director of creative
development.
We, at Play it by Ear, want to be a blessing to the church so here's a completely free script for you to use
this Easter; it will hopefully be useful in a family service setting or even for something like Messy Church.
If we can help you out in any other way then please feel free to get in touch; we love to perform, run
workshops for all ages and produce scripts for your use so if you're interested in any of these things or
even if you have something completely different in mind then why not take a look at
www.playitbyeardrama.com
Is it Over?
It might be worth practising some responses with the audience before starting the sketch Eg. Cheering for
when Jesus rides into Jerusalem, Boos for the Pharisees and 'Crucify Him' for the appropriate time. The
sketch starts with someone standing centre stage as Jesus, holding his arms out as if he's on the cross.
There is also someone standing in a similar pose either side of him, preferably at a lower level. Narrator
stands to the side.
Narrator: I'm sure you've all seen this picture before but in case you haven't, let me tell you about it. The
two men on the sides are criminals who most people would agree probably deserved to be punished for
what they had done but the one in the middle is Jesus, God's son....he hadn't committed any crimes, he
hadn't done anything wrong and yet here he is, Jesus, God's son, put to death on a cross.
Jesus drops his head
Narrator: Throughout his life, Jesus had done many great things
Jesus walks forward and acts out what the Narrator says. The criminals become Person 1 and 2.
Narrator: He made the lame walk;
Jesus lays hands on Person 1 who leaps up and runs around. Person 2 looks on in amazement.
Person 1: I can walk, I can walk...look at my legs, I can walk!
Narrator: He made the blind see;
Jesus lays hands on Person 2 who opens his eyes and looks around in wonder.
Person 2: Wow....what's this? Is this a tree? I've never seen a tree...wow!
© 2016 Play it by Ear (Ross Jonas and Chris Neilands). All rights reserved.
1
Narrator: And he said the most incredible things;
Jesus: What the prophets said is true, the Son of Man will be put to death but on the third day He will be
raised up.
Person 1 and 2 scratch their heads, look confused and say;
Person 1 and 2: Huh?
Narrator: As Jesus suggested, he was about to do the greatest thing of all. You see making the lame walk
and the blind see was pretty special but this was going to top all of that. It all started on a Sunday, Palm
Sunday. Jesus sent two of his disciples to fetch a donkey and once they had done that he rode into town.
Person 1 and 2 fetch someone to be a donkey, Jesus sits on top and is carried up and down the aisle.
Narrator: As he rode into town, Jesus was greeted by loud cheering (get audience to cheer). People were
waving palm branches and laying their cloaks on the ground
Crowd come on stage, they cheer and wave palms branches (if possible you could place strips of coloured
paper in the seats so the audience can join in).
Narrator: It was all very exciting! (More cheers). But some people weren't so happy...the Pharisees watched
what was going on and became very angry;
Person 1 and 2 become Pharisee 1 and 2. They glare at the audience.
Pharisee 1: I’m sick of this Jesus guy
Pharisee 2: Something needs to be done.
Pharisees return to being Person 1 and 2
Narrator: Jesus had a busy week...he drove the sellers out of the temple.
Jesus chases after Person 1 and 2 saying;
Jesus: You have turned my house into a den of thieves!
Narrator: He taught the crowds;
Jesus: I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them.
Narrator: But the Pharisees still weren't happy. They plotted to have Jesus killed. They met with Judas, one
of Jesus’ disciples;
Person 1 becomes a Pharisee and Person 2 becomes Judas. Judas looks wary.
Pharisee: So you’ll do it?
Judas: Yeah…you have the money?
Pharisee hands over a bag.
© 2016 Play it by Ear (Ross Jonas and Chris Neilands). All rights reserved.
2
Pharisee: Here it is, you had better not let us down Judas.
Narrator: He agreed to hand Jesus over for thirty pieces of silver. Then it was time for the Passover; Jesus
met with all the disciples and they shared a meal together. He gave them bread as a sign of his body and
wine as a sign of his blood, as a sign of what he was about to do.
Jesus hands Person 1 and 2 the bread and wine saying;
Jesus: This is my body, this is my blood...
Narrator: He spoke to his disciples;
Jesus: One of you will betray me...
Person 1 and 2 look at each other confused
Jesus: And Peter, you will deny me.
Person 1: I will never deny you!
Jesus: Before the rooster crows you will have denied me three times.
Narrator: Jesus went with his disciples to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane;
Jesus: Father if you are willing, please take this suffering away from me, but I want your will to be done, not
mine.
Narrator: Then Judas turned up with some soldiers and they arrested Jesus.
Person 1 and 2 grab Jesus and take him away
Narrator: They brought him before Pilate, the Roman governor, who didn't think that Jesus had done
anything wrong so he asked the crowd what he should do. They responded with loud shouts of 'Crucify
him, crucify him!'
Get the audience to shout this;
Crowd: Crucify him, crucify him!
Narrator: And that's what they did, they released a criminal called Barabbas instead...Jesus died in the
place of a criminal. The soldiers mocked Jesus;
Person 1 shoves Jesus and Person 2 says the following in a mocking voice;
Person 2: Hail, king of the Jews!
Narrator: They made him carry his cross but by this stage he was too weak so they found a man in the
crowd and forced him to carry it for him.
Person 1 mimes taking the cross from Jesus
Narrator: They nailed Jesus to the cross
© 2016 Play it by Ear (Ross Jonas and Chris Neilands). All rights reserved.
3
Person 1 and 2 raise Jesus' arms to cross position
Jesus: It is finished
Narrator: And he died. His body was taken away and placed in a tomb with a large stone in front and
guarded by soldiers.
Jesus stands behind Person 1 and 2
Narrator: The disciples were devastated.
Person 1 and 2 lower their heads.
Narrator: It seemed liked Jesus’ amazing story had come to an end. But it wasn’t over; on the third day, the
Sunday, something incredible happened. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to visit the tomb but
when they got there, the stone had been rolled away.
Person 1 and 2 spin off to the side, preferably with Jesus having already disappeared somehow.
Narrator: And the tomb was empty! How could this be? Well Jesus had risen. He had taken all our sins, all
the things that we do wrong and he received our punishment. He had taken on a fight with death and He
had won! Our sins are gone, we have been set free and this...this is why we celebrate. Surely that is worth a
cheer? (Get audience to cheer)
Exit.
© 2016 Play it by Ear (Ross Jonas and Chris Neilands). All rights reserved.
4
Created by MinistrytoYouth.com
Youth Group Games on Easter
Game: Long Live the King (or Queen)
Supplies
Balloons String or something to tie the a balloon to participant’s ankle
Crown or bandana
Cones
Space Needed
This game requires a fairly large space, especially if larger groups are used.
Game Description (Small Youth Group)
Select one student that will be the “King (or Queen).” Select 4-6 more to serve as
“bodyguards”. Select 2-4 others to serve as “attackers”. Attach one blown-up ballon to the
ankle of the King/Queen and each of the bodyguards. Mark out the boundaries of the game
space with cones (or basically anything that can be boundary markers).
Once the game begins, the “attackers” will have a set time limit (for smaller groups go with
shorter time limits… 2-4 minutes) to attempt to pop the balloon of the “King/Queen.” The
“bodyguards” are trying to stop them.
1
How to Play
Bodyguards cannot use their arms to defend the King/Queen. They must creatively
“shield” them (including sacrificing their own balloons).
Once a bodyguard’s ballon is popped, he/she is out of the game and must exit the floor.
Attackers can only pop balloons with their feet.
All players must stay within the game’s boundaries.
Game Description (Large Youth Group)
Follow the same principles as the “smaller group participation” but increase the group size by
either:
Increasing the number of bodyguards and attackers (try to keep the numbers similar in
size)
Increase the number of games occurring at one time
Remember that the larger the group participation, the larger the space requirements will
be.
Bible: John 15:12-13
This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no
greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friend.
What is love? It’s hard to find two people who can agree on the same definition. Oftentimes,
love is reduced by many to just a “feeling.” Though I agree that there are feelings that
accompany love, it is so much greater than just that. Feelings fade. They require very little of
us. True love, however, requires everything we can offer.
Jesus makes an incredibly profound commandment in John 14:12. He tells us that we are to
love each other in the same way that He has loved us. Think about it. How does Jesus love
us? How has He shown His love for us? Well, there are numerous answers to those questions,
but let’s look at a hint (and a bit of foreshadowing) in the following verse. He talks about a love
that goes way beyond emotion. It is at the very core of what Easter is all about. “There is no
greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”
2
In our game, the goal of the “bodyguards” was to whatever it took to protect their “king/queen.”
That usually meant sacrificing themselves so the game could continue. Let’s take that principal
into real life. Instead of a “king/queen” we all have family, friends, enemies, and strangers.
What are you willing to sacrifice for them? That is what true love looks like.
As we celebrate Easter, we remember the greatest sacrifice ever made on earth. Jesus
showed us the greatest love possible by laying down His life for us. Now, He has commanded
us to love others in the same we He loved us.
Discussion Questions:
1. What ways has Jesus shown us love?
2. What does it mean to love others like He loved us?
3. Jesus said that the greatest love you can show is to lay your life down for a friend. Think
beyond physically sacrificing your life by dying. How can you give up yourself for
someone else?
4. Why do you think this He called this the “greatest love”?
3
EASTER EGGSTRAVAGAZA
www.insight.typepad.co.uk | Grahame Knox
EASTER EGGSTRAVAGAZA
EASTER EGGSTRAVAGANZA
This is a themed youth evening of icebreakers and activities, including an Easter
quiz and reflection. Just select what you need from the following options.
As you can guess from the title the icebreakers and activities all involve eggs. The
first five icebreakers can make for a messy evening, so select your venue carefully.
Alternatively just use one of the icebreakers and concentrate on the activities ‘The
Great Egg Drop’ and ‘The Egg Fashion Parade’.
EGG STRENGTH
For this icebreaker choose three people who think they are pretty strong. Ask the
question, ‘Who is stronger, (Adam) or the egg?’ The task is to hold a raw egg
between their index finger and thumb and squeeze it to make it break.
They must hold the egg straight up and down, with their index finger on the top
point of the egg and their thumb on the base of the egg. It’s almost impossible. I
say almost, because if the egg is rotated away from its vertical position it will
break easily. Occasionally they may be a flaw in the shell which allows it to break.
I’ve seen many a tough teenager turn purple trying to apply enough pressure to
break their egg. You don’t believe me do you? Try it at home first to convince
yourself.
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EASTER EGGSTRAVAGAZA
EGG AND SPOON
This is an old game with new variations. Divide your group into two teams. This is
a relay race with each person having to carry a raw egg on a spoon around a chair
at the other end of the hall and back. Unfortunately the spoon must be carried in
your mouth! If the egg is dropped they have to start again. Have a box of spare
eggs ready.
As an alternative (or addition) do a basic egg and spoon relay (spoon in the hand),
but add a twist by asking the players to form pairs and complete it as a threelegged race!
EGG DROP
This is potentially a really messy game. Ask for 8 volunteers, four boys and four
girls. Divide them into couples and select the order for them to take part. The boy
lies down on his back. Drape a towel over his shoulders and place a paper cup in
this mouth. His partner (girl) must stand over him and without bending gently
break a raw egg and drop the contents into the cup.
Provide a glass or cup for the girl to break the egg against, before its descent into
the paper cup or….! Award prizes (chocolate eggs?) to the girl who gets most egg
in the cup and her victim (sorry, partner!). A photographer nearby is essential.
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EASTER EGGSTRAVAGAZA
EGG BLAST
Ask for two male volunteers to take part in the competition. Crack a raw egg into a
1. 5 meter long clear plastic tubing. Use a small funnel to get the egg into the
tube. The volunteers then position themselves at each end of the tube. Keeping
the tube in a ‘U’ shape position they hold it in their right hand. At the signal they
must blow into the tube and force the egg to the other end. The loser is usually
the first to take a breath. A great spectator icebreaker!
EGG THROW
Couples stand one pace apart and toss a raw egg to each other. They step back
one pace each toss. The winning couple is the one which is the furthest apart and
keeps their egg intact. Some couples meet a sticky end!
The egg throwing world record was established on November 12, 1978, in
Jewett, Texas, when Johnnie Dell Foley threw a fresh raw egg the incredible
distance of 323ft 2in (98.51m) to his cousin, Keith Thomas, who flawlessly
caught it. (Guinness World Records)
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Page 3
EASTER EGGSTRAVAGAZA
THE GREAT EGG DROP
Allow 45 minutes for this activity. Divide your youth group into teams of 4-6.
Supply each team with paper, pieces of cardboard, toilet rolls, bubble wrap, string
etc. Give each team a hard-boiled egg. The challenge is to see which team can
make the best capsule and parachute for their egg to survive a drop from a great
height.
This project requires teamwork and imagination. Select your height carefully. First
floor window? Balcony? Ladders? Stairwell? The least impact damaged or cracked
egg wins. Chocolate eggs for the winning team!
EGG FASHION PARADE
Allow 45 minutes for this activity. Blow some eggs in advance, enough for each
member of your group. Eggs can be ‘blown’ by pricking each end with a pin and
blowing out the contents. There is a technique to this, but the bigger the hole the
quicker it empties. Unless you can find a good use for the yokes, you might want
to buy some hollow plastic eggs, specially designed for Easter craft activities.
Check at your local toy or craft store.
Provide the group with paint, marker pens, glue, glitter, feathers, card, bubble
wrap, foil, cloth and any other craft material you can find. The challenge is to
personalise their egg for display in the egg fashion parade. Invite an adult member
of your church to be the judge. Alternatively, do this with a specific theme –
superheroes or movie characters. How about ET, the eggstra-terrestrial! Sorry!
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EASTER EGGSTRAVAGAZA
REFLECTION
At the end of your icebreakers and activities, ask the group if they know why eggs
are a popular part of Easter activities and traditions.
Explain that to the early Christians the egg seemed a fitting symbol of Christ's
resurrection from the tomb. A symbol of rebirth. That was why the eating of eggs
was forbidden in Lent, while on Easter Day they were blessed in the churches,
exchanged as gifts and eaten joyfully. Playing games with hard-boiled eggs as a
custom is as old as giving of Easter eggs. Egg rolling, which symbolised the rolling
away of the tomb of Christ, is still popular in many countries.
For more information a simple Google search of ‘Easter eggs’ will give you lots to
review. Move on to the Easter quiz which takes our thoughts to the Easter story.
The greatest height from which fresh eggs have been dropped to earth and
remained intact is 213 m (700 ft). This was achieved by David Donoghue from
a helicopter on August 22, 1994. David threw the eggs on to a golf course in
Blackpool, Lancashire, UK. Apparently getting the physics right is a vital part
of the record. "You have to get the forward velocity equal to the downward
velocity, and then get the egg to land nearly perpendicular on a steep slope,"
says David. (Guinness World Records).
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EASTER EGGSTRAVAGAZA
EASTER RUN-AROUND
This quiz will test your group’s knowledge of the Easter story and provide a
platform for your Easter presentation or reflection.
Set up three zones in your room or hall (zone A, B and C) Ask the group to gather
in the middle of the hall. Explain that you will ask a question about the Easter
story which has three possible answers (A, B or C). Then on your signal (a whistle is
good) the young people have 10 seconds to run to the zone which represents the
correct answer.
Once everyone is in a zone, the whistle blows again and they have 5 seconds (if
they wish to change their mind) to change zones. This strategy can be amusingly
applied if a young person knows the answer, but goes to the wrong zone first,
perhaps with friends following him. On the second whistle, he can change zones
quickly and eliminate his friends!
If you need to, use the three ‘crowd-breaker’ questions at any time in the game.
These will eliminate larger numbers of players. Each correct answer is highlighted
in the question grid.
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EASTER EGGSTRAVAGAZA
A
B
C
30 pieces of
silver
30 pieces of
gold
A villa on
Lake Galilee
One of Jesus’ friends said that he
Thomas
didn’t even know him. Who was it?
Judas
Peter
Who did Pilate release instead of
Jesus?
Barabbas
Lazarus
Joseph
Before Jesus was put on the cross,
what happened to him?
He had
some time
with his
family to say
goodbye
He was
tortured and
made fun of
by the
guards
He had to
sign a
confession
of guilt
What did Jesus ask his father to do
about those who were crucified
with him?
Take
revenge
Rescue them Forgive
them
When Jesus was on the cross, the
sky turned black. When did this
take place?
10am
About
midday
6pm
On what day of the week was Jesus Monday
crucified?
Thursday
Friday
What did the soldier in charge of
Jesus’ execution say just after he
died?
“He died
quickly.”
“I’ve got a
bad feeling
about this.”
“He was the
Son of God.”
Who put Jesus’ body in the tomb?
Joseph
Pilate
Peter
When Jesus died it was..?
Because his
enemies
To take on
himself the
To set us a
example of
In the Easter story one of Jesus’
friends betrayed him. What did he
get for doing this?
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Page 7
EASTER EGGSTRAVAGAZA
were too
punishment how we
powerful for we deserved should
him
for our sins endure
punishment
The purpose of Jesus death was..?
To show us
that we can
gain life
after death
if we are
good
enough
It was a
mistake
To save us
from our
sins, now
and forever
Who was the first person to see
Jesus alive on Easter Sunday
morning?
Peter and
John
Mary
Magdalene
The
Gardener
How many people saw Jesus after
he had risen from the dead?
Mary, Peter
and Thomas
The 12
disciples
Over 500
CROWD-BREAKER QUESTIONS
‘Boa Pascoa’ is Happy Easter in
which language?
Greek
Portuguese
Italian
Where were the first chocolate
Easter eggs produced?
Australia
Germany
Turkey
How much was the world’s
most expensive edible Easter
egg?
$10,000
$100,000
$150,000
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‘The Diamond
Stella Egg’
Page 8
EASTER EGGSTRAVAGAZA
REFLECTION
Add your own presentation or reflection here. I’ve included some thoughts
focusing on the cross and death of Jesus as a primer.
WHY DID JESUS DIE?
Did Jesus have to die? Was this the only way? Explain that no-one is good enough
to please God through their own efforts. The sin in our lives means we fall short of
his standards. Because he is a just God he cannot ignore sin and evil, and
punishment needs to follow.
This leaves God with a problem - his justice requires punishment, but his love
means that he wants to forgive us. Only the death of Jesus could satisfy the need
for justice and demonstrate God's love and forgiveness. Jesus’ life was a payment
made by God himself to secure our freedom from penalty of sin.
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS
Read the following verses together; 1 Timothy 2: 5-6, Colossians 1: 21-22,
Hebrews 9: 27-28. These verses illustrate four pictures to explain what Jesus did
by dying for us; he paid a price to set us free; he brought two sides together; he
made peace between God and human beings; and he offered himself as a
sacrifice. Take time to explain these concepts carefully.
Illustrate with stories of a ransom being paid for someone's life or someone
becoming a ransom for others; someone acting as a mediator who brings two
sides together, two people embracing one another in reconciliation, or a story of
personal sacrifice. If you wish, use the true stories of Terry Waite, Andrew Parker
and Bill Quinlan to illustrate your explanation.
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EASTER EGGSTRAVAGAZA
A HUMAN RANSOM
On 20th January 1987 Terry Waite disappeared. He had come to Lebanon to seek
the release of more than twenty people who were held hostage. Instead, he was
taken hostage and held for four long years in Beirut.
He had known the danger of his task. He was willing to risk his own freedom - and
possibly his life - in order to secure the release of others. He became a living
ransom, spending 1,763 days alone in a darkened cell, before his eventual release.
BRIDGING THE GAP
One of the worst sea disasters in recent years happened on 6th March 1987. A
passenger ferry capsized in the English Channel killing many people. Doors in the
car deck had been accidentally left open, and water flooded in.
In the middle of this tragedy was Andrew Parker. He saw two metal barriers above
his head and stretched between them making himself into a human bridge. People
were then able to climb up his body to safety. Twenty people were saved this way.
ONE LIFE FOR ANOTHER
In July 1978, 48-year-old Bill Quinlan and his 18-year-old nephew David Lucas set
sail from San Diego on a 4000 mile voyage to the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific
Ocean. After completing 1000 miles, their boat was smashed to pieces by a
hurricane. They drifted for five days on their life-raft, until only one can of water
and two cans of food were left.
Then Quinlan suddenly said to Lucas: 'You are only 18. You have a full life ahead of
you.' He jumped into the water, evading Lucas' attempts to stop him, and started
to swim away. Lucas was later rescued, and he gave to Quinlan's wife, Vicki, the
two mementoes his uncle had left, a gold ring and a tin on which he had scratched
the words, 'I love you. I'm sorry.' Bill Quinlan gave his life so that somebody else
could live.
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A NEW START – OPTIONAL ACTIVITY
Give everyone a piece of paper and a pen. Ask them to write down anything from
their past of which they are ashamed. Alternatively, ask then to mark a tick on the
paper for each time they remember doing something which they knew to be
wrong. Emphasise that no one else will see it apart from themselves.
When they have done this ask them to fold the piece of paper and place it in a fire
resistant dish in the centre of the group. Remind them that if they have put their
trust in Christ, they have been completely forgiven. Because of the sacrifice of
Jesus on the cross, God has promised he will not remember their sin. Set fire to
the papers and while they are burning read Hebrews 8:12. Continue with other
suitable verses i.e. 1 Peter 3: 18.
Remind the group that just as all the papers have been completely burned, we
know our sin has been dealt with completely. Close with a time of prayer thanking
Jesus for dying in the cross and the freedom, forgiveness and new life it brings.
If it’s not practical to burn the papers indoors, then take the group outside.
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TRUE LOVE COSTS EVERYTHING – OPTIONAL REFLECTION
Display Isaiah 53: 4-9, 12 on a screen. This version is from the Good News Bible.
The text can be found here.
'He endured the suffering that should have been ours, the pain that we should
have born.
All the while we thought that his suffering was punishment sent by God.
But because of our sins he was wounded, beaten because of the evil we did.
We are healed by the punishment he suffered, made whole by the blows he
received.
All of us were like sheep that were lost, each of us going his own way.
But the Lord made the punishment fall on him, the punishment all of us
deserved.
He was treated harshly, but endured it humbly; he never said a word.
Like a lamb about to be slaughtered, like a sheep about to be sheared, he never
said a word.
He was arrested and sentenced and led off to die, and no one cared about his
fate. He was put to death for the sins of our people.
He was placed in a grave with those who are evil; he was buried with the rich,
even though he had never committed a crime or ever told a lie.
He willingly gave his life and shared the fate of evil men.
He took the place of many sinners and prayed that they might be forgiven.'
Read it slowly and then leave a few moments for quiet reflection. Then ask the
young people to read it again to themselves in silence. Encourage them to
personalise the text. For example, ours=my/mine, we=I, all of us=I, sins of the
people=my sins.
Close in prayer thanking Jesus for dying on the cross and the freedom from sin’s
slavery that it brings. Reflect again on the egg activities and the symbolism of
Christ's resurrection from the tomb. Thank God for the promise of new and
everlasting life and our experience of that day by day.
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COPYRIGHT
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Derivative Works 2.0 UK: England & Wales License.
You are welcome to share and re-distribute this pdf under the following
conditions.
1. Attribution. You must give the original author credit.
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