BIBLE .

SIORY
Summery: Matthe

28:1-10, 16-20

All four Gospel ' iters tell the story of Jesus' resurrection. Details
I
differ, but all tel the same message: Jesus lives! Details differ, but
all agree that wo en were the first to hear that good news.

BIBLE BACKGROUND
FOR EADERS
Easter is the hig light of the Christian year. Jesus' resurrection is
the heart of the: hristian faith: Jesus IS alive! Because Jesus lives,
we have the ne life God promised. The Resurrection is so central
to our faith that all four Gospel writers tell the story. Details differ,
but the messag , is the same: Jesus lives!
Justice in Bible imes was swift and without appeal. Jesus was cructfted on the sa e day that he was tried and condemned.
The Jewish prie I ts had heard the rumors of Jesus' claim to rise
from the dead 0 the third day. They asked Pilate to station guards
at Jesus' tomb. I hey also made sure the tomb was sealed so that
the disciples co lld not sneak inside to steal the body and then
claim that J esu had risen.
1

Friends of Jesu
began at sunset
four hours. Je
sabbath. The w
sabbath before!
burial with oils

had buried his body in haste. The Jewish sabbath

on the day Jesus died and continued for twentysh law dictated that no work could be done on the
men therefore waited until the morning after the
eYwent to the tomb to give Jesus' body a proper
nd spices.

Sorrow turned ~ joy. An angel at the tomb told the women that
Jesus had beenlraised from the dead. The angel invited the women
to come and se then to go and tell the good news.
Later, accordinJ to Matthew, Jesus met the eleven disciples on a
mountain in Galilee. Jesus told the disciples he had all authority in
heaven and on arth. Then he commissioned them to go make disciples in all natio s. The disciples did not go alone. Jesus, their
I
leader, promise to be with them.
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Their stories dif er, but all four Gospel writers include Jesus'
instructions to Ionttnue his work (Matthew 28: 19; Mark 16:14-15,
Luke 24:44-49, I ohn 21:15-17). Most scholars believe the writer of
Luke also wrote Acts. Jesus' final instructions to his followers is
also recorded' Acts 1:1-8.

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Bible Experience

Stations

!i'~HEPHERDTI 5
II

(PllllOtocopythis page for each shepherd.)

Pray each week for the children under you

care.

Model the behavior you want from the chif ren.

Assist the station leader as needed.
II

Make sure that children use tools and equ

ment in a safe manner.

Inl:eract with the children as they experien

"tchk tips" as a guide.

e the stations.

If lrou want more contact with the children take leadership

Bi/ple story and the closing moments at ea lh station.

Use the

for the

Grher with other shepherds for prayer ten minutes before classtime.

'bout the Chil ren

clifildren may have questions about the Re
as simply and honestly as possible.
I

Rfimember, it's acceptable to say, "I don't

is il~hat,with God, all things are possible.

Help the children celebrate new life during this unit. And help them
ce:'lebrate ways they can use their unique
ilities to go and tell the
gOllodnews of Jesus.

Wif

are using Matthew's story for this unit, but older children may
remember story events from the other Gos els. Do not rush to correct the information they share - they m
be giving an accurate
ad:count from one of the other stories. Refrl sh your own memory by

rtding

Mark 16. Luke 24:1-12. and John

0:1-18.

t::.reel the Chil

II

H(li~lP
with nametags.
T1llank the children for remembering to bril g their offerings. Have
thle children place their offerings in the off ring basket.
TclLkeattendance. Note any children who ar absent. Make plans to
II
send each absent child a note or card. Rec rd names, addresses, and
phone numbers for any children who are a tending for the first time.

Note:

Children will use journals during th s unit. Before each session

(or at the end of each gathering tim I), deliver the group's basket of journals to the appropriate stl lion. After the session
return the basket of journals to the esignated area.

Eaater: Go and Tell

II

Permission granted to photocopy for local hurch use. 2001 Abingdon Press.

YOUR FACTS

CHEC

Matthew's sto y (28:1-10):

OMary Magdale e and the other Mary went to the tomb on the
third day afteJesus died.

In an earthqu ke an angel of the Lord rolled the stone back and

sat on it. Terr fied, the Roman guards "shook and then became
like dead me1' (Matthew 28:4).
.

o
o

The angel tol the women Jesus had been raised from the dead.
Jesus appear d as they ran to tell the good news to the disciples.
They worship d Jesus, and then passed along the message that
the disciples ere to go to Galilee.
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All four Gospels resent some form of Jesus' Great Commission.

Luke repeats his version of the Great Commission in Acts 1.

Matthew's st9 y (28:16-20):

o
o
o
o
o
o

Jesus appearq d to the disciples in Galilee.

Jesus promis d to be with his followers forever.

Jesus appear d to the disciples on a mountain.

The disciples

orshiped Jesus, but some doubted.

Jesus told th

he had authority in heaven and on earth.

Jesus told th m to go to all nations and make disciples.

The disciples ere to baptize. They were to teach others to "obey
everything th t I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:20).
I

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PowerXpress! Bible Experience Stat.ions"

"'~sus told his disciples

.to ten the good news
to others.

!;TATION SET

Photocopy the Main Idea, Objectives, Bible Background for Leaders,

and Check Your Facts for each leader
d shepherd (see pages 3-6).

Resources:
pages 3-6

Remove tables from the room. Push chi irs out Ofthe way.
Cut footprints from construction paperl or old wallpaper books. Tape
some footprints to the wall to form a fo t path. Turn some of the footprints into butterflies by placing two falltprints in opposite directions
and taping the two to the wall.

Supplies:
pages 3-6
construction
paper or
wallpaper

Add a sign: "Good News: Jesus Lives!"

scissors
tape
marker

1rNANT TO DO MORE?
Place a large footprint rug (available at discount stores) in the doorway.
Or cut a giant footprint out of colorful loth or paper. If you use cloth
or paper, tape the footprint to the floor'
I

Ealster:

Go and Tell

Permission

granted

to photocopy

for local,

urch use. 2001 Abingdon

Press.

optional:
large footprint
rug, cloth,
or paper

CHECK

SAFE

Resocrces:
Bibles
pOJ3e 50

The church sh mld be a place of security-a place where children

can count on ings and people being reliable.

Shepherds sh ld know the whereabouts of every child in the

shepherd's gro p, and they should know where to reach parents
in case of an e ergency.

Make sure the children have plenty of space to play games.

Remove any a stac1es.

Make sure ehi(ren use equipment in a safe manner.

BIBL

STORY

(10 minutes)

Invite the childre

Svpplles:
plorsticegg

to the gathering circle.

For Youn, er Children

en to Matthew 28. Tell the story from Matthew
words.

Hold your Bible

28:1-10 in your

Children
hildren to read Matthew 28: 1-10 from their Bibles.

F r All Ages
H~ d up a plastic Easter egg.

Go therefore and make

disoples of all nations.
(Matthew 28:19)

dY:

Eggs were a common springtime gift long

before Jesus' lifetime. People knew that new
life was hidden inside the egg. At the right
time the baby chick would break the shell and
begin life outside the egg. Christians see the
egg as a symbol of Jesus rising from death
into new life.

e story "The Empty Easter Egg" (see page 50).

Ask:

What d you think the class members said to Philip? How

do you ink this story ended?

ACTI~ITY OPTIONS
(45 minutes)
Choose from he suggested activities as your time and the
children's int rest allow.
I

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Supplles:

For All Ages

II

C:.ood News E
II

PrlrePdre:
Write each of the following word pairs on s parate slips of paper.
pl,!11ce
each of them in a different egg.
Go therefore
and make
disciples of
all nations.
(Matthew 28: 19)
Pl1rcethe eggs in a grass-filled Easter bas ' t.
Gather the children in a circle. Place the
cJ:lnterof the circle.
.

sket on the floor in the

II

S~:'lY: Matthew

28: 19 says, "Go therefore a d make disciples of all

nations." These words have been bro en into pairs and placed
inside the eggs.

Give these game instructions:

1. Cup your hands.

2. The good-news-passer will place egg in five people's cupped

hands.
3. If you receive an egg, try to guess w ich two words are hidden
inside.
4. When I give the signal, open your e . and read the words aloud.
5. If you guessed correctly, you will be he next good-news-passer.
6. But before the next round, our grou
correct order.

Tips:

must say the verse in the

Open all the eggs each time the chil ren play the game.
Let everyone who guesses correctly
Return the word slips to the eggs a
each round of play.

e a good-news-passer.
shuffle the eggs before
I

Most children will memorize this ve e during the course of the

game.

Ellster: Go and Tell

Permission granted to photocopy for local

urch use. 2001 Abingdon Press.

five plastic eggs of the

.same color
slips of paper
pen
E<lster basket

For An A es

Gosp I Whisper
Gather in a circl . Tell the children they are to pass a whispered
message around he circle.
To the child on y ur left, whisper:
"Jesus has

en from the dead. Go and tell," the angel said.

To the child on y ur right, whisper:

"Gomake .

ples," Jesus said, not long after he rose from the dead.

Ask the last perJ ns receiving each message to repeat what they
heard. If the mesl ages are garbled, tell them the original message.
Pass messages a ain. To the child on your right, whisper:
God's Son. Tell that news to everyone.
To the child on y
ior is truly God's Son. Christ offers new life to
Ask the last persons receiving
each message to
repeat what they
heard. If the
messages are
garbled, tell
them the original messages.

Next, pass the si n language for "Jesus is alive"

to the left.
Pass the sign la

uage for "tell" to the right.

Now ask the chill ren if they know what message

they passed.
Explain the han

SdY:

The early d sciples told others the good

news that esus rose from the dead. They also told about
Jesus'teac ings and the things he did.
The good n ws traveled from one town to another and from one
language t l another.
The stories and teachings of Jesus are found in Matthew,
Mark, Luke and John.

Permission granted to photocopy for local c urch use. 2001 Abingdon Press.

PowerXpress! Bible Experience Stations"

An Ages
5i.hoe Relay

Supplies:

For

none

ASj1k
everyone to remove one shoe and placd the shoes in a pile. Form two
lines.

Gil~eThese lnstructions:

Talk Hps:

1. Look at the shoe of the person behinr you.

2. Run to the shoe pile and find the she
3. Run back to your team.
4. Place the shoe on your teammate's foot and (ifnecessary) tie the shoe.
5. Clap high fives with the player now
"Go and tell!"

earing both shoes and shout.

6. Your teammate now becomes the ne

The friends of Jesus

told theg90d neevs
about Jesus. by talking
with othersondiby
writing letter~. What
are some ways we
can use today to tell
people the good news
about Jesus?

runner.

PleWcontinues until everyone on a team is I earing the correct shoes.

Say:
II

Jesus told his followers to go to all n tions and make disciples. The
good news spread from town to town
d from language to language. Those first followers traveled ostly on foot. Travel was not
easy. Roads were dusty and rocky. T e disciples faced danger from
robbers and from people who did not ant the Christian message to
spread. But Jesus' followers obeyed ,'s command anyway. Many
people became disciples of Jesus.
I

Supplies:

For An Ages

Ci;ood News Pi~eline

construction paper
paper clips.
".
.two ping pong balls

Aslkeach child to roll construction paper t~ make a tube. The tubes

shll:oUld
be wide enough for a Ping-Pong bal to pass through. Have each
child secure each end of his or her tube wi h a paper clip.

Di"~de into two teams. Have each team lor

E ch child should have a tube in one han
hi~I;
or her back.

a straight line.

and the other hand behind

E 1chteam will race to pass a Ping-Pong b I through all the tubes on

1
thir::irteam, while their empty hands remail behind their backs.
Thleteam must start over if the ball is droked
enilpty hand to pass the ball.
I

Asl,k:
I

or if someone uses an

Was it difficult to use only one hand? id your team have to start over?
What problems do you think Jesus' f910wers faced as they obeyed
Jesus' command to go and make di ciples of all nations?
What makes it hard for you to be Je s' follower?
I

Eaat.er: Go and Tell

II

Permission granted to photocopy for local c!rch

use. 2001 Abingdon Press.

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Resources:

for All A! es

two Bibles

Carry the Gospel

S~llpp1ies:

Divide into two tams,

36ihch strands of red

ymn and blue yarn,
one for each child

Give red yarn to I ne team and blue yarn to the other. Ask team
members to tie t e yarn around their foreheads. (They may need to
I
help one anothe )

the reds and the blues.

Have the two tea! s walk around the room, mixing together, while
continuously re i ating the key verse:

Ielk Iips: .
How can we help get
the good news to peo-,
pie who live in other'
,countriesf

How can we help get

the good news topeopie who live in our
neighborhood?

Go therefore

d make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28: 19).

Shout, "Freeze!" ave everyone spread out, leaving as much space as

possible betwee players.

Give These In, tructions:

Let's see whi ! h team can carry the good news faster.
I
I will give a B ble to one member of each team. When I say, "Go,"
I
take the Bib to another member of your own team, then sit down.
When you re! eive a Bible, take it to another team member, then
sit down.
You cannot
ove until you are given a Bible.
The last perso standing on your team takes the Bible and sits down.

for All A, es
red and green
construction paper
scissors

!d~n!
two I ams. Give each child on one team a half sheet of
red constructio~ paper. Give each child on the second leam a half
sheet of green c nstruction paper. Have each child use scissors to
cut a circle out !f the paper.

tape
choirs

Tape the circles 0 chairs and put the chairs in a large, open circle.
Remove one cha r with a red circle so that you have one fewer chair
than children.
ve everyone stand in the middle of the circle.

Ask:

What does!a green light mean? (go) What does a red light
mean? (st ) Each time I yell "Go!"run to a chair. Whoever is
left stand' I g can only be safe if he or she sits on the lap of a
person sit; g on a green light (circle).

Begin the game. I Each time remove a chair with a red circle.
Continue play u til you have removed all the chairs with red circles.

Sdy: Jesus
_.",
,::

"",

..

-....

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""'1,

..

told is disciples to go! Jesus gave them the green light

to carry on his work. Jesus' followers were to go and tell persons eve
here about Jesus and make them his disciples.
Adapted from 1999 Abingdon Press.

Permission granted to photocopy for local hurch use. 2001 Abingdon Press.

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An Ages
food News D cathlon
for

Resources: .
Bibles
page 49

Prepdre:
Fill the bottom of a metal or plastic bo 1with small round rocks.
Fill the bowl with water and place it in

e hall beside the doorway.

Place a basket of small round rocks in he center of the room.

Use yardsticks to create a spoke-like p ttern leading out from the
basket.
Cut ten large butterflies from construe ion paper or wallpaper
books. Cut apart the instructions for tie Good News Decathlon
(see page 49).
Glue an instruction to each butterfly.
Arrange the butterflies in a 1-10 order

d tape them to the wall.

A'llr" k: Do you know what a decathlon is?

(I n athletic contest where

each person completes ten track and ieid. events)

SCllY: Your challenge

is to complete a Goo
Watch out for other contestants.
Watch out for the supplies in the mi
The butterflies give instructions.
Complete the activities in the correc
When you finish all the events, sit a
the middle of the room.

N11Dte:Adults will need to read

Si,lY:

News Decathlon.
I
I

dle of the room.

order.
the end of a yardstick in

the instru tions to younger children.

In a decathlon, as in life, people hav different abilities. They

work at different speeds. But everyo e does their best. God
wants us to use our abilities to do 0 r best in telling others
about Jesus.

Permission granted to photocopy for local c urch use. 2001 Abingdon Press.

Supplles:
yardsticks
bowl
water
basket of small round
rocks
construction paper
or old wallpaper
books

CLOSIN

bowl
"waler

. smoll round rocks

'io~rna\s
pendls

(5 minutes)

Fill the bottom of a met 1or plastic bowl with small round rocks. Fill the
bowl with water.
Have the children sit in l circle around the bowl. Distribute journals and
pencils.
Early on the first ill ster the women worried that they would not be
stone away from Jesus' tomb. But their job
able to roll the hea
was easier than the: expected. The stone was already rolled away.
Later Jesus told his ollowers to go to all nations and make disciples.
Jesus did not promil e that the job would be easy. He knew that
the roads they trave ed would be rocky, difficult, and sometimes
dangerous. But Jes I promised to be with them.
Take a rock from th~ bowl of water. Then sit quietly, touching the
rock.
When you are ready, raw a picture in your journal that tells about
Jesus' followers tellin] others about the good news.

urch use.

I
. .
g anted to photocopY for toea
PernllSslOn r

'

2001 Abingdon PresS.

powerXpress.

.
stations
, Bible Experience

~OOD NEWS

ECATHLON

Tiape each of these instructions to a diJfere t butterfly cutfrom construction paper or

ubllpaper books. Hang the butterflies aro I d a wall of the room.

1. The women walked to the tomb.

Walk heel-to-toe around the out 'de of the room.
II

2. The stone rolled away. Use your ittle finger to

roll a stone the length of a yards ick.
:3.The angel said, "He is not here.
Complete five sit-ups.

e has been raised."

<1.Jesus met the women as they ld t the tomb.

They took hold of his feet and
rshiped him.
Kneel three times, touching so eone's foot each time.
!rS, The women ran to tell the good
I

Run around the room three tim

~13. Jesus met the disciples on a m

I

ntain in Galilee.
Create mountains by doing ten J mping jacks.
I

'II{.
The disciples worshiped Jesus.
I Sing "Jesus Loves Me."
8. Jesus said, "Go make disciples f all nations."
Go to each corner of the room.
Touch your toes eleven times in each corner.
I

II

\I~L Jesus
I

said, "Baptize in the nam of the Father

and of the Son and of the Holy 'pirit." Dip your
hand three times in the bowl of ater in the hallway.

10. Jesus said, 'Teach them to ob y everything

that I have commanded you." arry a Bible and
walk heel-to-toe around the 0 tside of the room.
I

E11aster: Go and Tell

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49

BIBL STORY TO TELL

The E ply Easter Egg
"Today," said I r. Johnson, "our class will have a different
kind of Easter gg hunt." He handed each child one of those
plastic eggs th t opens into halves.
"Wewill not h t for Easter eggs; we will hunt for something
to put inside 0 r eggs," Mr. Johnson continued. "Go outside,
find something that is a symbol for new life, put it inside
your egg, and Iring it back to the room."
"Do I get one t! o?" asked Philip.
"Youbet!" said r. Johnson. Everyone in the class knew that
Philip had trou le participating in some activities. Philip was
different. And Iis differentness made it difficult to do things
other children id easily. The other children in the class
accepted Philip but sometimes they grew impatient with him.
I

The children r in all directions to find their symbols of

new life. Philip went too.
After a while th children returned to the classroom. There
they placed the! eggs in an Easter basket in front of Mr.
.Johnson. Slowl! he opened the eggs to see what was inside. A
flower was insi :e one egg, a leaf in another, and grass and bird
feathers in the ther eggs. All these were signs of new life.
A butterfly flo ed out when Mr. Johnson opened Melissa's
egg. "Beautiful" the children shouted.
Jason's egg co tained a rock. The children didn't understand how a r ck could be a symbol of new life. Jason
explained that I e chose a rock because he wanted to be different, and ne I life is different.
Finally Mr. Jo nson opened an egg with nothing inside. "It's
mine," said Ph lip.
I

"You didn't do t right, Philip," sighed Tom. "There's nothing

there!"
"I did do it rig It," Philip said. "It's empty-s-Jesus' tomb is
empty. That's ew life!"
I

Adapted from a story in P

Atlanta, Georgia.

kets, April 1987, from a sermon

by Rev. Harry H. Prichett Jr., All Saints

Church,

" '-:,.~~j.,'."'. '."./'.. .:

.j>,lr ,
i

., ',I
,

".
.

v:

Permission

granted

to photocopy

for local

urch use. 2001 Abingdon

Press.

PowerXpress!

Bible Experience

Stations

TIle resurrected Jesus told his disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey all th Jesus commanded. Jesus combined
I
his instructions with a promise: "Remember, am with you always" (Matthew28:20).

C:)BJECTIVE5:
Children will explore the following concept
Jesus rose from the dead.
Through Jesus, God offers new life t people everywhere.
I

Jesus expected his followers to contii ue the work he started.

What Jesus told his followers applie to Jesus' disciples today.
Each of us has unique abilities we c

use to tell the good news of Jesus.

Photocopy these sections for ALL your vol

teers:

Main Idea; Objectives (page 3)

Bible Story; Bible Background for Le ders (page 4)
,. Shepherd Tips; About the Children;

reet the Children (page 5)

,. Check Your Facts (page 6)

Eas ter: Go and Tell

Permission granted to photocopy for local hurch use. 2001 Abingdon Press.