Series Focus: Easter is the Best Day Ever
Use this guide to lead your family. In each guide, you will find a parenting affirmation to help you focus on God's call on you as a parent/guardian. Then, you will find a Scripture passage from the New International Reader's Version of the Bible. When you are done reading, there are discussion questions to help your family talk about what you read. Feel free to add to or skip questions as time allows. At some point during the week, it would be extra special to plan to do the optional Family Activity.
Parenting Affirmation: God has given me what I need to be a good parent. Philippians 4:13
Read: The Sabbath day was now over. It was dawn on the first day of the week. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 There was a powerful earthquake. An angel of the Lord came down from heaven. The angel went to the tomb. He rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His body shone like lightning. His clothes were as white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
5 The angel said to the women, “Don’t be afraid. I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here! He has risen, just as he said he would! Come and see the place where he was lying. 7 Go quickly! Tell his disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead. He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” Matthew 28:1-7
Discussion Questions:
Family Activity: Spend a few minutes being creative together. Using craft supplies you have on hand or just paper and a pencil, create a representation of each of the readings you have done leading to Easter: Jesus and Pilate, The Dying Thieves, The Empty Tomb and leave room for next week’s reading The Road to Emmaus. (ideas to get you started: using chenille stems create figures and have kids act out each character in each story OR create a comic strip allowing each family member to create one part of the comic strip) When you are finished talk about how each of you can make sure you don’t forget about Easter throughout the rest of the year.
Use this guide to lead your family. In each guide, you will find a parenting affirmation to help you focus on God's call on you as a parent/guardian. Then, you will find a Scripture passage from the New International Reader's Version of the Bible. When you are done reading, there are discussion questions to help your family talk about what you read. Feel free to add to or skip questions as time allows. At some point during the week, it would be extra special to plan to do the optional Family Activity.
Parenting Affirmation: God has given me what I need to be a good parent. Philippians 4:13
Read: The Sabbath day was now over. It was dawn on the first day of the week. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 There was a powerful earthquake. An angel of the Lord came down from heaven. The angel went to the tomb. He rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His body shone like lightning. His clothes were as white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
5 The angel said to the women, “Don’t be afraid. I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here! He has risen, just as he said he would! Come and see the place where he was lying. 7 Go quickly! Tell his disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead. He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” Matthew 28:1-7
Discussion Questions:
- Read Matthew 27:62-66 and Matthew 28:1-7.
- What happened in Matthew 27:62-66? (guarded the tomb so Jesus wasn’t stolen)
- Then we skip a little, what happened in Matthew 28:1-7? (earthquake, angel, scared men that looked like zombies, women who followed Jesus excited about the news)
- Through all that we have focused on in the Easter story the last few weeks, could there have been a different way for Jesus to rescue us?
- If there was a different way, do you think everyone would have believed it right away?
- What is your favorite part? What part do you want to make sure you tell anyone who you talk to about Jesus?
Family Activity: Spend a few minutes being creative together. Using craft supplies you have on hand or just paper and a pencil, create a representation of each of the readings you have done leading to Easter: Jesus and Pilate, The Dying Thieves, The Empty Tomb and leave room for next week’s reading The Road to Emmaus. (ideas to get you started: using chenille stems create figures and have kids act out each character in each story OR create a comic strip allowing each family member to create one part of the comic strip) When you are finished talk about how each of you can make sure you don’t forget about Easter throughout the rest of the year.