Jesus is risen - Alleluia

Part 1 - The Empty Tomb.

Ice breaker – have some Easter eggs available and encourage everyone to have one which is simply a hollow egg.

(You might also like to have a hot cross bun or simnel cake or other items if you wish, as there are many foods which are associated with Easter.)

Talk about the eggs and what they represent:-

1.     Did anyone give up chocolate for Lent?

2.     Why is this an egg shape? 

3.     What is inside it?

Read the passage John 20 – verses 1 & 2

1.     Break your hollow egg and see that there is nothing inside

2.     What could you expect there to be in an egg?

3.     What did Mary expect to see in the tomb?

4.     What had happened to the stone?

Read verses 3–10

Q – Can you imagine the disciples reactions?

Q – What is the significance of the strips of cloth?

Q – He saw and believed – what do you imagine he believed?

Q – Why did they go back to where they were staying – surely this was something to shout about?

 
Books have been written on this single event – the empty tomb. Views have been expressed from suggestion that Jesus did not actually die but simply fainted, and then came alive again in the cold of the tomb, to someone having stolen the body to later say he had risen. All of these have been the source of many theological discussions over the centuries, but Christians believe that it is true. Jesus Died and rose again – according to the scriptures. He came on earth to bring us back to God and He conquered death to break the great divide between the kingdoms of earth and heaven.

Part 2 - Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene

Q – Do you think Mary was alone weeping outside the tomb?

Q – Have you looked at the accounts of the same events in the other gospels?

Matthew 28: 1-10   Mark 16: 1-8 Luke 24: 1-12

Q – Why does Mary not immediately recognize Jesus?

Q – Why does not want her to hold on to him? – Did she see a ghost?

The appearance of Jesus when he rose again is key to our understanding the truth of these events. If someone had stolen the body, they would have taken the graveclothes as well. There would be no point in leaving them neatly in place. Jesus appeared but was not immediately recognizable – is this because Mary is upset or because his new – resurrection body looked special in some way. She heard and recognized his voice. Also when we are not expecting to see someone we often are not sure that it is them we are seeing. They have to move and speak and behave normally and then we know them.

Part 3 - Jesus appears to his disciples

Q – Why are the disciples still hiding behind locked doors?

Q – What is the turning point in their recognising Jesus?

Q – How does this event change the lives of the disciples?

 Jesus has now shown to his disciples that he is alive and over the next weeks he is seen by many other witnesses. They saw and believed.
 

What do we do about this all today?

How has the wider world changed due to the Christian Faith?

How does this change our lives?

Are we willing to tall others about what we believe?

How does God help us to speak out and to serve him faithfully?

What is the work of the Holy Spirit in all this?

And Finally – spend some time in prayer thanking God for all that Jesus did in dying on the cross and rising again for us.

Thank Him for the ways that we can use the symbols of special foods to remind ourselves and to tell others about these amazing events.

Challenge yourselves to spread the good news to at least one person this week by any means you wish. It might be a card, a gift, some food, a social media message. Whatever suits your style of living. But please don’t hide the good news in a closed tomb – break it open and share with everyone.

 You may wish to share your Easter eggs or give them away to someone as you meet them in the coming weeks.

Amen