This series of children’s messages will incorporate a children’s activity “show and tell.” This activity will provide a visual from each week’s scripture passage and allow the leader to reinforce the message by “retelling” the passage. Each week, provide a smaller version of the visual for the children to take home with them, to encourage their own “show and tell” of the passage throughout the week with their families.

John 20:1-18, New International Reader's Version

The Tomb Is Empty

20Early on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb. It was still dark. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the entrance. ²So she ran to Simon Peter and another disciple, the one Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb! We don’t know where they have put him!”

³So Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. ⁴Both of them were running. The other disciple ran faster than Peter. He reached the tomb first. ⁵He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there. But he did not go in. ⁶Then Simon Peter came along behind him. He went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there. ⁷He also saw the funeral cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place. It was separate from the linen. ⁸The disciple who had reached the tomb first also went inside. He saw and believed. ⁹They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead. ¹⁰Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

¹¹But Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she cried, she bent over to look into the tomb. ¹²She saw two angels dressed in white. They were seated where Jesus’ body had been. One of them was where Jesus’ head had been laid. The other sat where his feet had been placed.

¹³They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said. “I don’t know where they have put him.” ¹⁴Then she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. But she didn’t realize that it was Jesus.

¹⁵He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?”

She thought he was the gardener. So she said, “Sir, did you carry him away? Tell me where you put him. Then I will go and get him.”

¹⁶Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him. Then she cried out in the Aramaic language, “Rabboni!” Rabboni means Teacher.

¹⁷Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me. I have not yet ascended to the Father. Instead, go to those who believe in me. Tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”

¹⁸Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news. She said, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

‘Show’ Visual:

Piece of cloth. (For each child, cut a 3-inch by 3-inch square of cheesecloth or gauze material.)

Message:

Let’s begin today by telling everyone some good news. Today is a very important Sunday for followers of Jesus! Today is Easter! Do you remember what happened? On the count of three, let’s remind one another by calling out, “Jesus is alive!” Ready? One, two, three – “Jesus is alive!”

That certainly is an important message for us to tell. In fact, it’s the most important message ever told! Today, I want to have a “show-and-tell” activity. Have you ever played “show and tell” before? (Allow children to respond.)

I have an item to show you. (Show the larger piece of cloth.) Do you recognize this? (Allow children to answer.) That’s right; it is a piece of cloth or fabric.

I want to read from the Bible what happened after Jesus died on a cross and was buried in a tomb on the side of a cave. As I read, see if you can figure out why this piece of fabric is the item for “show and tell.” (Read the story from the NIRV version.)

²⁰Early on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb. It was still dark. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the entrance. ²So she ran to Simon Peter and another disciple, the one Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb! We don’t know where they have put him!”

Can you show me on your faces how upset Mary might have been? She was so very sad that Jesus was dead and now missing! (Allow children to show their facial expressions.)

⁶Then Simon Peter came along behind him. He went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there. ⁷He also saw the funeral cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place. It was separate from the linen.

Pause, to allow children to identify the cloth in your hand and why it is the visual selected.

⁸The disciple who had reached the tomb first also went inside. He saw and believed. ⁹They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead. ¹⁰Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

¹³They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said. “I don’t know where they have put him.” ¹⁴Then she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. But she didn’t realize that it was Jesus.

¹⁵He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?”

She thought he was the gardener. So she said, “Sir, did you carry him away? Tell me where you put him. Then I will go and get him.”

¹⁶Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him. Then she cried out in the Aramaic language, “Rabboni!” Rabboni means Teacher.

How do you think Mary felt when she realized this man was Jesus? Show me with your faces how you think Mary felt. (Pause)

¹⁷Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me. I have not yet ascended to the Father.

Jesus was telling Mary that he had not yet gone to heaven to be with God.

Instead, go to those who believe in me. Tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”

¹⁸Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news. She said, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Mary was so surprised and so happy. She wanted to tell everyone the message that Jesus was alive. She ran to tell the disciples the good news.

I have something to help you remember this story. (Hand out the individual pieces of cloth.)

I wonder what might have happened if Mary had never told anyone else the good news about Jesus. I wonder how you would feel if no one had ever told you about Jesus. (Allow children to answer.) We needed someone to tell us this good news because we know and love Jesus. God will be with us no matter how dark the situation, and we can live forever with Jesus in heaven. That’s why telling others that Jesus is alive is the most important thing we can share. Mary understood this. She ran to tell others.

I wonder, as you take your piece of cloth to remind you of this Bible passage, how you can tell others this week that Jesus is alive. I encourage you to have your own “show and tell” this week.

Prayer:

Loving God, thank you for raising Jesus from the dead. Please help us to tell others that Jesus is alive, just as Mary ran to tell everyone she saw this good news. In Jesus’ precious and strong name. Amen.