Passion Week: Easter Morning

 Activity: with your parent's permission, take a rock, preferably round if you can find one. 

On one side, write “Matthew 28:6”.  Above that, write “Come” and below that write “See”. 

On the other side of the rock, write “Matthew 28:7”. 
Above that, write “Go” and  below that write “Tell”. 

Now you have something you can hold 

to remind you of the Good News of Easter: 

The stone was rolled away and the tomb was empty! 

Jesus had risen just as He said! 

But that is only part of the story of this Very Best Morning...

Another earthquake, the ground shook, the stone rolled away on its own! The soldiers guarding the tomb fainted! This was NOT what they had expected!

The women quickly dressed and headed toward the garden tomb just as twilight began to fill the skies. Stars still hung above them in the sky. Cygnus the Swan, the shape of the Cross loomed high above them. The One who made the stars seemed to be reminding them of the past days awful events. 

They carried with them their jars of spices to prepare Jesus body properly. They figured maybe they could ask one of the soldiers or the gardener to roll away the stone to make things right. As more light began to fill the sky, the cross overhead began to fade as the sun began to rise.

 As they reached the garden they couldn't believe their eyes: 

THE STONE WAS ALREADY ROLLED AWAY! 

They ran inside the tomb...Jesus' body wasn't there---the tomb was EMPTY! Then two angels appeared to them and asked them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here. He has risen!”(Luke 24: 5-6) and then they told the women “COME and SEE the place where He lay. Then GO and TELL His disciples.” (Matthew 28:6-7). These women now had a new mission! They were to see for themselves what God had done, and go and tell others the Good News: Jesus was alive, just as He said. The power of sin and death and been broken. Ours sins could be forgiven! Jesus was alive! 

And then, just so that no one would doubt, 

Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene.

 She was the first to see the risen Lord.

They ran back to tell the disciples. Peter and John went to the tomb to see. There was no mistaking it...the tomb was empty! John believed (John 20:8). Peter wasn't so sure. 

The rest of disciples did not know what to believe. (Luke 24: 9-12).  But later that evening Jesus just appeared in the room with all the disciples except Thomas (Luke 20:19-23). 

Now ten of his disciples had seen Him alive! One week later so Thomas wouldn't be left out, He appeared to Thomas too (Luke 20:24-29. Thomas could touch Jesus. He wasn't a ghost.

 He was the Risen Lord.

 JESUS WAS ALIVE JUST AS HE HAD SAID!

So as you hold your rock, 

remember there are two parts or sides to Easter. 
It's not just enough to COME and SEE the empty tomb 
and know that Jesus is alive, 

you have to do the other side. 

Just like the angel commanded the women that day, 

you have to GO and TELL the GOOD NEWS as well. 

HAPPY EASTER! 

Come and See!

Now, Go and Tell!