A Love That Never Dies Family Activity Devotionscdn.ctainc.com/downloads/resource/LND7DF.pdf · A Love That Never Dies Family Activity Devotions I have loved thee with an everlasting

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The Scripture quotation is from the King James Version of the Bible.

A Love That Never Dies Family Activity Devotions

I have loved thee with an everlasting love. Jeremiah 31:3

Enclosed are six FREE, reproducible devotions, written to accompany the A Love That Never Dies Family Activity. Each of the six symbols on the prayer sticks has a matching devotional outline. You may make as many copies of the devotions as you like for use in your own school, church, or organization.

Here are some ways to use the devotions . . . • Distribute copies in Sunday school, as part of worship time in your Christian day school, as part of

devotional time in a midweek club or class, or during the Sunday morning children’s sermon.

• Give one A Love That Never Dies Family Activity and a copy of all six devotions to families six weeks before Easter. Encourage grown-ups to use one devotion each week as they prepare to celebrate Easter. Families could also use them one per day during the six days before Easter.

• Host a Mom’s Day Out, Easter Egg Hunt, or other community event. Use the devotions to tell the story of Jesus’ victory to all the children who attend. Then give each family one of the A Love That Never Dies Family Activity kits and a set of devotions to take home.

In whatever ways you choose to use these materials and the A Love That Never Dies Family Activity, we pray that many individuals and families will be drawn closer to their Savior, Jesus, as they use them.

May our Lord continue to bless all the work you do for his people!

#LND7DF

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Week 1

Today we talked about the Palm

Sunday Palm Branch

Parade. The crowds w

aved palm branches like flags and

spread their cloaks on the road so that not even the hooves of Jesus’ donkey w

ould touch the ground. They shouted “H

osanna!” in honor of Jesus, their king.

Hosanna! m

eans “Save, Lord!” Jesus had come to earth

to do just that. Not just for the Palm

Sunday crowd, but

for all of us. Stress Jesus’ personal love and forgiveness as you talk w

ith your child about the activity box kit and sticks you received today. Then look for w

ays to honor Jesus as a fam

ily in what you say and do this w

eek.

Week 2

Today we talked about Jesus’ prayers in the G

arden of G

ethsemane the night before he died for us. W

e focused especially on the loneliness our Savior experienced as he looked ahead to his suffering and death.

Talk with your child about lonely tim

es. What does

loneliness feel like? Then share examples of how

Jesus’ prom

ised presence helps you in times like that. Those

who trust in Jesus can count on him

to keep his promise

to befriend and help us in every time of loneliness and

trouble. He is our Best Friend and Savior forever!

Read Matthew 21:5. Pretend you

are riding a donkey. Jesus rode a

donkey when he came to Jerusalem

to die for you and rise again.

Read Matthew 26:30. Eat an olive.

Remember that Jesus went to the

Mount of Olives (where trees with

olives were grown) on the night

before he died for you.

Week 3

Today, we talked about Peter’s sham

eful denial of the Lord Jesus (M

atthew 26:69–75) and Jesus’ total pardon

of his friend (John 21:1–19). From tim

e to time, all of us

say and do things that cause us shame—

children and adults alike. W

e all need Jesus’ forgiveness, and he offers it freely. H

e earned that forgiveness for us when he died

for us on the cross.

Make the phrase “I forgive you” com

monplace in your

family. W

hen someone hurts or offends som

eone else, use this phrase instead of less m

eaningful statements

like “It’s okay” or “No problem

.” Practice using the words

“I’m sorry” and “I forgive you” w

ith your child throughout the w

eek. Dem

onstrate forgiveness as you hug your child(ren). A

nd be sure to remind your child(ren) that

Jesus forgives him or her, too.

Week 4

Jesus is King of Love and King of Glory! W

e talked about both those titles today. Because Jesus w

ore a crown of

thorns, we w

ill one day wear a “crow

n of life.” Sometim

e this w

eek, read the last part of Revelation 2:10 and talk about it w

ith your child(ren).

Talk, too, about what life w

ill be like in Jesus’ eternal kingdom

. Revelation 21:1–4 and John 14:1–3 tell a bit about that life. Perhaps you can read and discuss these verses as a fam

ily.

Look at the paragraph headings in

your Bible for Luke 22:39 through

Luke 23:25. Who were Jesus’ judges?

Someday your Savior, Jesus, will be

your Judge. Why is that a happy thing?

Read John 15:13. Jesus loves all people.

He died instead of Barabbas. How has

Jesus shown that he is your friend, too?

Week 5

Plan a special Good Friday observance w

ith your family.

If your church has services, by all means attend. In

addition, you may w

ant to show Jesus’ love in your

comm

unity—take sandw

iches to a homeless shelter,

visit a shut-in, make cookies for a lonely person, or serve

in some other w

ay, loving others because Christ has loved you first.

Also consider finding the song “M

y God Is So Big”

on YouTube. Learn the words and actions together

as a family.

Week 6

Jesus’ love never dies. It never ends. He is risen—

to live and love us eternally! H

is love is an everlasting love, he tells us (Jerem

iah 31:3). And he m

eans it!

When your children have taken everything out of their

Easter baskets, encourage them to keep the em

pty baskets in a place they w

ill see them often, perhaps a

bedroom or near the fam

ily computer. W

hen friends visit and ask about this, tell them

that the baskets are empty—

just like the empty cross and the em

pty tomb. Jesus’

tomb w

as empty, and because it w

as, Christian hearts are full—

full of joy, of peace, of hope and love. In a week or

two, as you put the baskets aw

ay, remind each other of

this again.Read John 19:26–27. Jesus cared for his

mother while he was dying on the cross.

What can you do for your mother or

grandmother to share Jesus’ love with her?Read John 11:25–26. Visit a cemetery.

Look for grave markers that tell of

Jesus and his victory over death.

Pullout Reproducible Page * * * A Love that Never Dies Family Activity Devotions * * * Pullout Reproducible Page


Getting Started Plan a way to distribute the activity boxes and sticks, one set for each family. If you have a large group, enlist a helper or two. Build an activity box of your own and punch out the sticks so the children will understand what their own assembled kit will look like.

Bookmark Matthew 21:7–9 in the Bible you will use.

Print enough copies of this week’s Faith Talk @ Home to send home with each family or child.

IntroductionHave you ever seen a parade? Where did you stand to watch? When lots of people line the parade route, we might have to stand on tiptoe to see. Or we might sit on Dad’s shoulders if lots of people are blocking our view.

Let’s pretend we are watching a parade. (Stand on tiptoe to see; point and wave; cheer with excitement.)

Have you ever been in a parade? The people in the parade sometimes walk, march, or dance. Sometimes they ride an animal or sit on a decorated float. What things might a person see in a parade? What might a person hear in a parade?

Getting to the HeartDid you know there’s a Bible story about a big parade? Listen as I read it to you from Matthew 21:7–9. (After you read the story, ask these questions:)

• What did the crowd see in this parade? (Jesus. He came into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey.)

• What did the people do for Jesus? (They laid their cloaks on the road. They cut branches from the trees and placed them on the road, too.) In that time and place, when a king or another very important person came to town, people placed palm branches on the dusty road. That way, the king’s horse walked on the leaves, not on the dusty road. Placing the palm branches on the road was one way the people honored Jesus. It showed the people wanted Jesus to be their King.

• What words did the crowd cheer for Jesus? (Hosanna!)

All the people who watched this wonderful parade needed something—they needed a Savior. We need a Savior, too. Jesus is the Savior whom God promised to send. Jesus came to save us. That’s what hosanna means—“save us.”

Why do we need a Savior? Because we sin. We sometimes do things we should not do. Other times, we do not do the good things we know we could do to honor God. No matter how hard we try, we can’t fix our sin problem.

So God the Father sent his Son, Jesus, to earth. Jesus was born in Bethlehem on Christmas morning. Jesus grew up, obeying the heavenly Father all the time. He obeyed all of God’s Law perfectly. He never sinned—not even one time!

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Devotion 1: The Palm Branch Parade

Continued

Read Matthew 21:5. Pretend you

are riding a donkey. Jesus rode a

donkey when he came to Jerusalem

to die for you and rise again.

Jesus did this in our place. He obeyed God’s Law for us. Then he died for our sins. We deserved to die, but Jesus died instead of us. And he came alive again on the first Easter morning! Jesus our Savior did all these things for us. Can you see how wonderful this is?! That’s why we cheer. That’s why we praise King Jesus, our Savior.

Let’s do that right now. Can you shout, “Hosanna! Lord, save us!”? (Lead the children in doing so several times.)

Taking It HomeAs we get ready for Easter, we are going to talk together about Jesus’ love. It is a love that never dies. Each week we’ll learn more about what happened to Jesus on his way to the cross. But our LAST lesson will go beyond the cross. In that lesson, we will talk about what Jesus’ Easter victory means for us.

Today I’m going to give you a family activity kit to use as you get ready for Easter at home. This activity kit has two parts. One part makes a box. It doesn’t look like a box right now, because it’s flat. But you can ask a grown-up at home to help you follow the instructions and build a box that will look just like mine. (Show your preassembled box). The other part of the activity kit is a sheet of sticks you can punch out. They each suggest a reading from the Bible and have a question or tell something you can do to help yourself and your family get ready for Easter. You can punch out the sticks and put them in your box.

Then, each day, you can choose a stick and do what it says. Invite others in your family to join you. This week, choose sticks that are dark purple and have a palm branch on them. Why do you think those are the sticks I want you to use this week? (Because they all relate to the Palm Sunday parade we talked about today.)

Let’s pray: Dear Jesus, if there were a parade to honor you, we would want to be there! We would shout “Hosanna, King Jesus!” because we love you so much. Thank you for saving us. Thank you for making us your forgiven children. Help us honor you by everything we say and in everything we do. Amen.


The Scripture quotation is from the King James Version of the Bible.

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Getting StartedPrint enough copies of the Faith Talk @ Home for this week to send home with each family or child.

Gather these materials: a sheet of dried sponge (from a local craft store), a scissors that will cut the sponge, and a glass or small bowl of water. Cut a small cross from the sponge, one that will fit inside the glass or bowl during your presentation. Optional: Cut a dried-sponge cross to send home with each child.

Bookmark Matthew 26:39 in your Bible.

IntroductionI’m so glad you are here today! I want to tell you about a sad and wonderful night. It’s the night Jesus prayed in the garden, just a few hours before he died.

Getting to the HeartThat night, Jesus ate one last supper with his disciples. Do you know what happened there in the Upper Room during that meal? (Let volunteers respond: Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, he taught them more about his love and the work of the Holy Spirit, he ate the Passover with his friends for the last time and gave us “The Lord’s Supper”; accept answers drawn from the Bible.)

When supper ended, Jesus invited his friends to come along with him to the garden to pray. Jesus often prayed in the garden called “Gethsemane.” As Jesus and his friends walked to Gethsemane, they sang a psalm of praise to God. Then Jesus asked Peter, James, and John to come with him deeper into the garden to pray. The other disciples stayed closer to the entrance. Jesus knelt down by himself, a short distance from Peter, James, and John.

Here’s where the sad part of the story starts. In Gethsemane, Jesus prayed. Jesus knew what was going to happen to him. He knew how painful it would be to bear the punishment for all our sins—your sins and my sins. So Jesus asked his Father to give him the strength to die for us. Listen to what Jesus prayed. (Read Matthew 26:39 from your Bible.) Jesus knew how hard it would be, but still, he wanted to save us. He wanted to obey his heavenly Father.

Just as Jesus finished praying, soldiers sent by Jesus’ enemies came to arrest him. They carried swords, and some had brought torches to light their way through the dark garden. How frightening it must have been! It was so frightening that all of Jesus’ friends ran away. They left Jesus completely alone.

Have you ever felt lonely? Like the first time you went for a sleepover at a friend’s house? Or the first year you went to summer camp? That is an empty, scary feeling, isn’t it?

But Jesus was much, much lonelier than that! In fact, you and I will never be that lonely. We will never have to feel that kind of aching emptiness because Jesus suffered it for us that night.

Yes, there will be times when our friends won’t pick us for their team. There will times when we’re not invited to someone’s birthday party, even when we really, really want to go. There will be times when we feel afraid because our parents are angry and are fighting with one another.

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Devotion 2: Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

Continued



Read Matthew 26:30. Eat an olive.

Remember that Jesus went to the

Mount of Olives (where trees with

olives were grown) on the night

before he died for you.

(Hold up the dry cross.) But in those lonely times, we can remember that Jesus loves us so much, he gave his life for us. This is the wonderful part of this story. Jesus is our Best Friend Forever! When we know and trust Jesus, we will never, ever be alone! Not ever!

(Dip the cross in the water.) Just as the water fills and swells this sponge, Jesus fills us with his love and strength. Jesus will always, always be our best friend and our wonderful counselor. When you feel frightened or alone, you can remember Jesus stays with you. He is always right beside you. He is with you to help you in every joy and every trouble. His presence calms our fears and gives us peace. It’s a peace that lasts, no matter what.

Taking It HomeIn these devotions, we have been talking about Jesus’ love. It’s a love that never dies, a love that never ends. It is an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). Each time, we come closer to talking about what happened on the cross on Good Friday, but our LAST lesson will go beyond the cross. On that day, we’ll talk about what Jesus’ resurrection on the first Easter Sunday means for us.

As you use your prayer boxes at home this week, choose orange sticks—the ones with praying hands printed on them. Why do you think those would be a good choice for the week? (Because they all relate to what happened in the Garden of Gethsemane, the prayers and arrest of Jesus that we talked about today.)

Let’s pray: Dear Jesus, we will never know how empty and lonely you felt in Gethsemane—and we are so, so glad about that! Thank you for being our Forever Friend, the one who never, ever leaves us. When we are sad, worried, or in trouble, remind us that you will always care for us, always help us. In your name we pray, dear Jesus. Amen.


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Bookmark Matthew 26:69–75 in your Bible.

IntroductionI’m so glad you are here today! It’s always a happy day when you come to God’s house!

Today I want to tell you a story about a girl named Jody and her little brother, Jackson. Jody and Jackson were playing in their backyard one afternoon. There was a tree in the yard with branches quite low to the ground.

Jackson found a little garter snake and picked it up. He started chasing Jody with it. Whenever Jody saw a snake, even a harmless one like a garter snake, she freaked out. Running as hard as she could, she headed for that tree with the low branches—and she started to climb.

Jackson thought that looked like fun, so he followed Jody up. (He dropped the snake first, of course, so he could grab tightly onto the branches.) When Jody looked down, she saw Jackson right behind her. She also saw that he had dropped the snake.

About that time, Jody stopped feeling scared and started feeling angry! In her anger, she did something she should not have done. She shouted at Jackson, “Get down! Don’t you come up here.” About that time, Jackson’s head was almost as high as Jody’s foot, so she kicked at him.

You can guess what happened then, can’t you? Jackson lost his balance and fell to the ground. For a moment, all was silent. Then, Jackson started screaming. Later, at the hospital, the doctor told Mom that the fall had broken Jackson’s arm.

How do you suppose Jody felt? (Affirm reasonable answers; if no one mentions it, note that Jody felt ashamed.)

Have you ever hurt someone like that? Have you ever felt worried and ashamed like Jody did?

Getting to the HeartOn the night before Jesus died, one of Jesus’ disciples, the apostle Peter, hurt Jesus terribly and then felt terribly ashamed. It happened while Jesus was on trial before the high priest. Peter had sneaked into the courtyard to see what was going to happen to his friend Jesus. Listen now and be ready to tell what Peter did that hurt Jesus. (Read Matthew 26:69–75, perhaps from a children’s Bible.)

Peter didn’t push or slap Jesus, like some of Jesus’ enemies did that night. But Peter did hurt Jesus very much. How did Peter do that? (Three different times, Peter denied even knowing Jesus.) Peter felt very ashamed. How do we know that? (Peter left the courtyard and cried hard for a long time. He loved Jesus and he knew he had hurt his friend.)

Earlier that evening, Jesus had warned Peter this would happen. “Before the rooster crows,” Jesus had said, “you will deny me three times.” Peter didn’t believe Jesus’ words, but it happened anyway, just as Jesus had said. When Peter heard the rooster crow, shame flooded his heart.

Have you ever sinned and then felt so ashamed, you cried? Sometimes that happens, even when we really, really love Jesus, just like Peter did.

Devotion 3: Peter’s Shame and Jesus’ Forgiveness

Continued

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Look at the paragraph headings in

your Bible for Luke 22:39 through

Luke 23:25. Who were Jesus’ judges?

Someday your Savior, Jesus, will be

your Judge. Why is that a happy thing?


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Do you think Jesus stopped being Peter’s friend? No, he did not. After Jesus rose from the dead, he forgave Peter, and Peter became one of Jesus’ faithful apostles. Peter told many people about Jesus’ love and forgiveness. Peter was a courageous follower of Jesus, and history tells us that many years later, Peter died because of that.

When we sin and are ashamed, does Jesus stop being our friend? He does not! We can always say, “Dear Jesus, please forgive me.” And Jesus always will, because of what he did for us on the cross.

Taking It HomeIn these devotions, we have been talking about Jesus’ love. It’s a love that never dies. Jesus’ love never ends—not even when we sin. It is an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). Each time, we come closer to what happened on the cross on Good Friday, but our LAST lesson will go beyond the cross. On that day, we’ll talk about what Jesus’ resurrection means for us.

As you use your activity box at home this week, you can choose blue sticks, the ones with the rooster on them. Why do you think those would be a good choice? Yes, the rooster reminds us of Peter’s sin and of Jesus’ forgiveness for Peter and for us.

Let’s pray: Dear Jesus, sometimes we sin and are ashamed. We hurt you and we hurt other people. Forgive us, dear Jesus. Remind us that you always, always love us. You died so we can be forgiven. Keep us happy in your forgiveness, always living as your friends. We pray in your name, Lord Jesus. Amen.



Getting StartedGather a variety of hats, caps, helmets, and other head coverings familiar to the children—or pictures of them. Also locate, make, or draw a picture of two crowns. One crown will be a crown of thorns. The other crown will be an elaborate and jeweled crown for a king. Place all of the hats and both crowns inside a bag or box.

Print enough copies of the Faith Talk @ Home for this week to send home with each family or child.

Bookmark Matthew 27:27–31 and John 12:23 in your Bible.

IntroductionI’m so glad you came today! I have several hats inside my box, and I need your help in deciding who might wear each of them. (Remove each hat from inside the box. Adapt the following questions to suit the hats you have gathered.)

• Who might wear this helmet? (a firefighter)

• Who might wear this cap? (a baseball player)

• Who might wear this bonnet? (a baby)

• Who might wear this hat? (a cowboy)

What if a football player wore a baby bonnet? It would not help that player do a good job on the field, would it? What if a baby wore this firefighter helmet? That would be ridiculous, wouldn’t it? Babies don’t need helmets like this, but firefighters do. Helmets protect firefighters from danger.

In fact, many hats are made for people with specific jobs. A baby’s bonnet would not help a firefighter do his job. Nor would a cowboy’s hat help a football player with his job. Hats are made for specific purposes. (Show the jeweled crown.) Who might wear a crown like this one? Yes, the jewels and gold would show the power, importance, and wealth of a king.

Getting to the Heart(Show the crown of thorns.) Who wore this crown? Yes, the soldiers put a crown of thorns like this on Jesus’ head as they mocked him—as they made fun of him. Listen to what the Bible says about that. (Read Matthew 27:27–31, perhaps from a children’s Bible.)

But this crown of thorns is also a king’s crown. King Jesus wore a crown just like this, a crown of thorns. In wearing the crown of thorns, Jesus proved he is the King of Love.

When Jesus wore this crown, he was suffering in our place. He was defeating sin and death for us. Jesus was making it possible for us to be God’s children forever, to live with him in his kingdom—now and forever!

(Show the jeweled crown.) Today, Jesus wears a crown like this, a golden jeweled crown. He is our mighty, eternal, glorious, victorious king! He is the King of Glory.

Jesus died on the cross for us as the King of Love. Three days after he died, Jesus walked out of the grave, alive! Jesus is our King forever! He is the most loving, most powerful King of all!

Devotion 4: A Story of Two Crowns

Continued

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Read John 15:13. Jesus loves all people.

He died instead of Barabbas. How has

Jesus shown that he is your friend, too?


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Listen as I read John 12:23. In this Bible verse, Jesus talks about how he will die. He calls his death on the cross his time to be glorified. (Read the verse.)

Why did Jesus wear the crown of thorns? Yes, he wore it so he could be our Savior. Why does Jesus wear the glorious crown? Yes, our risen and living Savior deserves to wear a glorious crown. He is our kind, good, merciful, glorious King! He is forever the King of Love!

Taking It HomeWe have been talking about Jesus’ love. It’s a love that never dies, a love that never ends. It is an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). Next time, we will talk about what happened on the cross on Good Friday. Then, our LAST lesson will go beyond the cross. On that day, we’ll talk about what Jesus’ resurrection means for us.

As you use your activity box at home this week, you can choose dark pink sticks. These each have a crown of thorns on them. Whenever you see the crown of thorns, remember that, in love, Jesus suffered and died for you. But also remember the crown of glory Jesus wears now. He reigns in heaven as our kind, powerful, glorious King.

Let’s pray: Dear Jesus, you once wore a crown of thorns. You suffered because you love us so much. Now, you wear the glorious crown of our risen, victorious king! Because of all you did, we will live with you in your kingdom forever! Thank you, King Jesus! Amen.




Bookmark John 15:13 in your Bible.

IntroductionI’m so glad you came today! I need your help to measure something. We won’t need a yardstick, weight scale, or measuring cup. We will use our hands. We are going to measure something that is very difficult to measure. It can’t be poured into a measuring cup. It cannot be weighed on a scale. But by using our hands, we will try to measure it—love!

Here’s how we’ll do it: If the measure of love is small, we will put our hands close together. As the measure of love gets bigger, we can move our hands farther apart to show more love. (Demonstrate a small measure of love as you hold your own hands close together; then show a large measure of love as you hold your hands farther apart.)

Show me how much love it takes to smile at a friend. (Probably a small measure; hold your hands about an inch apart.)

Show me how much love it takes to let a friend stand in front of you in line. (Probably a bit more; move your hands farther apart.)

Show me how much love it takes to share a cookie when you are very hungry. (Probably quite a bit more; move your hands farther apart.)

Show me how much love it takes to buy a gift for a friend using your own money. (Probably more yet; move your hands farther apart.)

Show me how much love it would take to stay up all night to take care of your sick brother or mom or grandma. (Much more; move your hands farther apart.)

Now, how much love would it take for you to take a friend’s punishment, when you are innocent? (A lot; hold your hands quite far apart.)

Getting to the HeartI want to tell you about an even greater measure of love. Listen closely as I read John 15:13 to you. See if you can tell what Jesus calls the biggest measure of love. (Read the verse.)

In this verse, Jesus tells his friends about something that takes the most love of all. Nothing takes more love than to die for someone else. How much love would that take? (Let children try to demonstrate.)

No matter how far you stretch and stretch your arms apart, you cannot show the huge amount of love it would take to die for someone else. Giving up your own life for someone else is extreme love. We can’t stretch far enough!

Instead, let’s make an X for extreme! Can you make an X by crossing your arms in front of your chest like this? (Demonstrate.)

Devotion 5: The Biggest Love of All

Continued

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Read John 19:26–27. Jesus cared for his

mother while he was dying on the cross.

What can you do for your mother or

grandmother to share Jesus’ love with her?


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Did you know that Jesus loves you that much? It’s true! Jesus let himself be punished for our sin, even though he was innocent. He had done nothing wrong at all, but he died on the cross for us! That’s extreme love! Where did Jesus take our punishment? (Make an X by crossing your arms and then tilt them so that listeners see a cross instead of an X.)

Jesus loves us and calls us friends. He died for our sins so that we can live as his friends now and forever. He took our punishment on his cross, but he didn’t stay dead. On the first Easter—the first Resurrection Sunday, Jesus came back to life. He will never, ever die again.

Taking It HomeWe have been talking about Jesus’ love. It’s a love that never dies, a love that never ends. It is an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). Next time, we will talk about what Jesus’ resurrection means for us.

As you use your activity box at home this week, you can choose green sticks. These each have a cross on them. Can you guess why?

Let’s pray: Dear Jesus, you showed your love for us by living and dying for us. Your love is so big, no one can measure it! Teach us to show our love for you every day in what we say and by what we do. We pray in your name, Lord Jesus. Amen.




Fill several colorful Easter eggs with small candy treats. Have enough treats to give each child one. Leave one egg empty.

Bookmark John 20:1–18 in your Bible.

IntroductionI’m so glad to see you! The week ahead is a very special week for Christians. Do you know what it is called? (Let volunteers guess.) Yes, it is called “Holy Week.” The word holy means “one of a kind, unique,” or “set aside for God’s purposes.”

We call this week “holy” because during the days of Holy Week, we remember what Jesus did for us by dying on the cross and rising from the dead.

Many one-of-a-kind events happened during the first Holy Week. The week begins with Palm Sunday. Who remembers what happened that day? (Let volunteers retell the story; add in any details that they miss.) Later in the week, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. There he was arrested. The disciples ran away, and Peter even said, “I don’t know this man!” Peter denied Jesus three times.

Then on the day we call “Good Friday,” Jesus died for us. Now, those who trust in Jesus know that our sins are forgiven. Jesus is our King, the King of Love!

Finally, Jesus rose from the dead. What do we call that day? Yes, it’s Easter or Resurrection Sunday. Let’s talk a little bit about what happened on that day.

Getting to the HeartMaybe on Resurrection Sunday, you will receive some things like these. What are they? (Show the Easter eggs. Open them one by one and share the treats inside. Leave the empty egg until last.)

(Open the last egg—the empty one.) Whoops! There’s nothing in this egg! Whoever gets this one will be disappointed!

Hmmm. Do you think the empty egg surprises me? No, it doesn’t. I knew it was going to be empty. I brought it to remind you that on Resurrection Sunday, Jesus tomb was empty—just like this egg. Jesus told his friends that would happen. But they didn’t understand him. His empty tomb surprised them.

Listen as I read what the Bible says about that. (Read John 20:1–18.)

The empty egg is like the empty grave on Easter morning. Sin, death and the devil had no power at all to keep Jesus inside the tomb. Jesus was alive, and he will never die again!

Early that morning, this good news started to spread. But no one really understood it or believed it yet. Some of Jesus’ friends came to the tomb and looked inside, but it was empty. How do you suppose they felt? (Accept reasonable suggestions.) Yes, I imagine they were frightened and worried. They were probably confused and uncertain, too.

Devotion 6: Jesus Lives!

Continued

15



Read John 11:25–26. Visit a cemetery.

Look for grave markers that tell of

Jesus and his victory over death.


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A little later, Mary came. She was so sad that she cried. While she was crying, she heard someone behind her. She thought it was the person who took care of the graves in the garden there. Listen again to what Mary said. (Read John 20:15.)

Then Jesus said something to Mary. Just one word. Jesus said her name: Mary. Then Mary knew it was Jesus. He was alive again!

That’s how it will be when Jesus comes to take us to live with him forever. He will say our name and we will know his voice. We will know the greatest thing ever is about to happen! All this is true because Jesus died for us on the cross and came to life again on Resurrection Sunday. What a great holy day that is! What a great holy week we get to observe!

Taking It HomeWe have been talking about Jesus’ love, a love that never dies, a love that never ends. It is an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). On Easter Sunday, we remember and celebrate the fact that Jesus did not stay dead. On Good Friday, Jesus was crucified for our sins. Then, on Resurrection Day, he came back to life. He will never die again. He is our Savior and Friend forever.

As you use your activity box at home this week, you can choose yellow sticks. These each have an empty, open tomb on them. As you use them, remember to thank Jesus for his forever love, love that never ends!

Let’s pray: Dear Jesus, you are so strong. You are so good. You are so wonderful. Nothing can stop your love. You defeated sin. You destroyed death. You have won eternal life for us. You have given us faith to believe this. Keep us strong in that faith here on earth. Remind us that someday we will hear you call our names. We will know that the greatest thing ever is about to begin—life with you in heaven! We look forward to that day, Lord Jesus! We love you! Amen.



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A Love That Never Dies Family Activity Devotionscdn.ctainc.com/downloads/resource/LND7DF.pdf · A Love That Never Dies Family Activity Devotions I have loved thee with an everlasting