Bible Verses
Work with your child and your students to learn each verse. Then, discuss the meaning of the verse and how it can be applied to everyday lives. On Sundays during class, riding in the car, or at dinner, it's fun to share stories of how the children have used the verse in their lives that week.

We provide memorization verses for each week. You can add your own.

March 2
(KJV) John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

• Who is speaking?
• To whom?
• For what was the speaker preparing them?

March 9
(KJV) John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

• Who is speaking?
• What is meant by “lifted up”?
• How did Jesus draw all men unto him?

March 16
(KJV) Zech 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

• Who do you know that rode a colt into Jerusalem?
• Why didn’t Jesus ride a horse?
• He rode into Jerusalem on Sunday. People took palm branches and heralded Jesus as he rode into Jerusalem. This Sunday is referred to as _____ _________ in many Christian churches.

March 23
(KJV) Matt 28:5,6 (to .) And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said.

• Who were the women?
• Would you be afraid if you saw an angel?
• What was the angel’s glorious message?
• What does that message mean to us today?

March 30
(KJV) Luke 24:32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

• What just happened to these two people?
• Who opened the scriptures to them?
• Where did Jesus start in the scriptures?
• Why did he talk to them about Moses and the prophets?
• Does the Word of God burn in your heart?
• When and where did this event take place?

Bible Stories
This month we are following Jesus to the cross and witnessing his resurrection.  This story of Jesus’ last week before his resurrection is known as the passion week.  Matthew, Mark, and Luke give 40% of their Gospels to this story and John gives 50% to this important period.  Why is this story so important to each of us? Read the stories about Jesus and ask yourself “What is the message of the cross to me?”  Jesus’ examples that entire week teach us about love, forgiveness, and trusting God with all our hearts, souls, and minds.  Dig deep and look for the lessons Jesus taught us this special week. We start with the raising of Lazarus because this is what instigated the wrath of the high priest.  He put a price on Jesus’ head.  Jesus had to leave town until Passover.  His return to the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus starts the passion week events.

• Raising of Lazarus Read John 11; Jesus Raises Lazarus; Lazarus the Dead Man Whom Jesus Called out of the Grave
• Mary Anointed Jesus Read John 12: 1-8; Mary’s Gift; Mary and Judas
• Jesus’ Triumphal Entry Read Matt 21: 1-11; Mark 11: 1-11; Luke 19:29-44; John 12:12-19; Make Way for the King
• The Great Commandment Read Matt 22: 35-40
• Ten Virgins Read Matt 25:1-13; The Parables on the Mount of Olives
• The Talents Read Matt 25:14-30
• Last Supper Read Matt 26:17-36; Mark 14:12-31; Luke 22:7-38; John 13-17; The Lord’s Supper; The Last Supper
• Washing of Disciples’ Feet Read John 13:1-20; Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet
• Garden of Gethsemane Read Matt 26:36-46; Mark 14:26, 32-42; Luke 22:39-46 Jesus Prays in Gethsemane
• Jesus’ arrest Read Matt 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53; Jesus is Arrested
• Peter’s denial Read Matt 26:69-74; Mark 14: 66-72; Luke 22:54-65; Peter’s Denial
• Jesus’ trials Read Matt 26:57-75; 27:1,2; 11-31; Jesus Goes to Pilate; Barabbas; The Darkest Day in All the World
• Jesus is Crucified Read Matt 27:32-56; Mark 15:21-41; Luke 23: 26-49; John 19:17-37; Jesus Dies, But It is Not the End; Jesus Dies; Jesus is Buried; The Day Jesus Died; The Grave’s a Place
• He is Risen! Read John 20:1-10; Luke 24:1-8; The Tomb is Empty; Easter Morning; The Brightest Day of All the World
• Walk to Emmaus Read Luke 24:13-32
• Thomas believes Read John 20:24-31; Cautious Thomas

Exercise: Who Am I?
Use index cards to list the statement about the individual. On the reverse side of the card, write the person’s name. This group of statements is about individuals during the time leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion.

Exercise: Who Am I? Part II
(Part I, above, was those leading up to the crucifixion)

Use index cards to list the statement about the individual. On the reverse side of the card, write the person’s name. This group of statements is about individuals during the time leading up to Jesus’ ascension.

Obviously, you can add more, but that gives you a general idea. Keep the cards for review each Easter season.

Exercise: Read John 11 and work with the students on Special Words – Lazarus.

Print/Download Special Words – Lazarus
Print/Download Special Words – Lazarus Answer Sheet

Exercise:
Work on the activity Mary Anoints Jesus’ Feet.

Print/Download Mary Anoints Jesus’ Feet
Print/Download Mary Anoints Jesus’ Feet Answer Sheet

Exercise:
Take eight sheets of paper and label Sunday through Sunday. Now list all the events that the students know happened each day. Put them on the wall in your class. If they aren’t sure what happened, look at the Chronology of Events or read directly from one or all of the Gospels.

On the first Sunday, write: the 10th of Nisan, this is the day the lamb was set aside for sacrifice on the Passover. Discuss the symbolism of Jesus being called the Lamb of God in relation to this day. What else happened on this day? What is this day called in other Christian religions? [Palm Sunday]

Wherever possible, have children draw pictures of some of the events and include under each day. For example, on Sunday – you could have Jesus riding the colt into Jerusalem or complete the Can You Find? exercise, color it, and include the picture with the Sunday information.

• Discuss the activities of the week. As you discuss each day, ask the children to write the important events on the correct day of the week. Have the students color pictures or create pictures for the events and include them on the list for the day.
  • On which day did Jesus remove the money changers? (color Jesus Whipping the Money Changers Out of the Temple)
  • Why did Jesus remove them?
  • What were the money changers doing that was so bad?
  • On which day did Jesus observe the widow putting all her money in the collection?
  • On which day did the fig tree shrivel up?
  • On which day did Jesus wash his disciples’ feet?
  • On which day did Jesus ride into Jerusalem on a colt?
  • On which day did Jesus pray in the Garden of Gethsemane?
  • On which day did Peter deny him?
  • On which day were the trials held?
  • On which day was Jesus crucified?
  • On which day was the tomb empty?
• Read the parable of the ten virgins (Matt 25:1-13)
  • Why did Jesus share this parable?
  • What are we to do?
  • Why didn’t the wise give the foolish some oil?
  • What lesson do you learn from the foolish virgins?
• Read the Parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14-30)
  • What talents, skills, abilities do you have?
  • Are you using what God has given you or are you hiding it?
• Add another sheet. Label it “Sightings.” List all the times Jesus appeared to the disciples on the sightings sheet.

Exercise:
Write down all the spiritual qualities they saw Jesus demonstrate on Tuesday, when he visited the Temple.

Exercise:
Analyze the Lord’s Prayer in John 17. Which verses are about Jesus? Which verses are about the disciples? Which verses are about us?

• Describe the relationship Jesus has with God.
• Describe the relationship Jesus wants his disciples to have with God.
• Describe the relationship Jesus wants us to have with God.

Exercise:
Ask a member of the class to act as a news reporter. He/she has to get the scoop on Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Have students play the role of Jesus, Peter, John, and folks on the road way. Some possible questions to ask:

• Jesus, where did you get your donkey? [Peter and John got the colt in Bethphage]
• Jesus, why aren’t you riding a horse? [check out prophecy – Zech 9:9]
• Individual waving the Palm branch: Why are you here today?

Exercise: After reading the account of what the Scribes and Pharisees wanted to do to Jesus and Lazarus, you might want to create the kind of wanted poster the High Priest ordered to catch Jesus.

Print/Download Jesus Debates the Pharisees

Print/Download Crowds Gather to See Jesus

Exercise:
So often the significance of word meanings is overlooked. After seeing the Mel Gibson movie, “Passion of the Christ,” one child told his Sunday school teacher he didn’t know that crucifixion could kill you. Help your pupils understand the important words and their significance concerning Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection.

• Ask the students to define:
  • Palm Sunday
  • Garden of Gethsemane
  • Passover
  • Crucifixion
  • Resurrection
  • Ascension
  • Scourge
  • Money changers
  • Pharisees
  • Scribes
  • Sanhedrin
  • Last supper
  • Betray
  • Passion
  • Add your own

Exercise:
You might want to actually wash your pupils' feet. Bring a basin, towels, water, and lotion. While washing their feet, ask students to read John 13:1-17. Let them wash your feet, if they offer. The most important part of this activity is discussing how they felt.

• What did you think when I asked if I could wash your feet?
• What was it like to have your SS teacher wash your feet?
• How do you think the disciples felt when Jesus washed their feet?
• Could you understand why Peter was reluctant to let Jesus wash his feet?
• What does this activity symbolize?
• Why did Jesus wash their feet?
• Why don't we wash each other's feet today?

I did this activity a few years ago with my Sunday school class. It received mixed reviews, initially. When the SS secretary came around for the collection, she was curious about the activity and asked if we'd wash her feet. The pupils jumped at the opportunity and shared the story of Jesus washing his disciples' feet. They, in turn, asked her how she felt. She loved it and it was difficult to get her to leave. She thought the lotion on the feet was quite nice. After washing my feet, we all sat on the floor and talked about what it would have been like at that Passover meal. We discussed how we could symbolically take "foot washing" to a modern day level of caring for each other regardless of age or position in the church, school, or community. You might ask them if there is anyone whose feet they wouldn’t want to wash and discuss why.

Exercise: Study the parable of the talents (Matt 25:14-30).

Ask the students to write (individually or in groups) a modern version of this parable and cast it for an HBO special.

After you’ve written and cast the script – act it out in class or for other classes.

Exercise: Which is The Greatest Commandment?

Print/Download The Greatest Commandment
Print/Download The Greatest Commandment Answer Sheet

Exercise: Fill in the blanks to find out what God wants us to do for Him in the Parable of the Talents.

Print/Download Parable of the Talents
Print/Download Parable of the Talents Answer Sheet

Exercise:
Re-enact Jesus’ trials – without the spitting and hitting. Students or teachers can write out the scripts from the Bible verses. Or you can discuss each of the places Jesus is taken after his arrest and discuss the fairness of the trials.

The first stop is to meet with Annas. He asks Jesus incriminating questions, which he isn’t allowed to do. Jesus is hit by a soldier.

Then Jesus is taken to Caiaphas before the Sanhedrin. The high priest, Caiaphas, questions Jesus. When Jesus says he is the Son of God, the Jews hit the jack pot – now they can take him to the Roman officials for blasphemy since the Jews can’t kill him by crucifixion. Crucifixion was a crime only carried out by the Roman government. If the Jews could kill him, it would have been by stoning.

Pilate doesn’t want anything to do with Jesus’ death. He thinks he’s innocent. He realizes the Jews are jealous of Jesus. But the Jews blackmail him into acting.

Pilate sends Jesus to Herod Antipas because Jesus is a Galilean and not under his jurisdiction. Jesus doesn’t say anything to Herod so Herod lets his soldiers mock Jesus by dressing him in a purple robe and a crown of thorns and shouting: Hail King of the Jews.

Jesus is sent back to Pilate where he is scourged 39 times. Then Pilate suggests they follow a tradition and let a prisoner go free. The crowd wants Barabbas freed and they want the Romans to kill Jesus.

Why couldn’t Jesus get a fair trial?

Exercise: Here are some word games for students to find important verses about Jesus’ resurrection:

Print/Download John 14:1-6
Print/Download John 14:1-6 Answer Sheet

Print/Download Death and Resurrection
Print/Download Death and Resurrection Answer Sheet

Print/Download John 20:31
Print/Download John 20:31 Answer Sheet

Print/Download What the Angel Said
Print/Download What the Angel Said Answer Sheet

Print/Download Angel at the Tomb
Print/Download Angel at the Tomb Answer Sheet

Print/Download The Women and the Angel
Print/Download The Women and the Angel Answer Sheet

Exercise:
You might open the discussion with: Have you ever boasted you’d do something and then discovered you couldn’t? Talk about Peter’s boasting that he’d always be there for Jesus. Jesus told him that before the rooster crowed for the next day, Peter would deny knowing Jesus three times.

Fill in the boxes in Peter’s Denial.

Print/Download Peter’s Denial
Print/Download Peter’s Denial Answer Sheet

Exercise: Bible Drill. Open to John 20:1-24 and fill in the grid on Major Detective Work!

Print/Download Major Detective Work
Print/Download Major Detective Work Answer Sheet

Exercise:
Complete the following quizzes: True or False; and Jesus is Alive.

Exercise: He is Risen On Easter morning.
Greet the pupils with a high five and say "He is Risen." Then explain that this is how Jesus' disciples greeted each other after his resurrection.

Print/Download True or False
Print/Download True or False Answer Sheet

Exercise:

Print/Download Jesus is Alive
Print/Download Jesus is Alive Answer Sheet

Exercise:
I am… after completing the exercise about the disciples above, assign each student a disciple’s name and then have them create clues about who he is.

For example: Clues:

1. I fell asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane.
2. I cut off a soldier’s ear.
3. I bragged I’d always defend Jesus.
4. I denied Jesus – 3 times.
5. I helped start the early Christian church.

Answer: Peter

The class members try to guess the name on the first clue. They earn the points of the numbered clue that leads to the right answer. Lowest score wins.

Exercise: Thomas. To believe or not believe. What didn’t Thomas believe? Why didn’t he believe that Jesus came back from the dead? Complete Thomas’s Unbelief.

Print/Download Thomas's Unbelief
Print/Download Thomas's Unbelief Answer Sheet

Exercise: The road to Emmaus. Have the students read the story in Luke 24:13-37. Discuss how they might have felt in the presence of Jesus. What did Jesus do that caught their attention? Complete On the Road to Emmaus.

Print/Download On the Road to Emmaus
Print/Download On the Road to Emmaus Answer Sheet

Exercise: Forgiveness

Help your pupils to understand forgiveness, how to give it and how to feel it. You might want to try this exercise; it works with all grade levels. What would you do if someone pushed you from behind? Many kids say they would yell, or push them back, or ask why they did it or explain how rude that was. Then ask your students how they would feel if they discovered the person pushing them was blind? You'll see it in their eyes - it is an immediate shift to compassion - the point of forgiveness. Pushing is no longer an issue; and instead they find themselves wanting to help the other person. This "scenario" makes for great discussions on the wonderful love Jesus had for everyone.

Raising of Lazarus Read John 11; Jesus Raises Lazarus; Lazarus the Dead Man Whom Jesus Called out of the Grave

• Ask the students to tell the story of Lazarus.
• Who is Lazarus?
  • Who are his sisters?
  • How do we know Mary and Martha?
• Why do you think Jesus waited so long to see Lazarus?
• Do you think he knew Lazarus was going to die? Why?
• What does Mary say about resurrection?
• What is the shortest verse in the Bible? (Jesus wept)
• Why do you think Jesus cried?
• Why didn’t Martha want Jesus to remove the stone from the cave?
• Who believed Jesus could bring back someone who had been dead 4 days already?
• What is important about this healing?
• What happened to Lazarus and Jesus after Lazarus came back to life? (The Chief Priest and Pharisees wanted to kill both of them)
• Why would the Jews want to kill Lazarus and Jesus?
• Where did Jesus go after he raised Lazarus?
• Why did Jesus hide from his enemies?
• Why didn't Jesus let them kill him then?
• Why did he wait for the Passover?

Mary Anointed Jesus Read John 12: 1-8; Mary’s Gift; Mary and Judas

• Tell the story of Jesus’ visit to Bethany.
• Why was Jesus in town?
• Who served dinner?
• Who anointed Jesus’ feet at the supper in Bethany?
• What kind of ointment did Mary put on Jesus’ feet? (spikenard)
• What was the cost of this ointment? (300 dinars, equal to a full salary for a common laborer. Philip told Jesus it would take 200 dinars to buy enough bread to feed the 5,000)
• Who objected to this extravagant use of the perfumed ointment?
• What did Judas say should be done with the ointment? What did Jesus say to Judas?
• How would you have felt if you were Judas -- being told you were wrong in front of so many people?
• What do you think Judas did after this event?
• Why was it important for Mary to anoint Jesus’ feet?
• Why did Jesus appreciate her kind gesture?

Jesus’ Triumphal Entry Read Matt 21: 1-11; Mark 11: 1-11; Luke 19:29-44; John 12:12-19; Make Way for the King;

• Discuss the story of Jesus’ ride from Bethany to Jerusalem.
• Why did Jesus do this? (fulfillment of prophecy)
• Who prophesied he’d arrive on a colt? (Zech 9:9)
• What did the people do when they saw Jesus coming down the road?
• Why are the people rejoicing?
• What are they singing?
• How does it compare with what the angels sang at Jesus’ birth?
• What did the people do as Jesus passed by?
• Why is this day called “Palm Sunday”?

The Great Commandment Read Matt 22: 35-40

• Who asked Jesus what the greatest commandment was?
• Why did he ask Jesus that question?
• How did Jesus respond?
• Where can you find Jesus’ responses in the Old Testament? (Deut 6:5 and Lev 19:18)
• Do you love God with all your heart, soul, and mind?
• How do you do that?
• Why is it important to love God?
• How should we love our neighbor?
• Who do you need to love first – yourself or your neighbor? Why?
• What did Jesus teach us about loving?

Ten Virgins Read Matt 25:1-13; The Parables on the Mount of Olives

• Tell the parable of the ten virgins.
• Why did Jesus tell his disciples this parable? (Maybe because you needed 10 to start a tabernacle or because he was talking about church membership)
• What kind of church members would the virgins have been?
• How many were wise?
• What made them wise?
• How many were foolish?
• What made them foolish?
• Who is the Bridegroom?
• Are we willing to be prepared and watch?

The Talents Read Matt 25:14-30

• Retell the story of the talents.
• What is the kingdom of heaven likened to?
• How does this parable represent the kingdom of heaven?
• What do talents represent?
• Why did the master leave the talents with his servants?
• Who did the master represent? (Jesus)
• Who did the servants represent? (disciples, us)
• What kind of talents did the disciples possess?
• What kind of talents do you have?
• What have you learned from this parable about using your talents?

Last Supper Read Matt 26:17-36; Mark 14:12-31; Luke 22:7-38; John 13-17; The Lord’s Supper; The Last Supper

• Read the story of the last supper from each of the Gospels.
• Compare how each story is similar and different in each Gospel.
• Who was sent to inquire about an upper room?
• What was eaten at the Passover?
• What unusual things happened at the meal?
• How many people were there?
• What was different about this Passover compared to Moses’ day? (At Moses’ Passover, they stood to eat and by Jesus’ time they reclined)
• Why didn’t the disciples know who was going to betray Jesus?
• What did Jesus tell them about the betrayer?
• Why did Jesus give them bread after the meal? (that bread is known as the afterdish; it’s broken from the bread at the beginning of the meal and set aside)
• What lessons did the disciples learn at the last supper?

Washing of Disciples’ Feet Read John 13:1-20; Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet

• Why did Jesus wash their feet?
• How did the disciples feel about that?
• Which one objected?
• What did Jesus tell him?
• Would you let Jesus wash your feet?
• Why is it important to serve?
• What does serving mean to you?
• How would you serve at home? Church? School?
• What does it mean to have our feet washed?
• Why is it important to be willing to wash someone else’s feet?

Garden of Gethsemane Read Matt 26:36-46; Mark 14:26, 32-42; Luke 22:39-46 Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

• Ask the students to tell the story of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.
  • Why is Jesus in the Garden?
  • Who is with him?
  • What did Jesus ask them to do?
  • Did they do it?
  • Could you have done it?
  • Why do you think it was so hard to stay awake?
  • What did Jesus ask God?
  • What is the difference between human will and divine will?

Jesus’ arrest Read Matt 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53; Jesus is Arrested

• When was Jesus arrested?
• Who brought the soldiers to Jesus?
• What was the sign that let the soldiers know whom to arrest?
• How did Jesus greet Judas?
  • Could you have called someone your friend if he or she had you arrested?
• What did Peter do to one of the soldiers?
  • Who healed the soldier’s ear?
  • What does that tell you about Jesus’ character?
• Why didn’t Jesus and the disciples fight the soldiers?
  • What did Jesus tell the soldiers?
• How did Judas feel after Jesus was arrested?

Peter’s denial Read Matt 26:69-74; Mark 14: 66-72; Luke 22:54-65; Peter’s Denial

• Why was Peter so confident that he’d stand beside Jesus?
• How would you have felt if Jesus told you that you would end up denying you even knew him three times before the next day?
• When did Peter lie about knowing Jesus?
  • Why did he lie?
  • Would you have lied about knowing Jesus? Why or why not?
• How did Peter feel when the rooster crowed?

Jesus’ trials Read Matt 26:57-75; 27:1,2; 11-31; Jesus Goes to Pilate; Barabbas; The Darkest Day in All the World

• Where was Jesus taken first? [Annas – owned the tents out of which the money changers were thrown in the Temple. They also needed a place to keep him until the 70 members of the Sanhedrin arrived.]
• Did Annas have any authority? [No, but he wanted to get even with Jesus. He asked him questions that he wasn’t allowed by law to ask.]
• How did Jesus respond? [He told him to get witnesses and do it right.]
• Why did the guard hit Jesus? [Because he didn’t think Jesus should tell Annas how to do his job.]
• Where did they take Jesus next? [to Caiaphas. the high priest, before the Sanhedrin (Supreme Court of the Jews)
• Did the Jews have the authority to kill Jesus?
• What did Caiaphas ask Jesus? [Are you the Son of God?]
• What was Jesus’ response? [different Gospels give different answers – compare the responses]
• Where did Caiaphas send Jesus? [Governor Pilate – Roman official]
• Did Pilate think Jesus was guilty of any crime?
• Where did Pilate send Jesus? [Herod Antipas]
• Why did he send him to Herod? [Jesus was a Galilean and Herod was in control of that area]
• What did Herod ask Jesus to do? [miracles, talk]
• What did his soldiers do to Jesus? [put a purple robe and a crown of thorns on him, spit and hit him]
• Where did Herod send Jesus? [back to Pilate]
• What did Pilate have the soldiers do to him? [scourge him]
  • What is scourging?
  • Why was it barbaric? [ 40 lashes would kill a man, so they only whipped Jesus 39 times.]
  • What was the Roman tradition at Passover? [to release a Jewish prisoner]
    • Which prisoner did the Jews want released? [Barabbas]
    • What were his crimes?
  • Why wasn’t it possible for Jesus to get a fair trial?
    • What is mob mentality?
    • What does this experience teach about hate?

Jesus’ is Crucified Read Matt 27:32-56; Mark 15:21-41; Luke 23: 26-49; John 19:17-37; Jesus Dies, But It is Not the End; Jesus Dies; Jesus is Buried; The Day Jesus Died; The Grave’s a Place

• After the release of Barabbas, what did they do to Jesus? [They made him carry the horizontal bar of the cross through town to be crucified.]
• Who was hanged on either side of Jesus?
  • What had they done wrong?
• Who was at the foot of the cross? [each gospel is slightly different]
• What kinds of things did people say about Jesus?
• Did he take any of the medicated drink for the pain?
• What did he drink? [vinegar to quench his thirst]
• What did Jesus say on the cross?
  • There are seven sayings:
    • Luke 23:34
    • Luke 23:43
    • John 19:26,27
      • How thoughtful of Jesus to care for his mother when he was on the cross!
    • Matt 27:46 read Ps. 22:1 with this
      • Do you think Jesus really thought God had forsaken him?
      • Why do you think Jesus quoted Ps. 22:1?
    • John 19:28
    • John 19:30
    • Luke 23:46
• What do all these verses say about Jesus’ character?
• What happened after Jesus said, “finished”?
• What is significant about the veil in the temple being ripped in two? [The veil (actually it had become a thick curtain, about 4 inches thick) covered the Holy of Holies where the Jews believed God lived. Only once a year could a priest could go into the Holy of Holies. Now people would have free and direct access to God, fulfilling Jesus statement, “I and my Father are one.” We, too, would be one with God]
• Who asked if he could bury Jesus’ body? [Joseph of Arimathea]
• Who did he ask? [Pilate]
• What did the soldiers do to prove Jesus was dead? [Put a spear in his side]
• Who helped Joseph with Jesus’ body? [Nicodemus]
• Why did they have to get Jesus in the tomb before 6:00 PM? [They couldn’t work on the Jewish Sabbath.]
• What did the Jews ask Pilate? [To put guards around the tomb to make sure no one took Jesus’ body.]

He is Risen! Read John 20:1-10; Luke 24:1-8; The Tomb is Empty; Easter Morning; The Brightest Day of All the World

• Who was first to arrive at Jesus’ tomb? [Read each Gospel – the answers are different.]
• What did “they” discover?
• Who went to get Peter and John?
• What did they do? [They out-ran Mary Magdalene.]
• What did they discover?
• Who recognized Jesus wasn’t a victim of grave robbers? [John]
• When Mary Magdalene returned to the tomb, what did she find?
• Whom did she think she was talking to?
• When her name was spoken, how did she respond?

Walk to Emmaus Read Luke 24:13-32

• Who did Jesus encounter on the walk to Emmaus?
• What did they tell Jesus about what had happened in Jerusalem?
• What did Jesus tell them?
• What did they feel after Jesus told about himself in the scriptures? [their hearts burned within]
• Why did Jesus look like he was going on past Emmaus? [He didn’t want to intrude on their dinner.]
• What did Jesus do at dinner?
• When did they recognize Jesus?
• What did they do when they recognized Jesus?
  • Did they moan and complain about how stupid they were?
    • They didn’t let self-condemnation get in the way of telling the good news about Jesus’ resurrection.
• How did Jesus’ disciples greet each other after they found the empty tomb? [He is risen!]

Thomas believes Read John 20:24-31; Cautious Thomas

• Which one of the disciples said he wouldn’t believe Jesus had returned unless he saw the nail prints?
• What name did he get as a result of this? [doubting Thomas]
• Why do you think he had to see the material evidence to believe it was Jesus?
• What kinds of things cause you to doubt?
• How do you turn your doubt into faith?