What is the season of resurrection?
Christians often speak of resurrection as a singular event - the day Jesus rose from the dead. And yet our church calendar lists Easter not as a single day, but as a season.
Introduction to Resurrection
The resurrection is one of the deepest mysteries of our faith. Resurrection Sunday is the day when everything changes. Death turns to life. Fear turns to reassurance. Sorrow turns to joy.
The Season of Resurrection
The church has long agreed that the joyous resurrection is too important to be limited to a single day. There is an entire season of resurrection joy to be celebrated! The term for this season is Eastertide. I've chosen to go with the simpler "Season of Resurrection" (or simply "Resurrection") to describe this time. To notice resurrection in the everyday is to be in tune with the greatest truth if the Christian faith: death is not ultimately victorious. There is always hope. There is new life all around. The official season of Eastertide is 50 days - from Easter until Pentecost.
Prayer
When Jesus was raised from the dead, all the people were amazed at what God had done. God, please help us be amazed at the small miracles of resurrection all around us. Sunshine, rainbows, soil, friends, and family all remind us that your presence is everywhere. Thank you for the small and big miracle of life.
Weeks
Bible Reading
Women at the Tomb (Luke 24:1-12) Reading
Dying is a part of the life cycle. Think about a plant, any plant, which begins as a seed. First is birth, the sporuting of a seed. Next is growth, the unfurling of stem and leaves. The plant lives and soaks up sunshine and rainwater. Then the plant dries up and dies. But the life cycle, the story of the plant, is not over! New seeds grow in what's left from the old plant. The story was not over for Jesus when he died either.
Jesus had been dead for more than a day. Early on the morning of the third day, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary, the mother of James, and other women who loved Jesus went to the tomb where he had been taken. They walked sadly and quietly, carrying sweet smelling spices to place on his body.
When they got to the tomb, they were surprised! The stone was rolled away from the cave opening. They looked in, but Jesus was not there. The women were confused and scared. Who had moved the body?
Suddenly, two men in shiny white clothes stood next to them. Afraid, the women turned away.
The men said, "This is where the dead are kept. Jesus is not here. He has been raised to life! Remember what he said when you were with him in Galilee? He said that the One sent from God will be taken by those who don't believe in him. This One will be killed. But on the third day, this One from God will rise to life again."
The women remembered that Jesus had told them these things. They ran back to the disciples, eager to tell them the good news!
"Jesus is alive!" shouted the women. But the disciples didn't believe Mary of Magdala. The didn't believe Joanna. They didn't believe Mary, mother of James. They didn't believe any of the women.
But Peter wasn't sure. He ran to the tomb. When he got there, he looked inside. This time, the two men in shining white clothes were not there. Peter saw only the cloth that had covered Jesus, but no body. He walked away, wondering if it could be true. Was Jesus really alive?
*Taken from Growing in God's Love: A Storybook Bible by Elizabeth Caldwell
Jesus had been dead for more than a day. Early on the morning of the third day, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary, the mother of James, and other women who loved Jesus went to the tomb where he had been taken. They walked sadly and quietly, carrying sweet smelling spices to place on his body.
When they got to the tomb, they were surprised! The stone was rolled away from the cave opening. They looked in, but Jesus was not there. The women were confused and scared. Who had moved the body?
Suddenly, two men in shiny white clothes stood next to them. Afraid, the women turned away.
The men said, "This is where the dead are kept. Jesus is not here. He has been raised to life! Remember what he said when you were with him in Galilee? He said that the One sent from God will be taken by those who don't believe in him. This One will be killed. But on the third day, this One from God will rise to life again."
The women remembered that Jesus had told them these things. They ran back to the disciples, eager to tell them the good news!
"Jesus is alive!" shouted the women. But the disciples didn't believe Mary of Magdala. The didn't believe Joanna. They didn't believe Mary, mother of James. They didn't believe any of the women.
But Peter wasn't sure. He ran to the tomb. When he got there, he looked inside. This time, the two men in shining white clothes were not there. Peter saw only the cloth that had covered Jesus, but no body. He walked away, wondering if it could be true. Was Jesus really alive?
*Taken from Growing in God's Love: A Storybook Bible by Elizabeth Caldwell
Mary Finds Her Friend (John 20:11-18) Reading
What do you do when you miss someone? Do you remember how you played with the person? Do you like to go to places you went together? Listen for what Mary of Magdala did when she missed Jesus.
Mary of Magdala missed her friend Jesus after he died. She knew the tomb where his body was buried was empty. But she felt close to him there. She stood outside the tomb and cried.
When she looked into the tomb, it wasn't empty. Two angels dressed all in white were there. They said, "Why are you crying?"
"Someone took away the Good Teacher. I don't know where he is!" said Maty.
When she turned around, she saw a man she thought was a gardener.
"Woman, why are you so sad?" he asked. "What are you doing here?"
"Please tell me where Jesus' body is. Did you move him? Please tell me where. I will go get him," Mary said.
The man said, "Mary."
Then Mary knew the man was not a gardener. The man was Jesus. She cried out, "Teacher! You're alive!"
Mary was so excited to see Jesus alive! She wanted to hum him. But Jesus said, "Please don't touch me. Go tell my friends and followers that I am alive. I will soon go to be with God."
Mary was so glad Jesus was alive. She ran to find the other disciples so that she could tell them the good news.
*Taken from Growing in God's Love: A Storybook Bible by Elizabeth Caldwell
Mary of Magdala missed her friend Jesus after he died. She knew the tomb where his body was buried was empty. But she felt close to him there. She stood outside the tomb and cried.
When she looked into the tomb, it wasn't empty. Two angels dressed all in white were there. They said, "Why are you crying?"
"Someone took away the Good Teacher. I don't know where he is!" said Maty.
When she turned around, she saw a man she thought was a gardener.
"Woman, why are you so sad?" he asked. "What are you doing here?"
"Please tell me where Jesus' body is. Did you move him? Please tell me where. I will go get him," Mary said.
The man said, "Mary."
Then Mary knew the man was not a gardener. The man was Jesus. She cried out, "Teacher! You're alive!"
Mary was so excited to see Jesus alive! She wanted to hum him. But Jesus said, "Please don't touch me. Go tell my friends and followers that I am alive. I will soon go to be with God."
Mary was so glad Jesus was alive. She ran to find the other disciples so that she could tell them the good news.
*Taken from Growing in God's Love: A Storybook Bible by Elizabeth Caldwell
Saddleback Kids Video
This video is 2:56 minutes long
Sources
Materials taken from excerpts of :
Bible Passage taken from:
- Faithful Families for Lent, Easter, and Resurrection by Traci Smith (Chalice Press; 2021, All Reserved Rights)
Bible Passage taken from:
- Growing in God's Love: A Storybook Bible by Elizabeth Caldwell