Easter Story Treasures
Happy Easter! Did any of you get an Easter basket today? What kind of things do we find in Easter baskets?
This morning I’ve brought a basket with me, but my Easter basket is empty. That’s strange. I wonder if we can use the Easter story to help fill my basket. Let’s see if you can help me fill it — not just with treats, but with Easter story treasures that help us remember what happened. So I’ve got some clues, and I’ll need volunteers to find the hidden treasures. Then each treasure we find for my basket will help us tell the Easter story. … First, we have a cross. This cross reminds us of Jesus’ great love and the hope we have through him. Jesus died on Good Friday, when he gave himself in love. And for a couple of days, everyone was grieving. They didn’t know what was going to happen next, but we know now that this was far from being the end of the story.
Next, we have spices. Did you know, when the women came to Jesus’ tomb on Easter morning, they brought spices to put on his body as a way of looking after him even after he had died. They came because they loved him. They weren’t expecting to find joy, because they were in deep sadness. They were expecting to find everything just as it had been for the last couple of days, and they came to the tomb that morning to do one last loving thing for Jesus now that he was gone. But that wasn’t the end of the story.
Next, we have a stone. When Mary arrived at the tomb, she found that the big stone that had been blocking the entrance had been rolled away. That was the first surprise. The tomb wasn’t supposed to be empty, but God had done something amazing that no one expected.
Next, we have a white cloth. When Jesus’ body had been put in the tomb, it had been wrapped in a cloth, but now the cloth was lying there empty. Another surprise — Jesus was not in the tomb anymore! I wonder what had happened.
Next we have an angel! Angels are God’s messengers. These angels had come from heaven to tell Jesus’ friends and disciples the amazing news about what had happened, that Jesus’ body hadn’t just disappeared, but instead Jesus wasn’t dead at all.
Next is a watering can. After all these surprises: the stone being rolled away, seeing the empty cloths, and the angels in the tomb - Mary met someone. At first she thought he was the gardener, the person in charge of watering the plants and keeping everything looking nice. But as soon as he spoke her name, she knew who he was. It was Jesus himself. He had risen. Jesus was alive!
Now our basket is full of Easter treasures! A cross. Spices. A stone. A cloth. An angel. A watering can. And all of them tell the same story: Jesus is alive!
Easter tells us that death does not get the last word; God does. It means that when things seem sad or broken, God is still at work bringing new life. Jesus’ resurrection means that hope is alive, even in the darkest places. And it means that joy can burst out in the most surprising ways, just like on that first Easter morning.
Now we have one more Easter surprise to help us celebrate the hope of the resurrection. About seven weeks ago, before the season of Lent began, some of you helped make something beautiful together. We have been waiting for Easter morning to bring it out again. So let’s find our final Easter treasure.
It’s our Alleluia banner! This is our Easter celebration, because the word Alleluia is what we say to celebrate God and God’s gifts to us in Jesus. Today, as we give thanks for Jesus being alive, and God’s love being more powerful even than death, Alleluia is our word of Easter joy.
The tomb is empty. Jesus is alive. Love has won. Hope is alive.
So when I say, “Christ is risen,” you all say: “Alleluia!” Christ is risen! Alleluia! Christ is risen! Alleluia! ______
CLUES:
Cross: People stand behind here to read the bible and prayers.
Spices: you’ll find me at the organ.
A stone: Find me with Mary on Easter morning
Cloth: Ask at the Sound Desk
Angel: Under the pulpit
Watering can: Where Reverend Cat sits.
Alleluia banner: Under the children in the window.
