New Life Bursting Out

Good morning and Happy Easter! I’m so glad you’re here today. This is such a joyful day—we’re celebrating something amazing that happened a long time ago, something that still brings us hope and joy today!

Let me ask you a question: How do we celebrate Easter? That’s right! A lot of us have Easter eggs (and after this service we’re going to have an egg hunt outside!). At Easter, we see chocolate eggs, decorated eggs, and hidden eggs in gardens. But why? Have you ever wondered… what is the connection between eggs and Jesus?

Well, eggs are a sign of new life. Before a chick hatches, it’s hidden inside an egg. It looks like nothing is happening—but inside, something amazing is going on. And then one day—crack!—new life breaks out! And that’s exactly what Easter is about. Jesus had died and was laid in a tomb, and it looked like everything was over. But early on Easter morning, something amazing had happened that no one could see right away—God had brought Jesus back to life! Just like when an egg cracks open, new life burst out—new life came out of the tomb too - Jesus was alive again! So when we see Easter eggs, we remember that God can bring new life, even from places that seem dark or quiet or sad. And we celebrate the biggest surprise of all: Jesus is risen!

Quiz (all stand, hands up for true or behind back for false) Do practice question e.g. ‘I’m wearing a black robe’. Sit when wrong.

1. Jesus was put in a tomb after he died. ✅ True! He was laid in a tomb, which was like a cave with a big stone rolled in front.

2. Three wise men came to the tomb on Easter morning. ❌ False! That was at Jesus’ birth. On Easter morning, it was Mary Magdalene and some other women who came.

3. The stone in front of the tomb was rolled away. ✅ True! When they arrived, the stone was already rolled away.

4. Mary found Jesus baking bread in the tomb. ❌ False! When Mary got there, the tomb was empty! Later, she saw someone she thought was a gardener…

5. When Jesus said Mary’s name, she realized it was him. ✅ True! As soon as he said “Mary,” she knew it was Jesus!

6. Jesus immediately went straight back to heaven. ❌ False! Jesus didn’t go straight to heaven. After he rose, he spent time with his disciples—talking with them, walking with them, even eating with them! He wanted them to know he was really alive. He went to heaven later, after 40 days.

7. Jesus came back to life because God’s love is stronger than death. ✅ True! This is the heart of Easter—God’s love is stronger than anything, even death!

You all did such a great job with the quiz! (give winners confetti eggs to hold - don’t open them yet!) Do you remember, we said earlier that eggs remind us of new life—because something hidden and quiet suddenly bursts open with something brand new? And that’s just like what happened on Easter morning.

Jesus had died. He was laid in the tomb. It was quiet, still, and closed off. But then—God’s love burst through even death. The tomb was opened, and new life came into the world. Jesus was alive again!

So to celebrate that amazing surprise, we’re going to crack these eggs and see if there’s a joyful surprise inside. What do you think? —SURPRISE!—they’re full of color and celebration. Just like the tomb, just like Easter morning—something beautiful is bursting out. Can everyone join in saying ‘Alleluia’? Alleluia!

John 20:1-18