Easter Talk- The Good News
I’d like to share a short talk I did as a part of an Easter presentation this week for a primary (elementary) school. Here is the summary.
I began the talk by holding up a newspaper and talking about some news items. In the paper we find both good news and some bad news. Which kind of news do you like to hear about most?
Hold up just one sheet of newspaper. I’d like to share with you one news story which is good news for everybody. Fold the sheet as per photo. God sent his son Jesus from heaven (hold top corner and run fingers or other hand down the side to the bottom corner) to earth to show us just how much he loves us. This is the good news of Christmas when we remember about Jesus being born.
Fold again to form the “house shape”. Jesus grew up in a family ( Mary & Joseph…) and when he became older he healed people, helped people, and taught people about how to know and love God.
Begin to tear the paper downwards in a straight line. Talk about how some people believed in that Jesus is God’s Son but there were others who wanted to kill him. Talk briefly about Jesus capture and trial. Tear the other side slowly while talking. Jesus was nailed to a cross. Jesus friends were very sad. This seemed like bad news to them and good news to those who wanted Jesus dead. With the torn off bits of paper, crumple them in your hand and hold them up as you talk about getting rid of Jesus and how his body was placed in a tomb and sealed in the tomb.
Now open the center piece of paper to reveal the paper cross. 
Though Jesus suffered and died on the cross he was prepared to do that so that we could be forgiven for the wrong things we do (sins). Place your palm over the cross. Jesus wants us to be friends with God and to follow him today. On “Good Friday” we remember all that Jesus did for us. The Good News is that Jesus came back to life again and he promise those who believe in him eternal life-life forever with God. That’s good news (show the newspaper in one hand and the cross in the other) that’s certainly worth sharing with everyone.
Read all about it! Jesus is alive!
(c) Don Stott, http://eliab.com , 2008
