Defiance Children's Church at Home: 4/26. Jesus is Risen! Road to Emmaus

Jesus is Risen! Road to Emmaus

• Get ready. Sing: My God is so big, so strong and so mighty

• Pray. We praise you, Jesus, that you are alive, today and forever! Open our eyes to see you.

  • Teach your children this simple responsive prayer of thanksgiving:

    • Alleluia! Christ is risen! 

    • Response: The Lord is risen indeed! Allelula!

• Story. For today’s story you will need these supplies: Plain piece of paper with an empty “road” drawn diagonally from one end to the other, small piece of sandpaper (or sand to sprinkle if you are ok with a little mess), small piece of green construction paper, cotton balls, crayons, glue stick

Today we will tell the story together!Today’s story is from Luke 24:13-35. It’s about two friends who meet an amazing traveler along the road. You can help me tell the story by adding things to our paper to make the story. 

Cleopas and his friend were walking from Jerusalem to the town of Emmaus. Let’s draw two friends on the road. (Let children draw friends.) The road to Emmaus was dusty and sandy. Let’s add sandpaper to the road. (Add sandpaper or sand.) The sad friends talked about what had happened to Jesus. Jesus had been killed on a cross and put in a tomb. Cleopas and his friend didn’t understand why Jesus had to die. They missed him a lot as they walked on the road. Let’s color the road to Emmaus. (Have children color the road brown.)

A man appeared on the road beside them. Guess who it was? (Pause while children tell their ideas.) It was Jesus! But Jesus didn’t want the men to recognize him yet. 

As Jesus walked with the men, he asked, “What are you talking about?” “Haven’t you heard?” said the friends. “Three days ago our leaders had Jesus put to death. We hoped Jesus would set our country free, but then today some of the women saw angels at Jesus’ empty tomb. The angels said, “Jesus is alive!” The two friends looked very sad and confused. They didn’t know what to do. 

So Jesus explained everything to them. He told them about God’s promises and how Jesus was the Savior God promised. He told them that Jesus had to suffer before he went to live in heaven. Let’s add some clouds to show Jesus’ heavenly home. (Pause while children glue stretched-out cotton balls to the sky.)

The three men walked to Emmaus. Let’s make trees and leaves and buildings. (Have children tear green construction paper leaves and make trees. Invite children to draw simple buildings.) It was getting late and the friends asked the man, who was really... (pause for children to say “Jesus”), to stay for dinner. When the guest blessed and broke the bread, Cleopas and his friend realized it was Jesus! Think of their surprise! Then Jesus disappeared. Quickly, Cleopas and his friend ran back to Jerusalem to tell the good news to the disciples. (Hop up and jog around the table or wherever you were sitting. When you get back to your place, shout “Jesus is alive!” and sit down.)

·     Read. Luke 24:32 - “They said to each other, “He talked with us on the road. He opened the Scriptures to us. Weren’t our hearts burning inside us during that time?”

·     Do

·      Take a walk as a family, and ask your child, "What do you think it means to walk with Jesus? Where might we see Jesus in unexpected places?" 

·      If you have a printer, try this craft. It's hard to tell what it is at first, but when you fold and color it, you see Jesus!

He talked with us on the road. He opened the Scriptures to us. Weren’t our hearts burning inside us during that time?

Luke 24:32