MEMORY VERSE

What if someone said to you, “Oh, I know all about Easter.  It’s Easter baskets and chocolate bunnies and coloring eggs.”  What would you say?  Do you know how to talk about the real miracle of Easter?  If you’re not sure what you would say, here’s some help.

The Easter story starts with God and how God created us.  God gives us each value and purpose; he wants to us to know him personally.  But when we sin, we can’t have a personal relationship with God.  What is sin?  Sin is anything (thoughts, actions, words, attitudes) that turns us away from God.  What is the result of sin?  Sin separates us from God—eternally, which means even after we die.

Some people respond to this separation from God by denying there is a God or by doing lots of good works or by focusing on jobs or money or relationships with other people.  None of these will satisfy our deepest hunger to be with God. What can we do about our sin?

Jesus is the only one who can bridge the gap between us and God.  He paid the price for our sins when he died on the cross on Good Friday, but he didn’t remain dead.  Jesus rose from the dead and conquered Satan and sin once and for all on Easter Sunday!  So how can we have a personal relationship with Jesus?  First, admit we are sinners and are separated from God by our own sins.  Then believe that Jesus is our Savior—he promises to forgive our sin.  Trust Jesus from now on to direct our lives to live for him, in him, and with him.

That’s the real meaning of Easter—Jesus coming to earth to be one of us and to save us!  Jesus is the only meaning of Easter!  This year, if someone asks you about Easter and candy, be ready to talk about Jesus!  He’s the reason we celebrate!

For more about the Good News Jesus brings go to http://kidscorner.net/bible/goodnews/.