Good Friday Series — Hallelujah, Jesus is ALIVE!
The central focus of Christianity is the cross and the empty tomb — the sacrificial death and glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
During this month when springtime and Easter decorations can be seen in grocery aisles, department stores, and city parks, it’s not hard to draw attention to the true meaning of the season . . . and to let people know . . .
Christ the Lord is RISEN today!
Follow the full GOOD FRIDAY series
USE EASTER DECORATIONS TO START A CONVERSATION.
During Easter week, you will likely see Easter decorations in many different locations — at grocery stores and drug stores (selling Easter egg decorations and food coloring sets), in department stores (by little girl dresses and ladies dresses), in shoe stores (selling cute dress-up shoes for Easter).WITNESS AT A CITY EASTER EGG HUNT
Many families will decorate eggs, but they have no idea about the real meaning of the Cross and the Resurrection. Brainstorm a few specific ways that your family make an impact, this week, for Jesus. Perhaps you could go to a local Easter egg hunt and invite people to church. Maybe you could go to a grocery store and hang out by the egg dye to talk to a few people about Jesus. Maybe you could invite a few neighborhood kids over to decorate eggs and then talk about Jesus. Be prepared to share the Gospel this week — have Gospel tracts handy or simple invitations to church (even extra church bulletins or hand-made invitations).
DECORATE EGGS WITH GOSPEL THEMES
If you decorate Easter eggs, include pictures of the cross and the empty tomb, and words such as “JESUS IS ALIVE!” or “I LOVE JESUS!” (You can write these words with a color crayon before you put the eggs in the dye.)
INVITE KIDS OVER FOR AN EASTER PARTY.
Have fun Easter-themed decorations and treats. Read aloud from a Christian children’s book which focus on the true meaning of the Cross and the Resurrection of Christ, such as any Bible storybook. Two of our family favorites are The Tale of the Three Trees, or The Little Rose of Sharon.
HAVE A SPRINGTIME EASTER TEA PARTY
Invite little girls over for a fun dress-up tea party. Use the party time “games” to share the true meaning of Easter (perhaps with the EvangeCube, the Gospel colors, coloring pictures, a Bible story book, or a short children’s cartoon about Jesus). Share the Gospel and invite families to come to church.
GIVE AWAY THE SCARLET CORD.
Spread a heart for world missions — by giving away copies of THE SCARLET CORD: Nothing but the Blood of Jesus to friends at your church or to mission-minded families. The Scarlet Cord is a concise call to world missions, emphasizing God’s only way of salvation through the precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.Available in sets of 5.
HAVE YOUR KIDS DRAW PICTURES OF JESUS & THE CROSS.
Have your kids make simple hand-drawn pictures about the cross of Jesus Christ and the resurrection, with an invitation to your church’s Sunday Easter Service; bring the drawings with you the next time you are in the vicinity of your home church, and have your kids look for someone specific they can invite to church. Maybe give these to relatives on Easter Sunday, or go to an elderly care facility and give the drawings to people to let them know about Jesus.
INVITE PEOPLE TO CHURCH.
Think about your neighbors and pray about who you could invite to church. Walk through your neighborhood, and pray for various families, as specifically as you can. Make a simple effort (perhaps with a phone call, a stop at their house with a plate of cookies, or a simple basket with Easter treats and a church bulletin or handwritten card) and INVITE them to come.More people visit church on Easter Sunday than at any other time. Take advantage of the special holiday and invite families to come with you.
(Credit for the cute bunny photo is from a good article about how to focus on the true meaning of Easter in public schools from pastors.com)
