Conference yukon::christian_v7

I would explain that Jesus is God's Son and that He came to earth
because He wants us to be with God.

Bad people (ourselves included, but you can leave this out) were very
mean to him and killed Him.  But he didn't stay dead.  He was brought
back alive by God's power.  Jesus came back alive so that we can go
live with Him someday, because He is living right now in heaven and
in our hearts.

------------------

There it is in monosyllabic words.  Still, the fundamental truth of the
Bible is "Jesus loves me.  This I know, for the Bible tells me so."
"For God loved you and me so much, that he sent Jesus His only Son.
And if we believe (love as in action) in Jesus, we will have life
eternal."

For two and a half years, don't expect much more than an understanding that
mom and dad believe in Something much bigger than themselves.  The story
may not (yet) make much of an impact, but they know how important it is
to you and will learn from you its import.  As they grow more able to 
understand, God will speak to their hearts.  As adults, do any of us
really fully understand the weight of the gospel?  And yet it is so
simple that a child can understand it.  God loves me and wants me to
love Him back!

Mark

    Re: .0
    
    You / she shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you / her
    free.
    
    Tell her the truth - that it's just a fairy tale and Jesus died for our
    sins, God raised him from the dead, and by believing in him - we have
    everlasting life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only
    begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but
    shall have everlasting life.
    
    Lorenzo
    

>    Tell her the truth - that it's just a fairy tale and Jesus died for our
    
    Lest anyone become alarmed :-), I believe that in "it's just fairy
    tale" the "it" Lorenzo is referring to is the "Easter bunny", etc.
    
    Mark L.

    Re: .3
    
    Have you done your homework, (study) on Easter - Eastre - PAGAN
    HOLIDAY? :-)
    
    
    Lorenzo
    

    Thanks for clarification on "fairy tale".  And yes, I know it's a
    Pagan holiday.  But her mom and dad will celebrate it.  In spite of
    the bunnies, I (the aunt) want to start helping her understand that
    it's more than bunnies and candy.  She's starting to learn about Jesus,
    and I pray that she will learn the true meaning of this holiday.

    Lorenzo,
    
    I tend to agree with you regarding the actual term "Easter"
    (erroniously translated in its only occurance in Acts 12:4). 
    Personally, we do not enter into any "seasonal celebration" of it in
    our family.  However, I also believe (and I know you don't disagree)
    that there is a valid question to be answered in how to _effectively_
    explain to a young child _at any time_ the truth of Jesus' death and
    resurrection.
    
    Mark L.

There is a **great** series of books called "Read Aloud Bible Stories."  There
are three books that I know of, I don't know if they've done a fourth.

The stories are aimed at children of a very young age.  Each story is only about
15 pages long, and it has very simple dialog and very colorful, simple pictures.
Our two older kids have loved them when they were little, and our youngest (she 
will be 2 in May) is really getting into them now.

The story on the death and ressurection is called "A sad day and a happy day."

Dialog: (From memory, broken up by pages)

What a sad day.  Some bad men didn't like Jesus.  They put him on a cross and
he died.

What a sad day.  Now Jesus friends couldn't see him any more.  Jesus friends
couldn't talk to him any more.

What a sad day.  Jesus friends took him and put him in a place called a 'tomb.'
The door of the tomb was a big, big stone.

What a sad day.  Some ladies who loved Jesus too said "Let's go see where they
laid him."

So they went to the tomb.  They wondered how they would move the stone, but when
they got there the stone had already been moved!

The ladies went inside.  They looked this way.  Jesus wasn't there.  They 
looked that way.  Jesus wasn't there.

Then an angel came to talk to them.  He said "I know who you are looking for.
But Jesus isn't here.  He's alive again!  Go tell Jesus' friends that Jesus is
alive!

What a happy day!  The ladies ran to tell Jesus' friends. (Run ladies, run 
fast!)

What a happy day!  The ladies told Jesus' friends: "Jesus is alive!"

What a happy day!  Jesus met with his friends and he prayed with them and ate
with them and touched them.

What a happy day!  Then Jesus' friends ran to tell other people: "We saw Jesus!
Jesus is alive!"

Each story is followed by a "What did you learn" question.  I think there's six
stories per book.

I'll try to remember tomorrow to bring in the books to get the exact titles and
publisher.

Paul

    Sherilyn,
    
    Don't assume that a 2 1/2 year old won't understand the cross or Jesus
    scrificial death for our sins.  Three of my four young children
    accepted Christ around the age of 2 1/2 (the fourth just turned two). 
    And yes, by the growing fruit that we see in their lives, it seems to
    be a true acceptance.  Don't make the mistake that many make with
    children:  children comprehend much more than we often credit them,
    especially in spiritual matters.
    
    Two marvelous resources that Danese and I have found for telling the
    Gospel to children are:
    
    1)  "The Family of God";  a flannel board based lesson on the Gospel
    using simple graphics to relate the Gospel.  Very simple to use, very
    effective with young children (and adults ;^) ).  Available from
    
    	Children's Ministry International, Inc.
    	P.O. Box 679
    	Clarkston, Georgia  30021
    	(404) 493-8952
    
    2)  "Family Celebrations - Meeting Christ in Your Holidays and Special
    	 Occasions", Ann Hibbard, 1988, Wolgemuth & Hyatt, Publishers, Inc., 
    	 ISBN 0-943497-36-1.  Christ centered activities, projects, and
    	studies for holidays and special occasions (e.g., Christmas,
        Easter, Valentine's Day, Pentecost, Independence Day, Vacation,
    	Birthdays, All Saints' Day, Thanksgiving)
    
    	This one is falling apart from use.  For Easter, the readings and
        activities begin seven weeks before Easter with weekly sessions til
    	Holy week, then nightly during Easter week.  The lessons are
    	suitable for young children (not too long, but with enough meat to
    	be worthwhile).
    
    Please, work with this little one, for we are commanded to allow the
    little ones to come unto Jesus.
    
    In Him,
    
    David

Read Aloud Bible Stories Vol 1
Read Aloud Bible Stories Vol 2
Read Aloud Bible Stories Vol 3

By Ella K. Lindvall

Published by Moody Press

I know that these books are available from the CBD catalog.  "A sad day and a
happy day" is in Vol 2.

Paul

    Thanks David and Paul for the resource suggestions.  I do forget, and
    am also amazed at, the things she understands and how quickly she learns. 
    So I tend to underestimate her sometimes.
    
    Grandma will love the felt board and Jessica very much enjoys
    stories, so a participative story would be good.  I'll write them for
    info.  I'll check on the books suggested, and that reminds me to look in 
    my Shirley Dobson "Let's Make A Memory" for some ideas.
     
    Thanks again for the suggestions.  I take this more seriously than when
    I first entered the note.
    
    Sherilyn

	Jamie's trying to teach Emily to say "Jesus" in time for
	Easter...

	I plan to start an Easter tradition in our family of
	doing nightly readings leading up to Easter.  There were some
	great suggestions a few notes back.  

	Thursday, I'll prepare a special meal and we'll read of the
	last supper.

	Friday, we'll attend regular church services.

	We had planned to have Easter in our home, and read the story
	of the resurrection around the dinner table before the meal
	was served.  However, our families appear to be scattering
	this year, and we'll have dinner at my brother-in-law's.

	I do not plan to begin any tradition of Easter baskets or
	Easter Eggs.

	Karen

I brought in the books today.  Here are the stories in each one:

Vol 1

The Man Who Was Too Little (Zaccheus)
The Man Who Couldn't See (Bartimaeus)
The Boys and Girls and Jesus (Let the Children come to me)
The Wind That Obeyed
The Man Who Said, "Thank You" (Ten lepers cleansed)

Vol 2

Simon and His Boat (The calling of Simon, and the catch of fish)
The Boy who Went Away (The prodigal son)
The Boy who Shared His Lunch (The feeding of the 5000)
The Man Who Helped (The good samaritan.  This story is known as "Clip Clop" to
			our kids, from the sound of the man on the donkey)
A Sad Day and a Happy Day (Crucifixion and Ressurection)

Vol 3

How God Made the World
Noah's Big Boat
God Gives His People Bread to Eat (manna in the wilderness)
Daniel and the Lions
Baby Jesus and the Good News.

The actual text and picture descriptions of "A Sad Day and a Happy Day":

What a sad day!  Bad men didn't like Jesus.  They put Him on a cross.  And he
died (calvary from a distance, with three crosses and with crowd)

What a sad day!  Jesus' friends wrapped Him up.  They took Him to a place called
a "tomb."  The door of the tomb was a big stone. (tomb opening with big stone,
people carrying wrapped body to it.  Body barely visible behind people)

What a sad day!  Jesus' friends went home.  They couldn't be with Jesus anymore.
They couldn't talk to Jesus anymore.  (People walking sadly away)

What a sad day!  Some ladies said, "We loved Jesus, too.  Let's go and see the 
place where they put Him." (Ladies talking)

So the ladies went walking and talking down the road.  They said, "Who will move
the big stone so we can get in?"  But when they got there - (Ladies walking)

the big stone was rolled away from the door place.  One of God's angels had
moved it. (Tomb with stone rolled away.  Ladies with eyes wide in surprise)

The ladies went inside.  They looked this way.  Jesus wasn't there.  They looked
that way.  Jesus wasn't there.  And then - (Ladies looking around inside tomb)

they saw an angel.  "Don't be afraid," the angel said. "Don't be afraid. (Angel,
and ladies looking very surprised and a bit frightened)

"I know you are looking for Jesus.  He's not here.  He's not dead anymore.  Go
tell His friends.  Jesus is alive." (Angel)

Well, the ladies WERE afraid.  But they were happy, too. (Run ladies! Run fast!
Tell Jesus' friends!) Away they went.  What a happy day! (Excited ladies running
from the tomb)

Away they went.  And Jesus met them.  "Good morning," He said.  The ladies 
stopped.  They looked at Jesus.  They touched Him.  He WAS alive.  What a happy
day! (Jesus' back in white robe, with happy ladies looking at him)

"Don't be afraid," He said.  "Go and tell My friends that I am alive and that 
they will see Me." (Similar to last picture)

What a happy day!  The ladies ran.  They ran fast.  They ran to tell Jesus'
friends: "He's alive.  We saw Him! He's alive!" (excited women running, meeting
other people)

What did you learn?  God made Jesus alive again.  The ladies saw Him.  They were
glad.  You and I haven't seen Jesus.  But He is with us.  We can talk to Him.
Every day.  And that makes US glad.

    I had a question and thought this would be a good place to ask it:
    
    Last year, an acquaintance from church taught the children the
    story of the death and resurrection of Christ using some plastic
    eggs in an egg container....she explained that the eggs symbolized
    new life and each egg contained a little piece of the story that
    would lead us to new life.
    
    Inside each egg was a Bible scripture that started with Jesus'
    entrance to Jerusalem and ended with His resurrection and also
    contained a small trinket to go along with the verse. example:
    30 pieces of silver was three dimes...and the last egg was
    empty.
    
    Has anyone ever heard of this, do you have a list of the
    scripture and what do you think of it (using the pagan symbol
    of the egg and using it in a Christian story)?
    
    Thanks for your ideas...
    Pam

Hi Pam, 

I've not heard of this idea before.   Although the 'easter egg' is of pagan
derivation, it only borrows the idea from the real eggs themselves, which
are of divine design, and I would regard them as suitable for use as an
illustration! 

Makes a good way to make the story exciting as each stage is unfolded (I
carefully didn't put 'eggs-citing'), especially for a Sunday School class
which consists of a lot who know the basic outline very well, and switch
off easily, while there's also some newcomers for whom it may be new... 

							Andrew