By CTA - Christ to All
Introduction
Does someone come and wake you up each morning? Does that person ever have to tell you more than once? While every morning we might need a little help knowing when it’s time to wake up and start our day, the seasons of the year don’t need any help at all. God told the seasons when to begin and end once, and they have kept on going.
Getting to the Heart
Today I want to talk to you about one of those seasons. Let’s start with some clues . . .
Bears are big and they are really loud when they roar. Does anyone know what a bear sounds like? Birds are usually really small and sing their own type of songs. Can anyone imitate a favorite bird sound? Flowers come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Who can tell me when flowers start to bloom? Spring—that’s right! In spring, bears also wake up from their long winter naps. Grass starts to turn green and grow. Trees start getting new leaves, and some of them have flowers on them too. Baby birds and baby rabbits start to hop around. All around us, new life starts popping out in spring.
Spring is also really important because that’s when we celebrate Easter—Jesus’ glorious Resurrection Day! It’s the day that Jesus came back to life after dying on the cross. It’s the day that we got a new life too! The Bible says, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT). Jesus came to earth so that through his life, his death on the cross, and his resurrection, he could make us new. He came to cover all our sin and disobedience. But he didn’t just cover those things up; he took them away!
Jesus makes us his new people. He gives us his own purity, his own goodness, his own holiness so we can live as God’s friends now and forever. So . . . when spring comes, you don’t have to tell the flowers or the birds or the trees to wake up, but you can tell each other: Wake up—it’s Easter! Jesus is risen!
Let’s thank Jesus for his great gift of new life! (Have children repeat each phrase of the prayer after you.)
Dear Jesus, thank you for making me a new creation.
Thank you for covering my sin, my mistakes, and my selfishness with the blood of your cross.
Make me strong in faith so I can live out the new life you created me to live.
I love you, Lord Jesus! Amen.
Editor’s note: Today’s entry is slightly adapted from the Ministry Message for the Wake Up—It’s Easter! line of products. Find this and other children’s Easter products at ctainc.com.
