Easter Lessons for Youth
Students can easily look at Easter as just another Sunday, but let’s help them understand that Easter means so much more. We’ve compiled 4 Easter Bible studies for your youth ministry to help your students learn about the true significance of Easter.
From understanding Christ’s enormous sacrifice to seeing how Christ was the Savior that shattered everyone’s expectations, these Easter lessons will give your students a new perspective on and appreciation for the Easter season.
For each downloadable Easter Lesson you will find:
- A Bible Study with Discussion Questions
- Real Life Examples
- Suggestions for Application
Many lessons also include:
- Live-It-Out Easter Activities
- Media & Graphics
- Parent Resources
FREE LESSON #1:
Sacrificial Lamb is a free Easter Lesson for Youth from the Vantage One-Year Bible Study Curriculum.
Sacrificial Lamb will teach students about the first Passover and come to understand how it was a template for God’s ultimate plan for the world. Students will learn that Jesus’s life of sacrifice is an example of how they should live, and they’ll talk about ways they may have sacrificed themselves for the people in their lives.
THIS LESSON FEATURES:
- A Bible Study with Discussion Questions
- Real Life Examples
- Live-It-Out Easter Activity
- Suggestions for Application
- Memory Verse Graphic and Powerpoint or ProPresenter Slides
a look inside the lesson
Movies are full of the story of self-sacrifice. In Wonder Woman, the climax of the story is not when Diana wins her fight with the bad guy but when her sidekick, Steve Trevor, sacrifices himself by flying off in a plane full of toxic explosives. In Rogue One, the most important moment of the story is when Jyn and Cassien die while sending the Death Star plans to the Rebel Alliance. Once you start paying attention, you will notice that many of the movies we love the most are simply re-enacting the story of self-sacrifice that Jesus first modeled for us.
DISCUSS:
1. Can you think of any other movies with this theme? Why do you think this theme is so popular?
2. Imagine what might have happened if your favorite sacrificial character chose not to sacrifice him or herself. How would the story have changed?
3. Have you ever chosen to act sacrificially for someone else? What did it feel like?
FREE LESSON #2:
Prone to Wander is a free Easter Lesson for Youth from the Intersections One-Year Bible Study Curriculum.
Prone to Wander will help students understand the gravity of Christ’s death and consider their responses. From studying Isaiah’s vivid description of the crucifixion, students will learn that Christ’s death was a necessary part of God’s plan to save us from our sin and demonstrates his love.
THIS LESSON FEATURES:
- A Bible Study with Discussion Questions
- Real Life Examples
- Live-It-Out Easter Activity
- Suggestions for Application
- Memory Verse Graphic and Powerpoint or ProPresenter Slides
a look inside the live-it-out easter activity: shepherd’s stones
What you’ll need: small- to medium-sized stones that can be written on, and markers.
SAY SOMETHING LIKE: Today’s passage describes us as sheep who have gone astray, prone to wander and reject Christ despite all he’s done for us and how he loves us. The Bible often uses shepherd and sheep imagery to describe the relationship God has with his people. In biblical times, shepherds used slingshots to defend their sheep from wild animals. But did you know that shepherds also used slingshots to guide their sheep? If a sheep was wandering off, lagging behind, or getting too close to something dangerous, the shepherd would throw a stone to land on the ground in a way that would startle and guide the sheep to return to the fold. In the same way, Christ often drops “stones” in our paths to help guide us. Today we’re going to celebrate Christ our Shepherd by creating Shepherd’s Stones.
FREE LESSON #3:
Risen King is an Easter lesson taken from the Seasonal Lessons of our One-Year Bible Study curriculum, The Black Letters of Jesus.
Risen King is designed to help students see that Jesus is the King who shattered everyone’s expectations. Through these interactive lessons, students will gain a deeper understanding of why Jesus entered our world the way he did, the meaning and purpose behind his sacrificial death, and their need to experience the same transformative power that raised him back to life.
- Lesson 1: Triumphal Entry
- Lesson 2: Jesus, the Lamb of God
- Lesson 3: Jesus’ Resurrection
this set of lessons features:
- A Bible Study with Discussion Questions
- Real Life Examples
- Live-It-Out Easter Activity
- Suggestions for Application
- Media and Graphics
a look inside the lesson
Read Luke 19:28-44
The king is coming. If you were an Israelite living in Jerusalem, this is what you’ve heard about your whole life. At dinner, this is what your parents talked about. It was years (like hundreds of years) in the making, and it was more than a legend; it was hope.
You see, the Romans were oppressive, and the Israelites were oppressed. The Romans made all the rules, and the Israelites tried to just stay out of sight and out of mind. So the King of Israel making a grand entrance into Roman territory…this was a big deal. Jesus was the promised king, the Messiah who would come and save the day. The rumors had been spreading that he could be the One, but after he raised Lazarus from the dead, the rumors became reality for many. These are the many that gathered along the route, people that the author calls disciples—shouting, singing, and celebrating their King—unable to contain their excitement.
There are other people in this story, though. People who missed it. People who expected a warrior king that would overthrow the Roman rule, not a king that would make a peaceful entry on a donkey! People who held on so tightly to their own power, they couldn’t see (or submit) to the power of God. And Jesus takes a moment, in the midst of celebration, to weep over these people.
FREE LESSON #4:
The “Why” Behind Jesus’ Death and Resurrection is a free 2-part Easter lesson aimed at helping your students ask why?
Why did Jesus have to die for humanity? Why did he have to rise again? This free two-part lesson will help your students answer these weighty questions. Students will learn about sacrifice in ancient Israel and how it relates to Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice. Then they’ll discover some of the most important promises Jesus made during his life and how his resurrection proves his trustworthiness.
- Lesson 1: Why Did Jesus Have to Die?
- Lesson 2: Why Did Jesus Have to Rise Again?
this set of lessons features:
- A Bible Study with Discussion Questions
- Real Life Examples
- Live-It-Out Easter Activity
- Parent Guide
a look inside the parent guide
The scripture we studied this week was: 1 Corinthians 15:12––22. Here’s how you can join in the conversation!
At some point this week, consider asking your student these questions:
Why do you think it’s important to know what Jesus actually said and did?
How should the truth of Jesus’ resurrection change the way we live our lives?
Since Jesus actually rose from the dead, everything else he said was true, too. The disciples thought this was so important that they dedicated their lives to telling others about Jesus. What are some ways we can spread the truths of what Jesus said and did?
additional easter resources
About the Author
Doug Franklin
Doug Franklin is the president of LeaderTreks, an innovative leadership development organization focusing on students and youth workers. Doug and his wife, Angie, live in West Chicago, Illinois. They don’t have any kids, but they have 2 dogs that think they are children. Diesel and Penelope are Weimaraners who never leave their side. Doug grew up in… Read More
