Jesus Died and Rose Again to Conquer Sin and Death

Jesus Died and Rose Again to Conquer Sin and Death Lesson 5

Bible Point Jesus conquered death

to set us free from sin.
Bible Verse
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord
(Romans 6:23).

Growing Closer to Jesus

Students will n discover that we all struggle with sin,
n understand that Jesus sets us free from sin,
n experience the power of the Easter story,
n realize that Christs death and resurrection brought us closer to God, and
n respond to Jesus sacrifice.

Teacher Enrichment
Bible Basis
n Jesus died and rose again to conquer sin and death.
Luke This Scripture account makes it tough to deny thatin human termsthe leaders of
the day were responsible for having Jesus crucified. However, they werent ultimately
23:2624:12 responsible. Its important to remember two things: Jesus had to die because of our
sinsyour sins and my sins. Also, Jesus death on the cross was part of Gods plan for
our salvation from the beginning of Creation! Jesus died because God wanted sinful
people like you and me to live eternally with him. Jesus needed to die to conquer
death once and for all (see 2 Timothy 1:8-10).
For the victory over death to be final and complete, Jesus had to rise from the dead. And he did! The
Resurrection changed everything: It changed cowering disciples into bold preachers! It changed sorrow into
joy! It changed death into life! It changed despair into hopenot only for the disciples, but for all who will
place their trust in Jesus! Jesus death and resurrectionthere are no two events in any time or any place that
are more important for your students to grasp and believe.
Other Scriptures used in this lesson are Romans 3:23-24; 7:18b-19; Ephesians 2:4-5; Colossians 3:12-14;
and 1 Peter 4:8.

Prayer
Read 2 Timothy 1:8-10.
How complete is your own victory in Jesus? Is there anything you need to give up to him?
Pray: Lord, as I present this lesson, please use me. Help the students in my class to go away different today
because I

Hands-On Bible CurriculumGrades 3 & 4 55

 Lesson 5

Before the Lesson

n Collect the necessary items for the activities you plan to use, referring to the Classroom Supplies and Learning Lab
Supplies listed on the chart.
n Make photocopies of the Hands-On Fun at Home handout (at the end of this lesson) to send home with your
students.
n Pray for your students and for Gods direction as you teach the lesson.

This Lesson at a Glance

What Students Will Do Classroom Supplies Learning Lab Supplies
Attention Clean SlateStand up to Slips of paper, pencil
Grabber recognize their sin, and then erase
marks to see how Jesus erases
their sin.

Bible Cant Fix It OurselvesTry to Bibles, index cards, pens, paper

Exploration & fix something, and read Romans
Application 3:23-24; 7:18b-19; and Ephesians
2:4-5 to see how Jesus death
helps us grow closer to God.

Good NewsAct as news Bibles, CD player, Jerusalem

reporters in Jerusalem during News (p. 64), scissors, pencils
the Crucifixion, read Luke
23:2624:12, and discover the
importance of Jesus death and
resurrection.

Ugly SinsParticipate in a Tablespoon measure; bleach;

science experiment to realize how 4 cups water; clear baking dish
Jesus cleansed us from our sins. or large bowl; clear cup; green,
red, and blue food coloring;
plastic spoon

Closing Celebrate JesusRead Bible, CD player, Praise the Lord

Colossians 3:12-14 and 1 Peter 4:8, (Psalm 150:6) lyrics (p. 153)
and talk about how to respond to
Jesus sacrifice.

56 Hands-On Bible CurriculumGrades 3 & 4

 Jesus Died and Rose Again to Conquer Sin and Death

Welcome
As kids arrive, ask them how they applied last weeks lesson to their
lives. Ask questions such as How did you show praise and honor to God
last week? and Whom did you tell about Jesus?
Tell kids that whenever they hear the hand groan tube, they are to stop
talking, raise their hands, and focus on you. Explain that its important to
respond to this signal quickly so the class can do as many fun activities as
possible.

Attention Grabber Its important to say the Bible Point

just as its written in each activity.
Repeating the Bible Point again
n Clean Slate and again will help kids remember
it and apply it to their lives.
SUPPLIES: paper, pencil
Have kids sit in a circle, and say: Were going to start
out today by thinking about sin. Listen carefully to
what I say, and follow my instructions.

If youve ever said mean things to someone, stand up and then sit
down.
If youve ever done something your parents told you not to do, stand
up and then sit down.
If youve ever said unkind things about someone, stand up and then sit As you call out the sins, follow the
down. instructions yourself to show kids
If youve ever done something your teacher asked you not to do, stand not only that you struggle with sin,
but also that you arent judging
up and then sit down.
them.
If youve ever told a lie, stand up and then sit down.
If youve ever taken something from someone without asking for it first,
stand up and then sit down.
If youve ever made fun of someone, stand up and then sit down.
Pass around slips of paper, and say: Im going to pass a pencil around the
circle. If you stood up or if youve ever sinned, mark your slip of paper with
an X to represent that sin. Mark your own slip of paper and then pass the pencil
around the circle. When everyone is finished, ask:
Is there anyone here who didnt mark an X on his or her paper? (No.)
How did writing an X make you feel? (Bad; sad; guilty.)
What is it like to struggle with sin? (Its hard; its frustrating because I keep
sinning even though I try not to.)
Say: When we sin, we disobey God. When we disobey God, we turn away
from God. And even when we try really hard to stop sinning, its a struggle.
Thankfully, God loves us so much that he made a way for us to turn to him
even though we sin. Jesus is that way. The Bible says we have all sinned but
that Jesus conquered death to set us free from sin.
Im going to pass around the big eraser. To show that Jesus conquered

Hands-On Bible CurriculumGrades 3 & 4 57

 Lesson 5
What does active learning mean
to you as a teacher? It takes a lot
of pressure off you because the
spotlight shifts from you to the
students. Instead of being the
principal player, you become a
guide and facilitatora choreo
grapher of sorts. This doesnt mean
that you check out of teaching. Its
your job to guide students to the
point of the lesson.
58 Hands-On Bible CurriculumGrades 3 & 4
death to set us free from sin, erase the X on your paper just like Jesus can
erase the sin in your life. Erase the X on your own paper and then pass the big
eraser around the circle. When everyone has had a chance to erase his or her X, ask:
How do you feel knowing that Jesus died to erase your sins? (Good;
special; like Jesus must really love me; bad, because I wish he didnt have to die because
of me.)
How do you feel knowing that your sins can be erased and you can be
as clean as your slip of paper? (Good; relieved; happy.)
Have kids throw away their slips of paper, and then say: Now lets learn more
about our struggle with sin and how Jesus conquered death to set us free
from sin.
Bible Exploration & Application
n Cant Fix It Ourselves
SUPPLIES: Bibles, index cards, pens, paper
Before class, write each of the following references on a separate
index card: Romans 3:23-24; Romans 7:18b-19; and Ephesians
2:4-5. Place the cards next to their corresponding verses in three
different Bibles.
Have children form three groups and sit in a circle with their groups. Give each
group a pen, a piece of paper, and a Bible with a reference card.
Say: No matter how hard we try, we cant erase our sins. We all do things
that God doesnt like, but we cant clean those things out of our lives by
ourselves. Only Jesus has the power to do that. Lets explore what the Bible
has to say about our sin and how wonderful Jesus is.
Have each group read its passage and summarize the passage in 12 words or less on
the other side of the index card.
Give groups three minutes. Then have the group with Romans 7:18b-19 share its
summary of the verse. Say: We know the right thing to do, but we sometimes
choose not to do it. We sin, and we need Gods help to conquer those sins.
Ask: How does sin affect our lives? (It makes us feel guilty; it hurts others; it
hurts God.)
Hold up the braided hair. Keep it braided as much as possible as you cut it into six
equal-sized pieces. Give two pieces to each group, and ask groups to separate the strands
of hair and spread them out on a piece of paper.
Say: When we sin, we make a mess of things. Our sin can mess up our
friendships with others, our relationship with God, and even our own lives.
Just like the mess in front of you, our sin makes a mess in our lives.
Tell groups that they have three minutes to put their hair back together and braid it
the way it was before.
Allow time, and then ask: What was it like trying to put this hair back
together the way it was? (Impossible; it was so hard; we got frustrated.)
How is that like trying to fix our sins without Gods help? (Only God can
do that through Jesus; we cant fix our sins without asking God for help.)
 Jesus Died and Rose Again to Conquer Sin and Death

Have the other two groups read their summaries aloud. Then say: There is
nothing we can do to clean up the mess of sin in our lives. But Jesus
conquered death to set us free from sin. He made a way to fix the mess of
sin in our lives and put our lives back together. None of us can reach God
on our own, because the wages of sin is death. But Jesus conquered sin and
death so we can have a relationship with him forever.
Have kids join hands, raise them over their heads, and say, Thank you, Lord, for
setting us free! Then say: Now lets learn more about how Jesus set us free
from sin.
Have kids carefully crumple the pieces of braided hair into their papers and throw Bible Insight
the wads of paper away. The Gospels consistently
present the theme of Jesus
death on the cross as both a
willing sacrifice and a divine
n Good News necessity. In Luke, the angel
reminded the women at the
SUPPLIES: Bibles, Jerusalem News handout (p. 64), pencils, CD player, scissors empty tomb of Jesus own
Before class, make one photocopy of the Jerusalem News words predicting his coming
tracks 12-15
handout for every three students. Cut apart the three sections. death and resurrection.
Cue the CD player to Jerusalem News: Introduction
(track 12).
Have kids form three groups. Assign each group a section
of the Jerusalem News handout and a Bible. Make sure
that each person in the group has a pencil and a copy of the
groups section.
Say: Today youre going to be TV news reporters in Jerusalem during the
time of Jesus crucifixion. Choose one person in your group to read aloud
the passage. Then choose three people to be the Reporters: two in the TV
station and one at the scene of the action. Your handout contains the script
for the beginning of your news report. Fill in your Reporters names in the
appropriate blanks. On the back of your handout, write what happened in
your Bible passage so you can report it to us. Remember, a good reporter
always tells who, what, when, where, and why. Ill give you about three
minutes to work on your news presentation. When its your turn, Ill If you have fewer than 12 kids,
introduce your news team with the CD and play background noise for your have groups select only one or two
live news report. reporters. If you have more than
As kids work, circulate to offer suggestions and answer questions. After three 12 kids, allow a few kids to act as
minutes, sound the hand groan tube, and wait for kids to respond. You may need to camera people who shoot the
give kids a little more than three minutes to completely finish. Remember to keep them action.
focused on their tasks. Be sure kids arent working on their presentations while others
are performing.
Have groups present their news shows in chronological order. Kids will use the
hand groan tube as a microphone, as indicated in the script. Play Jerusalem News:
Introduction (track 12) to introduce each groups presentation. When a groups Reporter
begins to speak, play the segment that corresponds to the group to provide sound effects.
Play track 13 for Group 1, track 14 for Group 2, and track 15 for Group 3.
When all groups have presented, give a round of applause for everyone. Then have
kids form a circle, and ask:
What goes through your mind when you realize that Jesus died for your
sins? (Im amazed; Im happy; Im sad that Jesus had to die for me; I feel thankful.)

Hands-On Bible CurriculumGrades 3 & 4 59

 Lesson 5

Would Jesus death be as meaningful if he hadnt come back to life?

Why or why not? (No, Jesus had to conquer death himself in order to save us from
death.)
Why do you think Jesus made such a sacrifice for us? (Because he loves us
so much; because he wants us to have eternal life; because he wants us to go to heaven
and live forever with God.)
Say: Jesus considers each of us so special that he came to earth to conquer
sin and death for us. Thats some really special news! Lets thank Jesus for
loving us so much that he conquered death to set us free from sin.
Pray a prayer similar to this one: Dear Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross
to pay for our sins. We realize that sin would keep us from God forever if
you hadnt conquered sin and death. Thank you for loving us so much. In
your name, amen.

n Ugly Sins
SUPPLIES: tablespoon measure; bleach; 4 cups of water; clear baking dish or large
bowl; clear cup; green, red, and blue food coloring; plastic spoon
Before class, fill the clear cup halfway with bleach. Fill a clear bowl or baking dish with
four cups of water, and add three drops of green food coloring. Youll need bottles of blue
and red food coloring during the activity. Dont put these colors in the water yet.
Gather the kids in a circle near you. Say: Lets do a science experiment to
demonstrate how Jesus conquered death to set us free from sin. When God
created us, he made a beautiful creation.
Show kids the bowl of green water. Say: See how pretty the water looks? Lets
pretend this water represents our lives, because its pretty and clean, just
the way God created us to be. But we dont stay pretty and clean like that.
Sometimes we make bad choices and make our lives ugly with sin. Lets
think of some ugly sins people commit. When you say a sin, Ill add a drop of
another color to the water.
Allow kids to mention some sins, such as lying, cheating, disobeying, or fighting.
For each sin mentioned, add one drop of the blue or red food coloring to the water.
Be sure to alternate colors so that you put in an equal amount of each color. After kids
have mentioned about six different sins, ask:
What happened to our water after we added the food coloring? (It got
ugly; we added too much color; it doesnt look very good.)
How are the colorful drops we added like sins in our lives? (They look
nice at first, but really make our lives ugly; they make our lives look bad.)
How is the water now like our lives after we commit those sins? (They
both look pretty ugly; were not beautiful creations anymore.)
What can we do to get rid of the ugliness of sin in our lives? (We can ask
Jesus into our lives; we can pray that God will take the sins away.)
Say: The only way we can be clean and beautiful again is by asking Jesus
to come into our lives and set us free from sin. Thats what our Bible verse,
Romans 6:23, says, For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God
is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Show kids the cup of bleach, and say: Lets pretend this liquid represents
Christ. Were going to add our water to this cup and see what happens.

60 Hands-On Bible CurriculumGrades 3 & 4

 Jesus Died and Rose Again to Conquer Sin and Death

Add two tablespoons of the colored water to the bleach, and use a plastic spoon to
stir it. As you stir, say: Because Jesus conquered death to set us free from
sin, we can be made clean again. Jesus takes our sins away through his love
and forgiveness. All we have to do is give our lives to him. Lets see whats
happened to our water.
By this time, most of the food coloring will be gone. Allow kids to comment on
whats happened.
Ask: What happened to the water? (Its clean; its not ugly anymore.)
How is the change in the color of the water like what happens when
Jesus sets us free from sin? (We are like beautiful creations again; Jesus takes the
sins out of our lives; we are clean again; we are free from sin.)
How can we be forgiven from our sins? (We need to ask Jesus into our lives;
we need to give our lives to Jesus; salvation is a free gift from Jesusonly Jesus can free
us from our sins.)
Say: We all have sin in our lives, and sin makes things get yucky pretty
quickly. But the amazing thing about Jesus is that he can clean us up
right away by his forgiveness and love! When Jesus died on the cross and
rose again, he conquered death to set us free from sin. Thats worth
celebrating!

HANDS-ON BIBLE
Youll need gift wrap, ribbons and bows, small boxes, scissors,
clear tape, pencils, and paper. Make sure students have their
Hands-On Bibles.
Say: Jesus died and rose again so that we could have
eternal life and forgiveness of sins. Its Gods gift to us. Open your
Hands-On Bible and turn to the Gift Giving activity found near Romans 8.
Say: Jesus conquered death to set us free from sin. Have kids follow
the instructions in the activity. Encourage kids to share the gift of forgiveness
and eternal life with people who need to know Jesus. Ask kids who theyll give
their gifts to this week; then follow up next week as you ask kids how the gift
giving went.

Closing
n Celebrate Jesus
SUPPLIES: Bible, Praise the Lord (Psalm 150:6) lyrics (p. 153), CD player
Before this activity, photocopy the Praise the Lord (Psalm
track 11 150:6) lyrics so that you have one copy for each student. Cue the
CD to Praise the Lord (Psalm 150:6) (track 11).
Have kids form a circle. Say: Jesus died and rose again to
set us free from sin and bring us closer to God. He made
that sacrifice for everyone.

Hands-On Bible CurriculumGrades 3 & 4 61

 Lesson 5

Ask: When someone does something nice for you, how do you respond?
(Say thank you; write a thank you note if my mom makes me.)
When someone makes a sacrifice for you, such as sacrificing money to
buy you a nice bike, do you want to care for your bike or treat it like junk?
Why? (Take care of it because they spent a lot of money on it and worked hard to get
it; treat it like junk because it didnt cost me anything.)
How do you want to live your life, knowing that Jesus sacrificed his life
to set you free from sin? (Be thankful to Jesus; live the way Jesus wants me to.)
Say: Jesus conquered death to set us free from sin. I know Im forgiven,
and Im so thankful to Jesus for setting me free. I want to live my life in a
way that shows how thankful I am. Lets celebrate what Jesus did for us
while we learn how to live in a way that shows weve been set free from sin.
Pass out copies of the lyrics, push Play on the CD player, and sing the song together.
Pause the CD player, and read aloud 1 Peter 4:8. Then tell how that verse can help you
act in a way that shows youve been set free from sin. For example, you might say that
youll try to show love instead of anger the next time you get mad at someone. Then
toss the basket to someone in the circle. The student who catches the basket should tell
how the verse can help him or her act in a way that shows he or she has been set free
from sin and then toss the basket to someone else.
After several kids have caught the basket, push Play on the CD player, and have kids
sing the song again. Push Pause, and have the person holding the basket read aloud
Colossians 3:12-14. Have kids toss the basket several times so that students who catch
the basket have a chance to tell how the verse can help them act in ways that show
theyve been set free from sin. After all the kids have shared for at least one of the verses,
push Play, and sing the the song again. After the song, have kids take turns around the
circle sharing one way they will show during the coming week that they have been set
free from sin.
Say: Easter reminds us that Jesus conquered death to set us free from
sin. Weve been set free! This week, every time you sin and confess it, thank
Jesus for conquering death and setting you free.
Put the CD and basket away for future lessons. Encourage kids to take the lyrics
home with them.

Say: Jesus conquered death to set us free from sin.

Thats how much Jesus loves us!
Ask: How will you thank Jesus this week for his
sacrifice? (I will try to live the way he wants me to; Ill be
nicer to people; Ill try to pray and have devotions every day; Ill
sing more.)
Who could you tell about Jesus gift of eternal life?
(My parents; a relative; a friend; a neighbor.)
Say: Jesus gift of salvation is too good to keep to ourselves! It
deserves to be shared and celebrated. Encourage kids to do exactly that
in the coming week.

62 Hands-On Bible CurriculumGrades 3 & 4

 Jesus Died and Rose Again to Conquer Sin and Death

Growing closer to Jesus extends

beyond the classroom.
Photocopy the HandsOn Fun at Home handout (at
the end of this lesson) for this week, and send it home
with your kids. Encourage kids and parents to use the
handout to spark meaningful discussion on this weeks
topic.

Hands-On Bible CurriculumGrades 3 & 4 63

 Jerusalem News
Group 1
Luke 23:26-49
Reporter 1: Good evening. My name is
__________________.
Reporter 2: And Im _____________.
Weve got a special live report for you
about todays crucifixion.
Reporter 1: Some rather strange things
have happened in connection with this
event. Were going live to ______________
at the scene of the crucifixion.
Reporter 3: (Standing to the side using
the hand groan tube as a microphone)
Thank you, ______________ and
______________. I have some unusual
happenings to report here at Golgotha.
(Summarize Luke 23:26-49. Include who,
what, when, and where.)
Now back to _______________ and
_______________.
Reporter 2: Thanks, _______________,
for that up-to-the-minute report.
Permission to photocopy this handout from Groups HandsOn Bible Curriculum Grades 3 & 4 granted for local church use.
64
Group 2
Luke 23:50-56
Reporter 1: Good evening. My name is
_______________.
Reporter 2: And Im ______________.
We have a special report about the burial of
Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews.
Reporter 1: Some unusual things
are happening outside Jerusalem.
_______________ is on the scene with a
report.
Reporter 3: (Standing to the side using
the hand groan tube as a microphone)
Thank you, _______________ and
______________. Heres an update on the
burial of Jesus of Nazareth.
(Summarize Luke 23:50-56. Include who,
what, where, and why.)
Now back to you, _______________ and
_______________.
Reporter 2: Thanks, ______________.
Well be back later for another update.
Copyright Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Avenue, Loveland, CO 80538. group.com
Group 3
Luke 24:1-12
Reporter 1: Good evening. My name is
_______________.
Reporter 2: And Im ______________.
This is an update on the resurrection
of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Lets go to
_______________, live at the scene of
the Resurrection.
Reporter 3: (Standing to the side using
the hand groan tube as a microphone)
Thank you, _______________ and
______________. Its hard to believe, but
its apparently true
(Summarize Luke 24:1-12. Tell who, what,
when, and why.)
Now back to you, _______________ and
_______________.
Reporter 2: Thank you, ____________,
for that incredible story.
 LESSON 5

Jesus conquered death to set us free from sin.

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God
is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord
(Romans 6:23).

Jesus sacrifice to set us free from sin and

death is a huge deal, worthy of a huge
celebration! Read 1 John 1:6-8.

How can your family celebrate together your freedom from sin and What are some sins that are
death? holding you captive?
__________________________________________________________
How can your family together thank Jesus for his amazing sacrifice? Read 1 John 2:2.
__________________________________________________________ Is there anyone Jesus wont
Choose your favorite ideas, and get started today! forgive? How can Jesus forgive
everyone of every sin?

Read Romans 6:23.

Have all the members of
your family go into a closet
close the door. Pretend yo and What is Gods free gift? How
ure locked in and have no
to get out. Talk about how way can you get that free gift?
Christ has set us free from
Using a flashlight, read Ga sin.
latians 5:1. Have each fam
member pray, thanking Go ily
d for setting him or her fre
from sin. As you all leave e
the closet, tell how you fee
set free from sin. l being

Gather cardboard, two clothespins, a black marker, cotton

balls, glue, and black construction paper. Draw a sheep on the cardboard.
Cut a tail and two ears from the paper. Use a black marker to color the ends
of the clothespins. Clip the clothespins onto the body where indicated on the
pattern. Dip cotton balls in glue, and press them onto the cardboard sheep. Continue until
your sheep looks fluffy. Glue the ears and tail onto the sheep.
Set the sheep in your room to remind you that Christ
has set us free from sin and that we dont
need to wander aimlessly
like sheep.

Permission to photocopy this handout from Groups HandsOn Bible Curriculum Grades 3 & 4 granted for local church use.
Copyright Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Avenue, Loveland, CO 80538. group.com 65