"Jesus Conquers Death”

Materials Needed

Seven popsicle sticks,   Large cup

Setup
1. Write the days of the week each on their own popsicle stick. Write on the bottom third of the popsicle stick, so that the word will be hidden when the sticks are placed, word-first, in the cup.
2. Have the children sit in a circle.

Description

1. Explain the following:
    Our big idea for today is "God's Son, Jesus, beat sin and death." The way he did that was by dying for our sins on a Friday and rising from the dead on a Sunday. To help us remember what Jesus did for us, we're going to play a game using the days of the week.
    The middle of this circle will represent sin and death. If you are in the middle of it, you are trapped and need to be saved from it.

2. Explain the following rules to the children, and then play the game:
    Set the cup filled with popsicle sticks in the center of the circle. Have seven children grab a popsicle stick, looking at it but hiding it so others cannot see. Which ever child drew the "Friday" popsicle stick must sit in the center of the circle, since that is the day on which Jesus died for us. He/she is now trapped in sin and death.
    Have the six other children who drew popsicle sticks hold them up in a closed hand so that the writing is covered by his/her hand. In order to get out of sin and death (the center of the circle), he/she must pick the "Sunday" popsicle stick. He/she can pick a popsicle stick three different times in order to find the "Sunday" popsicle stick, since it was Jesus' death and resurrection happened over the course of three days.
    If he/she selects the "Sunday" stick, he/she is free from sin and death and can return to the circle with everyone else. Repeat the game with seven other children selecting popsicle sticks.
    If he/she doesn't select the "Sunday stick, place the six other popsicle sticks (all except the "Friday" popsicle stick) back in the cup, have six other children select popsicle sticks, and have the child in the center of the circle select again. Continue this process until he/she selects the "Sunday" popsicle stick.