Caterpillar to butterfly - an interactive Easter Children's message

 

Explain at the beginning of the service, that while worship is going on - that they are to color at their tables (with markers), the coffee filters provided.  At least one person per table should color one - but everyone is invited to do so.  These will be used during the children's message illustration.  Each table, besides markers and coffee filters, needs a pre-decorated clothespin for each person (to look like a caterpillar shown below) and a toilet paper roll for each person.   This craft was found here if you want more detail!

When we see a caterpillar what do we think?  (have everyone pick up a clothespin that is dull brown and that was decorated beforehand)  What words come to mind when we see a caterpillar? (put pic on screen)  Ugly?  useless?  slimy?  creepy?  Are we ever like a caterpillar?  Do we ever feel like one on the inside?  Do we sometimes feel ugly?  useless?  Do other people ever hear our words or see our actions and think that we are ugly? or mean?  I'm sure, at some point in our lives, we have felt like a caterpillar.  And I'm sure, that at some point in our lives we have messed up, and people have seen us as a caterpillar.

But what about Jesus?  Was Jesus ever a caterpillar?  We certainly never think of Jesus as ugly or creepy.  But Jesus still died FOR us, even though he was perfect and we are not.  After Jesus died, he was wrapped in cloth and laid in a tomb.  This part of Jesus' life does reminds me of a caterpillar - as it makes its cocoon.  

Take your caterpillar and clip your coffee filter in it.  Wrap it up, just like Jesus was, and place it inside the tube...which is our tomb...or cocoon.  

For 3 days Jesus was in that tomb.  For 3 days his friends and disciples grieved and wondered and worried.  Do we ever do that?  Do we worry about what is going to happen?  What has happened?  Of course we do.  Although the Bible tells us clearly "do not worry", we still do.  

But on that 3rd day, when some ladies went to the tomb, what did they find?  It was empty!!  (pull out the caterpillar/butterfly and everyone will probably do the same).  

Jesus had risen!  He was alive!  He died and rose again for US - to give us NEW LIFE so that we could be changed - like the caterpillar to a butterfly.  

We were give new life in Jesus and we should never forget that.  When we are baptized into the church, water is put on our heads, right?  The water is a symbol of being cleaned and our sins and ugliness being wiped away.  So, to remember how we become new in Jesus and to help us remember our baptism and new life in Christ, someone at your table, bring up your butterfly to one of my helpers at the front with a spray bottle.  They will spray your butterfly (and you if you want to be sprayed ;)  Take it back to your seat and watch the water turn your butterfly into something amazing!  Watch the colors run together and brighten. Watch it have new life.

(continue speaking as they get sprayed) Yes, bad things happen.  God never promises that our lives will be perfect.  Yes, we mess up.  Yes, there will be times in our lives when we feel and look like a caterpillar.  But the GOOD NEWS is that that is NOT the end!  The story, OUR story, doesn't end there.  We have new life in Christ and with the resurrection, we are given the chance to be a butterfly.  So, soak in the resurrection this year and let your colors shine through!!  Show the world your brightness.  Be the person that God has created you to be!  In the name of the father, son and holy spirit, All God's people say - Amen!

HAPPY EASTER!