Gospel Sparks Get the app

He Is Risen!

A Passover supper, a garden prayer, a rolled-away stone, and the happiest empty tomb in the world

  • 💧 Valiant 7–8
  • Week 13
  • 📅 Sunday, March 28, 2027
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

Jesus Christ suffered and died for us, and on the third day He rose again, so because He lives, I can be forgiven and everyone will live again.

I can remember that Jesus lives and tell others the happy news: He is risen!

Come, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Easter Week)
Know the chapters

The manual’s Easter lesson walks day by day through the last week of the Savior’s life. Crowds waved branches and shouted “Hosanna” as He rode into Jerusalem, in Matthew 21. He cleansed the temple so it would be a house of prayer. He taught that serving “the least of these” is serving Him, in Matthew 25:40. Then came the Last Supper and Gethsemane, in Matthew 26, and His Crucifixion, in Matthew 27. While His body lay in the tomb, He ministered to the spirits of the dead. See 1 Peter 3:18–20 and Doctrine and Covenants 138. And then came Easter morning, in Matthew 28, Luke 24, and John 20.

The heart of this lesson is the Resurrection. Early on the first day of the week, women came to the tomb. They found the great stone rolled away. Matthew tells of an earthquake and an angel whose clothes were white as snow. The guards shook and fell down. An angel told the women, “He is not here: for he is risen, as he said.” That’s Matthew 28:6. Peter and John ran to see the empty tomb. Mary Magdalene stayed, weeping. Then a man she thought was the gardener said her name, “Mary,” and she knew Him. That’s John 20:11–16. She ran to tell the disciples she’d seen the Lord, in John 20:18. Later He appeared to His Apostles, to Thomas, and to two disciples on the road to Emmaus. He also visited the people in the Americas, in 3 Nephi 11.

For eight-year-olds, make the order clear and simple. On Thursday, Jesus gave the first sacrament and suffered in Gethsemane for our sins and sorrows. On Friday, He gave His life. On Sunday, He rose with a perfect body that will never die again. Tell the Crucifixion gently and briefly. The children only need to know He chose to give His life because He loves us. Spend your energy on the joy of Sunday morning.

Leave them with two truths. Because Jesus suffered for us, we can repent and be clean. The sacrament helps us remember that every week. And because He was resurrected, everyone will be resurrected too, in 1 Corinthians 15:22. Some children have lost a grandparent or a pet. This is the most hopeful news you can give them. Paul’s shout of victory in 1 Corinthians 15:55 gives the lesson its title. Death doesn’t win.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read Matthew 28:1–10 and John 20:11–18. Grab a small box, a rock and a glove. Open the empty tomb and tell the Easter story from Teach Mode. Say the key verse with motions, do the Glove and the Hand, and close with your testimony that Jesus lives. Brought nothing? Tap “I brought nothing.” Cupped hands become the tomb, and your sleeve becomes the glove.

What to bring2 items

Tick what you have. Forgot something? Every step that needs a supply has a no-supplies version in the plan below.

Before class

  1. Read Matthew 28:1–10 and John 20:11–18.
  2. Set the EMPTY box on your table with the stone leaning against it. Put the glove in your pocket.

If your class is wild

  • The story starts quiet and ends joyful. Tell them before you begin: “First we’ll be very reverent. Then it gets SO happy.”
  • Echo lines work beautifully on Easter. Whisper “He is risen,” and let it come back as a whisper.
  • In scenes 1 to 3, drop your voice to a whisper and slow down. Kids almost always match your volume.
  • Only kids with folded arms get to open the tomb or hold the glove. You’ll see instant reverence.
  • A child may ask a hard question about the cross or someone who died. Answer simply and gently. Then move on to Sunday morning.

The 25-minute plan24 min + bonus

Bonus steps are for when you have extra time. Steps that mention Teach Mode, the Sound Board or other class games refer to the Gospel Sparks app; on the web you can play Forehead Guess and Scripture Showdown from this page.

1. Hook

The Happiest Empty Box

3 min

A closed “tomb” builds suspense for the best surprise in history: it’s empty.

  1. SAY“After Jesus died, His friends laid His body in a tomb. They rolled a big stone in front. Soldiers guarded it.”
  2. Point to the box. Ask what the women expected to find at the tomb on Sunday morning. Take two or three answers.
  3. A kid with folded arms rolls the stone away and opens the box. Everyone leans in. EMPTY!
  4. SAY“Empty is the happiest word of Easter. Let’s find out why.”
🌪️ Only kids with folded arms get to open the tomb.

Class screen: 🪨 What’s behind the stone? · 🪨 What’s inside?

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A small box with a lid (or an upside-down paper cup) and a rock or jar lid for the stone

The Hand Tomb

  1. SAY“After Jesus died, His friends laid His body in a tomb. They rolled a big stone in front. Cup your hands closed. That’s your tomb.”
  2. Ask what the women expected to find at the tomb on Sunday morning. Take two or three answers.
  3. Call “Roll the stone away!” and tap the bells sound. Everyone opens their hands and peeks in. EMPTY!
  4. SAY“Empty is the happiest word of Easter. Let’s find out why.”

Class screen: 🤲 Peek inside the tomb… · 🤲 Peek inside…

2. Story

Story: The First Easter Morning

8 min

Kids feel the quiet of Friday and the huge joy of Sunday morning, from their seats.

  1. SAY“This is the true story of the first Easter. At the happy part, I’ll say a line, and you say it right back.”
  2. Open the story in Teach Mode. When a line shows at the bottom, say it first. Then the class says it back.
  3. Read scenes 1 to 3 slowly and softly. Nobody plays Jesus. You read His words.
  4. At scene 6, pause after “Mary.” Ask how she felt when He said her name. Jesus knows your name too.
🌪️ If giggles come in the quiet scenes, stop, whisper, and wait. Then read the scene again.

Class screen: 🌅 The First Easter Morning · 🙏 Quiet and reverent · 🙌 He is risen!

3. Scripture

Key Verse: Matthew 28:6

4 min

The angel’s words are the Easter message, and kids can say them with joy.

  1. SAY“Here are the happiest words the angel ever said.”
  2. Show the verse on your phone or tablet and read it slowly.
  3. Teach the motions one phrase at a time.
  4. Say it three ways. Whisper it like the women peeking in. Then say it normally. Then use your happiest “I have to tell everyone!” voice.
  5. Ask, “What did Jesus promise that came true?” That He’d rise again on the third day.

Class screen: ✨ He is not here: for he is risen!

4. Object lesson

The Glove and the Hand

6 min

A glove makes resurrection easy to see: spirit and body together again, forever.

  1. SAY“This glove is like your body. My hand is like your spirit.”
  2. Put the glove on and wave. Together they can run and laugh and hug. Slowly pull your hand out. The glove lies still.
  3. SAY“When someone dies, the spirit leaves the body. But the spirit is still alive!”
  4. Wiggle your hand. Put the glove back on and hold it high. On Easter, Jesus’s spirit and body came back together forever.
  5. Let two calm kids try the glove. Ask who they’re excited to see again someday. Because of Jesus, we will.
🌪️ The glove only goes to kids who are sitting criss-cross.

Class screen: 🧤 Body + spirit = together again forever! · 🧤 Body · ✋ Spirit · 🧤✋ Resurrected!

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A glove (winter, work or garden glove)

The Empty Sleeve

  1. SAY“My sleeve is like your body. My hand is like your spirit.”
  2. Push your hand out of the cuff and wave. Then pull your hand up inside the sleeve. The cuff hangs still.
  3. SAY“When someone dies, the spirit leaves the body. But the spirit is still alive!”
  4. Push your hand back out and hold it high. On Easter, Jesus’s spirit and body came back together forever.
  5. Ask who they’re excited to see again someday. Say, “Because of Jesus, everyone will be resurrected. We’ll see them again.”

Class screen: 🧥 Body + spirit = together again forever! · 🧥 Body · ✋ Spirit · Together FOREVER!

5. Testimony

Testimony & Easter Witness

3 min

End with the most important thing: the teacher’s own witness that Jesus lives.

  1. SAY“Mary was the first to tell others that Jesus lives. I want to tell you too.”
  2. Wait for quiet.
  3. Share simply that you know Jesus suffered for us, died for us, and rose again. Add a sentence about why it matters to you.
  4. Invite any child who wants to share a sentence about Jesus.
  5. Show the Easter Witness challenge. Then invite a child to say the closing prayer.

Class screen: 🌅 This week: be an Easter Witness! · Like Mary, tell someone: “He is risen!” · Think of Jesus during the sacrament

6. Game

Forehead Guess: Easter Edition

4 minBONUS

A Heads Up–style review of the people and places of Easter week.

  1. SAY“Let’s see what you remember! Give clues, but don’t say the word.”
  2. Tap Forehead Guess.
  3. One kid holds your phone or tablet on their forehead, screen facing the class. Everyone else gives clues from their seats.
  4. Tilt down for “got it” and up to pass. Each turn is 45 seconds. Give clues about the cross and Gethsemane reverently.
🌪️ Go around the room one clue at a time.
▶ Play Forehead Guess on the web

Class screen: 🤔 Forehead Guess! · Give clues, don’t say the word!

7. Game

Scripture Showdown

5 minBONUS

A fast team quiz reviews everything they learned.

  1. SAY“Team Sunrise versus Team Empty Tomb!”
  2. Split the class in two and tap Scripture Showdown.
  3. Read each question out loud. Teams whisper together, then point to an answer.
  4. Tap the team that got it right to give them a point.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

Class screen: 🏆 Scripture Showdown!

The story

The First Easter Morning

Matthew 26–28; John 20:1–18 ↗

Optional helpers

  • Sound HelperSits next to you and taps each scene’s sound on your phone or tablet.

Scenes

  1. 🍞🙏 The Last Supper

    On Thursday night, Jesus ate a special Passover supper with His Apostles. He blessed and broke bread, gave them a cup, and asked them to remember Him. That was the very first sacrament.

    🙌 Fold your arms and bow your head, like during the sacrament.

  2. 🌳🙏 A prayer in the garden

    Then Jesus went to a garden called Gethsemane to pray. There He felt the weight of every sin, sadness and pain, so He could help us. He prayed, “Not as I will, but as thou wilt.”

    🙌

  3. ✝️🪨 He gave His life for us

    On Friday, Jesus was crucified. He could have stopped it, but He chose to give His life because He loves us. His friends laid His body in a tomb and rolled a great stone across the door.

    🙌 Hand on heart. Five silent seconds.

  4. 💥👼 An earthquake and an angel!

    Early on Sunday morning, the earth shook! An angel came down from heaven, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His clothes were white as snow. The soldiers guarding the tomb shook with fear.

    🙌

  5. 👼✨ “He is not here: for he is risen!”

    As the sun came up, women came to the tomb with spices. The stone was rolled away! The angel said, “Fear not… He is not here: for he is risen, as he said.”

    🙌 Say it back, softly: “He is not here: for he is risen.”

  6. 😢➡️😊 “Mary.” “Master!”

    Peter and John ran to the tomb. John got there first! It was empty. Later, Mary Magdalene stood outside, crying. A man she thought was the gardener said just one word: “Mary.” She knew that voice. It was Jesus, alive!

    🙌

  7. 🙌🌍 Mary runs to tell the disciples!

    Mary said, “Rabboni,” which means Master. Then she ran to tell the disciples she had seen the Lord! Jesus appeared to many more people, even in the Americas. He is alive, and He lives today!

    🙌 Say it back in your happiest voice: “He is risen! He lives!”

Key verse

Matthew 28:6 ↗
“He is not here: for he is risen, as he said”
In kid words: The angel said, “Jesus isn’t in the tomb. He is alive again, just like He promised!”
🙌 “He is not here” = shake your head and hold out empty hands · “for he is risen” = raise both arms slowly all the way up · “as he said” = touch your lips, then give a big thumbs-up (He keeps His promises!)

More verses

John 20:16 ↗
“Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master”
In kid words: Jesus said her name, “Mary,” and she knew Him right away. She said, “Master!”
John 20:18 ↗
“Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the LORD”
In kid words: Mary ran and told the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!”
1 Corinthians 15:22 ↗
“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive”
In kid words: Everyone will die someday, but because of Jesus, everyone will live again!
1 Corinthians 15:55 ↗
“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”
In kid words: Death doesn’t win! Jesus beat it.

Forehead Guess words18 words

  • 👩 Mary Magdalene
  • 👼 Angel
  • ⛰️ Tomb
  • 🪨 Stone
  • 💥 Earthquake
  • 💂 Guards
  • 🎣 Peter
  • 🏃 John
  • 🌷 Gardener
  • 🖐️ Thomas
  • 🌿 Palm branches
  • 🐴 Donkey
  • 🙌 Hosanna
  • 🍞 Last Supper
  • 💧 Sacrament
  • 🫒 Gethsemane
  • ✝️ Cross
  • 🌅 Resurrection
Clues for each word
  • Mary Magdalene: The first person to see Jesus after He rose
  • Angel: Rolled back the stone; clothes white as snow
  • Tomb: A room carved out of rock
  • Stone: Big and round, it was rolled away
  • Earthquake: The ground shook when the angel came
  • Guards: Soldiers who shook and fell down
  • Peter: Apostle who went inside the empty tomb
  • John: Apostle who won the race to the tomb
  • Gardener: Who Mary thought Jesus was at first
  • Thomas: Apostle who wanted to see the nail prints
  • Palm branches: People waved them and shouted “Hosanna!”
  • Donkey: Jesus rode one into Jerusalem
  • Hosanna: What the crowd shouted on Palm Sunday
  • Last Supper: Jesus’s special meal with His Apostles
  • Sacrament: Bread and water to remember Jesus every Sunday
  • Gethsemane: The garden where Jesus prayed and suffered for us
  • Cross: Where Jesus gave His life for us
  • Resurrection: Body and spirit together again forever
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown8 questions

  1. Who was the first person to see Jesus after He rose?
    • A. Mary Magdalene
    • B. Pilate
    • C. A soldier
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Mary Magdalene Jesus said her name, and she knew Him right away (John 20:16).

  2. What was rolled in front of the tomb?
    • A. A wooden door
    • B. A great stone
    • C. A cart
    Show answer

    ✅ B. A great stone It was huge, but the angel rolled it away!

  3. What happened when the angel came to the tomb?
    • A. It snowed
    • B. A rainbow appeared
    • C. A great earthquake
    Show answer

    ✅ C. A great earthquake Matthew 28:2. The guards shook with fear!

  4. What did the angel tell the women?
    • A. “He is not here: for he is risen.”
    • B. “Come back tomorrow.”
    • C. “Be very quiet.”
    Show answer

    ✅ A. “He is not here: for he is risen.” Matthew 28:6, the happiest news ever told.

  5. Who won the race to the tomb?
    • A. Peter
    • B. John
    • C. Thomas
    Show answer

    ✅ B. John John got there first, and Peter went inside first (John 20:4–6).

  6. Who did Mary think Jesus was at first?
    • A. A soldier
    • B. A fisherman
    • C. The gardener
    Show answer

    ✅ C. The gardener Then He said, “Mary,” and she knew it was Him!

  7. What did Jesus give His Apostles at the Last Supper?
    • A. The first sacrament
    • B. New sandals
    • C. A map
    Show answer

    ✅ A. The first sacrament We take the sacrament every Sunday to remember Him.

  8. Because Jesus was resurrected, who will be resurrected too?
    • A. Only prophets
    • B. Everyone
    • C. Only grown-ups
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Everyone 1 Corinthians 15:22: “in Christ shall all be made alive.”

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

Songs

  • Did Jesus Really Live Again? Children’s Songbook, p. 64

    The question every child asks at Easter, and the joyful answer. Find it ↗

  • He Died That We Might Live Again Children’s Songbook, p. 65

    Sing it softly before your testimony. Find it ↗

  • On a Golden Springtime Children’s Songbook, p. 88

    A springtime song about the first Easter morning. Find it ↗

  • I Know That My Redeemer Lives Hymns, no. 136

    The Easter hymn many kids will hear in sacrament meeting today. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Easter Witness

Like Mary, be a witness! Tell someone the happy news, “He is risen!” Share a reason you love Jesus. During the sacrament next Sunday, think about Him the whole time the bread and water are passed.

Text the parents

Happy Easter! Today in Primary we heard the story of the first Easter morning. The stone was rolled away. The angel said, “He is not here: for he is risen.” And Jesus said Mary’s name. We used a glove to learn that resurrection means body and spirit together forever. Ask your child what the angel said. Then talk about someone you’re excited to see again because Jesus was resurrected.

📝 After class

What worked? Who needs a check-in this week? Jot it here on a printed copy, or in the app’s private class notes.

Got extra time?

🌿 Hosanna Wave · 3 min

  1. Read Matthew 21:8–9. People spread coats and branches on the road and shouted “Hosanna!” as Jesus rode in.
  2. Read verse 9 again. Everyone waves their arms like palm branches and whispers, “Hosanna!”
  3. Ask, “How can we welcome Jesus into our lives today?”

🤝 Ye Have Done It unto Me · 4 min

  1. Read Matthew 25:35–40. When we feed the hungry, visit the sick or help a stranger, we’re doing it for Jesus.
  2. Brainstorm a secret Easter service each child can do, like clearing the table or drawing a card for a neighbor.
  3. Say, “Serving others is a way to say thank You to Jesus.”

💛 Blessed Are They That Have Not Seen · 3 min

  1. Read John 20:24–29. Thomas wouldn’t believe until he saw Jesus’s hands. Then Jesus came and showed him.
  2. Read verse 29 again. Jesus blessed those who believe without seeing Him.
  3. Ask how we can know Jesus lives without seeing Him. The Holy Ghost, scriptures, prophets, and answered prayers.

🔥 Hearts That Burn · 3 min

  1. Tell about the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, in Luke 24:13–32. They walked with Jesus without knowing it was Him.
  2. Read Luke 24:32. Their hearts felt warm when He taught them.
  3. Ask, “Have you ever felt warm and peaceful learning about Jesus?” That’s the Holy Ghost telling you it’s true.

🌿 Holy Week Walk · 4 min

  1. Say, “Let’s walk through Jesus’s last week with our hands.” Teach a seated motion for each day as you tell it.
  2. Sunday, wave branches: “Hosanna!” Monday, fingertips together for a house of prayer. Wednesday, offer a helping hand.
  3. Thursday, fold arms for the first sacrament. Friday, hand on heart, silent.
  4. Easter Sunday, arms up: “He is risen!”
  5. Say, “Every day that week, Jesus was showing His love. And it all led to Sunday!”

Sources

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version, the Bible used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tap or click a reference to open it in Gospel Library. Start with the official Come, Follow Me manual; these ideas are here to help it come alive.

All Valiant 7–8 lessons