Children’s Story: The Day After Easter

by Karen S. Roberts

“Oh, my stomach hurts,” groaned Robbie.

“Hey, stay away from me,” said Dylan, “I don’t want your germs. Gotta stay healthy!”

“Don’t worry, I’m not contagious,” answered Robbie.

“Then what’s wrong?”

Robbie rubbed his stomach. “I stuffed myself with Easter candy. I ate almost everything in my basket.”

“But it’s only the day after Easter,” said Dylan. “You mean you already at most of your candy?”

“Yeah, and I don’t feel so good now,” groaned Robbie. “Finishing off that chocolate bunny awhile ago gave me a stomach ache.”

“I was going to eat my whole chocolate cross today, but now I think maybe I’ll just eat part of it,” laughed Dylan.

“Chocolate cross? I never heard of that before. How come you got a cross instead of a bunny?”

“Cause my parents want me to remember the real meaning of Easter,” answered Dylan.

“Easter has a meaning? What do you mean? It’s just a fun time with eggs, candy, a big dinner, and all that stuff, isn’t it?”

“That’s what I used to think too.” Dylan smiled. “But last year on Easter I got an Easter gift that changed all that. It’s a gift that isn’t like your candy. It will never run out, and it won’t make me sick. In fact, it’s a gift that keeps getting better all the time.”

‘What are you talking about? I don’t get it.”

Dylan continued. “OK, let me back up and tell you what happened. A year ago some friends of my parents invited them to go to their church with them on Easter Sunday and then to go over to their house for dinner afterward. We didn’t go to church back then, and I wasn’t too thrilled to have to go, but I had to go along with my parents. When we got there, they dropped me off in the kids’ church room. I felt kind of out of it cause I didn’t know anyone. But a couple kids there were really nice and talked to me and invited me to sit with them.”

“So what does this have to do with the gift you’re talking about?” asked Robbie.

“Hang on. I’m getting to that. That day I heard for the first time the real meaning of Easter. They explained that all of us have done things wrong, and that’s called sin. With sin in our lives, we can’t go to heaven. But God loves us so much that He came here to earth as Jesus. He let people kill him by hanging him on a cross.”

“Oh yeah,” said Robbie. “They show movies about that on TV around Easter. But tell me about the gift.”

“OK,” said Dylan. “It’s like this. We have Easter because Jesus didn’t stay dead. He came alive – walked right out of the tomb where they buried Him on the Sunday after the Friday He was killed. Because He won out over death, He has the power to forgive us for our sins and to give us a special gift called eternal life. It’s a life where we get to be God’s special friends and can someday go to heaven to be with Him.”

“I still don’t get it,” said Robbie. “How does what Jesus did turn into a gift that gets better all the time?

“It’s because God has a law that says that the only way people can be forgiven for all the wrong things that they do is through a sacrifice that involves shedding blood. Before Jesus came, people had to kill and burn animals all the time to take care of their sins. But Jesus never sinned and was the perfect sacrifice. So all that has changed.

That Easter I asked Him to forgive me and invited Him to come take over my life. He made me His child, and He sent His Spirit to live inside of me. It keeps getting better because the more I love Him, the more I feel His love for me. He helps me all the time. I talk to Him and He is always doing things to show me His love.”

“Like what?”

“Well, remember that math test we had last week?”

“Yeah, that was a killer. I don’t know where Ms. Beauford came up with those questions. I only got a C on the test.”

“Well, the night before the test I was studying,”answered Dylan. “and I asked Jesus to help me study the right things. For some reason I flipped to the back of the book and saw that there were some questions and problems for each chapter. I looked at them and decided to work them out to practice for the test. I got stuck on a few and asked my dad to help me figure them out. I couldn’t believe it when I saw the test. A lot of the questions and problems were just like the ones in the back of the book. Jesus helped me study the right things.”

“Really? I’m going to have to check out the back of the book before the next test!” said Robbie. “What did you get on the test?”

“I got an A minus,” said Dylan. “That’s what I’m talking about. With Jesus in my life, I know I’m going to heaven to be with Him someday. But I also know that He’s always with me and will help me when I talk to Him. It’s not like everything goes perfect, but He’s there to help me through things.”

“Has he helped you with anything else?” asked Robbie.

“Well yeah – something big. My parents used to fight a lot, and I thought they might get a divorce. But when we went to that church on Easter, I wasn’t the only one who prayed and invited Jesus into my life. They did too. We started going to church every week, and now we read the Bible and pray together at home too. They are getting along so much better now! Jesus did a miracle in our family!”

“Wow,” said Robbie. “so that’s why they gave you a chocolate cross instead of a chocolate bunny.”

“Yeah,” remembering what Jesus did for us on the cross is really important in our lives.”

“Do you think Jesus would help my stomach feel better?” asked Robbie.

“Sure,” answered Dylan. “Let’s ask Him right now. And if you want to, you can ask Him to come into your life and forgive your sins too.”

“OK, let’s do it!” said Robbie. I’ve had enough of chocolate bunnies. I’d rather have Jesus’ gift that keeps getting better and better!”
Listen to what these kids have to say about Easter.

Take a look at these:
“Easter Programs for Children: Plays, Poems, and Ideas for a Joyful Celebration!”

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