Pause for Thought: Keeping Promises
An Easter assembly
by Janice Ross
Suitable for Key Stage 2
Aims
To consider that Jesus’ death fulfilled promises that he had made.
Preparation and materials
- You will need to arrange with some children to rehearse the scenario in the ‘Assembly’, Step 2, prior to the assembly.
Assembly
- Ask the children, ‘Have you ever felt disappointed because someone close to you broke a promise?’
Point out that if the children have experienced a broken promise, they might understand how Jesus’ disciples felt after he died. - Tell the children that they are now going to watch a scenario that shows what might have happened.
Leader: All of the disciples are together in a little upstairs room. They are frightened because they wonder whether, as Jesus’ followers, they might be killed too. They also feel really let down by Jesus, and they are missing him.
The disciples are sitting, huddled together, looking sad and anxious.
Disciple 1: Maybe we got it all wrong from the start.
Disciple 2: Yes, maybe we should never have left our fishing boats and followed him.
Disciple 3: But he did seem to be everything that he said he was. He was kind and caring, he spoke the truth and we loved being with him.
Disciple 4: Yes, it felt like he was everything that we’d been longing for.
Disciple 1: Well, he certainly didn’t rid us of the Romans! He wasn’t exactly the saviour we were expecting.
Disciple 3: He did say that he had come to save his people.
Disciple 2: And look how that turned out! He couldn’t even save himself!
Disciple 4: Remember when he said, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life’?
Disciple 1: And he promised us peace. I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t have any!
Disciple 2: So, were we wrong to trust his words? Was it all for nothing?
Leader: The disciples were in a state of shock. Jesus had seemed to be the hope that they’d all longed for. Was he nothing but another promise-breaker? No! The disciples would soon discover that Jesus was the most amazing promise-keeper ever - they just hadn’t understood his promises!
Jesus knew that people’s greatest need wasn’t being rescued from the Romans. Instead, they needed forgiveness from God. However, Jesus knew that there was nothing that people could do to solve that problem by themselves. He was the only one who had the answer.
Mary Magdalene (running in to the disciples): Jesus is alive! He’s alive! I’ve seen him! Come quickly!
The disciples look at one another in bewilderment, and then get up and hurry out.
Time for reflection
Explain that Christians believe that when God made people, he made them perfect. However, ever since, people have been doing wrong things and not living how God wanted them to. That’s why there is so much unhappiness in our lovely world. Christians believe that Jesus’ death and resurrection provide a way for people to be forgiven for the wrong things that they have done. It means that people can have a fresh start. The disciples hadn’t really understood this. They hadn’t expected Jesus to die in the way that he did, but when he came back to life again, they began to understand.
Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for the wonderful news that Jesus is alive.
Thank you that we can always trust you to keep your promises.
Please help us to be people who can be trusted.
Amen.
Song/music
‘Alive, alive’ by God’s Kids Worship, available at: https://tinyurl.com/2p862dft (2.35 minutes long)
