Knock, Knock - Who’s There?

The Easter story

by Janice Ross

Suitable for Whole School (Sec)

Aims

To retell the Easter story by using knock-knock jokes.

Preparation and materials

• You will need a leader and three readers.
  
  
• Optional: you may wish to arrange for some of the students to tell their favourite knock-knock jokes at the beginning of the assembly, in which case you will need to censor them beforehand! Alternatively, ask some students to tell some knock-knock jokes that you have prepared. Examples are available at: https://short-funny.com/best-knock-jokes.php

Assembly

Optional: ask some of the students to tell some knock-knock jokes. These can either be their own favourites or ones that you have prepared.

Leader: What a great collection of knock-knock jokes! In this assembly, we’re going to be hearing the Easter story . . . with some knock-knock jokes along the way.

Reader 1: Knock, knock.

Audience: Who’s there?

Reader 1: Sadie.

Audience: Sadie who?

Reader 1: Sadie magic word and watch me disappear!

Leader: There was a time when Jesus disappeared, and it certainly wasn’t funny! Many people had watched as he was crucified. Many had heard his anguish, and seen his pain. Many had seen him die, be taken down from the cross by Roman guards and then be placed in a burial cave. Many had watched as a stone was rolled across the entrance and guards took up their positions outside the tomb.

However, the next day, when Mary and some other women came early to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body, they discovered that he had disappeared. The stone had been rolled away and the tomb was empty. At that moment, their sadness and bereavement turned to fear, shock and horror.

Mary wandered the garden in tears until a gardener asked her why she was crying.

Reader 2: Knock, knock.

Audience: Who’s there?

Reader 2: There’s no body.

Audience: There’s nobody who?

Reader 2: It’s Mary and there’s NO BODY!

Leader: Mary wasn’t the only one to be grappling with Jesus’ disappearance. The Roman guards were called before their boss to explain what had happened. They were in serious trouble for losing Jesus’ body! After all, bodies don’t just disappear and Pilate had ordered that the tomb be made as secure as possible. The guards had even put a seal on the stone before standing guard outside, yet, despite all this, early on Sunday morning, Jesus had risen from the dead! The guards were so terrified by what had happened that they had fainted in fear.

Meanwhile, Mary had realized that the gardener she was talking to was actually Jesus! She immediately rushed down the road to share her news with some other followers of Jesus. When Peter opened the door to her urgent knocking, Mary explained what had just happened. Peter was really confused, but he ran to the tomb to see for himself. He saw that Mary was right: there was no body! Jesus wasn’t there, although the cloths that his body had been wrapped in were still there. Even the cloth that had covered his head was there, neatly folded.

Later, the disciples were all together in an upstairs room, trying to come to terms with the news, when there was a knock at the door.

Reader 3: Knock, knock.

Audience: Who’s there?

Reader 3: Lettuce.

Audience: Lettuce who?

Reader 3: Lettuce in, it’s cold out here!

Leader: Actually, that bit is just a joke! Jesus didn’t knock on the door and ask to come in. Instead, the disciples were sitting in the room, mulling over the day’s events, when Jesus appeared, right there among them! He hadn’t needed to knock. He had risen from the dead and he had a different body now. He had come to be with his disciples and comfort them.

Time for reflection

Can you imagine how surprised Jesus’ friends would have been? He was really alive again! He had risen from the dead! What great news!

Jesus coming back to life again is called the resurrection. It is a central Christian belief. Christians believe that Jesus died on the cross and then came back to life. On Good Friday, they remember his death and on Easter Sunday, they celebrate his resurrection.

Over the years, many people have tried to disprove Jesus’ resurrection. However, no one has managed to do so and, in fact, many people have come to believe in the resurrection during their attempts to disprove it.

Christians also believe that Jesus didn’t die again, but went back to heaven alive, which means that he is always there for us to talk to, any time.

Prayer
You may wish to use the Apostles’ Creed, which is a statement of Christian beliefs including the resurrection of Jesus. The Church of England version is given below.

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day, he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.

Song/music

‘Alive’ by Hillsong Young & Free, available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEvEVALLjNQ (3.48 minutes long)