“Jesus went back to heaven but He is still with us.”

Thank You, Jesus, for staying with me even in heaven.”

Acts 1:8-11

Children repeat after you:

“Dear God,
Thank You for loving us.
Thank You for Jesus.
Thank You for the Bible,
Your special book.
Help us listen and obey.
In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Song 1 – B-I-B-L-E

• Bible hands, hug the “book,” step on “I stand alone.”

Song 2 – Love the Lord

Song 3 – “Easter Joy” 
(Tune: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)
“If you’re happy Jesus lives, shout ‘He’s alive!’ (He’s alive!)
If you’re happy Jesus lives, shout ‘He’s alive!’ (He’s alive!)
If you’re happy Jesus lives,
You can clap and sing and give,
If you’re happy Jesus lives, shout ‘He’s alive!’ (He’s alive!)”

Sit kids in a circle. Use: Jesus figure, several disciples, cotton “clouds.”

a) Jesus with His friends after Easter
Place Jesus with the disciples.

• “After Jesus rose from the dead, He did not go to heaven right away. For many days, Jesus met with His friends. He talked with them, ate with them, and taught them more about God’s kingdom.”
• “The disciples saw with their own eyes that Jesus was really alive.”

b) Jesus’ promise and the hill
Move the group to a little “hill” (block area).

• “One day, Jesus took His friends up on a hill. He told them, ‘You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. Then you will go and tell people everywhere about Me.’ Jesus was giving them an important job—to tell the good news.”
• “Jesus also promised, ‘I am with you always.’”

c) Jesus goes up to heaven
Lift Jesus figure slowly while disciples “look up.”

• “Then, as the disciples were watching, Jesus began to go up. He went higher and higher, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. Jesus went back to heaven to be with God the Father.”

Place cotton clouds above.

• “The disciples kept looking up into the sky. Two angels came and said, ‘Jesus will come back someday.’”

e) Key phrase with motions
Teach and repeat:

• “Jesus went up to heaven. Jesus is still with me.”

Motions:
Move one hand from low to high on “went up to heaven.”
Point up (Jesus) then to self and hug on “still with me.”

Say it several times: loud, whisper, standing and sitting.

d) Jesus connection (where He is now, with us still)
Hold Jesus near your heart, then point upward.

“Jesus is in heaven now, ruling as King with God the Father. But He is not far away. Jesus is with us by His Spirit. He hears our prayers, loves us, and helps us. One day, Jesus will come back.”
“Until then, we can love Him, obey Him, and tell others about Him—just like the disciples did.”

Goal: 
Simple cloud/ascension picture with the presence line.

Steps

• Give each child a blue paper.
• Help them glue Jesus near the middle or lower-middle of the page, facing upward.
• Glue cotton balls above Jesus for clouds.
• They can draw disciples at the bottom looking up.
• Add the phrase at the bottom:
  • “Jesus went up to heaven. Jesus is still with me.”

Craft talk (short paragraph as they work)

• “Your picture shows Jesus going up into the sky, with clouds around Him. Jesus went back to heaven to be with God the Father. But Jesus is still with us by His Spirit. When you look at this picture, remember: ‘Jesus went up to heaven. Jesus is still with me.’”

When finished, have children hold up their pictures and say:

• “Jesus went up to heaven. Jesus is still with me.”