Title: Kids drama for Sunday School - The Case of the Empty tomb 
Object Lesson Props: Magnifying glass and cloak (for Inspector Snoop), Card table and blanket (tomb), Round cardboard (stone), strips of cloth (grave clothes),
Basic Children's sermon idea: Inspector Snoop gets the children to help solve the “case of the Empty Tomb.”
Full Children's Sermon:
(At the front of the church somewhere place a card table partially covered with a blanket. Have some “stone” rolled away nearby. Place cloth strips in the corner inside the card table “tomb.” Inspector Snoop should carry a magnifying glass. You can put two baseball caps back to back on top of each other to look like Sherlock Holmes.)
Good Morning Children. Inspector Snoop here. I’ve been called in this morning to help solve a very important mystery. It’s the case of the Empty Tomb! I need you kids to help me solve this mystery. It just doesn’t add up. As you know here in Jerusalem there was what seemed like a terrible crime – Jesus was put to death on the cross. It just doesn’t make sense. They put him in a tomb and rolled a huge stone across the entrance. Now I’ve heard a report that someone stole the Jesus’ body away from the grave. It just doesn’t add up. I need your help in order to solve this mystery. Please follow me – let’s go over here to where they say they put Jesus’ body. (Lead the children to the “tomb.”) Look at this. I think it’s a big round stone. Where do you think this came from? Hmm. It just doesn’t add up. Where else should we look? Yes. Let’s go over here to this tomb. Hmmm. The stone has been rolled away so we can look inside. Can you see anything inside? (Let the children look inside) Yes, it’s empty. Jesus isn’t there. Better go inside to take a better look. (Let some of the children go inside – they will see the white cloth in the corner) Can you see anything? What’s that? Just some white cloth? (Use your magnifying glass) Hmmm. Those are no ordinary pieces of cloth. Those are grave cloths –the kind they use to bury dead people in. Hmmm. It just doesn’t add up. Jesus died, they placed him in this tomb, and they wrapped him in grave clothes, and rolled a stone across the entrance. Now the tomb is empty and all that is here is these grave clothes! Hmmm. What do you children think? What happened to Jesus? (Let the children respond). That’s right! You’ve got it! You kids have solved the mystery of the Empty Tomb. Now I remember that Jesus said that he would rise again but no one believed him. We’ve solved the case. Jesus rose again from the dead and is alive!
(Option: Have some excited disciples come along that you can interview. They can testify that they’ve seen Jesus alive and well. You could also ask members of the congregation where Jesus is and let them answer too.)
There you have it folks. These kids have helped me (Inspector Snoop) solve the case of the Empty Tomb. This is the most important mystery in the world that has been solved.
The good news is that because Jesus rose from the dead he is alive and we can know him as our Savior and friend. That is something to celebrate. Jesus is Alive. Halleluiah!
Pray: Thank you God for Easter Day – The day Jesus rose from the dead. Thank you God that you brought him back to life and that he is alive. That’s the best news in the world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
