Editor’s Note—Because of the coronavirus, Easter will look a little different in 2020. So we’re helping churches and families adjust to this new reality with a newly reimagined Easter Jam resource. You can download this at-home Easter experience for the whole family now!

High school is full of new challenges and experiences. Remember what it was like?  

• Entering the front doors on the first day of ninth grade. 
• Trying to find a prom date, or wondering if you’ll get asked at all. 
• Worrying that you aren’t at the “right” lunch table. 
• Sweating over whether or not you’ll get accepted to the college you’ve always wanted to attend.  

Who can forget all that anxiety and awkwardness, right? Because as much as high school is about making memories, it also includes a lot of fear and trepidation for teens.  

As a leader, you want to look for moments to celebrate success and counter those fears. And Easter is the perfect opportunity to do just that.  

A Reminder of Faithfulness 

How is a 2,000-year-old story relevant to a 16-year-old living in the craziness of today’s world?  

Easter, whether it happened 10 years ago or 2,000 years ago, is a reminder of God’s faithfulness.  

God came down to Earth, in the form of His Son Jesus, to live and eventually die among His own creation. Then, three days later, He was gone–the tomb was empty.   

He died, and then resurrected, in the very world He created–all so that we could eventually come to know Him and have a relationship with Him. It was the ultimate sacrifice.  

And the crazy, miraculous thing: He’s still here! Not in human form, of course, but He’s all around us as the Holy Spirit.  

For a teenager going through so much physical and emotional change, that has to be a huge comfort. God was here, is here; and He’ll never leave. That’s true faithfulness.  

Taking Advantage of the Big Moments 

For you, this phase is all about taking advantage of the right moments. These moments come in the form of grade level promotions, life stage milestones, and shared traditions like Easter.  

Holidays like Easter are perfect opportunities to make an impact because they only come once a year–so, there’s no chance for overkill in your teaching. Look for practical and meaningful ways to leverage the Easter story, and share those with parents and other leaders in your ministry.  

Think about it this way: If everyday moments are the pages of our lives, then big moments are the turning points in the story. Easter gives teenagers the chance to step back and take a breath from their day-to-day stress, those everyday moments. Then, it connects them to the bigger story, God’s story. All of this is His story, and we get to be a part of it. 

So, don’t miss this opportunity, the power of the empty tomb. Use that power to connect teens back to The One who created them, died for them, and wants to build a relationship with them still today.  

God’s faithfulness has no limits, and He’ll go to every length to bring us to Him.