Resurrection Eggs & Cookies

[imported_rachel]

Resurrection Eggs are 12 plastic eggs containing certain items used to tell the story of the resurrection starting with that first Palm Sunday. You can make your own, or buy the set already together with a devotional book. FamilyLife is the company and their website is www.familylife.com. The twelve eggs contain the following items in order:

1. Donkey (Jesus' Triumphal Entry)
2. Coins (Judas' Blood Money)
3. Passover Cup (The Last Supper)
4. Praying Hands (The Garden of Gethsemane)
5. Leather Whip (Jesus' Trial and 39 Lashes)
6. Crown of Thorns (Mocking of Jesus)
7. Nails (Jesus' Crucifixion)
8. Dice (Grambling for Jesus' Robe)
9. Soilder's Spear (Soldier Piercing Jesus' side)
10. Linen (Jesus' Grave Clothes)
11. Stone (Stone Rolled Away)
12. EMPTY (Jesus' Resurrection)

As you open each one read a passage from one of the Gospels about each egg. Discuss it with children and they or you can ask questions. When you purchase the eggs from FamilyLife (They are a division of Campus Crusade for Christ) it comes with a book that gives you scripture references and then a devotion. Over the years we have tailored it to our family and from teaching various age levels of Sunday School have come up with different details that are age appropriate. The devotional book also gives you 16 other symbols you could use with Bible references. This year we added a few new ones for our 7 year old.

Resurrection Day Cookies reveal an empty tomb
This recipe for Easter-morning fun is a memorable way to illustrate the concept of the empty tomb to youngsters. Great for families, Sunday schools, etc.

The idea of Easter Cookies has recently been propagated internationally via email. We have not "tested" the idea in our own home yet, so we can't quite vouch for it's veracity. You be the judge! However, we agree that the ingredients seem appropriate and the outcome sounds delightful. So we share this unproven idea with one extra suggestion; try it secretly before you try it with your kids. Let us know how it turns out. Then, if it works as expected, make this one an "Easter-eve" family craft activity!

You'll need:

1 cup whole pecans
1 tsp. vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch salt
1 cup sugar
zipper-top baggie
wooden spoon
tape
Bible

What to do:

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

Place pecans in zipper bag and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. (read John 19:1-3)

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink. (read John 19:28-30)

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. (read John 10:10-11)

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. (read Luke 23:27)

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1c. sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. (read Psalms 34:8 and John 3:16)

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. (read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3)

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. (read Matt. 27:57-60)

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. (read Matt. 27:65-66)

GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. (read John 16:20 and 22)

On Easter morning (also known as Resurrection Day), open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. (read Matt. 28:1-9)

Pretty sure Jeanine posted both of these...

[maria]

I love the cookies!!! (I like the Resurrection Eggs, too but the cookies were something new) What a wonderful idea that I have never heard of before. Thanks Jeanine (or whoever) for those great tips. I know a tradition we'll be adding this year!

[raisinberry]

I love them! Thank you!

[PBJ]

What I did once was I used cressent rolls and put a marshmellow in side of it then sealed it. I then used cinn. suger and rolled it into it. Then I let them cook and when they were done the marshmellow had melted. It rep. that Jesus wasn't in the tomb any more.

[Phoebe]

this is an awesome idea!