Family Easter Activity

"Empty Tomb" Marshmallow Delights

Ingredients:

1 (8 ounce) package refrigerated crescent rolls
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
8 large marshmallows
1/4 cup butter, melted

Instructions:
Separate rolls into eight triangles. Combine sugar and cinnamon. Dip each marshmallow into butter, roll in cinnamon-sugar and place on a triangle. Pinch dough around marshmallow, sealing all edges. *Make sure to seal well or all the marshmallow will escape.

Dip tops of dough into remaining butter and cinnamon-sugar. Place with sugar side up in greased muffin cups. It helps to use jumbo muffin tins so that the juice doesn’t overflow.

Bake at 375 degrees for 13 to 15 minutes. Eat warm.

These delicious 'tombs' are easy to make with kids and they invite the opportunity to explain about the ressurection because the disappearing marshmallow is supposed to represent Jesus being risen. They even taste like mini cinnamon buns :)

Here’s a breakdown of the symbolism:

• Large Marshmallows – body of Jesus
• Melted Butter – oils of embalming
• Cinnamon  and Sugar Mix- spices used to annoint the body.
• Crescent Roll – the wrapping of Jesus’ body or the tomb.
• Oven – the tomb
• Cavity in bun – the empty tomb or the empty cloths

Easter Week

The Resurrection

The Resurrection

Wednesday, March 20th & Sunday, March 24th

Key Passages: Matthew 27:62-28:15, Mark 15:20-47

Basic Truth: Mankind is justified by faith in what Jesus has done.

Memory Verse: Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1

Think about it: 

…  “Amuse” =  “not to think” -  amusements are designed to keep us in a state of distraction from thinking about our many burdens and, above all, about our relationship to God.

…  “Justified” =  “declared righteous” - the miracle of our acceptance as sinners by our holy God.  This pinnacle of our whole series of lessons requires us to think in depth.  Even the easier-to-understand meaning, “just-as-if-I’d-never-sinned”, calls for careful thought and humble gratitude.

 Set your amusements aside and spend some time thinking about being justified.  Then spend some time praying that your students will grasp the significance of sinners being declared righteous!

“For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”  (Romans 5:10)

Ask it:

All Levels

Q: What does it mean to be justified?

A: It means to be declared righteous; made acceptable to God.

Grade 1-2

Q: Why does God declare us righteous?

A: Jesus took the punishment for our sins and gives us His righteousness instead. If we believe that Jesus paid the penalty for all our sins, God forgives us and declares us righteous.

Q: What is a sinner and who does God say is a sinner?

A: A sinner is anyone who does not meet God's perfect standard. God says that every person is a sinner (Romans 3:23)

Q: When Jesus died, what happened to our sin?

A: Jesus payed the penalty of our sin. When He died, our sin was totally and forever taken care of!

Grade 3-4

Q: Why is Jesus' resurrection so important?

A: Jesus' resurrection proves that God is totally reliable to fulfill all promises. It also proves that His death was accepted by God as sufficient payment for sin.

Q: Read John 5:24. How can you know if you have crossed from death to life?

A: God says you have, if you trust what Jesus has done for you! 

Grade 5-6

Q: Why will some people not go to heaven?

A: Faith in Jesus' atoning sacrifice is the only way to be made righteous and acceptable to God. Some people refuse to accept Jesus as their only Savior

Q: What can keep us from going to heaven?

A: trusting something other than Jesus to save us!

Q: What can you do to be acceptable to God?

A: nothing other than trust that Jesus' death paid the penalty for your sin and satisfied God's wrath!

Family Activities:

1) Discuss how your Easter traditions can include thanking Jesus for becoming your Savior.

2) Schedule a time for the family to read the resurrection story together. 

The Crucifixion

The Crucifixion

Wednesday, March 13th & Sunday, March 17th

Key Passages: Luke 23:26-56, Mark 15:37-38

Basic Truth: Jesus chose to die as our substitute

Memory Verse: "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:9-10

Think about it: 

The word “substitute” to us often carries the thought of a less valuable or inferior replacement for something or someone we would prefer to have.   But when Jesus chose to shed His blood and to die for our sins, a whole new and amazing meaning came into being.   God the Son agreed to be abandoned by God the Father and shed His blood in our place.  That the Creator of the universe would choose to pay the penalty for us sin-stained creatures leaves us gasping, “How can it be that the King of Glory would die for me?”

“"Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?"  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  (1 Corinthians 15:55-57)

This lesson holds up Jesus as God’s Way – the ONLY Way – to be reconciled to God.  Pray for the Holy Spirit to work in the hearts of your students this week.  

Ask it:

All Levels

Q: What is an atoning sacrifice?

A: A payment that is accepted by God and satisfies His wrath over sin. Jesus is the ONLY atoning sacrifice!

Grade 1-2

Q: Why did God the Father forsake, or turn away from Jesus?

A: All of our sin was put on Jesus. Our sin separated Jesus from God the Father. Because He loves us, Jesus took the punishment that we deserved.

Q: How much does Jesus love us?

A: Enough to take the punishment for our sins...enough to die in our place!

Q: Why can Jesus take our sin, but nobody else can?

A: Jesus can take our sin because He had NO sin. Nobody else could cover our sin because they have their own sin, they aren't perfect like Jesus is. 

Grade 3-4

Q: How does Jesus' death show God's justice?

A: God said that sin would be punished by death. Because Jesus agreed to take the sins of the world, He endured the just punishment that all sinners deserve. 

Q: What do we deserve because we are sinners?

A: We deserve punishment, death and God's wrath, we have no right to be with God or to be loved by God. But Jesus came to save us from this! (Ephesians 5:6)

Q: What happened when Jesus died and what did it show the people (and us!)?

A: The thick temple curtain was torn in half; the earth shook so hard the rocks were split. It shows that Jesus was the Son of God! (Matthew 27: 51, 54)

Grade 5-6

Q: How was Jesus' death a great victory?

A: His death accomplished the purpose for which He was born-- to offer Himself as a sacrifice, sufficient to redeem sinful mankind. Jesus showed His sovereign control as everything happened just the way it was planned. 

Q: Why do we needed to be redeemed and what does that mean?

A: We need to be redeemed because we have all sinned against God. Redeem means to pay a price to buy back and set free. Jesus paid the greatest price of all!
Q: How would someone be redeemed before Jesus came? 
A: They would offer an animal sacrifice to cover their sin. The person who had sinned would bring the required animal to the tabernacle. They would put their hands on the head of the animal to signify that their sin was being taken by the animal. The animal was then killed in the place of the sinner. 

Family Activities:

1) Play Monopoly, Sorry, or another game that has a penalty. Parents, when someone "deserves" the penalty, offer to take the penalty for them.

2) Talk about "stunt men". Why would an actor be glad to have a substitute?

Jesus' Arrest and Trial

Jesus' Arrest and Trial

Wednesday, March 6th & Sunday, March 10th

Key Passages: Matthew 26:36-27:31, Mark 14:32-15:20, Luke 22:39-23:25, John 18:1-19:16

Basic Truth: Jesus, God the Son, obeyed God the Father perfectly.

Memory Verse: He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 1 Peter 2:22-23

Think about it:

As peace-loving people in America, we shrink from the shame of being arrested.  Handcuffs hurt, and we fear to lose our freedoms.  But the Bible says, “...everyone who wants to live a godly life will be persecuted.”  (2 Timothy 3:12)

Our wonderful homeland, so blessed by God, continues to deepen its rebellion against Him.  We must prepare ourselves, and those we teach, to expect suffering for His sake, and to be assured that God will go with us through our trials and will use the suffering for His good purposes.

Jesus suffered out of obedience to God the Father. - How deep is your commitment to obey God?

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”  (Matthew 5:11-12)

Ask it:

All Levels

Q: What would it mean to have no deceit found in your mouth?

A: There would be nothing dishonest, deceptive or wrong in your speech.

Grade 1-2

Q: Why did Jesus allow the soldiers to arrest Him and mistreat Him?

A: Jesus is sovereign and could have escaped, but if He refused to suffered He would be disobeying God. Jesus always obeyed God perfectly. 

Q: 3 times when He prayed Jesus added "yet not my will, but yours be done" to the end. What did He mean?

A: He would do things God's way, whatever that meant. 

Q: Why did Jesus come to earth?

A: He came to do whatever God the Father said. If Jesus had not followed God's plan, He would have sinned!

Grade 3-4

Q: Why did Jesus obey God the Father?

A: Jesus is God the Son and has a perfect relationship with God the Father. Because He loved the Father and trusted Him completely, He was willing to obey Him. 

Q: Did Jesus know that He would face pain and suffering here on earth? If so, why did He do it then?

A: Yes, He's God! He could have escaped or decided to disobey, but instead he obeyed and agreed to His Father's plan. 

Q: Why didn't Jesus sin?

A: He was willing to trust God's plan and be obedient no matter what it cost! He was willing to obey because He loved God the Father and trusted Him. 

Grade 5-6

Q: How did Jesus demonstrate obedience?

A: Jesus demonstrated true and perfect obedience by totally surrendering His own rights and willingly accepting unfair treatment in order to carry out God the Father's plan

Q: In 1 Peter 2:22-23 what does it mean when it says "He entrusted himself to Him who judges justly"?

A: Jesus didn't complain or debate about what was unfair. He surrendered His rights and trusted God the Father to decide what was best. 

Q: Why was it hard for Jesus to choose God's way?

A: Jesus knew the suffering that was coming. He didn't have to obey and go through all of that- He had the ability to stop it!- yet He didn't. 

Family Activities:

1) Discuss times when you have been treated "unfairly" (a bully at school, betrayed by a friend...). How would we obey (or disobey) God in these situations? How can 1 Peter 2:22-23 help you to have a proper response?