Easter

Ideas for Day Five of Passion Week

“If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”
Mark 9:35

Read about the full day Jesus had as His impending death was fast approaching on Day Five of Passion Week.

During His Last Supper that evening, His disciples were arguing about who would have the greatest positions.  He settled the argument by washing their feet and demonstrating that the greatest among them truly was the Servant of all.  (We might use this the next time there’s an argument over who gets to sit where, etc.  Say, ‘the one with the servant attitude will have the favor’)

Read the story from a children’s Bible.  If you don’t have one yet, I recommend several here. This picture is taken from My Awesome God Bible Storybook .

Act out the story.

Follow Jesus’ example. Wash each other’s feet.  All day long talk about and look for ways to serve one another.

Color Eggs. Tell your children you are serving them by boiling the eggs for them to color.  Then as you color them, talk about why eggs are colored at Easter time.

  • Eggs represent new life which can remind us of the new life Christ Jesus gives us by what He did on the Cross for us.   Share this scripture: When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun! – 2 Cor. 5:17 (Living)
  • The colored eggs remind us of how beautiful our world is as the earth comes back to life again with colorful flowers, new leaves, and green grass in the Spring as all creation seems to rejoice that Jesus is alive (Matt. 28:6)! Share these scripture:
    Jesus makes all things new.     Revelation 21:5
    God gives us all things to enjoy. 1 Tim. 6:17
    All Your works shall praise You, O Lord . . . Psalm 145:10


Share

Ideas for Day Four of Passion Week

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
John 15:13

Jesus talked a lot about giving on Day Four of Passion Week.  Of course He had every right to do that since He was about to give the ultimate gift of His life on the cross for the sins of the world.

Encourage your children to give today as you talk about how much Jesus gave.  Bake Easter cookies (see recipe below) in the shape of a cross to share with neighbors.   As you make them,  talk about Jesus’ gift to us.  Say:

Everybody has done wrong things such as disobeying, lying, being unkind, etc.   God calls this sin and there must be punishment for it. But Jesus loved us so much that He took the punishment for all the wrong things that were done or would ever be done.  He died on the cross so we would not have to.  We can now have a happy life forever with God.

In your giving today, don’t forget to give thanks to Jesus for His gift of life to us.  Here’s some simple thankful songs  Make up your own songs together.

My mother’s old-fashioned tea cookies recipe:

3/4 cup crisco or butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 & 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 & 1/2 cup Self-rising flour
Mix all together, roll out, and cut into shapes
(If you don’t have a cross cookie cutter, roll out 2 small ropes & lay one across the other to make a cross.)
Bake at 350 for about 12 minutes.

Ice with butter cream frosting:
1 box confectioner sugar
dash of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup butter

 

Here’s a cute video about the ultimate Gift 🙂 https://youtu.be/8SoSGDNWT2c

 

Share

Ideas for Day Three of Passion Week

Read here about Day Three of Passion Week.  Jesus had a busy day, having his authority challenged 4 different times and spending time teaching. In your personal reading, read chapters 11 – 16 in Mark to become very familiar with the account of Jesus’ last week on earth.  Be prepared to tell some of the parables with enthusiasm.  Read to your children from their children’s Bible some of these stories that Jesus told.   Click here for books of various parables by Arch Publications.  Click here for books and videos related to Easter. Click here or here for a good children’s Bible.


Jesus often taught in parables. Follow His example in teaching and use visuals or stories to get the point across:

Plant a seed as a visual to illustrate the death and resurrection of Jesus. Talk about when we put seeds in the ground we can’t see them anymore, but after awhile they will push their way out of the ground.  Just like when Jesus died and friends put him in the tomb, they couldn’t see Him anymore, but after three days, the first Easter morning, Jesus came out of the tomb alive! (marigolds or zinnias sprout within three days!)

Take a family walk and notice any new growth as you talk about the fact that Easter comes at springtime when seeds begin to sprout after being dead all winter.   The plants come out to praise God and remind us that Jesus is alive! (Psalm 145:10 All Your works shall praise You, O Lord,)

Share

Ideas for Day Two of Passion Week

What happened on Day Two of Passion Week? Click to find out. Tell your children the events of this day some 2000 years ago.  You can be very animated as you tell of Jesus cleansing the temple because He loved God’s house so much and people were not respecting it.  Talk of ways to respect your church (keep it clean, don’t run inside, listen to your teachers, etc.)

Emphasize that your bodies are now the temple of God and we must take care of them.  Plan and prepare a healthy meal together and have a family exercise night. Check out the Train Up the Child store for books on nutrition. The Adventures of Junk Food Dude is an excellent book for children to learn about healthy food choices.

Make a cross out of twigs or craft sticks and keep it in a prominent place during the Easter season.  Point out that it is empty because Jesus didn’t stay on the cross or in the tomb . . . He is alive!!


Share

What is Palm Sunday?

Read all about Palm Sunday at Day One of Passion Week. Tell the story with enthusiasm to your children.

Make palm leaves out of green construction paper or white paper and paint green.  Let children cut into the edges to make the leaves.

Act out the story:  use a stick horse or a broom as the donkey or even let dad be the donkey 🙂  Let one child be Jesus and as he rides into the city, the rest of the family can wave the leaves.

Have fun teaching the Greatest Story ever told this Passion Week!!  Follow Train Up The Child for information and ideas all week.

Here’s a great song to sing as you act out the story: https://youtu.be/Kht2SR8P0ko

 

Share