Death and Resurection are difficult concepts for young children to understand.
Using the following recipe, bake cookies the evening before Easter and reveal the true meaning of Easter on Sunday morning.
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Easter Story Cookies
1 cup whole pecans
1 teaspoon vinegar
3 egg whites
Pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
Zipper storage bag
Wooden spoon
Tape
Bible
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place pecans in zipper bag and let children beat them with 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 teaspoon 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 represented the salty tears shed by Jesus followers and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23-27.
Sweet part
So far the ingredients are not very appetizing.
Add 1 cup 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 12-15 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 a wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 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 (be careful, this may be too hot to do). Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 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 16:20-22.
On Easter morning, 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 Matthew 28:1-9.
HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE. MAY YOU BE BLESSED THIS SEASON OF REBIRTH AND RESURECTION.
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