There’s more to preparing for Easter than buying an Easter outfit and stuffing baskets with treats and trinkets. The type of preparation I’m speaking of is that of our hearts. Easter and Christmas, being the most important holidays of the Christian faith, can sometimes become commercialized and lose it’s meaning and the impact it should have on our lives. Christmas being the birth of our savior and Easter the death and resurrection of our savior.
When my children were young I came across the idea of putting symbols of the Easter story in plastic eggs. Each night (12 days before Easter) we would open an egg and discuss the item inside and read scripture that went along with it. As the days progressed we would go back and discuss the previous eggs. By the 12th night they had a very good concept of the Easter story.
You can now buy these eggs premade, but I’ve always made them myself. Here’s what to put inside each egg:
Egg #1 Palm branch for Palm Sunday. I cut a palm branch out of green construction paper.
Scripture: Luke 19:28-40
Egg #2 Silver coins: Judas’ betrayal
Scripture: Matthew 26-14-16
Egg #3 Wine cork and piece of bread. The last supper
Scripture: Matthew 26:17-30
Egg #4 Rooster. I happened to have a plastic rooster from one of their farm toys.
Scripture: John 18:13-27
Egg #5 Whip: Jesus’ flogging
Scripture: John 19:1
Egg #6 Crown of thorns: Mocking Jesus’ royalty, King of the Jews
Scripture: John 19:2
Egg #7 Purple robe: again mocking Jesus’ royalty.
Scripture: John 19:2&3
Egg #8 Cross: The symbol of his death and forgiveness of our sin
Scripture: Matthew 27:31-33
Egg #9 Nails: Jesus nailed to cross
Scripture: Luke 23:33&34
Egg #10 Linen strips and spices: Jesus’ body was wrapped in linen and spices for burial
Scripture: John 19:40
Egg #11 A stone: the stone that was used to cover the tomb
Scripture: Matthew 27:66
Egg #12 IS EMPTY!! HE HAS RISEN! Hallelujah!!
Scripture: John 20:1-18
This can become a special family tradition for your home as you prepare your hearts for Good Friday and the celebration on Easter morning. Easter is April 21st this year which means to do an egg a night you should start April 9th. Happy and blessed Easter to you as we reflect on Jesus’ death and resurrection.
“For God so loved the world he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
