Here's a very meaningful way to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus with our children. Bake these special ingredient cookies overnight in a warm oven (very simple to make) and they will be ready to share on Easter morning.
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Ingredients and Supplies Needed:
3 egg whites
1 c. whole pecans
1 tsp. vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. sugar
Zip plastic bag
Wooden spoon
Tape
The Bible
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
Read John 19:1-3
Put the vinegar into a mixing bowl and let each child smell the strong aroma. Talk about how when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink.
Read John 19:28-30
Add egg whites to the vinegar (eggs represent life). Discuss how 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 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 the ingredients together 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
Gently fold in the broken pecans.
Drop cookies by a rounded teaspoon onto cookie sheet covered with waxed paper. 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.
TURN THE OVEN OFF.
Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door together. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed.
Read Matthew 27:65-66
Now it's time to go to sleep.
Explain to the children 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 Resurrection (Easter Sunday) morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie.
Notice that the surface of the cookie may be cracked (depending on how warm your oven was during the process and if airtight).
Take a bite.
The cookies are hollow. On the first Resurrection, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty!
Read Matthew 28:1-9
Editor's note: I'm including the scripture if you would like to read it now...
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings", he said. They cam to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.
And continuing with Matthew 28:10-20
Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, "You are to say, 'His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.' If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said. "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
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