Friday, March 25, 2005

EASTER STORY COOKIES

Here’s a wonderful activity to do with children on the night before Easter:

1 cup whole pecans (or Easter colored M & M's)
1 tsp vinegar
3 egg whites
Pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
Zip-lock bag
Wooden spoon
Masking tape
Bible

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Place pecans or M&M’s in bag. Have children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. (Tell them this represents how, when Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the soldiers -- John 19:1-3)

Put vinegar into mixing bowl. (Let children smell it. On the Cross, when Jesus was thirsty, this is what they gave Him to drink -- John 19:28-30)

Add egg whites to vinegar. (Eggs represent life; Jesus gave His life to give each of us eternal life -- John 10:10-11)

Add a pinch of salt. (Children should taste salt; this step represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers and the bitterness of our own sin -- Luke 23:27)

Add 1 cup sugar. (The sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know Him and belong to Him. -- Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16)

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. (The color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus -- Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3)

Fold in broken pecans or M&M’s. Drop by teaspoons onto cookie sheet covered with waxed paper. (Each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid – 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. (Jesus' tomb was sealed -- Matthew 27:65-66)

Go to bed. (Children may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed -- 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 -- Matthew 28:1)

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Prayer request: We praise You, Lord, for some great news on the medical front: our teenage friend Amanda has a friend Chelsea who has had cancer. She had an MRI and it looks like the cancer hasn't returned! They don't have to do surgery. They are going to try a new drug to see what will happen. Thank You, Jesus, for granting this precious girl and her family joy and peace this Easter season. (Judges 6:24)

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