EASTER COOKIES

A Special Family Projects  for Holy Saturday

 

We invite your family to prepare these Easter Cookies

and

Easter Eggs as a Family Prayer 

on Holy Saturday in preparation for Easter Sunday

1 c. whole pecans            1 tsp. vinegar
3 egg whites               pinch salt
1 c. sugar                         zipper baggie
wooden spoon                                 tape                                              Bible

Preheat oven to 300 (this is important - don't wait until you're half done with the recipe)

Place pecans in zipper baggie and beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces.

After Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. 

Read John 19:1-3.

1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him scourged. 2 And the soldiers wove a crown out of thorns and placed it on his head, and clothed him in a purple cloak, 3 and they came to him and said, "Hail, King of the Jews!" And they struck him repeatedly.

Smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl.

When Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink.

 Read John 19:28-30.

28 After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I thirst." 29 There was a vessel filled with common wine. So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, "It is finished." And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life.

Jesus gave His life to give us life.

Read John 10:10-11.

10 A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

 

Sprinkle a little salt into hand. Taste it and brush the rest into the bowl.

This represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin.

Read Luke 23:27-28

27 A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented him. 28 Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children,

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing.

Add 1c. sugar.

The sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us.

He wants us to know this and how to belong to Him.

Read Psalms 34:8 and John 3:16.

8  The angel of the LORD, who encamps with them, delivers all who fear God. 9 Learn to savor how good the LORD is; happy are those who take refuge in him.   Jn. 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.

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.

Read Jn. 8:10-11 and Rev. 7:13-14

 

10 Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11 She replied, "No one, sir." Then Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you. Go, (and) from now on do not sin any more." Rev. 13 Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me, "Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?" 14 I said to him, "My lord, you are the one who knows." He said to me, "These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet.

Each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.

Read Matthew 27:57-60.

 

57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who was himself a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be handed over. 59 Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it (in) clean linen 60 and laid it in his new tomb that he had hewn in the rock. Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance to the tomb and departed.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF.

Take a piece of tape and seal the oven door, like Jesus' tomb was sealed. 

Read Matthew 27:65-66.

65 Pilate said to them, "The guard is yours; go secure it as best you can." 66 So they went and secured the tomb by fixing a seal to the stone and setting the guard.

GO TO BED! Leave the cookies in the oven overnight.

Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.

Read John 16:20-22.

20 Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy. 21 When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. 22 So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.

 

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

1 After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. 3 His appearance was like lightning and his clothing was white as snow. 4 The guards were shaken with fear of him and became like dead men. 5 Then the angel said to the women in reply, "Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.' Behold, I have told you."8 Then they went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to his disciples. 9 And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage.

Colorful "Resurrection Eggs"

teach about Christ's death, burial and resurrection.

Here's a fun way to remember the valuable truths about Easter. This "new tradition" is built upon a simple array of easy-to-locate materials - colorful plastic Easter eggs, a cardboard or Styrofoam egg container, and miscellaneous household items like toothpicks and a small piece of cloth.

Sure, you can purchase a pre-made version of this Easter "kit," but making it yourself is a wonderful family time activity, too! This craft is so easy and inexpensive that parents usually wonder why it took them so long to discover and introduce this faith-affirming tradition for the Easter holiday. Whether you buy or build your tray of twelve Resurrection Eggs, be sure to watch your child's face as he/she opens each plastic egg, discovers the hidden surprise and reads about its symbolic relationship to Easter.

If you're making your own, go to a discount store or toy store and purchase a dozen (12) normal size plastic eggs. Be sure to buy several different colors. Then number the eggs on the outside from 1 through 12. Finally, place the following items inside.

· egg 1:includes three dimes and a small piece of paper with the following verse reference... Matthew 26:14-15: "Then one of the Twelve - the one called Judas Iscariot - went to the chief priests and asked, 'What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you? So they counted out for him thirty silver coins.'"

· egg 2:includes one communion cup and a small piece of paper with the following verse reference... Matthew 26:39: "Going a little farther, He fell with His face to the ground and prayed. 'My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.'"

· egg 3:includes twine with knots in it and a small piece of paper with the following verse reference... Matthew 27:1-2: "Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death. They bound Him, led Him away and handed Him over to Pilate, the Governor."

· egg 4:includes a piece of soap and a small piece of paper with the following verse reference... Matthew 27:24-26: "When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. 'I am innocent of this man's blood,' he said. 'It is your responsibility!' All the people answered, 'Let His blood be on us and on our children! Then Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to the crucified ."

· egg 5:includes square of red fabric and a small piece of paper with the following verse reference... Matthew 27:28-30: "They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him, and twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand and knelt in front of Him and mocked Him, 'Hail, king of the Jews!' they said. They spit on Him, and took the staff and struck Him on the head again and again."

· egg 6:includes a cross (made from toothpicks) and a small piece of paper with the following verse reference... Matthew 27:31-32: "After they had mocked Him, they took off the robe and put His own clothes on him, then they led Him away to crucify Him. As they were going out they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross."

· egg 7:includes two dice and a small piece of paper with the following verse reference... Matthew 27:35-36: "When they had crucified Him, they divided up His clothes by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watched over him there. "

· egg 8:includes a tiny bag of crushed rock and a small piece of paper with the following verse reference... Matthew 27:50, 51 & 54: "And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split...When the centurion and those with Him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed 'Surely He was the Son of God!' "

· egg 9:includes strip of white cloth and a small piece of paper with the following verse reference... Matthew 27:58-60: "Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away."

· egg 10:includes a stone and a small piece of paper with the following verse reference... Matthew 27:65-66: "Take a guard,' Pilate answered, 'Go make the tomb as secure as you know how.' So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard."

· egg 11:includes bayleaf spice and a small piece of paper with the following verse reference... Matthew 28:2 & 5: "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.' ...'The angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified."

· egg 12:an empty egg and a small piece of paper with the following verse reference... Matthew 28:6: "He is not here: HE HAS RISEN, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay."