Beyond the Tomb -- An Easter Journey

Welcome to Beyond The Tomb! I hope you will decide to join us, as we journey together to the Resurrection and Beyond. What is beyond the Resurrection? Why, sharing the Gospel of course! And that is why my schedule ends on the day after Easter; so that you and your family can practice together sharing the Gospel of Christ. Each day includes a Scripture Reading, a Hymn to sing, a reading from Benjamin's Box, Opening an Egg, an optional library book to read, and at least one activity. Don't be a slave to the schedule; make it your own or use it as it is. My hope and prayer is to help you and your children draw together and begin to understand the Gospel of Christ more and more as you study His Word and celebrate His Life. Many Blessings, Amy

We also need to insert a section to download the PDF version including an appropriate anchor and link. I just cannot remember how to do it.

Necessary Resources

The Holy Bible
Supplies – supplies needed for chosen activities
Cyberhymnal. – Most of the hymns on this schedule are included in the Passion Hymns for A Kid’s Heart recommended below. It is wonderful! Here is a web-site for those extra hymns not on the CD.
http://www.cyberhymnal.com
Benjamin’s Box by Melody Carlson
Resurrection Eggs Distributed by Family Life Today

Optional Resources

Passion Hymns for A Kid’s Heart by Bobbie Wolgemuth and Joni Eareckson Tada -- This is a book and cd. The superscript numbers found after the main hymn for each day indicate track numbers on the cd. You can read the passages from the book each day as well if you choose, which include an essay, and a verse and prayer.
Easter by Gail Gibbons
The Easter Story; The Beginner’s Bible
Peek A Bible – The Easter Story
Sad News, Glad News by Louis Rock
The Story of Jesus published by Usborne
Love One Another by Lauren Thompson
My Easter Basket by Mary Manz Simon
The Little Rose of Sharon by Nan Curley
The Story of Passover by Rabbi Francis Barry Silberg
My First Passover Board Book by DK Publishing
The Easter Story by Carol Heyer
The Story of Jesus by Patricia A. Pingry
The Sparrow’s Easter Song by Michelle Medlock Adams
The Legend of the Sand Dollar by Chris Auer

Christ's Death Prophesied

March 28th
- Lamb Craft
  You will be making a lamb craft which you will use for your Passover meal centerpiece if you choose to do a Passover meal next week. In the old days, the Jewish people were required to adopt a lamb and bring it into their home the week before the Passover meal so that their children and the entire family became attatched to the lamb. Then on the day of the Passover meal, the lamb was slain. Very sad, but making a huge impression! Symbolically, the lamb represents Christ as seen in this passage of Isaiah. We keep our lamb centerpiece on the table until Resurrection Sunday to remind us of Christ's sacrifice. For a lamb craft, you have a couple choices.
- Stand-Up Lamb
  Create a very thick, wide U on the fold of white cardstock folded in half. Also, a triangle with rounded edges for the face. Make little triangle ears and nose in black cardstock. Have your children cut these out and glue them together. The U turned upside down forms the legs of the lamb. Add the head with glue. Create a face with markers, googly eyes, and the ears glued on. Now glue the body with cotton balls. Adorable!
- Lamb Paper Plate
  This is simply gluing cotton balls to a paper plate, and then adding construction paper eyes, nose, and yarn mouth. This is very simple for little hands. You might like to precut the eyes and nose.
- Lamb Cake
  One thing my family has enjoyed in the past is a Lamb Cake made with Red Velvet cake mix. The cake pan can be purchased at Michael's. A regular Chocolate cake mix can be dyed red with food coloring. Of course this represents Christ's blood. After it bakes, mommy and children can decorate it with icing together. It does contain leaven -- but we are not tied to the law and try not to act as if we are! If you are going to make a cake and use it as your Passover centerpiece - you obviously shouldn't make it this early! We like to make ours Wednesday night or Thursday morning during Easter week and eat it for dessert on Sunday. You can switch this with another activity, or make a different lamb today. Don't forget to let the children help!
Jesus Predicts His Death

March 29th
- Easter Greetings with Eager Anticipation
  Write a letter or draw a picture for one of your relatives or friends with whom you will spend Easter. Describe or illustrate what you will be doing that day together, what you will wear, what you will eat and some of the fun things you will do together. How do you know these things? Probably because your Mommy or Daddy have told you, or because you have done them before.
- Encouragement Card (Alternate)
  Create cards that are intended to cheer people up. Make them happy! Pass these cards out to your family and friends, or mail them. Write on the outside that the card is not supposed to be opened until the person is having a bad day or is feeling sad. Talk about how Jesus knew he was going to die and rise from the dead before He was even born as a human. He did not have to be told, because He is God! He told His disciples ahead of time so that they could take comfort in His words after His death when they remembered what He said.
Jesus Is The Way

March 30th
- Follow My Voice
  You will need a blindfold, a timer easter eggs and a basket. Family members will take turns wearing the blind fold, being the leader, and being the distraction. The blindfolded person will follow the directions of his guide to find as many easter eggs as he can and put them into the basket within three minutes. The basket can stay in the center of the room, or for younger children it can be carried with them. Other family members will provide distractions by giving opposing directions or making loud noises. When you are finished, discuss how we must follow Christ's directions to understand the way to Heaven and to an abundant life on earth! We have to tune out all the other distractions. Where do we find Christ's directions? How can we block out the other "noise"? (A quieter alternative would be Simon Says.)
Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids

March 31st
- Special Event
  Plan a special event for the day. Tell your kids in the morning that something special is going to happen that day but you will not tell them when. Explain that they will need to have shoes on their feet and good clothes on in order to enjoy the special activity with you. Have them prepare ahead of time anything you will need for your event. Decide on a place where you will all gather when you announce that it is time. Make this a surprise! Enjoy your special event! At some point in your day, discuss how Jesus asks us to always be prepared for His return. The fact that He is coming again is one of the most exciting parts of the Resurrection! What can we do to prepare for His return?
- Alternate Ideas
  (ideas: Tea Party, Picnic Lunch, Trip to the Zoo, Walk to the Park, Icecream Run, Hike, Fishing, etc.)
The Triumphal Entry

April 1st
- Craft and Re-Enactment
  Supplies needed include extra long green construction paper, scissors, and ink pen. Cut Palm Branches from extra long peices of green construction paper available at most schools supply stores. You will need a pen, to draw the leaf. Have your children cut them out, fold them in half, and then create a fringe by cutting to within two inches or so of the center. They should be careful not to cut all the way. When your palm branches are finished, have your children act out the story, taking turns being the crowd and being Jesus. If you have a horse on a stick; now is the time to bring it out as a pretend donkey!
Clearing the Temple

April 2nd
- House Cleaning
  Clean your home together as a family in preparation for this final week of before Resurrection Sunday. Read a copy of Christ's Heart, My Home and talk about the symbolism of a clean house. Remember, the Jewish people had to have a very clean house for the Passover Feast. Thank goodness, we are not still under the law; as I can never get all the crumbs out! But I believe it does still honor Christ when we clean for His celebration in our home.
The Greatest Commandments

April 3rd
- Loving the Lord your God
  Think about one thing that you have trouble doing even though God asks you to do it. (examples: obeying Mommy, having a good attitude, showing kindness to siblings, etc.) Pray in the morning that God will help you do better today. In the evening, Thank God for the opportunity to practice and ask Him to help you do better all week. (Parent's should encourage all attempts and improvements in behavior throughout the day.) Loving Each Other in Deed -- Choose one task, chore, or special kindness that you can do for another family member on this day. (putting away your sisters toys, a hug an hour all afternoon, reading a book to a younger sibling, sweeping the floor, making a picture for Mommy, write a nice poem about someone and read it aloud at supper, playing the game of your siblings choice for 30 minutes, etc.) I have tried to give at least one example from each of the five love languages. If you know about love languages in your home ask your child to tailor their kindness to the person receiving it.
Jesus Anointed at Bethany

April 4th
- Perfume
  Make your own perfume for Jesus! Try mixing water and scented oils together to create a pleasing perfume! Talk about using the gifts God has given you, and pouring yourself out for Him.
Christian Celebration of Passover

April 5th
- Last Supper
  Host a Passover Supper In your Home. We are not under the law any longer; but the Passover Dinner was instituted as a teaching tool for young children. In the years since we started sharing Passover as a family; it has made a deep impression on our children. This can be for family only, or could include guests. Be as elaborate or simple as you like.Passover
- Prince of Egpyt
  View Moses, Prince of Egypt the Movie together.
Gethsemane and Promise of the Holy Spirit

April 6th
- Color Easter Eggs
  In our family, we choose not to have anything to do with the "Easter Bunny" but instead choose to carry over the Passover Seder symbolism for the egg. We talk about that again on this day.
The Trial, Crucifixion and Death

April 7th
- Illustrate the Crucifixion Story
  Provide your child with a box of oil pastels, and either dark blue or black construction paper. Have them draw a picture of Jesus on the cross. The oil pastels will look so cool on the dark paper! Join in, it's a fun medium!
- Easter Cookies (optional)
  (Go to the end of this page for full directions.)
Easter Day – Celebrate -- Christ Is Risen!

April 8th
- Bake Resurrection Biscuits for Breakfast or Afternoon snack
  Supplies needed include refrigerated crescent roll dough, marshmallows, cinammon, sugar, melted butter, and a muffin tin. Have your children wrap the crescent roll around a marshmallow and pinch all the edges well. Dip in melted butter, then roll in a mixture of cinammon and sugar. After you bake these (a little longer than the package directions) the marshmallows have dissappeared, and Surprise --you have an empty tomb! And, they are yummy to boot.
Easter Monday – SHARE THE NEWS!

April 9th
- Share the Good News
  Have your children make invitations to church and deliver them to neighbors and friends. You will need 1/2 sheet of Blue cardstock per card, Silver or Gold Washable Glitter Paint or White or Off-white tempera paint, 1 (or more) Cross cookie cutters, 1 small disposable pie tin or other container larger than cookie cutter, and one Good News message (see note at the end) printed 4 to a page on white or off-white paper, one paper cutter. Cut apart Good News messages and trim edges about 1/8 inch all around with a paper cutter. Fold all the cardstock in half. Put the paint in the pie tin. Have your children dip the cookie cutter cross into the paint and then press it onto the front of each card one or more times. A container that is only just slightly wider than the cutter, filled at least halfway with paint works best. After the cards are dry, come back and glue the Good News message to the inside of the card and they are ready to deliver! {Experiment with the first card to get the look you want; and then repeat that with each subsequent card. You can allow the children to make multiple imprints or just one, place the star on either side if you have older children; etc...)These will fit in the invitation size envelopes available in bulk at your local office supply store. A possible Good News message might read: "We are so glad that Jesus died for you! If you would like to know more, please call us at ___ or come with us to church (provide details). The _________ Family. Be generous with the amount of paint in your container as the deeper the cutter will "dip" in the better the impression will be. Smaller cutters often create a bubble effect that fills the center of the shape on your card. Larger cutters will present an outline.}

Easter Cookie

Ingredients

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

Instructions

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

Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the 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 tsp. 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 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 1cup 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 Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16.

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

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper-covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matt. 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. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matt. 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 and 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 Matt. 28:1-9

Bow of Bronze