Homemade Crafts and Gifts
(featured column by various authors)
Resurrection
Story Cookies
by Michelle Jones
I'm not sure
where this recipe first originated, but it has been passed around the globe for
many years. It's a very meaningful way to celebrate the resurrection of
Jesus with our children. These cookies are made the evening before and
cooked in a warm oven overnight so they will be ready to eat on Easter morning.
* * *
Preheat the oven
to 300 degrees.
Ingredients & 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
Place pecans in the plastic bag and let children beat them with the wooden spoon
to break into small pieces. Discuss how after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten
by the Roman soldiers.
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
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) morning, open the oven and give everyone a
cookie.
Notice that the surface of the cookie is cracked.
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 also including the scripture for anyone
who would like to read it right 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."
* * *
Article copyright © 2005 by
Michelle Jones, scripture added from the NIV Bible.
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