Resurrection Cookies

One of my favorite scripture verses is Deuteronomy 6:7. The words of this verse clearly describe my primary mission as a parent. It says,

And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

As we prepare for the celebration of our Lord's victory of death, we want to be deliberate about teaching our children the TRUE significance of "Easter"-- what Christ did for us so many years ago. (I personally prefer the term Resurrection Sunday.) This is a wonderful activity to do as a family and should, ideally, happen the Saturday evening before Resurrection Sunday...

Resurrection Cookies

1 C whole pecans

1 tsp. vinegar

3 egg whites

Pinch salt

1 C sugar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. (an important step)

Read: John 19:1-3.

Do: Place pecans in a Ziploc bag. Leg children beat them with a sooden spoon to break into small pieces.

Explain: After Jesus was arrested he was beaten by the Roman soldiers.

Read: John 19:28-30.

Do: Let each child smell the vinegar. Put the vinegar into a mixing bowl.

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

Read: John 10:10-11.

Do: Add egg whites to the vinegar. Eggs represent life.

Explain: Jesus gave His life to give us life.

Read: Luke 23:27.

Do: Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain: The salt represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers and the bitterness of our own sin.

Note that so far the ingredients are not very appetizing.

Read: Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.

Do: Add the sugar.

Explain: The sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him.

Read: Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Do: Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12-15 minutes, until stiff peaks are formed.

Explain: The color white represents the purity in God’s eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.

Read: Matt. 27:57-60.

Do: Fold in the broken nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a waxed paper-covered cookie sheet. Explain: Each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’s body was laid.

Read: Matt. 27:65-66.

Do: Put the cookie sheet into the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door.

Explain: Discuss the fact that Jesus’s tomb was sealed.

Read: John 16:20 and 22.

Do: GO TO BED!

Explain: We may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus’s followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.

Do: On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow!

Discuss: On the first Easter Jesus’s followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.

Read: Matt. 28:1-9.

HE IS RISEN!!!

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Lord, may we remember the significance of Your resurrection each day of the year. Thank you.