Resurrection Eggs

Easter is on the way!   Time to start working on Easter crafts! My MOPS group has an awesome Creative Activities Coordinator (Hi, Eve:)) who comes up with the cutest ideas.  This past week, in we made Resurrection Eggs.

The eggs help kids understand Jesus' death and resurrection a little bit better.  Inside the eggs are items that illustrate the story along with the scripture verses they relate to.  I have seen many versions of the eggs, but I thought these really do a great job of telling the whole story.  This weekend, we are going to go through the whole thing.  I am going to let the kids look at each egg and we will spend some time looking up the scriptures and reading about Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection.  Then, in the weeks leading up to Easter, we are going to spend some time looking a little bit more closely at each scripture passage. 

Here is the list of what is in each egg and the relevance to the Resurrection Story.  If you would like a printable PDF of this and the super cute Title, just email me and I would be more than happy to send it. Thanks Eve!!!  

You will need:

12 plastic eggs

1 egg container

1 coin

1feather

1 piece purple cloth

1 small cross

1 small die (one of a pair of dice)

1 piece of sponge

1 small stone

1 piece of linen fabric

1 small nail (be careful if you are using a real nail- the ends can be sharp.)

1 small toy fish

1 cotton ball

Egg 1:  The coin represents the money that was paid to Judas for his betrayal of Jesus.

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.

Matthew 26:14-15

Egg 2:   The feather represents when Peter denied Jesus three times before the rooster crowed, just as Jesus had predicted he would.

“I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”  

Matthew 26:34  

Egg 3:  The purple cloth represents the scarlet robe that was placed on Jesus during the trial.  They dressed Jesus in it to mock the fact that He was the “King of the Jews.”

Egg 4: The cross represents the cross that Jesus was made to carry Himself.  Along the way, Simon was ordered to carry it the rest of the way.

So the soldiers took charge of Jesus.  Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).

John 19:17 

Egg 5:  The dice represent the soldiers casting lots (gambling) to see who would get what was left of Jesus’ clothes.  

“Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another.  “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”  This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said, “They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.” [Psalm 22:18] So this is what the soldiers did.

John 19:24  

Egg 6:  The sponge represents the vinegar water that was offered to Jesus while He was on the cross.

There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it.

Matthew 27:34

Egg 7:  The stone represents the stone that was in front of Jesus’ tomb. It was rolled away by an angel of the Lord.  

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.

Matthew 28:2

Egg8:  The empty egg represents the empty tomb that was left when Jesus rose from the dead.

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.”

Matthew 28:5-6

Egg 9:  The linen fabric represent Jesus’ the burial cloths that were left in the tomb.  Peter came to the tomb and found the cloths, but no Jesus!

Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb.  He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head.  The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen.

John 20:6-7

Egg 10:  The nail represents the scars that were in Jesus’ hands when He showed them to the disciples to prove it was really Him.

So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”

A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them.  Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”  Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands.  Reach out your hand and put it into my side.  Stop doubting and believe.”

John 20:6-7

Egg11: The Fish represents the fish that Jesus ate with the disciples.

And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They game him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.

Luke 24:41-43

Egg 12:  The Cotton Ball represents the clouds that Jesus ascended into Heaven in...as well as the clouds that will accompany Him when He returns!

“Men of Galilee,”  they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into Heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into Heaven.”

Acts 1:11