Easter is this Sunday! Can you believe it?!? I have been planning to do something with my daughter, who is four, to help her understand Easter a bit better, and I thought: "Why not share it on my blog, one day at a time, so others might get an idea for their own kiddos?" So, in preparation for Easter, I will be posting something each day from now (Monday) through Friday- some sort of fun activity to give you a base to start from as you help your kids understand why Easter isn't all about bunnies and egg hunts. (Note: I heart Easter bunnies, egg hunting and candy- not hating here, just trying to give my kids a bit of truth in the midst of the commercialism.) I'll even have cute ideas for toddlers and printable coloring pages, too-so stay tuned!!
Today I want to encourage you as parents to read the Easter story on your own. If you are familiar with it, you can teach your kiddos much better. I love http://www.biblegateway.com/ because I can easily type in the verses I want and it pops up in any translation I choose. If you're new to the Bible, I personally recommend the New Living Translation. It's easy to understand with no Thee's and Thou's. (If you aren't sure how to understand the way we write down Bible verses, check the bottom of this post for an explanation.)
For those who have read these passages a million times, I encourage you to try a new traslation for a better grasp of the story. Try The Message for a new perspective, or if you really want to delve into the original language, try the Amplified Bible. Regardless of what translation you choose, it is important that you read or re-read the story before we get started. Ask God to open your eyes to something new and give you a greater appreciation of what He did when Jesus died on the cross. Take time today to read the following. I know it looks like a lot, but it shouldn't take long at all. If you're pressed for time, focus on the passages that have an * next to them, and read the others as we go- but if you can read all of them, the other lessons this week will make much more sense.
Genesis 3
Leviticus 4:27-31
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Zechariah 9:9,11
*Matthew 26:1-28:20
*Luke 22:1-24:53
Hebrews 9:13-15, 22
*Isaiah 53
For our purposes, these are the texts we'll focus on, although the entire Bible points to this amazing event we call Easter Sunday. When you read Matthew and Luke, you'll find that it's the same story- only pay attention to the details, as Matthew and Luke both expound on different points. As you're reading, ask yourself these questions. Keep a notepad handy if it will help you remember- but I'll recap with each day's lesson and activity to help refresh your memory:
What is happening?
Who is involved?
What does this story tell me about God?
What does this story tell me about myself/others?
And that's it for today! It could take anywhere from 15-45 minutes to read, depending on your reading speed and how deeply you answer the questions above. The point is not to gather enough info to write a thesis on it- just familiarize yourself with the passages.
I can't wait to dive in tomorrow and have some fun with our kiddos as we celebrate the true meaning of Easter!
** How to understand the scripture references I've used today**
The way we write verses can be confusing sometimes. I've met people before who had no idea how to read a scripture reference, simply because no one had ever shown them.
If you see "Matthew 26:1-28:20", this means the verse is in the book of Matthew, starting in chapter 26 at verse one. It goes through Matthew chapter 28, verse 20. Basically "Book chapter : verse - chapter : verse"
"Hebrews 9:13-15,22" means verses 13-15 in the 9th chapter of Hebrews, then skip down to verse 22 in the same chapter.
When you see "Isaiah 53", it means to read the whole 53rd chapter of Isaiah (don't worry, it's not long at all).
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