Easter Sunday School Lesson

Easter Cookies 

The Easter Sunday school lesson is an excellent opportunity to learn about forgiveness and sacrifice by recounting the story of Jesus’ last few days.  While this is common lore for adults, many children are encountering the Jesus story for the first time.  Here’s an excellent, fun way to recount the story of Jesus’ death and the wonder of Easter: Easter cookies.  Each step of the way allows a chance to read from the Bible and discuss the varying contributions Jesus made.  

To begin this Easter Sunday school lesson, gather one cup of whole pecans, one teaspoon of vinegar, three egg whites, a pinch of salt, one cup of sugar, a zip lock sandwich baggie, a wooden spoon, an electric mixer, wax paper, cookie sheets, tape, and a Bible.  Preheat the oven to 300 degree Fahrenheit.  Place the pecans into the zip lock baggies, and break them into smaller pieces with the wooden spoon.  Explain how Jesus was beaten by the Roman soldiers after he was arrested, and read John 19:1-3.  

Next, add the vinegar to the mixing bowl and tell the children that Jesus was given vinegar to drink while he was on the cross.  Read John 19:28-30.  Add the egg whites to the bowl, explaining that eggs represent life and how Jesus gave his life to us by reading John 10:10-11.

Bitterness and Sweetness

Now add a pinch of salt to the bowl to represent the tears shed by Jesus’ disciples and followers after his death.  Have each child taste the salt to remind them of the bitterness of sin.  At this point, read Luke 23:27. 

The next step is to add the sugar while telling the children how the sweetest part of Jesus’ story is that he died because he loves us.  To reinforce this notion, read Psalm 34:8 or John 3:16.

Beat the mixture with the mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes.  Have the children take turns beating the mixture until stiff peaks are formed.  Next, fold in the pecans and drop by teaspoons onto cookie sheets covered with wax paper.  Read Matthew 27:57-60 to explain how each cookie represents the tomb where Jesus’ body was laid to rest.  

Put the cookies in the oven and close the oven door.  Turn the oven off and seal it with tape to represent the way that Jesus’ tomb was sealed off.  Read Matthew 27:65-66.  Now the children will have to wait until after the service finishes to eat their cookies.  Read John 16:20 and 22 to learn about how Jesus’ disciples and followers were saddened by the sealing of his tomb.

A Tasty Treat 

Finally, once the service is finished, open the oven and distribute the cookies which are hollow on the inside, which serves to represent the empty tomb after Jesus rose.  The culmination of this craft is Matthew 28:1-9, which speaks of Jesus’ rise from the dead.  Not only is this a tasty way to end the Easter Sunday school lesson, it also reinforces many of the important ideas from this time of the year: how Jesus gives us life, that Jesus loves us all unconditionally, and the bitterness of sin.

More Holiday Lessons are included in the Sunday School Lesson Plans.