Just a year ago when the world shut down, celebrating Easter in any traditional way was practically impossible. Sunrise services scrapped. Cantatas canceled. Across Wilmington and the nation, churches scrambled to move services online. Twelve months later, this Easter still may not be completely “normal.” However, you must not miss the opportunity to celebrate the miracle of Easter. There are many ways to celebrate, like Easter scripture resources, and activity ideas for your family.
DIG INTO RESURRECTION STORY SCRIPTURE
One of the best possible ways to celebrate the miracle of Easter is by digging into God’s Word. The latter chapters of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John record details of the entire story. In addition to the gospels themselves, there are some incredible resources available for devotionals and deeper digging as we draw near to the most important holiday in the Christian faith.
AN EASTER BIBLE STUDY
Mid-days host Mandy Bowman started an Easter study all the way back in February. Apparently she’s an overachiever who always liked to get her homework done early. But she raves about a new Easter study from Lifeway Women. “Easter: Behold Your King” walks the reader through the Old Testament promises of a Savior, Jesus’ Passover week, His death, and His resurrection. The study also encourages readers to stop and reflect on God’s goodness as well as practical applications. As we are still a few weeks out, there is still time to get a physical copy of the book and complete it before Easter arrives. However, there is also an option for an eBook you can access and begin reading and reflecting instantly. This would be a wonderful, brief study to do with the adults in your family, your small group, or your women’s ministry.
EASTER DEVOTIONALS
Do you already have the YouVersion Bible app on your smartphone? If you’ve used it for any length of time, you know it’s a powerful resource with access to many different versions of the Bible. Plus, it has some great reading plans and devotionals. Here are a few Easter-related options that may be of interest to you:
- Cross and Crown, a 7-day devotional from Dr. Charles Stanley’s InTouch Ministries
- Description: “Much of the New Testament was written so that we might know Jesus Christ, the salvation He secured through His death on the cross, and the promise of His resurrection. Join Dr. Charles Stanley as he reflects on the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, the gift of eternal life secured on your behalf, and the depth of the Father’s great love.”
- Empty Grave, a 3-day devotional with Christian music artist Zach Williams and Ted Barrett
- Description: “The resurrection changes everything, and we celebrate the greatest event in human history on Easter Sunday.” Join Ted Barrett, an umpire for Major League Baseball and Minister, as he walks through the importance of Easter in partnership with Zach Williams and his inspiring song, “Empty Grave.”
- A Bunny, Eggs & Jesus?, a 6-day devotional from Compassion
- Description: The true meaning of Easter can sometimes be lost. As parents, we can share about Jesus’ death and resurrection in memorable ways. This 6-day series is designed for Passion Week, but can be used all year long. Parents, you will find devotions written for you and links to valuable resources to help you teach the same lesson to your children. You will also find discussion starters, prayer ideas and activities for the family.
MEANINGFUL EASTER ACTIVITIES FOR YOUR KIDS
Maybe you’re doing some traditional Easter baskets with bunnies and chocolates. And maybe you’re still doing an egg hunt in your home or front yard. But don’t forget about sharing the miracle of Easter amidst all the extra traditional fun. Here are a couple of ideas:
- Make Easter art. As a family, spend some time painting or drawing different parts of the Easter story. While you’re creating your pieces, have an open discussion of what these parts mean. Talk about why Jesus’ death and resurrection were so important for our salvation.
- Bake Resurrection Rolls. Here are some instructions from our friends at Lifeway: ”All you need are large marshmallows, crescent rolls, melted butter, and a cinnamon-sugar mixture. The kids can roll the marshmallows in butter, then cinnamon sugar. Wrap each dipped marshmallow in a crescent roll, tucking all edges in and sealing tightly. Bake according to the package instructions or at 400º for 15 minutes. When they come out of the oven, let them cool for a minute, and then cut one open to show your kids the surprise—the marshmallow has disappeared! And this point, you can explain the marshmallow represents Jesus, the butter and cinnamon sugar represent the oils and spices used to prepare His body for burial, and the crescent roll represents the tomb. When the “tomb” is open, Jesus is not there because He has risen!”
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NEED TO CELEBRATE EASTER FOR THE FIRST TIME?
Friend, maybe there’s a different kind of Easter celebration you need to do this year. Maybe you’ve done all the traditional Easter things. Maybe you’ve gone to church. Maybe you’ve been to all the egg hunts, but never found the prize you really need. If you’ve never accepted Christ as your Savior and Lord, then there’s no better time than now. Only then can you really celebrate the miracle of Easter. Find out more here.
