Much like the story of Christmas, the story of Easter is one that can start to feel routine and “normal” the more we hear it. For us, this means spending some intentional time—both in the days leading up to and the days following Easter—reminding our hearts of what Christ’s resurrection means to us and letting the gravity of Christ’s sacrifice really sink in. Earlier this month, we talked about some truths to meditate on to get our hearts in the right place for Easter. Today, we’re giving you some free printables and practical insight into ways to prepare yourself, your family, and your community for celebrating Christ’s resurrection.
Preparing Yourself
We’ve intentionally crafted these Scripture cards to include various moments in the Passion Week (or the week leading up to Easter Sunday). Our hope is that you can meditate on the week as it progressed, beginning with Palm Sunday and concluding with Easter Sunday.
Here are some thoughts/questions for you to think about as you read through the Easter story and use these Scripture cards:
Palm Sunday
- Reflect on the joy of the crowd at Christ’s arrival versus their cries for His crucifixion later the same week. How does this remind us of our own sinful hearts that are prone to wander?
Thursday
- Reflect on how you currently participate in the Lord’s Supper. Take time to think about the gravity of what we are doing when we participate in the Lord’s Supper—both remembering Christ’s sacrifice and rejoicing that He is coming back.
Friday
- How often do you truly meditate on and remember Christ’s sacrifice? Take some time now to thank God for the sacrifice of His son, and let His great love for you sink in.
Saturday
- The hope of Easter would be empty if Christ had died and remained in the tomb. The day before Easter Sunday—the day between Christ’s death and resurrection—we reflect on the hope that is to come. In what ways do you currently need to be reminded of the hope that comes from Christ’s resurrection? How can you set your eyes on Christ and the hope He brings in your seasons of waiting?
Easter Sunday
- Now we reach Easter Sunday—when we are able to rejoice that He is risen! Take some time to worship and praise God for the great redemption and hope offered through Christ’s death and resurrection.
Preparing Your Family
While the Scripture printables can also be a way to walk through the story of Christ’s death and resurrection as a family, we’ve included a recipe for resurrection rolls as an interactive way to talk through the Easter story.
You’ll use crescent rolls, butter, sugar, cinnamon, and marshmallows to make the recipe. The marshmallow is meant to represent Christ, with the white color reminding us of His purity and sinless life. You’ll dip the marshmallow in the butter and then in the mix of cinnamon and sugar, which represents the burial oils and spices that would be used to prepare His body for the tomb. Next, you’ll roll the marshmallow up in the crescent roll dough, which represents the burial clothes. Finally, you’ll bake the rolls and allow them to cool. As you take a bite, you’ll notice the marshmallow has disappeared—representing the empty tomb.
Baking these rolls together can be a place to start talking through the story of Easter as a family. The key is setting aside some time to discuss Christ’s death and resurrection together as a family long before the Easter egg hunts commence. Stay tuned for a blog post specifically about talking with your kids about the resurrection—coming next week!
Sharing With Your Community
For many of us who celebrate Easter, we spend time around a table sharing a meal with friends and family. We’ve included a printable Scripture art to frame for your home, and you can also click here for some printables to use in hosting. In addition to friends and family, think about others in your community that might be alone this Easter and invite them to join your celebration. Easter can be such an opportunity to demonstrate Christ’s love by just welcoming others into our homes and sharing why we’re celebrating with them!
What other ways are you preparing for Easter—either yourself or as a family or community? We want to hear those ideas in the comments below!
Click any of the images or links below to download the free printables mentioned in this post!
Resurrection Rolls Recipe Card
