The Easter Story in a Bag

Discover how Jesus didn’t cheat death; he beat death. Walk through the Easter story with a special bag of eggs.

Transcript

Now, it’s finally time for the Easter Bags. In your bag, you have 9 numbered eggs, each with an item in it. These eggs tell the story of the last week of Jesus’ life. 

If this story is familiar to you, I hope that these little tokens will breathe new life into these events. And if the story is new to you, enjoy it and be amazed.

Let’s begin.

Egg #1 – Palm Leaf & Donkey (Triumphal Entry)

Find egg #1 and open it. Kids, yours has PLASTIC on it, so you might need your parents help getting the plastic off… 

Adults, you have a small PALM LEAF. Kids, you have a DONKEY.

These were a part of what’s called Palm Sunday, what we celebrated last Sunday. It’s when Jesus entered into Jerusalem. As I’m reading: adults, wave your little palm leaf, and kids, march your little donkey along.

The disciples brought the donkey and placed their cloaks on it for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds shouted, “Praise God! Hosanna for the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Matthew 21:7-9)

People were throwing him a royal parade. But Jesus wasn’t going to be that kind of king. He wasn’t riding a majestic horse; he was riding an ordinary, lowly donkey.

Egg #2 – Communion & Animal Cracker (Last Supper)

Now, find egg #2 and open it.

You probably recognize these from church. This is a COMMUNION CRACKER AND JUICE. And, kids, you also got a ANIMAL CRACKER.

A few days later, Jesus gathered with his disciples for the Passover meal. It was Jesus’ last supper with them. Here’s what the Bible says.

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” (Luke 22:19-20)

He was foreshadowing to the disciples what was about to happen. And he was giving them something to remember him by.

If you believe in Christ, let’s take communion together. If you’re not sure what you believe, that’s okay; you can skip this one. That cup has two flaps: a thing clear one and a thicker purple one. We do this to remember Jesus.

Egg #3 – Praying Hands (Garden of Gethsemane)

Let’s open egg #3.

This is a little set of PRAYING HANDS. This represents a time when Jesus prayed really, really hard in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled… Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” He fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:36-39)

Jesus prayed to God that he didn’t have to die, but ultimately he obeyed. And he gave us one of the best prayers you could pray: “Not my will, but yours God.”

Egg #4 – Coin (Judas Betrays Jesus)

Now find egg #4. 

It’s a COIN. While Jesus was in the Garden, one of his disciples took a bribe of 30 silver coins, just like these. And it got Jesus arrested.

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 deliver him over to you?” So, they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over. (Matthew 26:14-16)

Hold that coin in your hands. Feel it’s weight. Judas sold out Jesus for about $200. What’s your price?

Egg #5 – Crown & Purple Cloth (Arrest & Trial)

Everyone, open egg #5.

What in the world are these? They are marks of a king—CROWN AND ROYAL PURPLE CLOTH. Why these? Well, Jesus was arrested and tried as a criminal. He was charged with being the “King of the Jews.” And the soldiers made fun of him for it.

They stripped him and put a purple robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. (Matthew 27:28-29)

Egg #6 – Leather (Jesus beaten)

Now, open egg #6.

Not only did the soldiers make fun of Jesus, but as punishment, they also beat him. They took a whip made of LEATHER STRIPS, like the one you’re holding in your hand, and beat him within an inch of this life.

Wanting to satisfy the crowd…Pontius Pilate had Jesus whipped, and handed him over to be crucified. (Mark 15:15)

Egg #7 – Cross (Crucifixion)

That leads to egg #8. Go ahead and open it…

A CROSS. Adults, you even have a NAIL. Getting nailed to a cross was the worst form of Roman execution. It was excruciatingly painful.

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). There they crucified him, and with him two criminals—one on each side and Jesus in the middle. (John 19:16-18)

Look at the cross. It’s on that cross where Jesus died. He said, “It is finished” and he gave up his spirit.

Egg #8 – White Cloth & Rock (Buried)

Open up egg #8.

You’ll find two things: a ROCK and a WHITE CLOTH. Some followers of Jesus took the responsibility of burying their friend. It was a kind and loving way of saying goodbye.

Joseph of Arimathea took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. (Matthew 27:59-60)

Egg #9 – Empty Tomb

There’s still one more egg, #9. But, before we open it, let’s read what happened a few days later.

At dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 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… 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.” (Matthew 28:1-5)

Now, open the #9 egg.

It’s EMPTY. Just like the tomb. Jesus body wasn’t there.

Jesus’ greatest gift was that he died to forgive our sins and rose from the dead, conquering death once and for all.

He didn’t stay dead, so you don’t have to either. He was raised to new life. You can be raised to new life. 

Conclusion

This last egg is Jesus’ promise to you that you can experience resurrection and new life by believing in Him. This is the real gift of Easter.

Listen to the words of the Apostle Paul:

“I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. Then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-57)

In a time when death seems all around us, we need to remember: In Christ, death does not win.

You may try to repair your life.
You may try to reform your life.
But only Jesus Christ can resurrect your life.

In Christ, death does not win.
In Christ, sorrow does not win.
In Christ, sin does not win.
In Christ, new life wins. That’s the mystery, the joy, and the promise of Easter.

Prayer

Dear Lord, I want to let Your Truth sink deep down into my heart and soul today. Help me stay focused on You. And I pray for the many who will understand for the first time this Easter Sunday that You are risen. Wash over every soul with fresh hope and overwhelming joy. Bring new life as only You can. In Jesus’ Name, Amen