Easter Week

Family Home Evening
Easter

Opening Song "Did Jesus Really Live Again Childrens Songbook #64

Opening Prayer: Child

Lesson: Parent

Find our 6 previous Easter Lessons  here

Easter Week:
Using this pdf from the April Friend 2011 magazine walk through the week leading up to Easter.

All the text comes from The page 24/25 April Friend 2011.


Have a picture or object to represent each day for visual purposes.  You could also stick them on the wall in order or lay in a line on the ground. Alternatively act out what is happening each day.

Saturday

An important holiday called Passover was only six days away. Many people were coming to Jerusalem so they could offer sacrifices in the temple on that day. Jesus walked to Bethany, a village near Jerusalem. He would stay there for five nights with His friends Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. Mary anointed His feet with oil.

Sunday
Jesus walked from Bethany to Jerusalem. He rode into the city on a donkey, as a verse in the Old Testament said He would. People recognized Him as their King, shouting, “Hosanna,” and laying down palm leaves in front of the donkey to keep dust from getting on the Savior. Jesus visited the temple and then returned to Bethany.

Triumphal Entry Picture  (#223)

(you can re enact this with palm fronds or big leaves and have children say hosanna while fanning leaves placing leaves in front of a person being the donkey ~ my kids had a great time riding on my poor back!)

Monday
Jesus saw people buying and selling things in the temple. Because He wanted the temple to be a “house of prayer,” He made them leave. Then He healed people who were lame or blind. The jealous priests were angry with Him.

Tuesday
Jesus taught people in the temple and on a nearby hill called the Mount of Olives.
The priests plotted to kill Jesus. One of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, agreed to turn Jesus over to the priests in exchange for 30 silver coins.

Wednesday
The scriptures do not say what Jesus did on this day. He may have spent the day with His disciples. You could read the parable of the ten virgins, a story Jesus taught to His disciples to help them prepare for His Second Coming.

Thursday
Jesus’s disciples got ready for the Passover meal. During the meal, Jesus told the disciples that one of them would betray Him. Then, to help them remember Him, He gave them the sacrament for the first time. Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to suffer for our sins and to pray to God. People came with swords and arrested Him. The disciples ran away in fear.

Jesus Washing the Disciples Feet (#226)

Jesus Praying in Gethsemene Picture (#227)

Betrayal of Christ Picture (#228)

Friday
Jesus was taken to the high priest, Caiaphas. Jesus’s disciple Peter denied that he knew Him. Jesus was questioned by the governor, Pilate, and by the king, Herod. He was condemned to die on the cross. Jesus was crucified. A rich man named Joseph laid Jesus in his tomb. Jesus’s mother, Mary, and Mary Magdalene visited the tomb.

The Crucifixtion of Christ Picture (#230)

Saturday
Jesus’s body lay in the tomb. A large stone was put in front of the door. The wicked priests asked Pilate to have guards stand outside the tomb to make sure no one went inside.

The Tomb Picture (#232)

Sunday
Jesus was resurrected! He had risen from the tomb. An angel descended from heaven and rolled away the stone. Jesus told His disciples to teach and baptize others and promised to always be with them.

Mary and the Ressurected Lord Picture (#233)

Jesus Shows his wounds Picture (#234)

End with a testimony meeting with everyone bearing the testimony. Mention how Easter week has a lot of significance for us and how grateful we are to Jesus for all that  he suffered for us.


Closing Song: Hosanna! Children's Songbook #66

Closing Prayer:

Treat: Pretzels
(they are in the shape of folded arms for prayer) talk about how Jesus prayed in Gethsemene for us