EASTER HOLY WEEK FAMILY DEVOTIONAL

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Stuart Fitzgerald
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1 Behld, The Lamb f Gd EASTER HOLY WEEK FAMILY DEVOTIONAL Lking fr a way t mre fully explre and enjy this Lent seasn and the Hly Week between Palm Sunday and Easter? Check ut ur family's "Behld, the Lamb f Gd" Easter Hly Week Family Devtinal and Christian Passver Seder Meal guides belw. I hpe that by sharing ur family traditins, yu'll find a way t make these yur wn and grw ne step clser t Christ as yu celebrate his resurrectin with yur family and spiritual cmmunity. These activities, especially the seder meal, are a wnderful way t tangibly experience and share the gspel with yur children, yur neighbrs and even yurself. As Jhn the Baptist prclaimed, let's "Behld, the Lamb f Gd, wh takes away the sin f the wrld!" Saturday befre Palm Sunday Create a Resurrectin Garden Begin a Resurrectin Garden tday. (DIY instructins are available nline.) Palm Sunday Resurrectin Eggs In the daytime, pen all 12 eggs ne at a time, reading the entire Easter stry (included in yur resurrectin eggs instructin bklet, r simply make yur wn DIY set by searching nline fr instructins). Have kids guess what will be in each egg as the stry is read prir t pening. Fr lder children, have the kids retell the stry back t yu by rearranging the items int the eggs and deciding tgether what rder the refilled eggs g back int the cartn. At nighttime, light 6 candles arund yur resurrectin garden. Tell the stry f Jesus triumphal entry int Jerusalem. Place a palm leaf (large plastic ne r a real palm r fern branch) near yur resurrectin garden and the dnkey (frm the resurrectin eggs) inside the garden. Blw ut ne candle t shw hw we are getting clser t the day where the Light f the Wrld was killed n the crss and the wrld was left in darkness. (But remember the stry desn t end there!!) Pray. Mnday Jesus Turns Tables Light five candles near yur resurrectin garden scene. Read in scripture (r an Easter strybk) hw Jesus turned the tables and chased the mney changers ut f the temple curts n this day, and give each child a cin t feel as they listen. Blw ut ne mre candle. Pray. Tuesday Jesus Preached and Taught Light fur candles near yur resurrectin garden scene. Tell yur children hw much Gd lves them and hw He has created each f them with a special plan in mind fr their lives. Teach yur children smething new (any shrt activity r skill). Read in scripture (r an Easter strybk) hw Jesus preached and taught in Jerusalem n this day. Blw ut ne mre candle. Pray. Wednesday Preview Passver Seder, Prayer in the Garden, Jesus Arrested Light three candles near yur resurrectin garden scene. Page 71 f 77

2 Read in scripture (r an Easter strybk) abut when Jesus celebrated the Passver meal with his disciples, and then hw Jesus prayed in the Garden f Gethsemane and was arrested by the temple guard and taken t an illegal night sessin f the Jewish curt, the Sanhedrin, n Thursday night. Blw ut ne mre candle. Pray. Thursday Seder Light tw candles near yur resurrectin garden scene - r use the candles yu set at yur Passver Seder Meal table fr this night s activity. Observe Passver Seder Meal. (See instructins.) Blw ut ne mre candle, leaving nly ne burning. ***Nte: Depending n yur calendar, yu culd als switch this night with Wed and d thse in the reverse rder. Traditinally this is the day Jesus held the Passver meal, but tday Jewish bservers may gather fr Seder meals tgether all thrughut the week. Friday Crucifixin and Burial Light ne final candle near yur resurrectin garden scene. Make three crsses with twigs and twine. Place them in yur resurrectin garden arund 9:00AM. Read in scripture (r an Easter strybk) hw Jesus was crucified n the crss at Glgtha, the place f the skull. If yu have smaller children, place a pipe cleaner Jesus figure n the center crss. Blw ut the last candle at NOON, and read in scripture (r an Easter strybk) hw the nnday sun went dark at this time, the earth shk and the curtain in the temple was trn in half as Jesus died. At 3:00PM, take the Jesus figure ff the crss, wrap in a small piece f linen (frm the resurrectin eggs), and place in the tmb f yur resurrectin garden. (If yu have lder children, have each persn write sins that are heavy n their heart n a slip f paper and place them inside the tmb.) Rll the stne in frnt f the tmb t seal it. Pray, thanking Jesus fr willingly taking n death t pay fr ur sins. Saturday Sabbath Wait Gather arund yur resurrectin garden and talk abut hw Jesus bdy rested in the tmb tday, and hw the disciples bserved the Sabbath n this day. Discuss hw afraid and cnfused the disciples must have been feeling at this time. Pray. Easter Sunday Wrship!!! He is risen! Yur seeds shuld be spruting new life ver yur resurrectin garden by tday. Place yur Jesus figure triumphantly n tp f the muntain in yur resurrectin garden, and rll the stne t the side f the tmb as yu fld up the clth in the tmb befre the kids wake up Easter mrning. (Thrw away the scraps f paper inside if yu used them - they are finished!) Light all the candles the Light f the wrld is alive and well! Display Easter baskets nearby t celebrate. Make resurrectin rlls fr breakfast with kids. (See recipe belw.) Behld, the Lamb f Gd wh takes away the sin f the wrld! Jhn 1:29 He is nt here, fr He has risen just as He said. Matthew 28:6 Page 72 f 7

3 PASSOVER SEDER MEAL Materials Needed: Traditinal Seder Plate Candles and lighter Wine glass(es) either ne t share r ne per persn Bwl r Pitcher f Water, Twel Matzah Clth with 3 pckets 1 Child s Reward small treat r prize Bible Seder plate clring sheet and clrs, if desired Fd & Drink Needed: Wine/Grape Juice Matzah Bread Index Cards w/4 Questins Hrseradish Lettuce (Rmaine r ther) Parsley Salt Water in a small dish Charset (See recipe belw.) Rasted egg Lamb Shank (can get a free bne t rast frm Whle Fds r Fresh Market) Dinner additinal things t eat after the ceremny SEDER CEREMONY 1. Lighting f the Candles by the Eldest Wman f the Huse WAVE HANDS OVER THE FLAMES 3x t welcme the hliday. Leader EXPLAIN: Since Messiah was brn f a wman, brn under the Trah, it is fitting that a wman begins the Seder and brings light t the table. As we lk upn the candles, may we remember that Messiah is the Light f the wrld. Blessed are yu, LORD, wh calls us ut f darkness int his marvelus light! Amen. 2. Understanding the Fur Cups f Wine Backgrund Inf: Fur Cups f Wine are traditinally drunk thrughut the Jewish Passver Seder each recalling a special prmise made by Gd in Exdus 6 t his peple. (Perhaps this explains why the disciples were s sleepy later in the garden?!?) *Nte: We nly use ne cup f wine/juice in ur shrtened ceremny, which is drunk during the reclining phase f the meal, thugh fur wine glasses are set t explain this part f the ceremny. Read Exdus 6:6-7. Leader EXPLAIN the names and the significance f each f the fur cups f wine. Page 73 f 7

4 The First Cup, the Cup f Sanctificatin - I will bring yu ut and set yu apart as hly. Jewish peple were brught ut frm Egypt and established as the hly natin f Israel; we, t, are redeemed as Gd s wn special peple and set apart as hly thrugh faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus drank this cup per traditin with his disciples. Traditinally all say while drinking, Messiah ur sanctificatin 1 Cr. 1:30 The Secnd Cup, the cup f Deliverance: I will free yu Jewish peple were set free frm slavery t the Egyptians, and we are set free frm ur bndage t sin and death. Jesus als drank this cup per traditin with his disciples. The Third Cup, the cup f Redemptin: I will redeem yu with an utstretched arm Jewish peple remember the high price f lives lst and the acts f judgment required t redeem them frm bndage; we remember that a great price was paid t purchase ur redemptin frm slavery t sin. Typically Jewish peple als view this cup as symblic f the bld f the Passver lamb (Hebrew wrd chsen fr lamb = arm). This cup is fllwed with praise and wrship. Jesus drank this cup and said, This is my bld f the New Cvenant. Matt.26:27-39 The Furth Cup, the cup f Restratin: I will take yu t be my peple, and I will be yur Gd This cup is als fllwed with praise and wrship, cnfirming ur lnging inside t be with the Lrd frever in heaven. Jesus did nt drink this cup but prmised his disciples he will d s with them in the cming Kingdm. (Matt.26:29) *Inf Only: A Fifth Cup f Wine is traditinally bserved nly n the Jewish table, Elijah s Cup (read a Jewish explanatin f this here: Cup.htm) 3. Ceremnial Hand Washing While traditinally Jewish participants wash their hands at the start f the Passver seder, Jesus washed his disciples feet (Jhn 13:4-12). We fllw Jesus example, and the man f the huse will WASH the FEET f thers. 4. Breaking & Wrapping the Afikman Leader EXPLAIN: Three matzahs represent Abraham, Isaac and Jacb; the middle piece represents Isaac, which is brken t recall hw he was himself ffered in sacrifice in bedience t the will f his father. The middle ne is brken als t represent the heart f Gd ( heart =middle in Hebrew), brken fr the pain Messiah endured by taking ur sins upn Him at the crss. Take the middle piece f matzah bread ut f the matzah clth. BREAK MIDDLE PIECE & HOLD UP. Page 74 f 77

5 The larger piece f the brken nes, the Afikman, is wrapped in linen r a clth napkin (symblizing a burial shrud). READ: Fr Gd s lved the wrld, that he gave his nly Sn, that whever believes in him shuld nt perish but have eternal life. Jhn 3:16 HIDE AFIKOMAN fr kids t find later. 5. Telling the Passver Stry & 4 Questins (Have a child read each questin, written n index cards.) QUESTION 1: WHY ARE WE EATING UNLEAVENED BREAD, OR MATZAH, TONIGHT? EXPLAIN: Ntice that the matzah is striped ( By his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5) and pierced ( They shall lk upn me whm they ve pierced. Zechariah 12:10) and pure/ withut leaven, as Jesus bdy was withut any sin ( Gd made him wh knew n sin t be sin n ur behalf s that in him we might becme the righteusness f Gd. 2 Cr. 5:21). And we break the bread, representing hw Jesus was brken n ur behalf. Break the matzah and give each persn a piece. Taste the matzah. READ: And he tk bread, gave thanks and brke it, and gave it t them, saying, This is my bdy given fr yu; d this in remembrance f me. Luke 22:19 QUESTION 2: WHY ARE WE EATING BITTER HERBS? Taste the hrseradish n the lettuce leaves. EXPLAIN: This reminds us f the bitterness f Gd s peple in slavery in Egypt and f ur wn slavery t sin. Our reactin t the bitter taste shuld resemble ur reactin f disgust tward ur wn sin. QUESTION 3: WHY DO WE DIP OUR HERBS TWICE? Dip parsley in salt water twice, shake sme drps ff, eat. EXPLAIN: This reminds us f the sweat and tears f Gd s peple as they endured slavery and as they painted the dr with the bld f the Passver lamb s that the Angel f Death wuld pass ver their hmes, and f ur wn sadness ver what it cst Gd t redeem us frm the cnsequences f ur sin. READ: Withut the shedding f bld, there is n frgiveness f sin. Hebrews 9:22 Taste the Charset. EXPLAIN: This reminds us f the sweetness f hpe in ur Rescuer, Jesus, the ne wh willingly sacrificed himself n the crss because f his deep lve fr us. Lift up the rasted egg and the lamb shank bne. EXPLAIN: This reminds us f the sacrificial burnt fferings repeatedly brught t the Temple and f the Passver lamb, and we remember that Jesus was ur ultimate and final sacrifice, ffering us cmplete frgiveness f sin and new life that lasts frever! READ: Behld the Lamb f Gd, wh takes away the sin f the wrld! Jhn 1:29 QUESTION 4: WHY ARE WE EATING THIS MEAL RECLINING? Page 75 f 7

6 Pass the cup f wine/juice and drink. EXPLAIN: Remember that we culd never recline and rest as slaves, but we are nw Ryalty, heirs f the King, sns and daughters wh nw have the freedm t live eternally with ur Rescuer, Redeemer and King Jesus, and ur Abba Father, ur Daddy Gd. READ: Then he tk a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it t them, saying, Drink frm it, all f yu. This is my bld f the cvenant, which is pured ut fr many fr the frgiveness f sins. Matthew 26:27-28 READ: Fr whenever yu eat this bread and drink this cup, yu prclaim the Lrd s death until he cmes. 1 Crinthians 11:26 6. Eat Dinner. :) 7. Reward the child wh finds the Afikman with a special reward! Break it and have everyne eat a small piece. Leader EXPLAIN: Thanks t everyne wh has helped t make this special seder meal. We are ready t finish ur seder, but we can t d it withut the Afikmen. Has anyne seen the afikmen? There is a reward fr whever can find it! Reward the child wh finds the Afikmen with a special reward! Break it and have everyne eat a small piece. Leader EXPLAIN: A child is rewarded fr finding this t remind us f the special place in histry and in the heart f Gd fr wmen and children, wh typically at this time in histry were given little imprtance in sciety. Remember, Mary Magdalene was the first persn t see the Risen Christ, and Jesus persnally expressed his affectin fr children, saying the Kingdm belngs t such as these. (Mark 16:9, Matthew 19:14) 8. Cnclusin: The man f the huse will give the benedictin. All hld hands ut in an pen, receiving psitin. SAY: Nw t the One wh is able t keep yu frm falling, and t cause yu t stand, rejicing, withut blemish befre his glrius presence, t the nly Gd ur Savir thrugh Yeshua the Messiah, ur Lrd and great Lamb f Gd, be glry, majesty, pwer and authrity, befre all time, and nw, and fr all eternity. Amen. Grace & Peace Frm Our Family t Yurs! Tracy Sullivan Page 76 f 77

RECIPES & OTHER RESOURCES Charset Recipe (Makes 3 cups) 6 apples, peeled and chpped 1 cup chpped walnuts ½ t cinnamn 1 t sugar 3 ½ t hney 1/3 c red wine r grape juice Mix all ingredients.

Resurrectin Rlls (Makes 8) 1 Can Refrigerated crescent rlls 8 large marshmallws ¼ c melted butter 4T cinnamn/sugar mixture Separate crescent rlls int individual triangles.

7 RECIPES & OTHER RESOURCES Charset Recipe (Makes 3 cups) 6 apples, peeled and chpped 1 cup chpped walnuts ½ t cinnamn 1 t sugar 3 ½ t hney 1/3 c red wine r grape juice Mix all ingredients. Serve immediately r refrigerate until serving. Resurrectin Rlls (Makes 8) 1 Can Refrigerated crescent rlls 8 large marshmallws ¼ c melted butter 4T cinnamn/sugar mixture Separate crescent rlls int individual triangles. Dip a marshmallw int butter, and then rll in cinnamn/sugar mixture. Place in center f triangle and wrap the dugh arund the marshmallw, pinching t seal tightly. Bake at 400 degrees until glden brwn, abut 15 min. Rlls will be empty n the inside as the marshmallw melts during baking, reminding us f the empty tmb n Easter Sunday. Amazing! He is risen indeed! Recmmended Resurces "Wrthy is the Lamb: A Messianic Passver Haggadah" by Jhn J. Parsns DIY Mini-Resurrectin Garden frm We Are That Family Free Seder Plate Clring Sheet frm The Design Pcket "The Grund f All Human Assurance Befre Gd" 3-minute Passver-related vide message by Dn Carsn and The Gspel Calitin Page 77 f 7

Baptism for Children at Summit Drive Church

Baptism for Children at Summit Drive Church Baptism fr Children at Summit Drive Church Baptism fr Children at Summit Drive Church Therefre g and make disciples f all natins, baptizing them in the name f the Father and f the Sn and f the Hly Spirit,