It’s Easter and Holy Week. We have been doing different activities that coincides with our Bible Passages all this week. It’s been a lot of fun and reminds us of the sacrifice Jesus made for us for the forgiveness of our sins.
Let’s get to it.
Here’s what’s happening this week:
24 — Palm Sunday
25 — Holy Monday
26 — Holy Tuesday
27 — Holy Wednesday
28 — Maundy Thursday
29 — Good Friday
30 — Black Saturday
31 — Easter Sunday
Before we start Holy Week, we have been reading about Jesus’ teachings. We are starting out by making a woven mat to remind us how faithful a man and his friends were that they lowered the man on his mat to be healed. We should be as faithful as this too.
“Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
“I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all.”
— Mark 2:3-5, 11-12
Activity: Fold construction paper in half and cut slits in about 1” wide without cutting through the paper. Cut 1” strips and weave them through. Cut off any excess paper and glue ends. Use as placemats throughout the week.
Holy Week starts off with Palm Sunday. I loved going to church when I was younger, and getting a piece of palm leaf that was blessed during the church service. It reminded me of Jesus’ entry for Passover.
For Palm Sunday, we celebrate Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The long awaited new covenant God promised to His people will produce new salvation through Jesus’ death on the cross.
When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”— Mark 11:7-10
Palm Sunday Activity:
Let’s make palm leaves to commemorate Jesus’ arrival into Jerusalem for Passover.
We have made different styles of paper palm leaves over the years. You can accordion fold and cut in the shape of a palm leaf. You can also print the template onto green 8-1/2” x 11” cardstock.
Directions:
This template comes in 2 parts, so you only need two regular size sheets of paper to make one leaf. Cardstock works best. Cut out the 2 pieces. Score each leaf. Fold accordion style (going one direction, not like a fan). Now we need to glue the two pieces together. Glue a bamboo skewer or popsicle stick in the centre where the 2 pieces were attached. The base wrapping strip is in the template. The strip measures about 4″ x 1″. Glue the base of the leaf together, then wrap the base strip around the leaf. Open the leaf and fluff it up.
Printable coming soon!
Here’s the palm leaves with our woven mats, our Jesse Tree, unleavened bread and lentil cabbage roll soup we enjoyed later in the week.
It’s Holy Monday which is about the cleansing of the temple. Jesus sees people conducting business in the temple and over turns the tables. He curses a fig tree and it withers because He was hungry and there were no figs on the tree. The Pharisees are plotting against Jesus.
On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”
The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.— Mark 11:15-18
Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.
When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.
Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”— Matthew 21:18-22
We will be eating meatless meals this week.
Since Jesus could not find a fig when he was hungry, our activities will revolve around the fig tree. We will be coloring a fig tree craft and making homemade fig newton cookies.
Holy Monday Activity: Fig Tree craft. Color it, cut it out and cut on lines. Slide trees together. You can glue together if you need to.
Printable coming soon! Or you can draw 2 trees, cut them out and slide them together by cutting a slit in the trunk of one tree and top of the other tree.
Holy Monday Recipe — Homemade Fig Cookies
It’s Holy Tuesday and today, we will learn about how Jesus is teaching at the temple. Jesus teaches 3 parables — The Parable of the Two Sons, The Parable of the Tenants and The Parable of the Wedding Banquet. The high priests try to trap Jesus but He answers by claiming God’s greatest command is to love. Jesus responds with grace and truth & remains in control. He knows what He is doing and what is coming.
We will be reading a few parables. The Parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25 reminds us to always be prepared because we will never know when Jesus is coming. Our activity today is based on this parable.
Parable of the Two Sons: Matthew 21:28-32
Parable of the Tenants: Luke 20:9-19
Parable of the Wedding Banquet: Matthew 22:1-14
Parable of the Ten Virgins: Matthew 25:1-13
Holy Tuesday Activity: Parable of the Ten Virgins
We will make an oil lamp similar to that from Jesus’ time with Terracotta clay. Once baked, add a wick. Part of the wick will come out of the end of the lamp. Add olive oil. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Light.
The lamp also represents our spirit. We need to do good deeds, spread kindness, spend time with God and Jesus everyday by reading the Bible, be respectful, help others when we can, work without complaining and do what God says to keep our spiritual lamp burning.
We used air dry clay which unfortunately took several days to fully dry, but it was fun to make an oil lamp similar to what would have been around in Bible Times.
27 — Holy Wednesday — the day of rest for Jesus as He has been teaching all week in the temple. Jesus is at the home of Simon the Leper in Bethany when a woman named Mary anoints Jesus’ feet with perfume (spikenard). He later rests at the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. The high priests are plotting against Jesus. Today is also called Spy Wednesday. Finding an open opportunity in the greed of Judas, Satan enters him and sought an opportunity to betray Him. Judas betrays Jesus for the price of a slave – 30 pieces of silver. All of the apostles scatter. None of them will be at His foot as He dies but John.
Read Luke 22:1-30
Activity:
Make an “anointing oil” with water, spices, vanilla and lemon peel if you have. You can add lemon, orange or lime essential oil. Place it in a jar and set aside.
28 — Maundy Thursday — Jesus washes the feet of His disciples. Jesus celebrates Passover with the disciples which is the Last Supper. It’ll be the last time He breaks bread with them. Jesus tells them how He’ll be betrayed by a disciple and that Peter will deny Him. Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane to teach His disciples and us what to do when we come to the end of our own strength and need God to help us continue on. An angel gives Jesus strength. Jesus gives the disciples a new commandment to love one another. No one knew love like the sacrificial and selfless love of Jesus before the cross.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
— John 13:34
“While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.
When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”
Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”— Matthew 26:6-13
Read also:
Matthew 26:1-5, 14-45
Luke 22:1-53
Maundy Thursday Activity:
Wash each other’s feet using the “anointing oil” we made yesterday before doing today’s Last Supper activities.
Cooking Activity: Unleavened Bread symbolizes the haste in which the Israelites left Egypt, as they did not have time to let their bread rise since they needed to leave quickly as they were liberated from slavery. Unleavened Bread has biblical origin: it was made during Passover (festival celebrating how God spared the Israelites from the final plague), and during the Feast of Unleavened Bread which takes place after Passover, as described in Exodus 12:
This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD—a lasting ordinance. For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. On the first day remove the yeast from your houses, for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel. On the first day hold a sacred assembly, and another one on the seventh day. Do no work at all on these days, except to prepare food for everyone to eat; that is all you may do.
“Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread, because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt. Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. In the first month you are to eat bread made without yeast, from the evening of the fourteenth day until the evening of the twenty-first day. For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses. And anyone, whether foreigner or native-born, who eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off from the community of Israel. Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread.”— Exodus 12:14-20
The unleavened bread is a reminder of the humility and dependence God desires from us. In the Bible, leaven is a symbol of sin so omitting yeast is symbolic of spiritual purity and a time to reflect, repent and try to live free of sin. Like leaven permeates dough, so sin will spread throughout.
Let’s make unleavened bread! Find the recipe Here!
Another cooking activity is eating a meatless dish. We have been eating vegetarian meals all week. Today for our meal to honor and remember the Last Supper, we made lentil cabbage roll soup which is simply delicious!
We set up the table with all the crafts we did through the week, read our Bible passages, said our prayers and enjoyed our meal.
It is really heartbreaking to think that Jesus ate with his friends, knowing the horrible things that were to come his way the next day. It is definitely sorrowful but we can rejoice knowing in a few days Jesus will rise.
29 — Good Friday — is the crucifixion of Jesus and His death at Calvary
Good Friday was the last day of Jesus’ life on earth before His resurrection. He was betrayed by Judas, denied by Peter, and His disciples scattered. He was arrested and placed on trial falsely. He was condemned, mocked, beaten and required to carry His cross to where He would be crucified and die. He wore a crown of thorns. He was offered something for pain but He refused it. He faced the pain of death head on. The soldiers took His clothes and cast lots for them. Many prophecies were fulfilled. Two prisoners were crucified with Him. One mocked Him but the other said, “‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” Luke 23:39-43
In the Old Testament, there were many sacrifices made to God, but Jesus was the perfect atoning sacrifice once and for all. He endured the cross out of His great love for us.
Jesus responded with grace to the criminal beside Him and care for His mother and best friend even though He had to endure the most cruel, unfair, unjust and painful death any human could go through.
At 8am Pilate condemns Jesus to death.
Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus executed. So they bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor.
— Matthew 27:1-2
At 9am Jesus is crucified.
It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS.
— Mark 15:25
At 12pm Darkness covers the land.
From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land.
— Matthew 27:45
At 3pm Jesus dies.
About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open.— Matthew 27:46-52
At 6pm Jesus’ body is laid in a tomb.
As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph 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 27:57-60
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
— John 3:16
Good Friday Recipe: Hot Cross Buns
Hot cross buns mark the end of the season of Lent and each part of the bun has a meaning. The cross represents Jesus being crucified, the spices signify the spices used to wrap Him and citrus peel reflects the bitterness of His time in the cross. Hot cross buns are typically eaten in Good Friday.
30 — Black Saturday — is the day Jesus’ body was laid in the tomb.
His body rested in the tomb. It was a rich man’s tomb fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 53:9. Preparations were made for Jesus’ body and placement in the tomb until 6pm when preparations for the Sabbath began.
Holy or Black Saturday is a time to leave our agendas at the door and be present with the Lord. We need to come to Him to simply be with Him. The Lord desires a relationship with us which means we need to spend time together with Him. Holy Saturday is a day not to ask for anything but to spend time within the Spirit of the Lord.
The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But the rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.
— Luke 23:55-56
Activity: Make a tomb with polymer clay and roll the rock in front.
Cooking Activity: Make simple homemade sausage to have for Easter Morning
Make Paska to enjoy Easter morning
Dye Easter Eggs to have for Easter morning.
I grew up Greek Orthodox. Our tradition with Easter Eggs is fun, and one I have carried on with my children. When we have Easter Eggs, one person hold the egg and says “Christ has Risen” and the other person says “Indeed He has Risen” as they try to break the other person’s egg. We hit end on end. When the eggs are broken, we eat.
It’s Easter Sunday! Time to CELEBRATE the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and His victory over sin and death. Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice so we can be set free from death. Happy Easter! Christ has Risen! Indeed He has Risen!
Read:
Luke 24
Matthew 28
John 20
Mark 16
Activity: Roll the rock away from the clay tomb made yesterday. Make a sign that says “He is Risen”
Here’s our delicious Easter morning breakfast. It was so delicious!
Normally we put eggs, sausage, butter, paska, green onions, cheese, Easter chocolate, beet relish, salt and pepper, tomatoes and fruit in our baskets to have them blessed at church. Since the pandemic, we have not went to get our baskets blessed, but it was always an Easter tradition I enjoyed since a kid.
When we came home from early morning service, we’d sit down and enjoy our food from our basket for Easter morning breakfast. So yummy! If we went to midnight service, we’d put it all away, and eat it Easter morning.
Praise the Lord! Happy Easter!
enjoy from Our City Homestead to yours