The Easter Story in Easter Eggs

Every year we do a special Easter egg hunt, besides our regular egg hunt. There are 12 eggs, numbered 1-12 and each one has a scripture and another item inside it (except the last one, which just has a scripture). We think this is a wonderful way to let our kids know what Easter is really about and to teach them the story of the atonement. If any of you are interested, the script is included below. The item for each egg is inside the parentheses ~

1. And He went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying “O my Father, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I wilt” ~ Matthew 26:39 (a cup)

2. Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, “What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?” And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver ~ Matthew 26:14-15 (3 dimes). This fulfilled the prophecy in Zechariah 11:12-14 that Jesus would be sold for 30 pieces of silver.

3. When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put Him to death: And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor ~ Matthew 27:1-2 (knotted twine)

4. When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this person: see ye to it. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. Then released he Barabbas unto them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified ~ Matthew 27:24-26 (soap)

5. And they stripped Him, and put on Him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand: and they bowed the knee before them, and mocked Him saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they spit upon Him, and took the reed, and smote Him on the head ~ Matthew 27:28-30 (square of red fabric)

6. And after that they had mocked Him, they took the robe off from Him, and put His own rainment on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him. And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear His cross. And He was crucified . . . nailed to a cross ~ Matthew 27:31-32 (cross or nail)

7. And they crucified Him, and parted His garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet . . . and sitting down, they watched Him there ~ Matthew 27:35-36 (dice)

8. Jesus, when He had cried again with a loud voice, yielding up the ghost. And behold the veil of the temple was rent twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rock rent; . . . Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and all those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly, this was the Son of God” ~ Matthew 27:50-51, 54 (crushed rocks or torn piece of white cloth)

9. Then Joseph, a rich man, went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out of the rock ~ Matthew 27:58-60 (strip of white cloth)

10. And he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. Pilate said unto them (the chief priests and the Pharisees), “Ye had a watch: go your way, make it as sure as you can.”So they went and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone and setting a watch ~ Matthew 27:60, 65-66 (a flat, round stone)

11. And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had brought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint Him. And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. And entering the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, “Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: He is risen; He is not here” ~ Mark 16:1, 4-6 (Herbs such as a bay leaf or cloves)

12. HE IS NOT HERE; FOR HE HAS RISEN, AS HE SAID ~ Matthew 28:6 (empty)