Beyond Plastic Eggs

Lisa Edwards • April 7, 2022

If your kids are anything like mine, it is probably not that hard to get them excited about Easter. We get to run around the yard on a treasure hunt to find tons of tiny, colorful plastic eggs that are filled with CANDY?? Yes please! The anticipation of the impending mad dash seems to sometimes rival that of Christmas morning.


But what if we could get them excited about an even better prize, a treasure that is stored up for them in Heaven, that lasts forever? 


Here are a few resources that have been a blessing to our family as we have tried to direct our children’s focus to Jesus during the Easter season, and all year long.



Family Movie Nights


One of our family’s favorite things to do together is to have Family Movie Nights. Throw in some popcorn and big, comfy blankets and you’ve got a family activity that kids of all ages will be excited about! 


If you’re looking for an option to make Family Movie Night more Easter-focused in the coming weeks, check out “What’s In the Bible?” with Buck Denver. As I watch this show with my kids, I find that not only is it wonderfully entertaining, but I also learn so much about Scripture right alongside them. Made by the creator of VeggieTales, Phil Vischer, “What’s In the Bible?” is an awesome resource for helping kids (and adults!) to develop a deeper understanding of how the whole of Scripture works together to point to Jesus and the gospel message. The entire series is currently available to stream on RightNow Media, and I would highly encourage you to make a plan to watch the whole thing with your family from start to finish. To fulfill the purposes of a Passion Week movie night, however, skip right to Vol. 10, which focuses on the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and is a phenomenal way to help explain the significance of both Good Friday and Easter.




Easter Calendar


If your kids love doing Advent calendars at Christmastime, then check out this Easter version designed to countdown 15 days until Easter morning (starting one week before Palm Sunday). Not only does this include the calendar, but it also comes with a family devotion that is designed to take children through the Bible, from Creation to Revelation, asking questions that help them learn how to read the Bible for themselves. The devotion is filled with questions that are easily accessible for young children, but act as jumping off points for deeper discussions with older kids, as well as extra, more thought-provoking points to dive into with teens. These short, 10-minute devotionals are a great way to either introduce or reinforce the habit of carving out family time in the Word every day; try opening it around the dinner table or before bedtime. Let it act as a sweet resolution to your day, to be reminded of the truth of God’s Word amongst the comfort and love of your family.




Books


I always appreciate books that my littlest ones can take to bed with them without fear of finding ripped pages the next day, which is why I have a particular fondness for board books. One of my favorites to send my kids to bed with is “The Gospel”. One in a series of minimalistic board books aimed at young children, this book breaks down the good news of Jesus into a simple presentation, one word at a time. It provides a gentle, yet deep and accurate approach to the truth of the Gospel and presents it in a way that even very young children can begin to understand. If you’re not sure how to start talking to your preschoolers about the deep truths of the Gospel, this is an excellent tool to help you get the conversations started.




Easter Sunday is the celebration of the greatest victory, the greatest gift, the greatest treasure the world has ever known! It’s easy enough for us to get distracted by the temporal things of this world, let alone our children, and to forget the good news that we are celebrating. How much more satisfying is it when we look to Christ who holds our salvation in His nail-pierced hands, hands that are extended out towards us! That is our cause for celebration on Easter Sunday, and all year long. May these resources be a blessing to your family as you remember and celebrate the end of death and the beginning of new life this Easter.



This article was originally published in our Spring 2022 2:42 Connection.

Not Surprised

June 24, 2025
Notes from Lance Shumake's sermon on Sunday, June 22, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 4:12-19 We shouldn’t be surprised when we encounter suffering John 15:18–20 [18] “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. [19] If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. [20] Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. 2 Timothy 3:12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted We can rejoice knowing we are sharing in Christ’s suffering Matthew 5:11–12 [11] “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. [12] Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. We don’t bring glory to God when we suffer for doing wrong We should choose to glorify God instead of being ashamed We should live in light of the coming judgment of God “Peter shows the meaning of our suffering from two sides. First, our suffering for Christ finds its significance in Christ’s suffering for us. We share now in suffering for him as we shall one day share in glory with him (4:13; 5:1). Secondly, our suffering does not destroy us, but purifies us. The fire of God’s judgment that we endure is not the fire of wrath that will consume the unbelieving.” —Edmund P. Clowney, The Message of 1 Peter We can entrust our souls to our faithful Creator Discipleship Questions: Why is it our tendency to be surprised when we encounter suffering? What are some reasons for rejoicing when you encounter suffering? Why is it so tempting to classify all suffering as persecution, even when we suffer for doing wrong? How can you resist feeling ashamed when you suffer for being a Christian? How do you think God uses suffering to purify His church? How does entrusting your soul to God help you find hope?

Unhindered and Healthy

June 18, 2025
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, June 15, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 4:7-11 Would you know if your prayers were hindered? How would you know? What causes prayers to be more fruitful? What causes prayers to be interrupted? What hinders our prayers? Not living with your spouse in an understanding way A lack of sober mindedness and self-control Hindered prayers hurt our relationships A lack of self-control… letting your flesh rule you will never result in healthy relationships. A lack of sober mindedness… letting your thoughts rule you will never result in healthy relationships. Self-control and sober minded prayer are those inward things that result in outward expressions. They ready us to set our focus and affections on other people. Application: Keep loving one another earnestly Aim to cover a multitude of sins Make your home available to others Make your gifts available to others Speaking Serving Discipleship Questions: Have you ever become aware that your prayers are hindered? How did you know? What are some practical steps that we can take to strengthen our prayer lives? How do hindered prayers hurt our relationships? How do unhindered prayers strengthen our relationships? What are some practical ways that we can aim to cover a multitude of sins? Define at least 2 practical ways in which you will make your home and your gifts available to others this week. How has your life been impacted by others who have made their homes and their gifts available to you?

Arm Yourselves

June 11, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, June 8, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 4:1-6 Prepare to suffer Is. 50:6-8a I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. 7 But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. 8 He who vindicates me is near. The martial language indicates that discipline and grit are needed to live the Christian life, particularly in view of the suffering believers encounter. -Thomas R. Schreiner Some people won’t like you if you follow Jesus When a culture abandons biblical standards, when extramarital sex, cohabitation, and birth outside of marriage become normal, people attack the church for its moral snobbery and judgmentalism. Peter warns us that if we do take a stand, we need to expect slander, not applause. -Daniel M. Dorian This is one of the hardest things a new Christian has to face. Your friends liked you because you shared in “the same flood of debauchery.” It seemed great fun at times, but then you came to embrace Christ… But your friends have not… They will be surprised when you say “No.” -Juan Sanchez. Keep an eternal perspective Our outcome is glorious Suffering is good for us Let’s remember that suffering accomplishes God’s purposes. It exposes what or whom we are trusting (1 Peter 1:6–7). - Juan Sanchez Ecc. 7:2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. Discipleship Questions: Verse 1 tell us to arm ourselves by thinking as Christ did about suffering. How did Christ arm himself for and against sufferings? What does it look like for us to do that? Have you ever lost friendships (or had them change) because you were following Jesus? Do you fear that we (or our kids) will experience greater persecution in the future? If yes, how should we handle that fear?
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