RESURRECTION ROLLS

Ingredients:

One can of crescent roll dough

Large marshmallows – cut in half – one for each roll you’ll be making

Melted butter

Cinnamon & sugar mixture

Directions:

1. Read John 19 in preparation and talk with your kids about Jesus’ crucifixion & why He died for us while the oven is pre-heating according to the package directions.
2. Read John 19:38-42 with your children as you prepare to make the Resurrection Rolls
3. Unroll the crescent rolls and explain that this represents the linen cloth they wrapped Jesus in.
4. Give each child ½ of a large marshmallow and explain that it represents Jesus…white and pure because Jesus never sinned or did anything wrong.
5. Let them roll the marshmallows in melted butter. This symbolizes oils that were used on Jesus body.
6. Then let them roll the marshmallows in the cinnamon & sugar mixture. Explain that this is like the spices used to prepare Jesus body for burial.
7. Let them wrap a marshmallow in the crescent – reminding them that the triangle piece of roll is like the linen cloth they wrapped Jesus’ body in.  Make sure to pinch the dough together securely.  Don’t worry about how they look – just make sure you pinch the dough together completely.  You can let them sprinkle some more “spices” sugar & cinnamon mixture on them if you want (adds to the taste).
8. Let them help you put the rolls in the over – and explain it represents the tomb where they put Jesus body – as you close the door you can tell them they rolled a big stone in front of the tomb so no one could get in.  Bake the rolls for the amount of time suggested.
9. While baking the rolls you might want to read John 20:1-18 with them – or let them play.
10. Open the oven (tomb) and remove the rolls.   Let them cool at least 4 min.  When they’re cool enough to handle, break one open and discover what happened to the marshmallow.   If everything is done correctly – the marshmallow will be gone which represents what happened when they went to the tomb – the linen cloth was there, but Jesus was gone.  He has risen!

You can find other versions of this online and Lisa Burnett was the one who made me aware of it.  I don’t know where it originated, but it’s a fun thing to do on Easter weekend with your children and makes a tasty treat for them to enjoy afterward. 

VERSES FROM EASTER SERVICES

Key Passage: “Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has, in his great mercy, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, given us the new Life of undying hope, that promises an inheritance, imperishable, stainless, unfading, which has been reserved for you in Heaven…who, through faith, are being guarded by the power of God…”   1 Peter 1:3-5 TCNT  

We have been set free because of what Christ has done. Through his blood our sins have been forgiven. We have been set free because God’s grace is so rich. Eph. 1:7 NIrV  

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
 We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
 Yet the Lord laid on him
 the sins of us all.  Isaiah 53:6 NLT

Happy is the person whose sins are forgiven, whose wrongs are pardoned. Ps. 32:1 NCV

“Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt…And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.” Ps. 32:5 NLT

“Oh, Death, who’s afraid of you now?
It was sin that made death so frightening…But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three—sin, guilt, death—are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ…” 1 Cor. 15:55-57 Msg

For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.   2 Peter 1:16 NIV

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 NIV

We are made right in God’s sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done. Rom 3:22 NLT

“…if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” Rom. 10:9 NASB