Why Easter: A Heart Lesson

I am so very excited to share this idea with you all since I've seen so much sweet fruit from it in just the last 30 hours!

We've been reading our favorite books, acting out the story and doing a craft here and there from my archives of ideas on Easter as we prepare our hearts for the celebration on Sunday.  But I wanted to do something which really got to the heart of why we celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus.  Why is it a big deal?  Could my kids know it well enough to explain it back to me?  Do they know how important it can be to them personally?  My oldest has turned his life over to Christ (He actually did two years ago on the Saturday before Easter!  It is just the sweetest story ever.), but the other two haven't yet. 

And really, don't we all need a good reminder of WHY this time is so important?

So I pulled supplies for this idea that had been brewing in my mind yesterday afternoon. 

Supplies: glue, sand, a set of hearts for each child (black, red, white), pipe cleaner (we had pretty gold one's lying around) and a hole punch.  Optional: plastic egg and candy heart for each child.

After naps, we found a shady spot on our back porch where we plopped down and I handed each of them a black heart and let them spread a bit of glue on it and then sprinkle sand.

We reviewed how God created the first people, Adam and Eve, to have fellowship with Him and how their hearts were pure.

But then what happened?  My children reminded me of the fall when Adam and Eve disobeyed God.  I held up the black, dirty heart and explained that from that point onward, every person was born with an unclean heart and that we couldn't have the fellowship with God that He created us to have.

Due to the copious amount of glue used, we cut our object lesson short to let it dry and I went in to fix dinner.  At dinner that night, Keegan (my 4.5 year old) was unexpectedly kind to his younger brother. 

As we thanked him for this kind gesture, his eyes lit up and he asked if this would help make his heart clean.  As I whispered a thanks to God for this wonderful opportunity, I explained that no amount of good works on his part could clean his heart.  Only Jesus could do that because He took the punishment for our sin on the cross.  A flash of understanding flickered across his face...

The next morning we picked up where we left off and lined the hearts up to punch holes in them.  I cut the pipe cleaner into thirds and let them thread it through each of the hearts and we twisted it into a loop.

And the object lesson picked up again as we reviewed the hearts while the kids added more illustrations to the cards...

First up:

All of us are born with an unclean heart.  (Romans 3:23) They were also reminded that the cost for our sin was death. (Romans 6:23)  This was sad news. 

But thankfully, not the end of the story.  

Jesus came to rescue us and clean our hearts.  Nothing else, but HIS perfect sacrifice by laying down his life could clean our hearts and bring us back into relationship with God.   We can't do ANYTHING to clean our own hearts.  It is only Jesus.  He's the only way.  (This was a great opportunity to talk with my oldest son about how we are called to obedience and genuinely want to obey because of what Jesus has done in our hearts, but that it actually has nothing to do with our standing before God and how freeing it was to not have to worry about being good enough, but instead focus on loving and being loved by Jesus.)

And once we've asked Jesus to clean our hearts, God doesn't see our imperfections, sin and dirtiness anymore.  That has been replaced and the only thing our heavenly Father sees when he looks at us is His perfect son, Jesus, and counts us as His children.  We are in His family, forever.

The best news ever!

There was sweet follow-up when each child received a plastic egg with a chocolate heart as a reminder that Jesus came to give us a new heart!   Although in hindsight, this would have also been a great introduction into this activity as well.   {I'm definitely stashing away some Valentine's candy next year so the kids can share this truth with their friends and family!!!}

Throughout the rest of today, it was clear the kids were processing this news as they asked more questions and thought about things from various angles.

The beauty of this hands-on activity is it really helped them to visualize WHY Jesus came to earth and how significant this weekend is to humanity.  We do not have to be stuck in despair, lonely, without hope, full of guilt or lacking purpose.  God loved us so much, He wouldn't give up on us and sent His own Son to rescue us. 

That is what Easter is all about!

As one who is rescued, I'm once again filled with awe at how much God loves us. And I'm excited to give my children a peek into this reality as well!

May you have a wonderful weekend dwelling on the best news humanity has ever received!