Object Lesson Idea: that could be used in class or in church during children's time on the empty tomb, how upon Jesus death on the cross he took our sins upon himself.

Using the book "The Sparkle Egg" by Jill Hardie, Ideal Publications, 2014, 9780824956646.

Publisher's Story Outline:  "Easter is coming, and Sam loves Easter but this year he is upset about a lie he told his parents. Although he apologized and they forgave him, Sam can't shake the feeling that he is a bad kid because of it. Meanwhile, his parents help him make a special Easter craft called a Sparkle Egg and tell him to write anything he feels sorry about or ashamed of on a piece of paper and put it inside of his Egg.

On Easter morning, Sam wakes up and finds his Sparkle Egg empty! His parents explain that because Jesus died and rose again, we are forgiven. . . and much like Jesus' empty tomb that first Easter, Sam's egg is empty and his wrong doing is completely forgiven! Once he accepts this forgiveness fully, Sam realizes a truth: we can sparkle and shine with God's light when we let God's gift of grace into our hearts."

Two Weeks Before Easter

Our pastor is going to read the "The Sparkle Egg" book during children's time to the congregation. After reading the story he will invite the children, then the congregation to come forward to select a "Sparkle Egg" of their own.  We will have a basket at the front of the church filled with regular sized plastic Easter eggs (undecorated). 

We will also be handing out special paper we've blessed for the congregation to write (or draw) things they are sorry for and place in their eggs over the next two weeks.  They will be asked to bring their "Sparkle Eggs" back for Easter Sunday.

The special blessed paper dissolves in water. 

So our thought on Easter Sunday is to have a very large clear glass bowl at the front of the church and at the start of the service the pastor will invite the congregation to come forward with their "Sparkle Eggs" and take their sins (paper) out of their eggs and place into the bowl.  When done the pastor will pour water into the bowl saying a prayer asking for the forgiveness of of sins - for Jesus to wash us clean (or something along that line - I've left it up to our pastor).  When the pastor does the children's story he will continue a talk around Jesus death on the cross etc. and hopefully by this time the paper will have dissolved (or most of it hopefully) so the children can observe through the clear glass bowl what Jesus did with their sins. 

Decorating the Plastic Eggs

After church during coffee-time we will have a table set-up so people can go and decorate their Sparkle Egg.  The children may be decorating their eggs during Sunday School I haven't decided yet.

I purchased the regular size plastic Easter eggs in a variety of colours. 

I found inexpensive rhinestone stickers at the local dollar store (Dollarama), but I'm sure you can find the same thing at your local craft store or 'Michaels'.  I picked up several sheets of different colours (see picture).  Each sheet of stickers is on a plastic sheet so they can easily be cut into strips and spread about your decorating table so people can choose their rhinestone colours. 

I tested the stickers on a yellow egg (pictured) placing blue gemstones in the shape of a cross.  They stuck really well and the egg looked great!

Water Dissolving Paper

Check science websites for "Water Dissolving Paper" or special fabric paper from fabric stores, used for sewing (called H20), that also dissolves in water.

How it went notes - posted below - link.

Luanne

Hi Ruth,

The Sparkle Egg object lesson went great!

Instead of using dissolving paper I used a white fabric called "H20 Gone Water Soluble Stabilizer" (see attached photo I pulled from fabric site - it's the white fabric in the middle of the picture). I purchased it at my local "Fabricland" store.  They carry it on a 14.75" wide roll.  You ask a salesperson for it and they will pull out the roll and cut off your desired length.  I tested writing on it with a pen at the store and I was able to write on it easily.

I cut the H20 fabric into 1.5" strips first.  Then cut these strips into 1.5" small squares.  So you end up with 1.5" x 1.5" squares.  You could probably go up to 2" squares if you wanted.  This worked great for the eggs.  The other idea would be to cut longer strips that are narrower, really depends what you are expecting them to write or draw on it.

The kids drew (or wrote) on the squares with markers (or pens).  I told them they could simply draw sad faces anytime they did something they regretted and needed to ask God's forgiveness from then til Easter Sunday.

I purchased a "Glass Bubble Bowl" from Walmart ($16.97 CDN), it was in with the vases and fake flowers.  The bowl was 26 cm (10") high and 23 cm (9") in diameter and we found it worked really well, nice size mouth to drop their paper into, and they could see what happens easily thru the glass. 

IMPORTANT - use WARM water.  We had the warm water in a pitcher.  We poured the warm water into the bowl after everyone had dropped in their paper.  We tested it first and it will dissolve in cold water slowly, but it dissolved almost instantly with the warm water, so use warm water!

The water will turn a bit murky, but you will have neat wisps of colours (dyes from the markers) floating through the water, giving it a bit of a rainbow effect - very cool.

Luanne

I just cannot thank you all enough!!!  I have been blessed over and over by this site and all the people who make it so wonderful!!!  God is doing amazing things through each of these beautiful lesson ideas.  God bless each of you!!!

Through His love,

Ashlee

I found this Youtube Easter Object Lesson by Randy Helms that is GREAT, and wanted to share with you all.  It would be awesome for a group lesson on what Christ did for each of us on the Cross.  https://youtu.be/9pLNn35VYk8

Supplies required for this YouTube object lesson are: wooden unfinished cross (one in video was approx. 10"), clear container, Kodak D-76 developing powder, and Iodine.

Thanks for the compliments Ashlee! And thanks for the YouTube video. That sort of object lesson has been described here at this site, though not with a video-how-to!

Blessings,
-- Carol

Here is a little video that would be a good introduction or a discussion starter for an Easter workshop. Top 5 List: Easter Sunday

(The lesson plan for K-1 includes a coloring sheet; linked at the Pursue God page also.)

The five points:

• Easter is not about bunnies and eggs.
• Easter is all about Jesus.
• Easter means Jesus rose from the dead.
• Easter means we'll rise from the dead.
• Easter means we can have new life.