The real meaning of Easter

I love springtime. The weather warms up, the flowers bloom and the long winter is over. Springtime is a natural symbolism of what we celebrate at Easter time; the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Like many holidays, Easter continues to grow more commercial each year; bunnies, eggs, and candy. I love all of these things, but I also want to help Carter, the Primary children, and even myself remember the real reason for the holiday.

I’ve seen this idea before and decided to try it out this year. Twelve plastic eggs, usually associated with Easter egg hunts and candy, are used to learn about the journey that Christ took to complete the Atonement. Each egg contains something that symbolizes a step of His journey and a corresponding scripture. I love that this activity marries the two aspects of this holiday, Christ’s resurrection (the reason) and the plastic eggs (the commercial side). My favorite is number 12 with the corresponding scripture. I hope that by doing this, whenever I or the children see a plastic egg, we think of Jesus first. 

This egg will contain a sacrament cup.

1.  And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.  Matthew 26:39

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

3. When the morning was come, 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

4.  When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just 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

5.  And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.  And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand:  and they bowed the knee before him, 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  

6.  And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment 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.  Matthew 27: 31-32 And He was crucified… nailed to the cross.  

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 watch him there:  Matthew 27: 35-36   

8. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. Matthew 27: 46, 48

9. Then Joseph, (a rich man) went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.  Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.  And when Joseph had taken the body, the wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock.  Matthew 27: 57-60

10.  And he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulcher, and departed.  Pilate said unto them (the chief priests and Pharisees), Ye have a watch; go your way, make it as sure as ye can.  So they went, and made the sepulcher sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.  Matthew 27: 60, 65-66

11.   And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary, the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. / And, behold, there was a great earthquake; for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.  And the angel . . . said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.  Mark 16:1, Matthew 28: 2 and 

12.  Then the angels said unto the women, “Fear not ye; for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.  He is not here, for he is risen.”  Matthew 28:6