It’s now the Holy Week and here in the Philippines, we are on extended Enhanced Community Quarantine because of Covid-19. Many are bored, but really, this is a good time to reflect and bring our hearts back to God. And now, we have the ECQ and Holy Week. This is just the best time to teach our kids about the real meaning of Easter and make Jesus known to them.
The Real Meaning of Easter
Our modern world celebrates Easter in a way that taints our concept of it. Mall shows, costume parties, Easter egg hunts and other fun activities, have become the main events of Easter.
But how do we celebrate Easter now? With the Covid-19 pandemic, all modern Easter festivities — the fun and games — have been stripped away. How can we now celebrate this magnificent and sacred moment? Perhaps, this crisis is urging us to go back to the basics — to see what Easter is really about. Maybe we are being lead to reflect upon the real meaning of Easter and discuss it with our kids.
The Fun Side of Easter
We do let our kids participate in the festivities as these are our kids’ homeschooling extra-curricular activities and their way to spend time with other kids. But we always make sure we impart the real meaning of the Resurrection to our kids. Foremost, we have devotions almost every night that end in prayer. As our schedule permits, the kids attend Sunday school. So the concept of God, Jesus, and Easter are not foreign to them.
During Holy Week
But during Holy Week, we emphasize about Easter more because that is the foundation of Christianity. The fact that Jesus has risen from the dead is our hope of salvation. Nothing good that we do here on earth matters for eternity if we do not believe in Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior.
Discussion Lessons About Easter
Introduce kids to the foundational aspects of our Christian faith. Little by little, the seeds of faith that we plant in them will bloom in time. It’s our responsibility as parents to pray for our children that these lessons will be embedded in their lives.
Meanwhile, these are Easter concepts that we can discuss with our kids.
Sacrifice
“He was led like a lamb to the slaughter” – Isaiah 53:7a. Jesus is God’s son – He is God Himself – became human in order to be like the sacrificial lamb to save the world. But it was more to take our place in receiving the judgement for our sins. In Genesis 22, God tested Abraham’s faith by asking him to offer his son Isaac as a living sacrifice. It was a test that Abraham aced, proving his loyalty to God and His promises. However, it was also a prelude or a foreshadow of the sacrifice that God would make in order to save mankind.
Crucifixion
Jesus experienced one of the most painful, excruciating, and humiliating form of punishment – crucifixion and torture in the hands of the Roman soldiers. Isaiah 52:14 says “His face was so disfigured He seemed hardly human, and from His appearance.”
He has not violated any human laws, yet He received more torture than criminals. He went through all these, out of His obedience to His Father, because He loves us.
Redemption
Through the death of Jesus, sinners must believe in Him to experience redemption. No longer is there a gap between us and God, as Jesus’ act of love reconciled us with God.
“And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.” Romans 5:9 NLT
Resurrection
Jesus’ sacrifice did not end in death. He was not defeated by death for He did not stay dead. The Resurrection Sunday, or Easter, is a celebration of Jesus’ victory over death. He is not only a religious figure. His resurrection proves He is God and worthy to be worshiped. His resurrection also ensures our salvation from eternal torment.
“Jesus said to [to the woman], ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.'” John 11:25-26
Renewal
Acts 3:19 implores, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” People who believe in Jesus and in the power of his resurrection experience renewal or a changed life, as promised in 2 Corinthians 5:17. (“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”)
The Bible App for Kids
Good for us parents, things have been made easy for us. There is an awesome free tool for us to discuss Bible stories from both the Old and New Testament. Just download The Bible App for Kids. It is complete with interactive illustrations, and sounds. There are also activities and quizzes that you can do with your kids. It’s a fun way to bond over the word of God with your children.
It has a series on Easter that you can discuss for the whole Holy week. Some of the stories there are:
- A Goodbye Meal
- It is Finished
- A Happy Sunday
This year, there will be no Easter egg hunts at the mall or hotels So we stay home, teach our kids, and pray together as we reflect what it means to follow Jesus in our families.
Download The Bible App for Kids
You can download The Bible App for Kids and discuss the real meaning of Easter with your children. Get it free through the App Store, Google Play, and Amazon Appstore.
Stay Safe from Covid-19
Let us all stay safe from Covid-19. Stay at home during quarantine and go out only when necessary (like if you have to work or buy groceries). Remember, if you go out, you put yourself and your entire family at risk.
Additionally, stay healthy. Eat nutritious food that includes fruits and vegetables, sleep well, and stay hydrated. If you can, take vitamin and mineral supplements to boost immunity.
Moreover, try to improve the air quality in your home. Here are some simple tips: Improve the Air Quality in Your Home
But most importantly, amidst the Covid-19 global crisis, we can face tomorrow with hope because He lives.
“Because He lives, I can face tomorrow Because He lives, all fear is gone Because I know He holds the future And life is worth the living, just because He lives.” – Lyrics
Here’s the song, Because He Lives, as performed by Kristin Chenoweth:
Other Timely Stories
Meanwhile, here are some stories you might be interested in:
- Benefits of Homeschooling at This Time
- Paul Immigrations Reviews: Singapore PR and Bring Over Your Family
- Arroz Caldo Recipe: How to Liven Up This Comfort Food
- Working from Home and Homeschooling Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic
I like that Bible App for Kids. It’s really great to have especially at this time with kids nowadays being more technologically savvy. I will try to download later to check out for my nieces.
One year later. We are facing the same context of your blog..I learned what is Easter egg hunting is all about.. how I wish our kids can enjoy every bit of it…but unfortunately. We are facing again…a pandemic that still surging.
Ito Ang tamang oras Para Pagnilay nilayan natin ang mga bagay bagay.At pagkakaroon ng mas matatag na pananalig sa diyos..Ngayon alam ko na at kung paano ko iapapliwanag sa mga anak ko ang kahulugan ng Easter sunday..Maraming salamat Mommy sig
This is the right time para eexplain sa mga bata kung anu at bakit tayo kelangan mag nilay-nilay at kung bakit na mag pasalamat at wag kalimutan si Jesus. Ipaliwanag kung bakit nagsa sacrifice din tayo minsan.
So much to learn it this blog post. Thanks for sharing momsh, ngayon mas madali na ipaliwanag yung Easter Sunday sa mga kids. And sa bible app mas madami silang matututunan
EtO po tlaga Ang the True Essence of Easter. Holy week. Sacrifice, Crucifixion, Redemption, Resurrection, Renewal because he Lives, Jesus! Our hope. 🙏since di kami maka pha Easter egg hunting SA mall. Dito nlang po s loob Ng bahay. And also we will pray together. The most important🙏💜💛💙❤️