Number plastic eggs from 1-12. Put in the items listed below. Also put in slips of paper with the corresponding Scripture references. Hide the eggs around the room. After children find them, let them open the eggs up one by one, in order. Discuss the item and message for each and read the verses.
Egg 1
Item: leaf
Message: Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. The people waved palm branches to praise him. They liked him then.
Verses: John 12:12-15
Egg 2
Item: piece of bread
Message: Jesus and his followers had a special dinner. While they were eating, Jesus took bread, thanked God for it, and broke it. He told his followers to eat it as a picture of his body that would be broken for them.
Verses: Luke 22:14-15, 19
Egg 3
Item: silver coins
Message: One of Jesus’ followers, Judas Iscariot, took a reward of 30 silver coins for turning Jesus over to the people who hated him.
Verses: Matthew 26:14-16; 47-50
Egg 4
Item: knotted string
Message: The people decided they would rather have a criminal than Jesus. So the governor let the criminal go free and had Jesus whipped.
Verse: Mark 15:15
Egg 5
Item: thorns
Message: The soldiers pressed thorns into Jesus’ head and did other hurtful things to him.
Verses: John 19:2-3
Egg 6
Item: small cross (could be made of toothpicks)
Message: The governor decided to have Jesus killed on a cross.
Verses: John 19:16-18
Egg 7
Item: 3 nails
Message: The soldiers nailed Jesus’ hands and feet to the cross.
Verse: John 20:25b
Egg 8
Item: sponge with vinegar
Message: When Jesus was thirsty on the cross, people put vinegar on a sponge and lifted it up to Jesus on a stick. Then he died.
Verses: John 19:28-30
Egg 9
Item: toothpick or toy spear or sword
Message: After Jesus died, a soldier stuck a spear in his side.
Verses: John 19:33-3
Egg 10
Item: piece of cloth
Message: A follower of Jesus wrapped up Jesus’ body and buried it in his own tomb. He rolled a giant stone across the doorway of the tomb, which was kind of like a cave.
Verses: Matthew 27:59-60
Egg 11
Item: small rock
Message: On Easter Sunday, a miracle happened! An angel rolled the stone away.
Verses: Matthew 28:1-4
Egg 12
Item: nothing
Message: The egg is empty because the tomb was empty. Jesus was alive again!
Verses: Matthew 28:5-10
