In the midst of Easter eggs hunts, decorating and dying eggs, baskets, candy and new clothes, Mason and I made Resurrection Rolls to help him understand what Easter is really all about. We gathered our ingredients - butter, crescent rolls, cinnamon, sugar and giant marshmellows.
We read about Jesus' death, burial and resurrection in Mason's Bible.
The white marshmellow represents Jesus, our perfect sacrifice. "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." ~2 Corinthians 5:21
Mason dipped the marshmellow in melted butter and rolled it in cinnamon and sugar. This represents the oils and spices used to annoint Jesus' body before he was laid in the tomb. "And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury." ~John 19:39-40
Mason then rolled the marshmellow in the triangle of a crescent roll. The roll symbolizes the tomb where Jesus was buried. "Then he (Joseph of Arimathea) bought fine linen, took Him (Jesus) down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb." ~Mark 15:46
We placed the resurrection rolls on a cookie sheet and baked them in the oven at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.
After the rolls had cooled, Mason cut into them with a knife (a very dull one, of course!). Guess what?!? The marshmellow was gone! Praise the Lord, JESUS IS RISEN! He is alive! "But the angel answered and said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead.'" ~Matthew 28:5-7a
As best a 3-year-old can, I think Mason is beginning to understand Jesus' death, burial and resurrection. This morning when we got home from church, he was talking about Jesus again. The conversation went a little something like this:Mason: Jesus died.
Mommy: But then what happened?
Mason: The marshmellow was gone!