Easter@Home

On Easter Sunday, we remember the pinnacle of our Christian faith: Jesus' resurrection from the dead.  His victory assures us of forgiveness from sin and eternal life in heaven - two things worth celebrating!  You can use the Easter message as a backdrop to share the good news with your kids and grand-kids all year long.  Let your kids or grand-kids know that Jesus is a "friend that sticks closer than a brother" and lets them live forever in heaven with Him if they will believe.

Here are some simple tips to carry with you throughout this very special holiday:

• Realize that kids understand God - and Easter - in vivid, literal images.  Don't dismiss tough questions.  Instead, read the Bible together.  Start with Matthew 28.
• Tweak your traditions.  Turn your usual Easter celebrations into opportunities to learn more about God and His Word.  If your family enjoys a sunrise experience, reenact the morning that Jesus' friends came to find the tomb empty.  For your egg hunt, fill plastic eggs with Scripture verses or Bible story pictures as well as candy.
• Know that it's never too early to share the good news of the Gospel.  Don't wait until your kids can communicate to tell them about Jesus and all He has done for us.  Remember that children can discover God from infancy (see 2 Timothy 3:14-15)

Here are some other insights to keep in mind at this very important time of year:

• In a 2010 survey, two-thirds of Americans said they knew that Easter is a religious holiday.  But only 42% connected its meaning to Jesus' resurrection.  And only 2% said they would describe Easter as the most important holiday of their faith (Barna Group).
• Another Barna Group study found that children are most likely to become Christians for a lifetime from ages 5 to 13.  In addition, children's moral development is largely complete by age 9.

For some great ideas on how to celebrate Easter with your family, please check out Celebrate Easter: A Family Guide for Holy Week

Let's take time this Holy Week to impress the truths of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ onto the hearts and minds of our kids and grand-kids.  May His good news reverberate throughout our homes and cities this joyous holiday...He is risen!  Happy Easter!