Passion Week Day 3 - A Garden full of Grace

     The Jewish leaders (Scribes and Chief Priests) continue to try to trap and trick Jesus by asking questions about allegiance to Caesar that would make Him a traitor. Jesus of course answers in a way that silences them - yet again! Next are the Sadducees who object to the resurrection. Again, Jesus answers brilliantly, defending the resurrection by His personal knowledge of heaven and the Old Testament. Jesus ends by asking a question that only the God-man can answer. This is a conflict story and only pushes the Jewish leaders further on edge to kill Jesus.


     The activity for today is to start making a Resurrection Garden.  My children and I will begin. This is one of my favorite traditions because of what the garden symbolizes for me and for my family. I am going to review the Parable of the Wicked Tenants (from yesterday's reading) since it talks about a garden (vineyard). I will also review our verses from John about how Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. As you shop for and make this garden, talk about creation and the very good beginning. Talk about the very sad day of the fall and how nothing has been right since. Go to David Helm's The Big Picture Story Bible and read these stories with your children. Read about the very good ending awaiting for those who believe in Jesus as their good and gracious King. Here is a hymn for today.

Our beginning, and our mortal fall, began in a garden. Back there in the beginning, we all fell in a garden. And Christ... He falls to the ground in the garden of Gethsemane. He begins to right that fall in a garden. So the children and I put our hands in the dirt, and we remember our garden fall and His garden of grace. We remember... and we make a Grace Garden. A miniature remembering of the grief of the first beginning. A tangible remembering of the suffering and anguish as Jesus made things right. A new-life remembering as we marvel and rejoice at the garden tomb of the resurrection. A hopeful remembering as we long and look forward to our future all-things new Garden of Heaven with the Tree of Life, the river like crystal, the throne, and our Triumphant Lamb. He is our Snake Crusher, and it is He who brings us back to the Garden - the very good ending - the life we were always meant to have with God. This is our remembrance. This is a picture of hope for me - for my children. I can see it. I can touch it. This is my hope.

*getting me started: Ann Voskamp

The new Garden, bringing us full circle

Reading: Matthew 22:15-23:39; Mark 12:13-44; Luke 20:19-44; John 12:27-50

The Biggest Story: Chapter 3-4 (43-64)

Memory passage: Matthew 28:1-10 - I am going to begin reviewing the Resurrection passage with my children. We learned the story from Matthew, but you could also work any of the other Gospels. 

Songs for meditation: Starting to focus on songs about the cross like - When I Survey or Hallelujah, What a Savior

Activity: Make a felt banner like this one, or just make a palm branch and donkey and put it up on the wall. This is a Catholic site (fyi) but for you who might want to do hand prints for each day, these are good. Coloring pages that might be good for your little ones. These are just a few things. There are many wonderful ideas out there! 

Meditation: Revelation 21-22