By Bethany Pitman
Help the children in your ministry to remember the significant occurrences of Holy Week by utilizing a familiar Easter treat! All you will need is a bag or two of colorful jelly beans to engage children in the details of Holy Week. This is a great way to ensure they will remember all the happenings of that fateful week. Before gathering the children, make sure you have enough of the jelly bean colors that you will need for each child. Consider sending a set of the colored jelly beans home so that the child can retell the details to family members or friends. Typing out the color codes below to send home would be helpful.
Here is what each color of the jelly beans represent. You may want to allow the children to eat each one as you explain what the colors mean!
Green—On Palm Sunday, the people crowded the streets to worship Jesus and waved green palms as a way to honor him. This marks the beginning of Holy Week. (Ask the children to pretend to wave palm branches.)
Yellow—Yellow is often viewed as a color for friendship, but it also can represent betrayal. (Explain what betrayal means if children are young.) While Judas was a dear friend who followed Jesus, he also betrayed him. (Ask them if they know what Judas did. If not, explain to them what Judas did and how it was foretold.)
Orange—Peter, one of Jesus’ best friends, denied him three times as he warmed himself around the orange flames of a fire. (Read Luke 22:54-62.)
Purple—After Jesus was arrested, the soldiers put a purple robe on him and mocked him for calling himself a king. (Ask the children how that would have made Jesus feel.)
Red—Jesus shed his blood and died on the cross. (Explain in more detail what happened on Good Friday, keeping the ages of the children in your ministry in mind.)
Pink—In the first hues of the sunrise three days after his death, Jesus rose from the dead having conquered death and the devil. (Let the children "make a joyful noise" or have them respond to you when you say "Christ is risen!". They could say "He is risen indeed!" Or consider purchasing a giveaway from the Sing and Shout! Jesus Lives! gifts and giveaways product line.)
Blue—Just like the blue of a bright sky, our faith in Jesus makes us righteous in the Father’s eyes. (John 3:16, Romans 3:22, Matthew 6:33 may be some Bible verses you could share with the children.)
