Series Focus: Easter is the Best Day Ever
Use this guide to lead your family. In each guide, you will find a parenting affirmation to help you focus on God's call on you as a parent/guardian. Then, you will find a Scripture passage from the New International Reader's Version of the Bible. When you are done reading, there are discussion questions to help your family talk about what you read. Feel free to add to or skip questions as time allows. At some point during the week, it would be extra special to plan to do the optional Family Activity.
Parenting Affirmation: God has given me what I need to be a good parent. Philippians 4:13
Read: 21 “Which of the two do you want me to set free?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered. 22 “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” 23 “Why? What wrong has he done?” asked Pilate. But they shouted even louder, “Crucify him!”
24 Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere. Instead, the crowd was starting to get angry. So he took water and washed his hands in front of them. “I am not guilty of this man’s death,” he said. “You are accountable for that!”
25 All the people answered, “Put the blame for his death on us and our children!” 26 Pilate let Barabbas go free. But he had Jesus whipped. Then he handed him over to be nailed to a cross. Matthew 27:11-26
Discussion Questions:
As we prepare to celebrate Easter, we have to take time to consider all the parts of the Easter story. Even the hard parts like the passage today.
Family Activity: Create a special prayer experience. Play some of your favorite worship music, light a candle or two, ask everyone to take a few minutes to be serious and think about their relationships with Jesus right now. Guide them through these questions and encourage them to pray as they answer the questions.
Use this guide to lead your family. In each guide, you will find a parenting affirmation to help you focus on God's call on you as a parent/guardian. Then, you will find a Scripture passage from the New International Reader's Version of the Bible. When you are done reading, there are discussion questions to help your family talk about what you read. Feel free to add to or skip questions as time allows. At some point during the week, it would be extra special to plan to do the optional Family Activity.
Parenting Affirmation: God has given me what I need to be a good parent. Philippians 4:13
Read: 21 “Which of the two do you want me to set free?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered. 22 “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” 23 “Why? What wrong has he done?” asked Pilate. But they shouted even louder, “Crucify him!”
24 Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere. Instead, the crowd was starting to get angry. So he took water and washed his hands in front of them. “I am not guilty of this man’s death,” he said. “You are accountable for that!”
25 All the people answered, “Put the blame for his death on us and our children!” 26 Pilate let Barabbas go free. But he had Jesus whipped. Then he handed him over to be nailed to a cross. Matthew 27:11-26
Discussion Questions:
As we prepare to celebrate Easter, we have to take time to consider all the parts of the Easter story. Even the hard parts like the passage today.
- What stands out to each of you from this story? (Pilate’s response? Pilate’s wife’s response? The chief priest’s response? The people’s response?)
- Who do you relate to in how you respond to Jesus this week?
- Who do you want to relate to?
- Part of surveying these stories is to realize we all treat Jesus the way the people in this passage treated Jesus on this day. It is most important to acknowledge this and find ways to repent from treating Jesus like this.
- How can we encourage each other to treat Jesus differently this week?
Family Activity: Create a special prayer experience. Play some of your favorite worship music, light a candle or two, ask everyone to take a few minutes to be serious and think about their relationships with Jesus right now. Guide them through these questions and encourage them to pray as they answer the questions.
- Where/How have you stopped loving Jesus?
- What things or activities are in the way of focusing on Jesus every day?
- Ask God to forgive you for your response to Him and Jesus.
- Ask Him to guide you in ways you can do better.
- Ask God to show you in tangible ways when you begin to put Him behind other things. (Comfort each other and pray for your family right now, that God would be the focus of your lives for this Easter season and throughout the year.)