Is Your Easter Hollow? Chocolate Rabbit Object Lesson

Is your Easter hollow? That’s the question I asked myself recently and I plan to ask my kids on Easter Sunday. Don’t get me wrong, folks. I love Easter decorations and candies and all the activities that come with this time of year. I am not here to condemn anyone for hosting an Easter egg hunt or an egg dyeing party. In fact, if you came to visit me, you might find a bowl of jellybeans on my desk and see a lovely cross that I display every year on my entryway table. I know the truth about Easter–it’s all about my Savior and what he did for me, but I want to make sure my class keeps focused too. So for this object lesson I’m going to challenge them to think about how they consider Easter.

What You’ll Need: 

• A large hollow chocolate rabbit
• A solid chocolate cross
• A kitchen mallet
• Paper towels 

Place everything in the teaching area. You might want to keep the candies covered with a towel until you are ready to use them just to keep kids from being tempted to touch and taste.  

Let’s Teach:

See what I have? I bet some of you have some of these too. Raise your hand if you love chocolate rabbits! (Wait for kids to respond.) There is nothing wrong with enjoying some tasty chocolate but I want to talk to you about something. Candy is wonderful -- in fact it is one of my favorite things but Easter is more than candy. It’s about God’s plan to save us from sin. That’s why Jesus came, why he died and why he rose again -– to show us what God can and will do for us. Now, I like rabbits as much as anyone but I’m pretty sure rabbits were not part of the Easter story.

When we forget the true meaning of Easter, we miss the message. Then the meaning becomes hollow. Who knows what hollow means? (Let kids answer.) That’s right! It means that something is empty inside. I’ll show you what I mean. See this rabbit? (Hold up the rabbit.) I am going to show you something you weren’t expecting. (Peel the rabbit. Place him on the table and whack him with the mallet. Hold up a piece.) See that? This rabbit is hollow! There is nothing inside! That’s exactly what Easter is like for us when we forget what it truly means. You don’t want a hollow Easter do you? (Let kids respond.)

Now let’s look at this cross. You might be surprised. (Unwrap the cross and whack it with the mallet. Hold up a piece.) Look at that! That cross is solid -– it’s not hollow at all. Just like the true meaning of Easter.

Although Jesus died and rose a very long time ago, the message of Easter is still strong and because of his journey to the cross, we can still be saved! Who wants to have a snack with me?