Rotation.org Writing Team
Palm Sunday: Jesus is the One!
"Having a Heart of Palm" Cooking Workshop
Lesson Summary:
Students will prepare, cook, and eat Heart of Palm Dip, discussing and deciding if they have a "heart of palm."
What does "heart of palm" taste like?
The palm hearts themselves are rather plain tasting, close to water chestnuts or artichoke. It's what you mix them with that gives them taste. This "flavoring" is part of the lesson's meaning. The recipe below will make it taste like onion dip with more texture. See the special notes about various ingredients kids may or may not like.
Scripture:
Matthew 21:1-11, the story of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
Key Verse: "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!" Matthew 21:9 (NRSV)
Objectives for the Rotation
See Bible Background at rotation.org for this set's complete list of objectives.
Preparation & Supplies
- Read the Bible Background and lesson plan
- bibles
- palm branch
- Preview the recipe and collect the ingredients and utensils
- Mixing and Serving Bowls
- Chopper or knife
- Food processor
- Grater [Optional]
- Measuring cups
- Napkins
- Plates
- Spatula
- several pairs of washed/clean craft scissor to cut pita in shapes
Ingredients
- Cheese, Asiago or Parmesan - grated
- Cream cheese, 4 ounces
- Hearts of palm, 8 ounce can
- Mayonnaise, ½ cup
- Onions, green, 1 cup chopped
- Sour Cream, ½ cup
- Pita bread for toasting (cut with clean scissors)
Update: As the discussion below illustrates, kids can be finicky about adult flavors (like green onions, for example). Check out these suggestions in the comments below.
Lesson Plan
Opening Bible Study
Welcome your students and explain what they'll be doing today in the lesson.
Warm-up Questions: I love parades and celebrations! Do you?
Have you ever seen a famous person or celebrity up close? [Allow responses, but keep them brief.] What is it like to see a famous person?
Say: Today we are going to read about one of the world's greatest celebrities, one of the world's most famous people. Do you know who I'm talking about?
Write the words: "Limousine," "Flags," "Confetti," and "Cheering Crowds" on the board. Tell your students that you want them to listen for those four things in the story you are about to read.
Dramatically read the story to them from Matthew 21:1-11, then ask them these questions:
- Did he ride in a limousine? (No? What? - a donkey, which is what kings rode to show they were humble)
- Did the people march with flags? (No? What? - they cut palm branches and waved them)
- Did they shoot off confetti cannons like they do at the Super Bowl? (No? What? - they spread their cloaks on the road)
- Did anyone complain about him?
According to Matthew, NO! Your students may be confused by this because there are four different Gospel versions of the story. Only Luke and John record that some Pharisees made snide remarks about the parade. Have them look at those remarks in Luke 19:39 and John 12:19 and tell you what the Pharisees said about Jesus.) - Important Question: What happened to these crowds when Jesus was tried and crucified?
Say: It's easy to cheer Jesus when he's just passing by in a parade and all we have to do is cheer.
Ask: Which do you think Jesus wants? Crowds waving palms and cheering him and then running away from him, ignoring him? Or people who turn their hearts over to him?
Do this: Take a palm and wave it in the air as you meekly say "Yay Jesus, I guess you're important, I guess I'll go to church," and then place that palm on your heart and say in earnest, "I believe in you. I want to be in your presence. I want to follow you with all my heart."
Make your point: Jesus wants us to do more than wave palms in our hands and shout Hosanna when he comes riding by once a year. Jesus wants us to have hearts of palm —hearts that praise him and shout Hosanna every day."
Read the following examples, and ask them to vote, either: "Palm in hand? (wave raised hand weakly back & forth) or Heart of palm? (solemn faced with hand over heart)"
(Poser? Or Believer? Only here for the fun parade stuff? Or here to give your life?)
- Shows up to church only at Christmas and Easter time.
- Only helps others when asked to help.
- Only reads Bible at church.
- Thinks about Bible stories they've learned.
- Would rather sleep in on Sunday, but knows it's important to get up for worship.
- Thinks of themselves as a Christian, but thinks church is boring and for losers.
- Invites a friends to come to church or fellowship group with them.
- Never talks to friends about what they do at church.
- Runs people down behind they're back.
- Finds time to talk to Jesus in prayer every day.
Ask your students to summarize what someone with a "heart of palm" is like.
Dip!
Tell your students that they are about to make "heart of palm" dip to remember the kind of heart Jesus wants us to have. Tell them where "heart of palm" comes from (it's the edible part of a palm plant). This may surprise them, and gross out a few of them. If so, suggest that they not be "Pharisees" who refuse something before tasting it. Before mixing, have students taste what un-seasoned heart of palm tastes like (it has very little flavor).
After washing their hands, split up the following duties and begin assembling the dip.
As you give them ingredients to process and add, suggest that "having a heart for Jesus" is also the result of putting many things together, such as, prayer, being humble, recognizing your need for forgiveness, learning to be unselfish. These things soften a person's heart, allowing Christ to enter in and change us.
Chop the hearts of palm and green onion a bit in the food processor, and then add the remaining ingredients. Make sure the lid is on tightly and process until smooth.
*Important: If you don't grate the cheese before adding it to the food processor, the chunks can get caught on the blade and then cause the dip to "explode" all over the place, so a tightly-fitting lid is essential.
After mixing, immediately place in a stainless steel bowl and put it in the freezer for 10 minutes. It will taste better that way.
Be sure to see the variations on the recipe discussed in the comments below at rotation.org.
While it's cooling, use the PITA REFLECTION below.
Notes: This batch makes about two cups, so the recipe might need to be increased for a large number of participants. Hearts of Palm dip will last several days in the refrigerator.
Option: Make plenty of "Hearts of Palm Dip" for the congregation's time of fellowship or for others to take home. Write out the words, "Jesus Wants Us to Have Hearts of Palm" and include your scripture reference and decorate with palms.
Digest! (Pita Reflection)
As the dip is cooling, pull out some pita bread and invite students to use clean scissors to quickly cut them into the shapes of palm leaves, donkey, king, cloaks, and place on a baking sheet. As they assemble the pita pieces to toast them, ask them about Jesus riding into Jerusalem that day —how we can show Jesus that we believe he is our king, our leader, in charge of us, more than just waving palms and parading into church.
Toast the pita pieces, watching them carefully so they don't burn. (It will take less than a minute under the broiler. You may want to turn them over to toast both sides.
Now enjoy a "Hearts of Palm" dip party. As they're tasting, some may not prefer it (assure them that that's okay.) It's what's in the heart that God cares about, not what's on their taste buds!
Close with a prayer that the message of Palm Sunday would find it's way past our stomachs and into our hearts.
Adaptations
For Younger Students:
Give each of them a palm leaf to imitate you when you share "waving" as part of the crowd, versus, "having a heart of palm." Simplify your vocabulary and concepts. Have them make dip to share with others or go home.
Make several different versions of the recipe letting the kids choose which ingredients they want to put in. (Younger children especially, may balk at seeing green onions or tasting sour flavors. See the notes below here at rotation.org.)
Resources
There are many Hearts of Palm recipes online. Here's one that has simpler ingredients: lemon juice and olive oil, instead of onions, cheeses and sour cream. It tastes more like a hummus. https://staciebillis.com/addic...-hearts-of-palm-dip/
Originally written by Julie Burton, and updated by the Rotation.org Writing Team
Copyright © 2016 by Rotation.org
Printed from https://www.rotation.org
