THE STORY OF EASTER

What an awfully sad day it had been for the friends of
     Jesus! They had stood watching sorrowfully, as Jesus hung on the
     cross dying. They didn't fully understand why it had to happen.

          They believed that Jesus was the Son of God, and they
     remembered how He had healed the sick and made blind people see.
     They remembered how He had fed thousands of people with just a
     few loaves of bread and fish. They even remembered how He had
     caused dead people to come back to life. He was such a good, kind
     man; why did He have to die?

          Just before the sun was beginning to sink into the west,
     Joseph, one of Jesus' friends, noticed that Jesus was no longer
     breathing. He hurriedly went to ask Pilate if he could have the
     body of Jesus so he could bury Him. When Pilate agreed, Joseph
     and Nicodemus (another friend) carefully wrapped Jesus' body in
     clean cloths. Then they took Him to a tomb to bury Him.

          The next day, the Pharisees started thinking about Jesus.
     They were the people that had wanted to kill Jesus. They
     remembered how He had taught them, saying that He would rise
     again after three days. They were worried that it might be true!
     They also thought that Jesus' disciples would remember and might
     try to steal the body from the tomb just so they could say that
     Jesus rose again. They went to Pilate, suggesting that the tomb
     be closed up with a huge stone and that guards be placed all
     around the tomb.

          Just before daylight the next day, the most amazing thing
     happened! There was a GREAT EARTHQUAKE! An ANGEL from the Lord
     came down from heaven, moved the gigantic stone away from the door
     of the tomb and sat on it. The guards began to shake with fear!
     They fell down to the ground as if they were dead!


          Mary and some other women had decided to get up very early
     in the morning and go to visit the tomb where Jesus was placed.
     While walking down the road, they were discussing how they were
     going to get inside the tomb. They had brought along some spices
     and perfume that they wanted to place on Jesus' body. They knew
     the huge stone had been placed in the doorway and they had no
     idea how they were going to move it.

          What a SURPRISE they found when they reached the tomb! The
     stone had already been moved! And . . . there was an ANGEL
     sitting on the stone! The women were quite afraid, but the angel
     spoke gently to them:

                                     "Don't be afraid. I
                                     know that you have come
                                     to see Jesus. He is not
                                     here; for he is risen
                                     just as he said. Come
                                     inside and see the
                                     place where he lay."

          The women went inside the tomb and found it empty, just as
     the angel had told them.

          The angel spoke to the women one more time:

               "Go quickly and tell the other disciples that
               Jesus has risen from the dead; and he is
               going into Galilee where you will see him.

          The women did just as the angel had told them. They ran
     quickly from the tomb, with fear and great joy, to tell the good
     news to the other disciples. But . . . when the women found Peter
     and their other friends and tried to tell them the good news, . .
     . no one believed them!

          When the women persisted, Peter decided that he needed to
     find out for himself.

               He ran all the way to the tomb.

                    He went inside.

                         He saw the cloths that
                         had been wrapped around
                         Jesus, but the body was
                         not there.

          He wondered if it could possibly be true. Did Jesus really
     raise from the dead? Was Jesus really alive?


          Two of Jesus' other friends were going on a journey to a
     village called Emmaus. As they walked and talked, they discussed
     all the things that had happened over the past few days. A man
     came along and joined the group. He walked along with them and
     wanted to join their discussion. Cleopas began telling the man
     about how Jesus was crucified on the cross. They talked about how
     the women found the empty tomb.

          As they continued their journey, they invited the man to
     come in with them and have dinner. When they sat down to eat
     their meal, the man picked up a loaf of bread and broke it in
     pieces. Then he prayed for the meal and gave the bread to the
     men. At that very moment they realized that the man was JESUS!
     They had been talking to Jesus the whole time and didn't even
     know it!

          Then . . . ANOTHER strange thing happened. As soon as they
     realized who it really was that sat at the table with them . . .
     Jesus disappeared! They talked about the wonderful time they had
     talking with Jesus down the road, and they just couldn't help
     talking about his strange disappearance. They got up from their
     meal and returned to Jerusalem where they told all the other
     disciples the good news that Jesus REALLY DID raise from the dead
     and had talked with them.

          As they were talking, Jesus again appeared to them. They
     were afraid and thought they were seeing a ghost, but Jesus told
     them not to be afraid. He showed them His hands and feet where He
     had been nailed to the cross, so they would believe that it was
     really Him.

          When they saw the nail holes in His hands and feet, they
     finally believed that Jesus had risen from the dead, just like He
     said He would. They were soooo happy and joyful to have their
     friend with them again. They were soooo excited that they had to
     tell EVERYBODY the good news that JESUS IS ALIVE!


     THINK!

          Why were Jesus' friends so sad?
          Why were guards placed around the tomb?
          What caused the huge stone to be moved?
          Who was the first to look inside the tomb?
          Why was Jesus' body not in the tomb?
          What did the angel say to Mary and the women with her?

     REMEMBER:

          Jesus Is Alive!

     A VERSE TO LEARN

          "He is not here, but is risen" (Luke 24:6).

     LET'S PRAY

           ****************************************************
                Dear God, thank You that You sent Your Son,
               Jesus, to die for our sins. Thank You that He
                 arose from the dead and is now living; and
                because He lives, we can have eternal life.
                           In Jesus' name. Amen.
           ****************************************************

     CAN YOU FIND THIS STORY IN THE BIBLE?

          Matthew 27:55 - 28:10
          Mark 15:40 - 16:14
          Luke 23:47 - 24:35
          John 19:38 - 20:21