The story of Easter

1. The death and resurrection of Jesus is the most important truth in the world. Most of the Old Testament prophets wrote about it. Isaiah was one of these. He looked forward to when Jesus would be crucified, buried, and rise again from the dead. The resurrection of Jesus is talked about all through the Bible. It is believed by only a few people. (Isaiah 53)

2. When Jesus was born, a very few people knew about it. Only those who believed the prophets and looked for Jesus accepted Him when He came. Among these were simple shepherds, a group of wise men, and a few other humble folks. They had read and believed the prophets' messages, and so they accepted Jesus as their Saviour and King. (Luke 2:11, Matthew 2:2)

3. When Jesus was about thirty years of age, He began preaching and teaching. But not everyone listened to Him. Some of the rulers hated Him because He was more popular than they. Those who did love Him were the common folk: He taught them and healed them and did many mighty miracles among them. For about three and a half year He did this work. ( Mark 5:15)
4. Then it came time for Jesus to die for the sin of the world. One of His own disciples named Judas went to the rulers to betray Jesus to them. For Judas' evil plan they gave him thirty pieces of silver. He loved money, and Jesus was not worth very much to him. If he had truly loved Jesus, he would never sold Him. (Matt. 26:14,15)

5. Judas' plan worked! He knew where Jesus would be praying, and he led a great mob there to take Him. With swords and clubs and torches they came, as though Jesus were some terrible criminal. ( This shows that people who do not believe the Bible hate God.) Because of their own sin these men misunderstood Him and treated Him like a convict. ( Matt. 26:47)

6.This mob bound Jesus and took Him before Pilate the Roman governor. Here they falsely accused Him of many crimes. Of course they could not prove any of their lies against Him! They hope that Pilate and this soldiers would kill Jesus for them. But he was afraid to harm Jesus because he knew that He was a holy man. So he sent Him to another ruler who was visiting Jerusalem: King Herod. This king ruled over Galilee, where Jesus had been living.
( Matt. 27:1,2,11-14)

7. For a long time King Herod had wanted to see Jesus do a miracle. He was a wicked, lustful man. He had already killed John the Baptist for preaching the truth. When Jesus refused to talk to him, he gave Him to his soldiers to mock. They teased Him and smote Him and treated Him very shamefully. After making great sport of Jesus, Herod put a crown of thorns on His head and sent Him back Pilate the Governor. (Mark 15:16-19)

8. But Pilate still did not want to condemn Jesus. He knew Jesus was innocent, and yet the was afraid to offend the people. He was afraid to do injustice, and at the same time he was afraid not to do it. As the people cried out, " Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" Pilate tried to save Jesus. But the people insisted on His death. Pilate finally gave Him to the soldiers to be crucified. ( Luke 23:11, John 19:12)

9. As Jesus and two other men were taken to Golgotha to be crucified, the mob followed them. A man named Simeon carried Jesus' cross for Him, for He was too exhausted and hurt to carry His own cross. There on that hill the two thieves and Jesus were crucified. Sinful men drove nails into the holy hands and feel of Jesus. They did not realize that Jesus was the Creator, the one who had made the wood for the cross and also the hill on which the cross stood! (John 19:16, Mark 15:21-23)

10. One of the thieves said to Jesus, " If You are the Son of God, save Yourself and us too". This was not faith, for he said, " If You are the Son of God". The other thief had true faith when he said, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom". And as Jesus hung there He promised that thief: " Today you will be with Me in Paradise". ( Luke 23:39-43)

11. Many different folks stood watching Jesus as He died that day: soldiers, religious rulers, Jesus' disciples and friends. His own mother, and those who passed by on the road. Some mocked Him as a sinner, wagging their heads at Him. Others wept because such a good man was being so cruelly slain. Others just looked and wondered. The ones who loved Him believed that He was indeed the Son of God. ( Luke 23:35, John 19:25,26)

12. Now while some cried and looked and mocked and laughed, the soldiers were gambling. Jesus' robe was a perfect one with no seam in it: they did not want to tear it in pieces, so they gambled to see who would win the whole robe for his own.
Was there ever so great a King as Jesus so wickedly dealt with? No, not in this world nor in the next! (Matthew 27:34,35,48)

13. While Jesus continued to hang there suffering, three hours of darkness came over the earth. Then He cried out, " It is finished". He meant that He had pleased His Heavenly Father by becoming the eternal offering of sin. Some who saw Him believe the Scriptures: they felt the earthquake and even saw the graves open and dead people come to life who had waited for Jesus to come to earth. One soldier said, "Truly, this was the Son of God".(Luke 23:48,Matthew 27:54)

14. Jesus' enemies remembered His words about rising from the dead in three days. They therefore got permission from Pilate to make the tomb secure and seal it. If anyone broke that seal, he could be slain by the Roman Government. Of course they did not expect God to come and raise Jesus from the dead! (Matt. 27:62-66)

15. Early on Sunday morning some of the women made their way to the tomb: they were bringing more spices and ointments for Jesus' body. They were very sad, and the wondered who would roll the big stone away from the door. It took several men to place it there, and how could they get it rolled back? As they thought about this problem, they came nearer tho the place.(Mark16:1)

16. When they reached the tomb, a shining angel was already there! He had rolled back the stone and was sitting on it: " Fear, not", he said to the surprised women. "I know you seek Jesus, but He is not here. He is risen. Did He not tell you. He would rise from the dead? Come inside and see the place where He lay, and then go and tell His disciples". (Matthew 28:3-8)

17. How these women ran to tell the disciples! They were glad and yet they were afraid they believed, and yet they trembled; they were satisfied with what they had seen, and yet they were shocked. "Jesus is risen from the dead! He is risen from the dead!" they cried. But the disciples would not believe it. They were too sad at Jesus' death to listen to such a fantastic story as this. The words of the women really seemed to make them sadder than ever. ( Luke 24:9-11)

18. As Peter and John, two of the disciples, listened to the excited talk about the resurrection of Jesus, the decided to go and see for themselves if it was true. When they arrived at the tomb, Peter went right in to where the body of Jesus had been laid. There he saw the grave clothes lying neatly, as though Jesus had just slipped out of them. And that was exactly wat had happened: Jesus had been raised from the dead, leaving behind both the grave and the grave clothes. (Luke 24:12, John 20:9)

19. That same day two disciples were walking to a village called Emmaus, not far from Jerusalem. Another traveler appeared and gradually caught up to these sad-faced folks. Though they didn't recognize Him, it was Jesus Himself! " What are you talking about, and why do you look so sad?" He asked them. Then they told Him how much they loved Jesus their Master, and how the wicked rulers hated Him and HIm crucified. "We hoped He would be our King", the concluded.
(Luke 24:13-27)

20. "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" He asked. Then He took the writings of the prophets and explained all that they foretold about Him, making it very clear and understandable, and showing how His death fulfilled what they had written. While they were eating supper that evening. God opened their eyes to see that their guest was Jesus Himself - then He vanished from their sight. (Luke 24:28-32)


21. As soon as possible, the went to Jerusalem to tell the Apostles what had happened. Even while they were talking about Jesus' resurrection from the dead, suddenly He appeared and stood in their midst. He quickly showed them the scares in His hands and feet. They were so glad to see Him that they could hardly believe for joy. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He was with His disciples about forty days, teaching them many things. (Luke 24:33-48)

22. Then one day as they stood around Him, He arose from the ground and went right up into heaven. They worshiped Him and believed that indeed He was the Son of God, the Saviour of the world.
The Bible says, "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raied him from the dead, thou shalg be saved". (Luke 24:40-53 ,
Romans 10:9)