Jesus was praying in a garden when some soldiers came and took him away. They took Him to the house of the high priest. The high priest was the boss of all the priests. All the leading priests along with a crowd of people were there, too.
The priests were very angry with Jesus. They wanted him to die because He said he was God's son. But Jesus hadn't done anything wrong. He never said mean, things to be nasty. He never hit or hurtsomeone. He never disobeyed his parents. He never lied, or cheated, or took something that wasn't his. Jesus is perfect. He never did anything wrong. Even though Jesus was perfect the priests wanted him to die on a cross. But they weren't allowed to order Jesus to be killed on a cross. Only a king or a governor could do that. So the priests took Jesus to see a man named Governor Pilate.
Governor Pilate asked Jesus many questions to
try to find out what Jesus did that was wrong. But
Pilate couldn't find any reason to give an order for
Jesus to be killed on a cross. Jesus hadn't done
anything wrong. Pilate wanted to let Jesus go free.
But the priests and the crowd started shouting,
"Kill Jesus on a cross!" "Why?"Pilate asked.
"Jesus hasn't done anything wrong. There is no
reason to kill him." But the people shouted even
louder, "Kill Jesus on a cross!" The priests and the crowd were very angry. Pilate was afraid they were going to start a riot. He did not want to order Jesus to be killed. But the people insisted that he let them kill Jesus on a cross. So Pilate turned Jesus over to them.
They made a crown from some thorny sticks and put it on his head. Then they smashed the crown into his head to make the thorns hurt him. They put a purple robe on him and made fun of Him and spit in His face. Then they took the robe off and whipped him.
They nailed Jesus' hands and feet to a cross. Then they stuck the cross in the ground and Jesus hung on that cross all day.
Jesus died on that cross because He loves us and wants each one of us to be friends with God. When we ask Jesus to forgive us for all the wrong things that we do, this is what our hearts look like to God. Jesus wants to forgive each and every one of you for all the wrong things you do. But only you can ask Jesus to forgive you. Your mother or father can't do it for you. All you have to do is tell God that you want Jesus to forgive you, too, for all the wrong things that you've done. And ask Him to be your special friend. And the Bible tells us that He will forgive you because He loves you very much. And He'll help you to want to do right things.
After Jesus died, a man named Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus' body down from the cross. Joseph of Arimathea had made a tomb for himself among some rocks in a garden.
It was like a little cave. He decided to put Jesus' body in his own tomb. So he wrapped Jesus' body in some cloth. Then he rolled a great big rock in front of the entrance.
Some of the women who had been followers of Jesus followed Joseph there so they could see where Jesus' grave was. Then the women went home to prepare spices to put on Jesus' body. That was a common thing to do in Bible times. But it was Friday evening and it was getting too late. The women knew they would have to wait until Sunday to put the spices on Jesus' body. They couldn't go the next day because it would be Saturday.
Saturday was their day of worship and all of God's people were not allowed to do any work on Saturdays.
Now Jesus had told his disciples that he was going to come back to life. This worried the priests who had wanted Jesus to be killed. They didn't believe that Jesus could really come back to life. But they were afraid that Jesus' disciples would come and steal his body. Then they might lie and tell everyone that Jesus had come back to life. So the priests got permission to have soldiers guard the grave so that no one would steal Jesus' body. The guards put a big seal around the rock. Then they stood in front of the rock to make sure that no one could go near it.
Very early on Sunday morning there was an earthquake. Then an angel came down from heaven and rolled the stone away from Jesus' tomb. The angel was as bright as lightening. The soldiers were so frightened that they became like dead men. Jesus had come back to life.
The women who wanted to put spices on Jesus' body got up very
early to go to the tomb. On the way there they asked each other,
"Who will move that big heavy rock away from the entrance so
we can get in?" But when they got there, the rock had already
been rolled away. The tomb was empty. The women were
frightened. Suddenly 2 angels stood beside them. The angels
said to them, "Why are you looking for someone who is alive in a
grave where only dead people belong? Jesus is not here. He's alive!" Full of joy, the women hurried away to tell the disciples that Jesus was alive!
What were the women looking for?
Jesus' body
Where were the women looking for Jesus?
In a tomb where dead people are put
Was a grave the right place to look for Jesus?
No.
Why was a grave the wrong place for them to look for Him?
Because He isn't dead anymore. HE'S ALIVE!
Jesus died on the cross for OUR forgiveness. But there's another reason why Jesus died. Do you know what it is?
So that we can be friends with God.
What is a friend like?
They are someone to talk to, tell our troubles to, have fun with, etc.
How can you make God your friend?
By asking Him to forgive me for all the wrong things I do and to be my best friend.
How should we treat Jesus if He is our best friend?
Tell Him our secrets, our worries, our fears.
Ask Him to help us every time we need help.
Learn about Him in our Bibles.
Don't do anything that would make Him disappointed in us.
Prayer:
Jesus, please forgive me for any sin in my life. Help me to always try to make the right choices because I don't want you to be disappointed in me. Please be my best friend so I can talk to you whenever I need someone. I love you Jesus! Amen
Jesus Dying For YOU!
What would it be like if every time you did something wrong someone else was punished for you? Do you think that would be fair? Jesus freely came to earth to die for our sins!
This lesson is about ....
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life.
John 3:16
LINK TO MOSES "CROSSING THE RED SEA"
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What is EASTER
about?
Is Easter all about candy, bunnies, hunting eggs, and dressing up in new clothes? Thats just what tradition has made of Easter and the celebration. But what is the REAL EASTER all about?
Easter is about Jesus and his amazing love he has for us! It's about him loving us so much that he came from heaven to die for our sins that WE could live with him forever in heaven!
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