Matthew 27, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20-21
This weekend, we look back on what happened over 2,000 years ago, and we praise God for his faithfulness. Jesus, God’s son, did the unexpected. He saved God’s people in a way that no one expected. At the beginning of what we call Holy Week, Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey. The crowds were cheering and celebrating him as their Savior; little did they know just what Jesus would do to save them. Let’s take a few moments and read about what happened later that week.
Good Friday:
Late Thursday night after the Lord’s Supper, Jesus and his disciples go to the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus stays awake to pray, but his disciples keep falling asleep.
Late Thursday night/early Friday morning, Judas, one of Jesus’s disciples, betrayed him, and Jesus was arrested.
Jesus was taken to trial, and the people called for him to be crucified.
Jesus was whipped, beaten, sip on, and much more. He was given his cross, and he had to carry it to the place where he would be crucified.
The Roman soldiers nailed Jesus to the cross, and he hung there for hours before he eventually died.
Jesus was taken from the cross, and buried in a tomb, and a large stone was rolled in front of the entrance. Guards were also put in place because the Romans feared Jesus’s followers would attempt to steal his body.
But Sunday was coming.
Saturday:
Saturday was the Sabbath for the Jewish people. No work was done on the Sabbath, so they weren’t allowed to travel to the tomb.
Saturday must have been an incredibly painful day. Mary’s son just died. The disciples just lost their leader and Lord. Saturday was a day full of sorrow, grief, and confusion.
But Sunday was coming.
Sunday:
Early Sunday morning, the women that followed Jesus went to his tomb with spices (similar to what we do with flowers now).
When they arrived at the tomb, the stone had been rolled away, and Jesus’s body was no longer there.
2 angels appeared to them and told them that Jesus was not in the tomb because he had risen from the dead.
The women ran back to tell the disciples about what they had seen. Some went to investigate for themselves, while others still doubted.
Jesus eventually reveals himself to the disciples, and many other people proving he had risen from the grave and thus saved everyone from their sins.
Jesus was in the tomb for three days. But on the third day, Jesus arose.
Easter Sunday is here!
What does Easter mean?
Every year, Christians from all over the world celebrate Easter because it is the day we put extra emphasis on remembering how Jesus has saved us. Jesus died on the cross for all of our sins. Jesus defeated death and now sits in Heaven at the right hand of God. We remember and celebrate Jesus’s sacrifice and victory because, through that, He has given us eternal life. Thank you, Lord.
Key Takeaways:
Jesus died for our sins.
He is Risen.
Because Jesus died, we can have eternal life.
Parents, 3treesKIDS will also be learning about Jesus' Resurrection, both in-person and online, this Sunday.
Be sure to check out their lesson at www.3trees.com/kids.
To find service times and locations, visit https://www.3trees.com/planyourvisit