Our Easter Story
He gave His life to save ours.
He came to us so quietly, almost unnoticed, though foretold.
He lived and grew like one of us, yet all who knew Him could see that He was different.
Just a man from Nazareth, working as a carpenter, until His time came.
He walked among us, taught, healed, and loved us.
We loved Him back but not well and many did not love at all, did not listen, did not care.
“He is different,” they said. “He talks of things strange to us, He would change our lives.
He would ask us to think and feel. He would cause us to hunger for a food we have not taste for, to sacrifice and to love one another.
He would shed light on our darkness for all to see.
We want nothing of His new ways, none of His changes, we will just ignore Him.”
But He did not go away.
Fear crept in, first here, then there.
“Our lives will be different. We will lose our place, our freedom, our treasures.”
Fear led to hate and they hated Him.
“Why did he have to come. Why won’t He go away?”
“We want to be rid of Him and all He stands for.
“If He will not go away, we will kill Him.”
Sinister plots and midnight meetings, plans for His end are contrived.
“We need help, an insider, a trader. We must find a ‘friend’ to accomplish our wretched deed.”
Alone with us, He foretold His future.
Shock and disbelief, “No this must not happen.”
“Flee from me Satan. Yes, it must, or ALL will be lost.”
As the end grew near, He took bread and wine, blessed it, and gave it.
“When you share it, Do this in remembrance of Me.”
Now time for prayers,
He is alone in the garden for we who are to watch are sleeping.
We could not even watch one hour.
Then noise and men and betrayal.
He stands in silence as accusations fly.
“King?”, “Are you the King?”
Laughter and scorn,
“Do you have nothing to say?”
His silence says it all.
Convicted of His innocence, the crowd cries, “Crucify,” and He is sent to die.
“I wash my hands of this,” words echo through the ages.
Dragging His cross, He climbs His last hill.
Stripped and beaten, nailed to the cross, mocked and pierced, He speaks few and final words.
“Today you will be with me in Paradise,” to the one who now believes.
“Father forgive them….,” to those who deserve no forgiveness.
“It is finished,” and He was gone.
Darkness covers every corner of the earth, and the centurion’s eyes are finally opened,
“Truly this was the Son of God.”
Sadness fills the hearts of those who loved Him.
Yet customs are followed, and the tomb is closed.
Now He is gone, nothing is left, all is lost.
Grief and fear cause confusion and disbelief. They have forgotten His promises.
But on the morning of the third day, they will remember.
Going to anoint His body they do not find Him.
The stone is rolled away and the tomb is empty.
Frightened bewildered faces question one who stands near.
“Where is He? Where have they taken Him?”
“He is not here, HE IS RISEN!” words from one now seen in sparkling white raiment.
A miracle beyond belief, foretold and now remembered.
“We must tell the others, we must go and tell the others,” cries of joy spill out as they run.
Once face to face their words are clear, “The tomb was empty, He was not there.”
An Angel said He is not dead, “He is Risen! Our Savior is Risen!”
Just as He promised, He has conquered death and now we are free.
Read more about it in the Gospels
Matthew 27–28
Luke 22–24
Mark 15–16
John 18–20