Stories From The New Testament: The Very Good News!
After Jesus was arrested He was taken to be questioned by the High Priest. The High Priest thought Jesus was teaching wrongs things about God.
Even though Jesus taught of God’s love and made blind men see, the leaders did not believe He was God’s Son. But they were afraid of Him and wanted to kill Him. Jesus was beaten and spat on by the High Priest’s officers. Then He was sent to the governor of the city to be questioned.
The governor did not want Jesus to die. He did not think Jesus had done anything wrong. But all the priests and officers demanded it. The governor was afraid. So Jesus was put on the cross where He died. He was buried in a cave-tomb. The opening was covered by a large stone.
On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene, and later Simon Peter and John, came to the tomb but they found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. At first they thought Jesus’ body had been stolen.
But later Mary Magdalene looked again in the tomb. She saw 2 angels sitting there. And when she turned around Jesus was standing with her! He had been brought back to life!
Jesus went to His 12 special friends. He spoke with them and others many times. They rejoiced because they knew Jesus was the Son of God. They had begun to realize that Jesus had given up His life as a gift to us, to clean our sins away so God could enter and become close to us.
Jesus said He’d be with us always, even until the end of time. His followers finally understood that all who trusted in Jesus as God’s Son and who obeyed His words would be forever saved and forever changed. And this was the greatest news of all!
(adapted from John 18, 19, 20 and Acts 1)