Tag: Resurrection

Episode NT36 – Jesus’ Ascension

tale2tell original Bible Stories series – New Testament

Based on Acts chapter 1 verses 1 to 14

Story 36 – Jesus’ Ascension

(PETER) ‘Jesus had risen from the dead! And from time to time during the 40 days after His resurrection He came to see us, His disciples, or apostles as we were also called. Apostle means ‘Someone who’s sent out’, and we were called apostles of Jesus because He’d chosen us and sent us out to tell people about Him and God’s Kingdom.

As we spent time with Him during those days He talked to us about all kinds of matters concerning the Kingdom of God. And, while He was with us, He ate food and showed us time and time again that He wasn’t a ghost or anything like that – but a living, breathing person. The same Jesus we’d known and loved before His crucifixion, whose first concern was always the Kingdom of God.’

‘Anyway, we’d returned to Jerusalem from Galilee, and while He was eating with us He gave us, His apostles, an important commandment. (P) He said, ‘Don’t leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift He promised.’ He looked around at us expecting us to understand, but most of us sat there with blank expressions on our faces, so He added, ‘Remember? I’ve told you about it before! John baptised with water, but in just a few days you’ll be baptised with the Holy Spirit!’’ (PAUSE)

‘Now that God had raised Jesus back to life, and He was talking about the Kingdom of God again, we began to think that all our old ideas about Jesus becoming King of Israel and kicking the Romans out of our country must have been right all along. So we kept asking Him, ‘Lord, is it now that you’re going to free Israel and make us the most important kingdom in the world?’’

‘Jesus must have been so disappointed with us, we still didn’t understand and were making the same old mistakes we’d always made. So, one day, as we asked Him yet again, He said, ‘The Father sets those dates and they aren’t for you to know.’ (P) That put us in our place! And then He spoke once more of the subject that was so close to His heart, His Kingdom. ‘But when the Holy Spirit comes,’ He continued, ‘you’ll receive power, and then you’ll tell people everywhere about me! You’ll start right here in this city, Jerusalem; and then you’ll move out to Judea, the area around Jerusalem; and then you’ll move even further away from here, to Samaria, where the Samaritans live; and then – to the ends of the earth.’’

‘I guess it took us a while to really understand what Jesus meant. He hadn’t been raised from the dead so that He could become the King of a single country! The whole earth belonged to Him! His Kingdom was bigger than any country, or any nationality or people group! His Kingdom was to cover the whole earth and our job in this Kingdom was to tell everyone about Him, to point to Him, the real King who’d died to take the punishment we so richly deserve! And now He was telling us that sometime soon, He’d return to His Father and send the Holy Spirit to help us – to help us tell the whole world that Jesus is alive and our sins can be forgiven, our guilt can be washed away and we can be children of God and citizens in His Kingdom – all because of what Jesus did on that cross!’

‘It wasn’t long after this that Jesus went back to be with His Father. While He’d been with us He’d come and gone as He’d wanted, just appearing or disappearing, sometimes even appearing in a locked room. But now that He was going to leave us, going to heaven so that He could send the Holy Spirit, He left in a different way. I guess He could have just gone, disappeared and not come back, but if He’d done that we’d all have been thinking, ‘Maybe He’s not gone for good? Maybe He’ll come back if we just wait.’ I think Jesus understood that we needed to know He’d really gone back to His Father in heaven, so one day He took the 11 of us, His apostles, to the Mount of Olives about a kilometre outside of Jerusalem. And as we stood there with Him, He rose up into the sky and a cloud, like the cloud that’d been on the top of that mountain the day three of us had seen Jesus transfigure before our eyes and His clothes turn whiter than white – a cloud just like that – hid Him from our eyes.’

‘Well, we all just stood there staring up into the sky, straining our eyes, trying to see if we could still catch a glimpse of Him, wondering if He was going to come back, not sure what was happening, when suddenly two angels, who looked liked men in bright white robes stood with us. I was staring so hard at the sky I didn’t even notice them until they spoke to us – it gave me a bit a shock when I realised who they were. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why are you standing here staring at the sky? Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven. And someday, in the same way that you’ve seen Him go, He will return!’ And as they spoke I realised it was a gentle warning to us. Jesus had told us what He wanted us to do – to wait for the Holy Spirit and then tell people everywhere about Him. He didn’t want us to waste our time staring into the sky, but to get on and do what He’d asked.’

‘It was then that it really sunk in that Jesus had gone back to heaven. (P) But even though He’d gone, in a way we didn’t feel like He’d left us, because we could still talk to Him by praying, and He could still lead and guide us. He’d gone, but it wasn’t like those terrible days when He’d died. Now, even though He was in heaven, nothing could take Him from us.’

‘After that, we all went back to the house where we’d been staying. Then, with some of the women who followed Jesus, and with Mary His mother and His brothers, we spent our time either praising God in the temple for raising Jesus from the dead, or praying in that house, asking Jesus to do what He’d promised and send the Holy Spirit to help us tell the whole world about Him.’ (PAUSE)

Episode NT33 – The Empty Tomb

tale2tell original Bible Stories series – New Testament

Based on John chapter 20 verses 1 to 18

The Empty Tomb

For those who loved Jesus, who followed Him, who believed that He was the Son of God, the Saviour that’d been promised for so many years, that Friday had been the darkest day of their lives. And it had been made all the more dark because they hadn’t understood or believed what Jesus Himself had told them – that He had to suffer at the hands of sinful men, that He would be crucified, that He would die and be buried but, most importantly of all, that He would rise once again to life.

And so, those who were brave enough had watched His cruel death, the agonised hours nailed to a cross. They’d seen the darkness covering the land and heard Jesus’ cries as He gave up His life. And when He’d died they’d watched a Roman soldier walk up to Him with a spear and thrust it up into His dead body. And as the soldier pulled out his spear, they’d watched a sudden flow of what looked like blood and water from the wound.

Having wondered what on earth would happen to Jesus now that He was dead, it was a surprise to them that Joseph from Arimathea had taken Jesus’ body down from the cross. And it was even more of a shock when Nicodemus, the man who’d once visited Jesus at night had helped Joseph take Jesus’ body down and quickly prepare it for burial. Some of the women had watched as the two men wrapped Jesus’ body in a long linen cloth with spices, and put another cloth over His head, to keep His mouth shut in death. Mary Magdalene had watched as the two men placed the body in an unused tomb that was in a garden close to Skull Hill, the place where Jesus had been crucified. They used that grave because they needed to get Jesus buried before the Sabbath started that evening and no more work could be done.

As evening arrived Mary went home, her eyes swollen from crying. But as she walked home she made a decision: Nothing could be done the next day as it was a Sabbath and Jesus wouldn’t have wanted her to break the Sabbath day rules, but after the Sabbath, on the Sunday, she was free to do what needed to be done. Jesus’ burial had been a rushed job, it hadn’t been done properly, the least she could do was make sure He was buried properly! He’d died the death of a common criminal, He’d died in shame, under the curse of God because He’d been hung on a tree! But now, in death, the least she could do was make sure His body was treated properly.

That was why Mary Magdalene was up so early that Sunday morning while it was still dark! She was determined to see that Jesus had a decent burial, the way things should be done! How she was going to move the massive stone Joseph and Nicodemus had rolled in front of the cave-like tomb, she hadn’t thought through! How she was going to cope with the smell of a dead body now into its third day, she had no idea, but cope she would! This was no ordinary person, this was Jesus, and she owed Him everything. (P) But as she approached the tomb, she looked in horror, unable to believe her eyes; the stone had already been moved! Jesus’ body had gone! What was she going to do? Someone had taken the body! Leaving the spices she’d brought with her where she’d dropped them, Mary turned and ran, running to the only people she could think of to help, His disciples, Peter and John.

‘Hold on,’ Peter shouted as he got up to answer the hammering on the door. And when he opened it there was Mary – and one look at tear-stained face told him something was seriously wrong.

‘It’s Jesus,’ Mary managed to get out between her heartbroken sobs. ‘They’ve taken His body away and I don’t know where they’ve put it!’

This set Peter’s head spinning. Why take the body? Was this some kind of attempt to discredit Jesus even more? But as these thoughts flashed through his mind, both he and John found themselves running as fast as their legs could carry them, running to see what’d happened to Jesus.

John was a little faster than Peter and arrived first. But he didn’t go in; instead, bending down and looking inside, he saw the linen cloth Jesus had been wrapped in – just lying there. Then Peter arrived and went straight inside and he too saw the linen cloth and the other cloth that’d been used to cover Jesus’ head – folded up and lying separately to one side. John followed Peter in while Mary waited outside, and when he saw the two linen clothes, he started to believe, to believe what Jesus had said, that He’d rise from the dead! (P)

There was nothing more to be done now, the body had gone and Jesus wasn’t there. So leaving the empty tomb, Peter and John walked passed the distraught Mary Magdalene, leaving her by the tomb side, and headed home.

What was she going to do now? Mary had no idea. But as she wept she stooped once again to look inside. But what she saw, instead of the body of Jesus, were two angels dressed in white and sitting at the head and the foot of where Jesus’ body had been. ‘Why are you crying?’ one of them asked her.

‘Because they’ve taken my Lord away and I don’t know where they’ve put Him.’ she answered.

As she said this, something caught her eye and, turning around, she saw someone standing close by. With her eyes so full of tears she had no idea who it was. ‘Why are you crying?’ the person asked. ‘Who’re you looking for?’

Thinking this must the gardener, Mary replied, ‘Sir, if you’ve taken Him away, tell me where you’ve put Him, and I’ll go and get Him.’

But then something made her stop, as she turned back towards the tomb to take a closer look. It was something that was impossible, but it was true. It was the sound of her name – spoken as she’d heard it said many times before, spoken as only one person could, spoken by Jesus! ‘Mary.’

Spinning round to see who’d spoken it, she realised it was the stranger – the stranger was Jesus! ‘Teacher!’ she said and rushed to embrace Him. He was alive and He was speaking to her, in the same way, He’d always spoken to her before, that smile in His eyes …

‘Don’t cling to me,’ He told Mary, ‘because before too long I’ll be going to be with the Father. But for now, I want you to go and find the disciples and tell that that I’ll be going up to be with My Father and your Father, to be with My God and your God.’

And so, tearing herself away from Jesus, Mary Magdalene ran and found the disciples telling them, ‘I’ve seen the Lord – He’s alive!’ And passed on His message.

Episode NT25 – Lazarus

tale2tell original Bible Stories series – New Testament

Based on John chapter 11

Lazarus

DISCIPLE ANDREW ‘When the messenger arrived he had a serious look on his face and we could tell his message was urgent. Going straight to Jesus he said, ‘This message is from Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus, who live in Bethany which is in Judea. They say, ‘Lord, the one you love is very sick.’’

‘We’d experienced a lot of trouble from the religious leaders in the area of Judea, even so, we expected Jesus to tell us to pack up and go to there. Instead, He told us, ‘Lazarus’s sickness won’t end in death. It has happened for the glory of God. And I, the Son of God will receive glory from this.’’

‘Even though we knew how much Jesus loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus, we didn’t go to them straight away, instead we stayed where we were for another two days! We were all on edge, having had such a call for help and not having done anything. But when, after two days, Jesus told us that we were now going to Judea, we started to feel nervous! ‘Teacher,’ we said. ‘Are you sure about this? Only a few days ago the Jewish leaders in Judea were trying to kill you and now you want to go back again?’

‘’Our dear friend Lazarus has fallen asleep,’ Jesus told us, ‘and now it’s time for me to go and wake him up.’’

‘‘But Lord,’ we said. ‘If he’s having a good sleep then surely he’s getting better?’

‘Then Jesus spoke to us plainly. ‘Lazarus is dead. And I’m pleased I wasn’t there for your sakes, because this is going to give you another opportunity to believe in me. Come on, let’s go.’’

‘Even if we’d left as soon as the messenger had come we’d never have made it in time to help Lazarus. When we arrived, we discovered that he’d been dead and in his grave for four days already! There were lots of people there from Jerusalem, which was only a couple of miles away, who’d come to comfort Martha and Mary in their loss. We stayed a little outside Bethany, but when Martha heard that Jesus had arrived she came out to meet Him.’

‘’Lord,’ Martha cried when she saw Jesus. ‘If only you’d been here, then my brother wouldn’t have died! But even now I know that God will give you anything you ask of Him.’’

‘Jesus looked at her and said, ‘Your brother will rise again.’’

‘’Yes, I know he’ll rise when everyone does on the day of resurrection,’ Martha replied.’’

‘’I am the resurrection and the life,’ Jesus told Martha. ‘Everyone who believes in me, even though like all people they will die, yet also they will live again. Because, if they believe in me they are given eternal life and so will never perish. Do you believe this Martha?’ He asked.’

‘’Yes Lord,’ she told Him. ‘I’ve always believed that you’re the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who’s come into the world from God.’ After she’d said this she went back to Mary and calling her aside she said, ‘The Teacher’s here and He wants to see you.’ So, as quickly as she could, Mary came to where we were staying.’

‘In fact, Mary left to come and see Jesus so fast that all the mourners in the house thought she must be rushing off to the grave to weep for Lazarus there, so they followed her. When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at His feet saying, ‘Lord, if only you’d been here, then my brother wouldn’t have died.’’

‘When Jesus saw Mary’s weeping and the wailing of the other people who’d followed her, and saw how painful and evil death was – He was deeply moved in His soul – and outraged in His spirit at death itself. ‘Where have you put him?’ He asked.’

‘‘Lord, come and see,’ they told Him. And Jesus wept. (P) Some of the people standing there saw Him and said, ‘Look how much He loved Lazarus,’ while others shook their heads and said, ‘This is the same man who restores sight to the blind. So why couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?’’

‘Once again Jesus was overcome with a deep outrage in His spirit at the evilness of death. Then coming to the grave, which was a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance, Jesus ordered, ‘Roll that stone aside.’’

‘‘But Lord,’ Martha said. ‘It’s been four days since we put him in there! By now there’s going to be a terrible stink from the rotting body!’’

‘‘Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believed?’ Jesus said, turning to Martha. After He’d said this, a small group of us rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and prayed. ‘Father, thank you that you hear me. I know you always hear me, but I have said this for the benefit of these people standing here that they may believe that you sent me.’ Then in a loud voice He said, ‘Lazarus, come out!’’ (PAUSE)

‘To be honest with you I can’t really remember how he came out of the tomb because he was all wrapped in grave clothes up with his hands and feet bound and another cloth around his head. But, as I watched the impossible happening before my eyes, I realised Jesus was speaking again, calling out to us, His disciples. ‘Untie him,’ He said, ‘take off those grave clothes and set him free.’ And so we did, and there underneath it all was the same Lazarus we’d always known!’ (P)

‘The strange thing was, it was this mighty miracle that finally turned the chief Priests and the Pharisees against Jesus. Because, while some of the people with us believed in Jesus when they saw Lazarus raised back to life after four whole days in the grave, others ran off to tell the Pharisees what Jesus had done.’

‘At once a high council meeting was called. And the topic of conversation? Jesus!’

‘’What are we going to do?’ one of them asked. ‘This man Jesus certainly performs many miraculous signs. But if we leave Him to it, then what? The whole nation’ll end up following Him and then the Romans will come to put the whole thing down and at the same time take away our power – and destroy the temple!’’

‘’It was Caiaphas the high priest who spoke next. ‘You know nothing!’ he said. ‘Don’t you realise that it’s better for one man to die for the people than for the whole nation to perish?’ (P) Those words were given to Caiaphas from God – it was a prediction that Jesus’ death wouldn’t just be for Israel, but for the gathering together of all the children of God scattered around the world.’

‘That was the moment when the leaders began to plot Jesus’ death. And as a result, Jesus stopped His public ministry and left Jerusalem to go and stay in the village of Ephraim with us, His disciples – until the right time to show Himself came.’