The Easter Story

The Story of Easter

A Short Story By Bob Headrick

Chapter 1

It was still dark that Sunday morning as the women made their way towards the tomb of Jesus; Mary, His mother, Mary Magdalene and Salome. They spoke quietly as they may their way out of the city carrying the spices and herbs they needed to properly bury Him.

Joseph and Nicodemus had quickly anointed and wrapped His body on Friday after His death and placed Him in Joseph’s new tomb in a garden a short distance from the place of His crucifixion. A large stone had been rolled in front of the tome and on the Sabbath the High Priest had requested that the Romans seal and guard it so His disciples could not steal His body and claim He had risen from the dead, so they did.

The women wonder why they had not asked a couple of JESUS’ brothers or even a couple of His disciples to come and roll the stone away for them; they were certain that the Roman guards would not help them.

As they approached the tomb they could tell something was not right, there were no Roman guards; they had gone into the city to tell the priests what had happened; two men who were glowing so white they could hardly look at them were standing on either side of the tomb entrance and the stone was not there!

Chills ran over their bodies as they tried to understand what they were seeing. The angels spoke in unison, “Why are you seeking the living among the dead? JESUS is risen just as He said! Go in and see that He is not here. Then go and tell His disciples that He will meet them in Galilee.

After going into the tomb the women turned and fled to tell the disciples what they had seen and heard, they were both frightened and ecstatic. As they made their way back into Jerusalem they did not say a word to each other. What was there to say, He said He would rise on the third day and He has, JESUS’ mother was so excited that she ran to tell His brothers and sisters the news. When Mary Magdalene and Salome entered the upper room where the 11 disciples where Mary immediately told Peter and John what had happened to them at JESUS’ tomb, they were dumb struck.

Peter and John immediately left and ran to the tomb, John being younger out ran Peter and when he arrived at the tomb he found it as the women had said, he stooped down and looking into the tomb he could see that it was empty. Peter arrived breathless a few minutes later and went straight into the tomb, so John followed him. They could see the shroud in which JESUS had been wrapped on the slab and the kerchief that had covered His face set to the side. Peter had his doubts but John believed yet they both feared what the Roman and Jewish leaders would say and do.

While all this was going on the Jewish leaders bribed the solders to say that JESUS’ disciples had come in the night while they had slept and stolen the body; they promised to protect them from the Governor.

As Peter and John returned to the upper room where the 11 disciples were in hiding Mary Magdalene returned to the tomb, she stood outside weeping, she stooped down to look into the tomb. She saw the two angels standing one at the each end of the burial slab, they asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” she answered, “Because they have take my LORD and I do not know where they laid Him.” Mary turned around and saw JESUS, but did not know it was Him. JESUS asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” Mary thought He was the gardener and said, “Sir, if you have taken Him away (pointing into the empty tomb), tell me and I will take Him away.” JESUS said, “Mary!” she turned and said, “Rabboni!”

She fell at His feet hugging herself to Him, JESUS said, “Do not cling to Me for I have not yet ascended to My Father. Go tell My brethren, ‘I Am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My GOD and your GOD.” Mary ran to tell the disciples what JESUS had said to her.

Chapter 2

As word spread through the community of believers and disciples that JESUS was risen from the tomb and Mary Magdalene had seen and spoken to Him, two of the 70 disciples that followed JESUS, Cleopas and his friend left Jerusalem for Emmaus, a town about 7 miles from Jerusalem. As they walked and talked about the events of the last three days JESUS joined them, but their eyes were restrained from recognizing Him.

“What kind of sad conservation is this that you are having?” Cleopas answered, “Are you the only one in Jerusalem that does not know what has happened these last few day?” JESUS asked, “What things?” “The things concerning JESUS of Nazareth, a Prophet, mighty in word and deed before GOD and all the people. How the chief priests and our rulers condemned Him to death and delivered Him to the Romans to crucify Him. We were hoping He was the Christ who would redeem Israel; and today is the third day since His crucifixion and some women of our company arrived at His tomb early this morning to find it empty and the Roman guards had fled. They came and said they had seen angels and were told by the angels that JESUS was alive. Then two men from our company went and found the tomb empty as the women had said.”

JESUS said, “You foolish and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have said; should not the Christ have suffered these things and entered into His glory?” Beginning at Moses and all the Prophets JESUS explained to them all that the Scriptures said about Himself.

As they neared the town of Emmaus JESUS acted like He was going to continue His trip, but the two disciples invited His to stay the night with them since it was almost evening and He agreed.

As they sat to eat JESUS took bread and breaking it He blessed it and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew they were with JESUS. He vanished from sight and they said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” So they immediately returned to Jerusalem during the silent trip they each wondered how after a year of being with JESUS almost daily they could not recognize Him as they walked and talked on the road.

When they got to Jerusalem they found the 11 except for Thomas and the company of disciples gathered together, the disciples told them that JESUS was alive and that Peter had seen Him. The men then told them how they had walked and talked with JESUS and did not know it and how He revealed Himself to them in the breaking of bread.

As the men and women who had believed in JESUS in life wondered what this meant and how the rulers and Romans would react, they agreed that the 11 must go to Galilee as He had directed them but they would do it in secret, in small groups so as not to attract attention.

The 11 were locked in the upper room because of their fear of the religious leaders: Suddenly! JESUS stood in the middle of the room! He said, “Peace to you.” They were all terrified thinking they were seeing a spirit, He said, “Why are you afraid? Why do you still have doubt in your hearts? See My hands and feet and the wound in My side; touch Me and see that I am flesh and bone; does a spirit have flesh and bone?”

The disciples still were not rejoicing with joy and they marveled at what they were seeing and hearing. JESUS asked, “Do you have anything to eat?” and they gave Him some broiled fish and honeycomb, se He ate in their presence.

Then He said, “These are the Words that I spoke while I was still with you, how all things must be fulfilled from Moses, the Prophets and Psalms concerning Me.”

To Be Continued…