The Greatest( True) Story Ever Told
The Greatest( True) Story Ever Told
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Jesus’ death and miraculous resurrection continues to change hearts and transform lives. As you prepare for Easter this year, be sure to share this very special story with your children.
At midday, a shadow passed across the sun and darkness fell over the land for three long hours. At three o’ clock in the afternoon, Jesus cried out in a loud voice,“ My God, why have you forsaken me?” Then he gave a great cry,“ It is finished!” and with these words, he gave up his spirit.
At that moment, the earth shook, and the curtain in the holy Temple was torn from top to bottom. When the Roman soldiers felt the ground move beneath their feet and saw how Jesus passed away, they were deeply shaken.“ Surely he was the Son of God!” whispered one in amazement.
Because the next day was to be a special Sabbath, the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses, and they asked Pilate to have them taken down. A man named Joseph of Arimathea asked permission to take Jesus’ body away. Jesus’ friends carefully wrapped the body in linen and spices and placed it in a tomb that Joseph had built for himself. Then they rolled a large stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and sadly left.
But the very next day the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate and asked him to place a guard on the tomb and to seal it, for they remembered that when he was alive Jesus had said,“ After three days I will rise again.” They believed that his disciples might come and steal the body and then try to persuade the people that he had been raised from the dead. Pilate told them to make the tomb secure, and they did.
Early on the first day of the week, before the sun had fully risen, Mary Magdalene and some other women went to anoint Jesus’ body. As they came near to the tomb, the earth shook, the guards were thrown to the ground, and the women saw that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. And inside the tomb, shining brighter than the sun, was an angel!
The terrified women fell to their knees, but the angel said,“ Why are you looking for the living among the dead? He is not here— he has risen! Don’ t you remember that he told you this would happen? Look and see, then go and tell his disciples that he will meet them in Galilee as he promised.”
So the women hurried away to tell the disciples the news, afraid yet filled with joy.
Mary Magdalene stood outside the tomb. Peter and one of the other disciples had come, had seen the strips of linen, and had left in wonder and confusion. Now she was alone. She missed Jesus so much.
Just then she heard steps behind her, and a man asked,“ Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?”
Thinking this must be the gardener, she begged,“ Sir, if you have moved him, please tell me where he is, and I will get him.”
The man only spoke her name,“ Mary,” but instantly she spun around. She recognized that clear, gentle voice!
“ Teacher!” she gasped, and she reached out toward Jesus.
Jesus said,“ Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father. Go and tell the others!” So Mary rushed off with the amazing news that she had seen Jesus alive!
Excerpt from The Easter Story, Copyright © 2025, Harvest House Publishers
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Children can experience the hope and wonder of Jesus’ resurrection from the pages of the classic bestseller The Complete Illustrated Children’ s Bible. Paperback $ 8.99