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 he ordered Jesus to be killed by crucifixion.

So Jesus was put on the cross where He died. Before He died, Jesus asked His Father, God, to forgive us. God has forgiven all our sins, future and past. He now sees Jesus' perfect love and sacrifice when he looks at us! Then Jesus was buried in a cave-tomb and it's 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. They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

And when she turned around Jesus was standing with her! Even though He had been killed and was dead, He had come back to life! Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

Jesus then spoke with his friends and many others, proclaiming the good news of the Father's love! They all knew he was the risen Son of God and His word was true. They knew He was the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Jesus, even though he were dead, yet shall he live and live forever!

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