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Jesus’ Crucifixion and ResurrectionDear Parents,
Jesus is alive! Thank you for entrusting your child to us throughout this year. We celebrate with you and your family the joy of Easter. This week’s story in The Gospel Project for Kids® was all about Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection three days later. Why did Jesus have to die? God is holy and just, and He requires due payment for sin. To simply forgive without receiving a payment would be unjust. The wages of sin is death. (Rom. 6:23) Jesus came to earth was to save us from our sin (Matt. 1:21), to show God’s love to us (Rom. 5:7-8), and to give those who believe in Him eternal life (John 3:16). Jesus came to die so that we would be forgiven (Eph. 1:7), and to bring us to God. (1 Pet. 3:18) Jesus’ resurrection proved that God accepted Jesus’ death as payment for our sins. Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection are not the end of the story, but the climax. Pray with your family, thanking God for sending His Son, Jesus, to be the Savior of the world. |
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Jesus’ Cruci xion and Resurrection
Matthew 26:36–28:10; John 18:1–20:18
Jesus came with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane (geth SEM uh nih). He said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” Jesus became very sad and troubled. Jesus went a little farther. He fell facedown and prayed to God, “Father! If it is possible, take this suffering away from Me. But only if it is part of Your plan.” Jesus came back and found the disciples asleep. Again, Jesus went away and prayed to God. Then He found His disciples sleeping. He said to them, “Are you still asleep? Get up, for it is almost time. Someone is going to betray Me.”
Suddenly Judas arrived. A large crowd carrying swords and clubs was with him. Judas kissed Jesus so the crowd would know who Jesus was. The men grabbed Jesus and arrested Him. Peter pulled out his sword and tried to stop the men, but Jesus told him to stop.
Jesus’ followers ran away, but Peter stayed nearby. A slave girl saw him and asked, “Aren’t you one of Jesus’ disciples?” “No, I’m not!” Peter said. Twice more as Peter waited to see what was happening to Jesus, someone asked him if he was a follower of Jesus. Peter denied it.
The men who arrested Jesus led Him to the high priest. The priests and high council were trying to nd a reason to kill Jesus, but they could not. The high priest asked, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of God?”
Jesus replied, “Yes, that’s right.” The high priest said, “Ah ha! He has spoken against God.” Caiaphas and the council did not want to believe Jesus was God’s Son. They said Jesus was lying, but Jesus cannot lie! The crowd answered, “He deserves to die!” They spit in Jesus’ face and beat Him. The next morning, the chief priests and elders led Jesus to Pilate, the governor. “Are you the King of the Jews?” Pilate asked.
“Yes, that’s right,” Jesus replied. The men accused Jesus of various crimes, but Jesus said nothing.
“What should I do with Jesus the Messiah?” Pilate asked the crowd. They all answered, “Crucify Him!” Pilate did not think Jesus had done anything wrong, but he said, “Do whatever you want.” The governor’s soldiers put a scarlet robe on Jesus. They made a crown out of thorns and put it on His head. Then they mocked Him, “Here is the King of the Jews!” Then they beat Him and led Him away to be killed.
The soldiers nailed Jesus to a cross. They put a sign above His head that said: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Two criminals were cruci ed next to Him.
From noon until three in the afternoon, darkness covered the land. Then Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Jesus shouted again with a loud voice and then He died. Suddenly, the curtain in the temple sanctuary split in two, from top to bottom, and there was an earthquake. One of the men guarding Jesus’ body said, “This man really was God’s Son!”
That evening, Jesus was buried in a rich man’s tomb cut into a rock. A stone was sealed in front of the tomb so that no one could steal Jesus’ body.
Three days later, on the rst day of the week, Mary Magdalene (MAG duh leen) and the other Mary went to see the tomb. Suddenly there was an earthquake as an angel of the Lord came to the tomb. He rolled back the stone and was sitting on it. The guards were so afraid that they fainted.
The angel spoke to the women, “Don’t be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus, but He is not here. He has been resurrected, just like He said He would. In fact, He is going ahead of you into Galilee.”
The women left the tomb quickly and with great joy. They ran to tell the disciples the news. Just then Jesus met them. “Good morning!” He said. The women worshiped Him. “Don’t be afraid,” Jesus told them. “Go tell My disciples to meet Me in Galilee. They will see Me there.”
Christ Connection: The cruci xion and resurrection of Jesus is the center of the gospel. We deserve to die because of our sin, but Jesus died in our place. He was the blood sacri ce made once and for all for the forgiveness of sin. God was pleased with Jesus’ sacri ce and raised Jesus from the dead to reign as King over all creation. We are forgiven only through Jesus. (Acts 4:12)
Matthew 26:36–28:10; John 18:1–20:18
Jesus came with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane (geth SEM uh nih). He said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” Jesus became very sad and troubled. Jesus went a little farther. He fell facedown and prayed to God, “Father! If it is possible, take this suffering away from Me. But only if it is part of Your plan.” Jesus came back and found the disciples asleep. Again, Jesus went away and prayed to God. Then He found His disciples sleeping. He said to them, “Are you still asleep? Get up, for it is almost time. Someone is going to betray Me.”
Suddenly Judas arrived. A large crowd carrying swords and clubs was with him. Judas kissed Jesus so the crowd would know who Jesus was. The men grabbed Jesus and arrested Him. Peter pulled out his sword and tried to stop the men, but Jesus told him to stop.
Jesus’ followers ran away, but Peter stayed nearby. A slave girl saw him and asked, “Aren’t you one of Jesus’ disciples?” “No, I’m not!” Peter said. Twice more as Peter waited to see what was happening to Jesus, someone asked him if he was a follower of Jesus. Peter denied it.
The men who arrested Jesus led Him to the high priest. The priests and high council were trying to nd a reason to kill Jesus, but they could not. The high priest asked, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of God?”
Jesus replied, “Yes, that’s right.” The high priest said, “Ah ha! He has spoken against God.” Caiaphas and the council did not want to believe Jesus was God’s Son. They said Jesus was lying, but Jesus cannot lie! The crowd answered, “He deserves to die!” They spit in Jesus’ face and beat Him. The next morning, the chief priests and elders led Jesus to Pilate, the governor. “Are you the King of the Jews?” Pilate asked.
“Yes, that’s right,” Jesus replied. The men accused Jesus of various crimes, but Jesus said nothing.
“What should I do with Jesus the Messiah?” Pilate asked the crowd. They all answered, “Crucify Him!” Pilate did not think Jesus had done anything wrong, but he said, “Do whatever you want.” The governor’s soldiers put a scarlet robe on Jesus. They made a crown out of thorns and put it on His head. Then they mocked Him, “Here is the King of the Jews!” Then they beat Him and led Him away to be killed.
The soldiers nailed Jesus to a cross. They put a sign above His head that said: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Two criminals were cruci ed next to Him.
From noon until three in the afternoon, darkness covered the land. Then Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Jesus shouted again with a loud voice and then He died. Suddenly, the curtain in the temple sanctuary split in two, from top to bottom, and there was an earthquake. One of the men guarding Jesus’ body said, “This man really was God’s Son!”
That evening, Jesus was buried in a rich man’s tomb cut into a rock. A stone was sealed in front of the tomb so that no one could steal Jesus’ body.
Three days later, on the rst day of the week, Mary Magdalene (MAG duh leen) and the other Mary went to see the tomb. Suddenly there was an earthquake as an angel of the Lord came to the tomb. He rolled back the stone and was sitting on it. The guards were so afraid that they fainted.
The angel spoke to the women, “Don’t be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus, but He is not here. He has been resurrected, just like He said He would. In fact, He is going ahead of you into Galilee.”
The women left the tomb quickly and with great joy. They ran to tell the disciples the news. Just then Jesus met them. “Good morning!” He said. The women worshiped Him. “Don’t be afraid,” Jesus told them. “Go tell My disciples to meet Me in Galilee. They will see Me there.”
Christ Connection: The cruci xion and resurrection of Jesus is the center of the gospel. We deserve to die because of our sin, but Jesus died in our place. He was the blood sacri ce made once and for all for the forgiveness of sin. God was pleased with Jesus’ sacri ce and raised Jesus from the dead to reign as King over all creation. We are forgiven only through Jesus. (Acts 4:12)