john

John

    My name is John. I was the youngest of Jesus' disciples. I along with my brother James Jesus called us "The Sons of Thunder!" That's because we were loud, and maybe a little bit obnoxious- and sometimes even arrogant. There wasn't anything we thought we couldn't do. It really made the other disciples mad when our mama asked Jesus if we could sit on the right and on the left of Him when He came into His Kingdom. But you see, for the first time in my life I saw a man I really looked up to and respected, a man who could do anything, one who said "nothing shall be impossible for you!" I wanted what He had, and that's why I stayed as close to Jesus as I possibly could.

    Then came that fateful night when Jesus gathered us for the last time. None of us knew it, though. He started talking about us having greater power than He had and doing greater things than He did and I couldn't understand what He was talking about when He said He was going away! I felt ashamed of myself that night after the Passover, when Jesus asked us to watch and pray. What did I do? I fell asleep when I should have been watching. I woke from my slumber again as the Jews came and they took Him. I was so scared I didn't know what to do. I followed along as close as I dared to get while they did all kinds of terrible things to Him. They beat Jesus with a cat of nine tails and struck Him so many times I thought my heart would break. Then they led Him up to Golgotha where they stripped Him and nailed Him to that terrible cross. It made me want to vomit, the things that they did to Him. But Jesus had been there for me, so many times! I knew I could not leave Him, especially now when He needed me.

Jesus looked down at me as He hung there on that Cross. He looked first at His mother who stood there and said, "Woman, behold your son." And then He looked at me again and said, "Son, behold your mother." For some reason Jesus entrusted His own mother into my care. I felt so unworthy- after all, I had run out on Jesus when He needed me the most. How could I look after His mother when I could not even look after myself?

I was too horrified to look as I saw Jesus breathe for the last time. If that day was bad, the next few nights were worse as I shook in fear for my life, wondering if the next knock at the door would be the soldiers coming to carry me away and crucify me just as they had done to Jesus. I stayed with Peter until when that knock at the door came. I decided, I would be brave, remembering how brave Jesus was when He went to the Cross. However, the knock at the door revealed only Mary Magdalene, our friend and follower of Jesus. She cried, "He is not here, He is risen just as He said!" Peter and I just looked at each other, dismissive of Mary's claims until suddenly Peter bolted up and ran out the door. It took me a minute to figure out where Peter was running until it occurred to me that Peter must be running to the tomb where Jesus lay.

As I said, I was the youngest. That also meant I was the fastest and ran just as hard as I could and flew by Simon Peter like a flash. I got to the tomb first. The stone was rolled from the entrance, just as Mary said. But I feared to go in. Simon Peter caught up with me as I stood there doubled over, panting hard to get my breath. Simon Peter went on in. The grave clothes were there, but no Jesus! That was when I realized that Jesus had risen. I knew it had to be the way He said it would be. I saw and believed!

Mary magdalene

Mary Magdalene

My name is Mary. I came from the village of Magdala not far from Jerusalem and this is my story. I was the first to arrive at the tomb of Jesus very early in the morning before the sun even came up. I did not go there alone. I had Mary, the dear mother of Jesus with me, and another friend by the name of Joanna with me. Why were three women out late at night, trying to get into a tomb, knowing that what we were doing was very dangerous?

Jesus, my Lord and my Master, had been crucified. In horror we watched Him die that day! If that was not horrifying enough, we watched as the Romans bundled his body up and started dragging it away. If it weren't for Joseph, they would have thrown Jesus' body away like so much garbage. There wasn't much time. Joseph went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body so that it could be buried properly in his family tomb. Sundown- and the Sabbath was coming. All Joseph could do was to hurridly throw some sheets on Jesus' body and place him in the tomb. But us women knew that this would never do. It was bad enough to see him have to leave this world the way He did. The very least thing we could do for Him was to give Him a decent burial.

Mary, Joanna, and I prepared the spices, gathered some clean linen, and aloes, and made our way to the Garden where Jesus was. It was so early, but we couldn't sleep anyway. We were so frightened. It was after dark. What if robbers would attack us on the way? And another thing, what were we going to do when we got to the tomb. We knew the soldiers were guarding it. How were we going to persuade them to let us in. Would they roll the stone away for us or would we have to do it? How were we supposed to do that? These nagging questions persisted, but it was our faith- and our love for Jesus that urged us on. So many times we had seen Jesus do the impossible- we felt guilty for these doubts, especially after we arrived at the tomb that morning.

Imagine our shock after we got there, standing there looking at the open grave with the stone already rolled back! Who could have done this? We saw the low flicker of torches glowing up above- no sense in asking the soldiers what was going on- they were sound asleep! Could someone have taken Jesus' body away and they not know it?

Joanna and Mary ran home weeping. They left me standing there thinking the worst. Tears blinded my eyes for several moments when someone called out my name. "Mary!" he said. Who was this? The gardener? But how could he have known my name? "Why are you crying?" he asked. It didn't occur to me how strange this was, "Because they have taken my Lord away and I don't know what they did with Him. If you know tell me please so I can go get Him!"

Through my tears, and through my doubts I saw Him. It was no gardener! It was Jesus- come to life again! All I could do was to want to throw my arms around Him. I couldn't believe my eyes! He was alive!

But Jesus said to me, "Touch me not, for I have not yet ascended to my Father. But go and tell my disciples that I am alive again just as I said."

Simon peter

Simon Peter

My name is Simon Peter. I am one of Jesus disciples. Many looked up to me but I don't know why, because all I did when they put my Lord on trial was to deny I ever knew Him. I followed Him a far off, even when they crucified Him I could not bear to watch them do it. Yes, every one looked up to me, but all I could do is to run and hide like some coward. For three days I hid out, fearing for my life. That last night was the worst- I could not sleep. The knock at the door startled me. "O God! Have they come for me, too?"

The knock was not like a man would do it. Who could it be so early in the morning before daybreak? John got up from where he was-at least he had the fortitude to answer the door. There stood Mary, Joanna, and Mary Magdalene! What on earth were they doing, standing there so early in the morning?

Then they all started talking at once- "He's alive, He's alive, we saw Him. Come and see where they laid Him, Jesus is risen from the dead!" Hush, hush now, ladies- please! You are all beside yourselves. Women! They can be so emotional. They got themselves so worked up that they were no longer making sense. It was like a dream, or maybe some cruel joke. Who could have stolen Jesus' body? I lit out of there- wait till I get my hands on whoever did this! When I get there, they will know that I, Simon Peter, had been there.

I ran as fast as I could. I used to be pretty fast on my feet but I'm not as young as I used to be. From out of nowhere a man rushed past me. IT was John. He is always such a show-off! Anyway, he got to the tomb before I did and stood there at the entrance. I was out of breath by the time I arrived, but I saw the stone rolled away from the entrance, just as Mary had said. I also went on in, and saw the place where Jesus lay, but nothing was there but grave clothes right there where Jesus had been. Surely this was some kind of a joke. If they stole His body, why would they not have kept Him in the grave clothes? Something really strange was going on here! John then came in. We stood there totally bewildered as to what had happened that morning!

I had forgotten. I had completely forgotten what Jesus said that He would be crucified and in three days He would rise again. I put Him down for it. I told Him, "Not so, Lord!" I remember how He pursed His lips and said, "Get behind me, Satan!" I never knew how much like Satan I could be until I denied Him. All those feelings of guilt and remorse and sorrow came over me until I heard Jesus say to me Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"

  "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
Then He said to me "Feed my sheep."

sunrise

Sunrise

"A Celebration of Christ's Resurrection"

Salem Baptist Church

 

Call to Worship: "The Lord's Prayer"

Welcome

Scripture: I Corinthians 15:1-8, 12-19

Dramatic Readings: John

Chorus of Praise: "Were You There?"

Dramatic Readings: Peter

Chorus of Praise: "Lord I Lift Your Name on High"

Dramatic Readings: Mary

Chorus of Praise: "Shout to the Lord"

The Ordinance of the Lord's Supper

Benediction: "Blessed Be the Tie that Binds"