| FIVE WOMEN ~ 2 |
| Mary Magdalene went to the burial cave ~ Jesus' tomb ~ without her lady friends. Even though there was an earthquake as she neared the garden tomb and it was now raining, she kept going. She saw the angel who told her Jesus had come bakc to life, but she didn't believe him. She thought someone had stolen his body. So she rushed back to Jerusalem to tell Jesus' apostles. Then Mary Magdalene returned to the garden where the tomb was and sat and cried. Soon she saw two angels in the tomb. She walked in and they told her Jesus had come back to life. When she left the tomb, she saw someone and thought he was the gardener. She kept on crying. She finally asked the gardener if he took Jesus' body away. He didn't answer. Instead he said her name, "Mary!" She recognized his voice and stopped crying. He was Jesus. She was so happy to see him. He told her to go find his apostles and tell them he was alive again. While she was returning to Jerusalem, her four lady friends arrived at the garden with spices to wrap his body in. But still they did not know who they'd get to roll the stone away. They were Mary Magdalene's friends who traveled with Jesus and helped him with their money and time: Joanna, Salome, Suzanna, and the other Mary. When they got there, the stone was already rolled away, and a bright angel was sitting on top of the stone. The women were frightened. Was God mad? Instead, the angel smiled and said,"I've come to bring you some wonderful news! You're looking for Jesus. He's not buried any more. He came back to life!" The curious women looked in the cave. There were the same two angels who talked to Mary Magdalene moments earlier. "Jesus came back to life," they said grinning. The women had to go tell his apostles. But on their way out of the garden, someone stopped them. He was standing in the way. They stared. It was Jesus! They rushed forward and bowed at Jesus' feet. Everyone laughed and cried at the same time. Everyone was so happy. Jesus told the women to go tell his apostles he would meet them back up north where they lived and where they would be safer. When they got to the apostles and told them, none of the apostles believed them. It was too hard to believe at first. Do you believe Jesus came back to life? Sometimes it takes people awhile before they believe. Then they are very happy. |