He’s Alive!
Tired from a long day’s work I found myself standing in front of a vending machine looking intently at a pack of ROLOS. I was reminded of that time as a little girl at Easter when I received a bag of ROLOS with a simple note attached… The stone was rolled away!
“But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.” Mark 16:4 NIV
I haven’t thought about the stone, the cross, the pain, Jesus in a very long time. For so long Easter has been about new dresses, egg hunts, baskets, bunnies, many things but not Jesus.
As a little girl, I heard stories about Jesus. He healed the blind. (Matthew 11:5) He made the lame walk. (Matthew 11:5) He turned water into wine. (John 2:1-11) He fed the 5000. (John 6:5-14) He walked on water. (John 6:16-24) Honestly though, I stopped believing as a young adult. Those stories just became fairytales to me. I haven’t thought about Jesus, talked to Jesus, felt Jesus in a very long time. I walked away. That choice, while mine, was wrong. I pressed A9 on the vending machine and knelt down to reach for the ROLOS But when I stood…
I was standing in a crowd of people. Many were shouting “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” (John 19:6) Anger raging in their voices. Others were pleading for His life as tears fell down their faces.
Jesus?!?! Why is He being treated this way? STOP! I yelled. No one heard me. No one could see me. It’s Jesus!!!! IT’S JESUS!!!! STOP!!! I continued to yell. They didnt stop.
Jesus was taken up toward a place called the Skull. (Luke 23:33) There He would be crucified.
He had a cross on His back (John 19:17) A crown of thorns woven onto his head. (John 19:2) He was dripping sweat and blood. The closer He walked I saw long deep red stripes
ripped into his back where He had been flogged with a lead tip whip. (John 19:1)
My stomach turned inside out. My heart felt like it would beat out of my chest. I wanted to turn away, not watch, pretend it wasn’t happening. But it was happening, It was real. It was not just a dream.
The soldiers began to mock Him. Their Laughter echoed in my ears. “Hail King of the jews” (John 19:3) they shouted with disbelief ringing from their voices. I could see His pain…The agony was written on His face. It was dripping off His body. But He didn’t complain. NOT ONCE!
He continued walking up the road weighed down by the cross. He knew what He was doing.
Then, I see His mother and other women at a distance. Wailing and pleading for HIs life. (Luke 23:27) Falling down their cheeks, streams of tears, their eyes filled with agonizing fear.
Jesus told the Disciples to keep His mom near. (John 19:27) He cared so deeply for her.
As the soldiers continued to mock, beat Him and spit in His face, Jesus only replied with a prayer… “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) How could He show them so much undeserved love and so much undeserved grace? I heard a voice in my spirit. This grace is not just for them. YOU!!! He is doing this for you!! I stood quiet letting those words penetrate my heart.
Jesus bravely laid on that cross! They began to hammer long nails into his feet and wrist.
They lifted Him into the air between two men who were also being crucified. One mocked him while the other asked for forgiveness. Jesus replied…
“…Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke: 23:43)
Jesus began to struggle to breathe. His death was drawing near. He asked for a drink and on a sponge he was given sour wine. Too bitter to drink, He said “It is finished” As He lowered His head taking His final breath. (John 19:28-30)
Hanging on the cross, darkness covered the earth (Mark 15:33) Once more, the soldiers pierced His side with a spear and watched as the Blood left His body.
I knew though! I knew the ending! I knew He was not dead forever. I remember shouting
JESUS IS ALIVE in Sunday school as a little girl. It won’t be long! I wanted His mother to hear.
I wanted everyone to hear. It won’t be long. Joy is near.
His body was wrapped in linen and placed in the tomb. (John 19:40) For three days the ones who loved Him grieved his brutal death. The ones who hated Him celebrated in the streets.
Three days later though His tomb was empty (Luke 24:3) The stone was rolled away.
(Luke 24: 2) He had risen. (Luke 24:6) He is alive. Joy and hope now fill the hearts of those who believe because JESUS IS ALIVE!!!!!
When my eyes opened I knew my life had to change. More than candy. More than bunnies.
More than egg hunts, baskets and new dresses; Easter is about the cross, the crown, the whip
the pain, the stone, JESUS! Easter is about Jesus and HE IS ALIVE!!
This is a creative writing piece. The crucifiction, burial and resurrection are very real. This is a writing based on a girl who finds herself at the crucifiction of Jesus and how this moment brought her back to Him. Below are all the passages where you can find the story of the crucifiction, burial and Resurrection of Jesus.
Matthew 27:2-44
Mark 15:16-32
Luke 23:26-43
John 19:16-27
Shine4Him 