The Resurrection of Jesus Bible story for kids

Jesus had come riding into Jerusalem on a little colt, and the crowds had spread their cloaks and branches on the road and called him their King.

But some people did not want Jesus to be king.

And only a few days later, Jesus died on a cross. He knew it was coming, and he did not run away. He gave his life because he loves us, all the way, to the very end. His friends were very, very sad. Some of them laid his body in a tomb, a little room cut into the rock, in a garden, and rolled a great stone across the door.

Two of Jesus's friends stayed close by, sitting across from the tomb. They were both called Mary. One was Mary Magdalene, who had followed Jesus all the way from Galilee. And the other was Mary, the mother of James and Joses.

Then came the Sabbath, God's day of rest. The Bible says, "On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment."

A whole quiet day. The big stone stayed right where it was, across the door. Maybe nobody felt much like talking. They waited.

And then... came the morning. The happiest one of all.

It was the first day of the week, the day we call Sunday. The sky was just beginning to get light.

Maybe the first birds were starting to sing. The Bible doesn't tell us that. But it does tell us that Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. Two Marys, walking together in the very early morning. Two friends with the very same name!

The women were bringing spices. Sweet-smelling spices. One last kind thing they could do for Jesus.

And on the way, they had a problem. They were saying to each other,

"Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"

Because that stone was very big. Much, much too big for them. Maybe they talked about it all the way along the path, step after step.

I wonder if they had a plan. Maybe they didn't have one at all.

But God did.

Then, the Bible says, the ground gave a great, deep rumble. An angel of the Lord came down from the sky! And he rolled away the stone from the door, "and sat on it."

Sat on it! Right on top. Like someone sitting down on a garden bench when a big job is done.

"His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow."

Bright as lightning. White as snow.

Imagine it, little one. That great big stone, rolled right out of the way. And an angel, shining, sitting on top of it, as if he had been waiting just for them.

And the angel spoke to the women.

"Don't be afraid... He is not here, for he has risen, just like he said."

He is not here. He has risen!

Just like he said. Because Jesus had told his friends that this would happen. He had told them he would rise again. They hadn't understood, not then. But Jesus had meant every word.

Then the angel said, "Come, see the place where the Lord was lying."

Come and see! I wonder if they tiptoed close, and peeked inside. The place where Jesus had been lying was empty. He wasn't there. Only the place where he had been.

And the angel told them to go quickly and tell Jesus's disciples. Jesus is risen! And they would see him in Galilee.

So the women ran.

Matthew says they went "with fear and great joy." Both at once! I think it was the heart-thumping kind of fear, the kind that comes when something is almost too wonderful. All mixed up with the biggest joy there is. Pat-pat-pat went their feet, down the path. Hurrying to tell the news.

And then.

Right there, on the way... Jesus met them.

And what he said was just one word.

"Rejoice!"

Rejoice. Do you remember? Long ago in Nazareth, that was the very first word the angel said to Jesus's mother, Mary, before Jesus was even born. And now Jesus said it himself.

The Bible says, "They came and took hold of his feet, and worshiped him."

Worshiped means they gave him all their love and praise. And they held on to his feet. Real feet. Jesus was really there. Alive!

Then Jesus said to them, "Don't be afraid. Go tell my brothers that they should go into Galilee, and there they will see me."

My brothers. That's what Jesus called his friends. To Jesus, they were his very own family.

The stone was rolled away. The tomb was empty. And Jesus was alive, just like he said. And he still is.

Lots of people say it to each other on Easter morning, all around the world. One person says, "He is risen!" And the other answers, "He is risen indeed!"

He is risen indeed.

And God was with him. God was with her. God is with you, too.

Safe till morning, little one. May the same God whose shining angel rolled that great big stone away, and sat right down on top of it... never let anything, not one single thing, shut you away from His love.