77 talks for bored again teenagers: christianity for teens in a book

77 talks for Bored-again Teenagers

Timeless truths for today's youths - Presenting Christianity to the next generation

Three Days of Destiny: Day 3 - Resurrection

Useful links

The Resurrection of Jesus

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

The Bodily Resurrection of Jesus

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ Did It Really Happen?

The Passion and Resurrection of Christ in Art

Presentation

Narrator: After the Sabbath, as Sunday morning was dawning, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices to go and anoint the body of Jesus.
Mary: Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb? It is a very large stone, after all.
Narrator: Suddenly there was a violent earthquake and when they got there they found that the stone had been rolled away.
Guard 1: Gosh, me knees are fair trembling.
Guard 2: Mine too, I suggest we leg it before …
Narrator: And the guards were so scared they became as dead men. Mary stood crying outside the tomb. While she was still crying, she bent over and looked in the tomb and saw two angels there dressed in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head and the other at the feet
Angel 1: Woman, why are you crying?
Mary: They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have put him!
Narrator: Then she turned round and saw Jesus standing there; but she did not know that it was Jesus.
Jesus: Woman, why are you crying? Who is it that you are looking for?
Mary: If you took him away, sir, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.
Jesus: Mary!
Mary: Teacher! It is you!
Jesus: Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet gone back up to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them that I am returning to him who is my Father and their Father, my God and their God.
Narrator: The other two women also entered the tomb and saw the angels.
Angel 1: You must not be afraid. I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has been raised, just as he said. Come here and see the place where he was lying.
Angel 2: Why are you looking among the dead for one who is alive? He is not here; he has been raised. Remember what he said to you while he was in Galilee: "The Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, be crucified, and three days later rise to life."
Angel 1: Go quickly now, and tell his disciples, "He has been raised from death, and now he is going to Galilee ahead of you; there you will see him!" Remember what I have told you.
Narrator: They left the tomb in a hurry, afraid and yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them.
Jesus: Peace be with you.
Narrator: They came up to him, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him.
Jesus: Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.
Narrator: The women arrived at the apostle's house and told them everything.
Apostle 1: Nonsense!
Apostle 2: Poppycock!
Peter: I'm going to find out myself.
John: Me too!
Narrator: Peter got up and ran to the tomb. John ran faster than Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and saw the linen wrappings, but he did not go in. Behind him came Peter, and he went straight into the tomb and saw the linen wrappings lying there. Then John also went in; he saw and believed. Then the disciples went back home amazed at what had happened.

Narrator: Meanwhile the guards went back to the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened. The chief priests met with the elders and made their plan; they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers and said:
Chief priest: You are to say that his disciples came during the night and stole his body while you were asleep. And if the Governor should hear of this, we will convince him that you are innocent, and you will have nothing to worry about.
Guard 1: And why should we do this?
Chief Priest: Take this large amount of money.
Guard 1: That should do nicely.
Narrator: Meanwhile, it was late that Sunday evening, and the disciples were gathered together behind locked doors, because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities. Then Jesus came and stood among them.
Jesus: Peace be with you.
Narrator: After saying this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy at seeing the Lord.
Jesus: Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I send you. Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive people's sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.
Narrator: One of the twelve disciples, Thomas, was not with them when Jesus came.
Peter: We have seen the Lord!
Thomas: Unless I see the scars of the nails in his hands and put my finger on those scars and my hand in his side, I will not believe.
Narrator: A week later the disciples were together again indoors, and Thomas was with them. The doors were locked, but Jesus came and stood among them
Jesus: Peace be with you.
Narrator: Then Jesus turned to Thomas.
Jesus: Put your finger here, and look at my hands; then stretch out your hand and put it in my side. Stop your doubting, and believe!
Thomas: My Lord and my God!
Jesus: Do you believe because you see me? How happy are those who believe without seeing me!
Narrator: Later the eleven disciples went to the hill in Galilee where Jesus had told them to go. Jesus appeared to them and they worshipped him, even though some of them doubted.
Jesus: I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age.

If you have suggestions for further links or you wish to discuss any aspect of this particular talk, go to our discussion forum

77 talks for Bored-Again Teenagers is available from Monarch Books for £8.99.
ISBN 1 85424 555 4