Welcome to Spotlight. I'm Colin Louva. Spotlight uses a special English method of
broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand no matter where in the world
they live. In today's Spotlight, we tell the second part of the Easter
story. In an earlier program, we told how a large crowd of people
cheered joyfully for Jesus as he entered the city of Jerusalem. They were excited
because they had heard about jesus great teaching and miracles. Then Jesus ate a
special meal with his followers called disciples, but one of his disciples betrayed him.
The disciple told the religious leaders where they could find Jesus. The religious
leaders did not like jesus teachings or his popularity, so they brought him to
the governor, the area's Roman leader. The people demanded that the governor sentence
Jesus to death, so he did. This is where part two of our
story begins. After the governor sentenced Jesus to death, Roman soldiers took him
away. They laughed at him. Jesus claimed he was the king of the
Jews. Now the soldiers made a crown out of a plant with sharp thorns.
They pushed the crown on Jesus's head and laughed at him. Ha,
yes, now you look like a king. Let's worship our new king.
Ha ha ha, yes, we onny you king of the Jews. The
soldiers spat on him and beat him. Then they made him carry a large
cross. It was made of two pieces of wood and it was extremely heavy.
Crowds of people gathered in the streets to watch Jesus carry the cross.
Finally, Jesus and the soldiers arrived at a place called Golgatha. This is
where the government often executed criminals. The Roman soldiers nailed Jesus to the cross.
They put small sharp pieces of metal through his hands and feet. The
nails held Jesus in place as soldiers lifted the cross to stand. Jesus enemies
stood under the cross. They laughed at Jesus and mocked him. So are
you really a king? Save yourself? Then, if you are really the
son of God, come down from that cross and say yourself, yes,
come down, then we will believe in you. But Jesus knew that in
order to save God's people, he had to die. He was a perfect
man, he had never sinned, but he was not just a man,
he was also God. Jesus knew he must suffer to pay for the sins
of all humans. If he did, all people would be free from the
punishment they deserved death. He looked at the people below him, laughing at
him. He cried out, Father, God, forgive them. They do
not know what they are doing. For hours, Jesus hung on the cross.
He experienced great torture. But finally he knew that it was his time
to die. He cried out again, Father, I give my spirit into
your hands. After he said this, he died. At this moment,
miracles happened through the city. There was an earthquake, rocks split, an
important curtain in the temple split. Jesus was dead. It was almost night
time. Jesus followers wanted to prepare his body to be buried. A few
men and women asked the governor for jesus body. He gave it to them.
They covered jesus body in clean cloths. Then they put his body into
a stone burial tomb. They rolled a large stone in front of the tomb
to close it. Jesus was buried a few days later, two women visited
Jesus' tomb. They were Jesus followers Mary and Mary Magdalene, They had come
to mourn. As they walked, they wondered how they would enter the tomb.
Who will roll away the stone for us? It is much too big
for us to move ourselves. Yes, if we cannot move the stone,
we cannot see Jesus body. But when they arrived, they felt the earth
shake. They saw that the stone in front of the tomb was gone.
They went into the tomb. They looked around. They saw a man,
but it was not Jesus. This man looked like he was dressed in light.
The women were so afraid that they could not speak. But the man
said, do not be afraid. I know you are looking for Jesus,
who died on the cross. He is not here. He is alive.
He has risen from the dead. Come look for yourselves. The women were
afraid, but also filled with joy. The man continued, Go go quickly
and tell his disciples that Jesus is alive. You will see him soon.
The women immediately left to find the disciples. They ran to where some of
the disciples were What are you doing, Mary, Why are you running?
You look frightened? He is alive? What? Who? Who are you
talking about Jesus. His tomb is empty. He is gone alive. A
man was there, a man like I have never seen. He told us
that Jesus is alive. This cannot be true. Some of the disciples ran
to see the empty tomb with their own eyes. They found it empty,
just as the women had said. Over the next weeks, Jesus met with
all of his disciples. The disciples could not believe what they were seeing.
They had seen Jesus die, they had buried him, but he was here
now. They felt Jesus' hands and feet, They felt where the metal nails
had gone through his skin into the cross. They ate meals with him.
He was alive. Jesus explained everything to them. He said, I have
done everything that I came to do. Prophets from long ago said that Christ
would suffer and then rise again on the third day, and because of this,
all people on earth can be forgiven of their sins. You are witnesses
to everything that I have done. After about a month, Jesus returned to
heaven, but before he left, he told his disciples to tell everyone about
what had happened. He said, all authority in heaven and on earth is
mine. So go to the people of all nations. Make them my disciples,
Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Spirit. Teach them everything I have told you. I will be with
you always until the end of time. Since this time, this is what
the followers of Jesus do. They spread the good news of Jesus death and
resurrection, the story of how he came to life after death. During Easter,
Christians remember this great miracle Christ Jesus died and rose to life again.
He forgave people from their sins. Hallelujah, Praise and thanks to God.
The writer of this program was Liz Wade. The producer was Mark Drength.
This telling of the Easter Story is based on the Book of Matthew in the
Christian Bible. You can listen to this program again on the internet at www
dot Radio English dot net. This program is called The Easter Story Part two.
We hope you can join us again for the next spotlight program. Goodbye, my