Gwen Ellis - The Story of Easter: Read and Share

2007 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

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Story based on The Holy Bible, International Childrens Bible, copyright 1986, 1988, 1999, 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Story retold by Gwen Ellis.
Illustrated by Steve Smallman.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Ellis, Gwen.
The story of Easter : read and share / story retold by Gwen Ellis ; illustrated by Steve Smallman.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-4003-0855-2 (hardback : alk. paper) 1. Holy WeekJuvenile literature. 2. EasterJuvenile literature. 3. Jesus ChristPassionJuvenile literature. 4. Jesus ChristAppearancesJuvenile literature.
I. Smallman, Steve. II. Title.
BT414.E45 2007
232.97c22

2007029483

Printed in China

07 08 09 10 11 MT 5 4 3 2 1

Contents

Luke 19:2835

The first Passover happened whenGods people left Egypt long ago.After that, Gods people celebratedPassover every year. One year Jesusand His closest followers went toJerusalem to celebrate Passover.

Why do you suppose Jesus needed that donkey colt?

Before they got there, Jesus said to Hisfollowers, Go into town and find a youngdonkey colt. Untie it and bring it to Me. Ifanyone asks where you are taking it, say,The Master needs it. When the men gotback with the donkey colt, they spread theircoats on its back. Jesus climbed on the colt.Why do you suppose Jesus needed that donkey colt?

Luke 19:3638; John 12:1216

The donkey started to clippity-clopthrough the town. People came running.They threw their coats down for thedonkey to walk on. They took palmbranches and waved them in the air.Praise God! they shouted.

Why do you suppose they laid their coats
down for the donkey to walk on?
Did they think Jesus was a king?

Some of them remembered the scripturesthat said, Your king is coming... sittingon the colt of a donkey.Why do you suppose they laid their coatsdown for the donkey to walk on?Did they think Jesus was a king?

Matthew 26:2629; 1 Cnthians 11:2325;
Luke 22:18; Mark 14:25

While Jesus and His closest followers wereeating the Passover dinner, Jesus took somebread and thanked God for it. Hebroke the bread apart and said,Take this bread and eat it. Dothis to remember Me.

Next He took a cup and said, When youdrink this juice of the grape, rememberMe. Jesus knew this was His last mealwith His followers because He was aboutto be killed. He wanted His followers toalways remember Him.

Today in church we still eat bread and drink the juice
of the grape to remember Jesus. We call this time of
rememberingCommunionorThe Lords Supper.

Matthew 26:3640; Mark 14:3242;
Luke 22:3946

Jesus and His followers went straight fromdinner to a quiet garden. Jesus wanted topray and ask God to make Him strong forwhat was about to happen. He tookthree of His closest followersPeter, James, and Johnapartfrom the others. Jesus askedthem to wait and pray.

When we have tough things ahead of us,
we need to pray and ask God to help us.

He went a little farther into the garden topray by Himself. It was very late, and thethree men were very tired. They couldntkeep their eyes open to pray. Soon theywere asleep. Jesus woke them twice, butthey went back to sleep each time.

Matthew 26:4556; Luke 22:4551;
John 18:1011

The third time Jesus woke His followers,He said, We must go. Here comes the manwho has turned against Me. Just then a bigcrowd carrying torches and clubs came intothe garden. Judas, one of Jesus followers, waswith them. He kissed Jesus on the cheek. Itwas a signal to the guards to arrest Jesus.

Peter pulled out his sword and cut offthe ear of one guard. Jesus told Peterto put the sword away. Then He healedthe guards ear.

You might think the crowd would let Jesus
go after He healed the mans ear. Well, they
didnt. They arrested Him and took Him away.

Luke 22:5223:25

Lots of people loved Jesus, but there weremany who didnt like Him at all. AfterJesus was captured in the garden, He wastaken to the house of the high priest, thento Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea.

Jesus told everyone that He was Gods Son, and
that made some people very angry. But even if
they didnt believe it, He was still Gods Son.

All night the rulers asked Jesus if Hewas Gods Son. They did not believethat He was. Finally Pilate said thathe didnt think Jesus was guilty. Butthe people who hated Jesus keptyelling until Pilate decided thatJesus had to die on a cross.

Matthew 27:2740; Mark 15:2527

Pilates soldiers took Jesus and put acrown of thorns on His head and made