The SCS class is putting on a play called “The First Believers” 

At early dawn, on the first day of the week, that would be a Sunday, the women came to the tomb of Jesus.   Jesus had died on the cross on Friday, Good Friday.  Friday evening they helped place the body of Jesus in the tomb but there was no time to properly prepare his body for burial because it was at sundown, the start of the Sabbath, that would be Saturday.  That meant they had to wait until Sunday, the third day.  When the women got to the tomb, they saw that the big, heavy stone that blocks the entrance had been rolled away. Surprised and suspicious, they went in.  the body of Jesus was gone!

Suddenly, two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them.  (The little boy who was supposed to be the other angel couldn’t be here because he and his family went to visit his Gramma, so Uncle Floyd will play his part today.)

“Augh!” the women cried out in terror.  And they bowed their faces. 

One of the angel men said “Why do you look for Jesus here in a tomb?  I reckon he is not dead!  Don’t you remember what he told you when you were in Galilee?” 

“Like I remember, like he said that he would be crucified but then on the third day, like you know, he would rise again.  And this is like (counts on fingers) Friday, Saturday, Sunday, you know, like ‘the third day’!”

“Let’s go tell the others!” the women said. 

They ran to tell the men who were gathered back in town.

“Like, you know, the tomb is empty!  And we saw, like two men who were like angels and like the body of Jesus was, like you know GONE!!!!!”

“I think Jesus is raised from the dead!” said another woman.

“I think you are full of baloney!” said one of the men. 

“I think this is idle chatter.” said another man. 

“Silly women” said yet a third man.

But one of the men, Peter, thought more about what the women said.  He left the group and broke into a run to the tomb.  The closer he got the faster he ran.  He was out of breath and filled both with HOPE and FEAR when he got to the tomb.  He looked inside. 

“Whoa. . .” said Peter as he saw that the tomb really was empty and the linen cloth that had been used to wrap the body of Jesus was now neatly folded on the stone inside.   “I DO remember Jesus telling us about the third day and that he would rise to life again.  I think the women were NOT full of baloney.  I think they were right.”

Peter was amazed!  “I think Jesus IS raised from the dead!”  (Place Risen Christ)

Peter and the women were the first believers.

We are believers too!  Christ IS risen indeed!                                                            THE END

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