Easter Celebrations

The Easter story begins on Palm Sunday. This is the day the bible says Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. People were excited to see him and waved palm leaves in the air in celebration. The people were celebrating the entrance of someone they believed to be a king. 

Jesus visited the temple there and was angry to find people buying and selling things instead of using it to worship God. Jesus questioned the Jewish leaders and this made them angry too.

Jesus had 12 disciples, who chose to dedicate their lives and follow him. One of these disciples betrayed him and agreed to help the Jewish leaders. His name was Judus.

Jesus knew the sacrifice he was about to make. On the Thursday, called Maundy Thursday he shared a last supper with his disciples. He told them to eat bread and drink wine in remembrance of him (this is where communion comes from). It is on this day that Judus betrayed Jesus and Jesus was arrested.

Good Friday was the day Jesus was crucified. He was put on trial in front of Pilate, the Roman leader, and sentenced to death. He was beaten and made to carry his cross. He was put to death on a cross and then buried in a tomb.

On the Saturday Jesus was dead. His followers were incredibly sad. His body was in a tomb, which was covered with a giant rock. There were also guards placed outside. The leaders who had sentenced Jesus to death didn’t want his body to be stolen.

This is an incredibly sad story for Christians up until Easter Sunday. On this day the bible says that Jesus rose from the dead!

Christians believe that Jesus died as a sacrifice for them. That in dying on the cross Jesus did it in place of them so that they could have new life.