Eyewitnesses

I have written twenty stories this past year.  A few of them tell the story of the Holy Week in Christ’s life.  I am home this week with COVID 2.0.  I thought I had bronchitis, but my test came up positive, again.  I am not feeling as bad as I did before, but I am having a hard time focusing.  I also lost my cat this week.  Yesterday my cat crossed the rainbow bridge while I was holding her.  I cried most of the day.  She was my companion through thick and thin for close to sixteen years. 

So, I have not felt like writing until today when I was listening to a beautiful Easter song a friend posted on social media.  I started thinking about the stories I have written about this week so I thought I would combine them and call them “Eyewitnesses”.  There are three of them: John Mark, Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Jesus.  Each story is longer than the excerpts below and you are welcome to follow the links to read their whole story.  Each story in written in first person so they are written as eyewitnesses to this holy week.

John Mark’s story (https://northwoodsgirlblogging.com/second-chances-john-mark/)

I was there when they arrested Jesus.  I was amazed of the mob that came to arrest him.  Jesus had just been praying off by himself and the rest of us were waiting for him.  Actually, we fell asleep, I am embarrassed to say.  When the mob came, we awoke, and Jesus walked up to them.  I saw Judas come up to Jesus and kiss him on the cheek. I was so shocked at Judas.  I thought all those who were Jesus’ disciples were saints.  Judas has done Jesus a terrible injustice turning again him.

Jesus spoke to the mod.  “Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there among you teaching every day. But these things are happening to fulfill what the Scriptures say about me.”

Then they took him.  By then everyone had run away but me.  I wanted to go with Jesus and followed behind but suddenly someone from the mob grabbed my long linen shirt.  I was so scared I ran off leaving my shirt behind.  Yep, I was naked, and my Mom was going to kill me.  The only reason she let me hang out with Jesus and the disciple is because Peter is a family friend and he said it was okay.  She made that shirt just for me.  She said I look just like my Dad when I wear that shirt.  He had one just like it when he died.  It is just me and my Mom now.

The next day was Jesus’ trial.  I watched from afar.  It was unbelievable how they treated Jesus.  Then they crucified Jesus.  My Mom and I watched.  She cried as her and the other women hugged each other.  We went home so dejected.  It was the Sabbath and some of us gathered at our house to wait for it to be over.

Sunday morning, we heard from Mary Magdalene.  She came and told us Jesus had risen from the dead.  We were all excited and saw Jesus that very night.  He had risen, indeed!  We saw all his scars, including the nail prints in his hands.  Surely, Jesus is the Son of God.

About forty days later Jesus and his disciples were eating at my Mom’s house when he told them

“Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Later, when Jesus was teaching on the Mount of Olives near my home he said:

” But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Then Jesus started to rise toward Heaven.  We were watching him go and he was getting small so we could hardly see him anymore.  Our hearts hurt.  Suddenly, there was two men, dressed in white, standing among us.  “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”

Mary Magdalene’s story (https://northwoodsgirlblogging.com/?s=Mary+Magdalene)

I knew the Jewish leaders hated Jesus because he had so many followers.  He would gather large crowds when he was teaching and perform miracles.  Jesus did not care if it was the Sabbath, he only cared he was helping people.  On the first day of the week of Passover Jesus enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey.  The crowds were shouting for joy “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”  I was so happy that day but come Thursday night my joy turned to sorrow.

After the Passover supper Jesus went to the garden to pray.  He seemed very distraught.  Suddenly Judas and some soldiers came to arrest Jesus.  Judas had the nerve to come up to Jesus and kiss him!  Jesus did not resist and went with the soldiers.  I kept back with the other women as we followed Jesus to be tried.  It was the longest night.  I watched as they questioned him and then beat him.  He stood before Pilate and Pilate asked the crowd what he should do with Jesus?  They shouted, “Crucify him!”  No, I wanted to scream!  Yet I feared this crowd, so I kept my mouth shut.  The soldiers placed a heavy cross on Jesus’ shoulders and made him walk through town to the hill where they crucify people.  The other women, including Jesus’s mother, followed the crowd.  We were all weeping while we watched the soldiers place nails in Jesus’ hands and feet and nailed him to the cross.  Then they dropped the cross into a hole to hold it up right.  I saw the anguish on Jesus’ face.  He hung there for hours.  It grew dark yet it was only the afternoon.  Finally, Jesus cried out “It is finished!”  And he died!

We found out where they laid Jesus’ body.  It was in a tomb with a large stone rolled in front of it.  We decided to go Sunday morning after the Sabbath was over and put spices around the body to help with the smell.  I spent the Sabbath at Joanna’s house.  We tried to be brave to each other, but I know neither one of us got much sleep.  I woke up real early in the morning.  It was still dark, but I knew I could not wait for dawn to go to the tomb.  I lit my lamp and hurried to the graveyard.  How could I row the huge stone away from the door?  I thought to myself but when I got there, I saw the stone was rolled away.  I decided to tell Peter and John what happened, so I ran to where the disciples were.   “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

I watched as Peter and John ran to the tomb.  John looked in but did not go in, but Peter did.  Then John went in.  I stayed outside.  They came out and went home.  I was crying.  Where have they taken Jesus’ body?  I looked in and saw two white-robed angels sitting where Jesus’ body would have laid.  They asked me “Dear woman, why are you crying?”  I answered, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have put him.”

Just then I saw someone standing near me.  I thought maybe it was the gardener.  He spoke to me “Dear woman, why are you crying?  Who are you looking for?”  “Sir,” I said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.”

“Mary!” Jesus said.

Then I knew it was the Teacher!  I turned towards him and reached out to touch him, but he said, “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

I quickly returned to the disciples and told them what Jesus had to me.  “I have seen the Lord” I told them.  Jesus met with the disciples and many others before ascending to Heaven.  I watched him go up.  I can never thank Jesus enough for healing me.  I will live with him forever!

Mary’s Story (https://northwoodsgirlblogging.com/lessons-learned-mary-jesus-life-through-a-mothers-eyes/)

Just after three years of ministry Jesus heads for Jerusalem.  Many knew the religious leaders wanted him dead, but he went anyways.  On the first day of the week before Passover Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey like a king.  We all thought he would take his throne and reign forever but that is not what happened.

By Thursday night I heard Jesus was arrested.  They questioned all night long and into the morning.  I watched in horror as they whipped him over and over.  They beat Jesus so badly it was extremely hard to recognize him.  Then they placed a crown of thorns on my son’s head and mocked him.  I could barely watch.  Such injustice for an innocent man.  Then I heard the crowd yell crucify him!   No!  Not my son!  To die such a horrible death was unbelievable!  I could not bear the thought!

They led Jesus through the streets of Jerusalem making him carry his own cross.  They had stripped Jesus of almost all his clothing and the heavy wood cross tore into his already beaten back.  He stumbled and fell.  They got someone to help carry the cross.  Tears flowed from my eyes as we headed up the hill where Jesus would be hung on a cross.

It only got worse from then on.  Instead of tying Jesus to the cross they nailed his hands and feet to it before hoisting it up and slamming it into the deep hole dug to keep the cross upright.  Jesus’ pain must have been unbearable!  Yet he endured the pain for a few more hours. At one-point Jesus looked at me.  I was with some women and a disciple of Jesus’ named John.  Jesus then spoke to me and John.

“Dear woman, here is your son.” He said to me then to John Jesus said, “Here is your mother.”.

From that day on John took care of my needs.  Yet, my story is not finished.  While Jesus was on the cross the world became very dark.  The darkness lasted from noon to about three in the afternoon.  I continued to watch this whole time.  Finally, Jesus said, “It is finished!” and he died.  My heart gave way.  I could not contain my grief.  My son was dead.  A death he did not deserve.  I did not want to live anymore.  John took me home.  It was the Passover and almost sundown.  The Sabbath was upon us, so we stayed put to observe it.  I cried until I did have any more tears.  Now I knew what Simeon spoke of so many years ago.

Somehow, I must have fallen asleep because when I woke up the next morning something unbelievable happened.  John had come home all excited.  He said Jesus’ body was missing.  My heart dropped to the floor.  Yet, as I listened to John tell his story I realized John believed Jesus had risen from the dead just like he said he would.  Wow!  Later that day we were all locked in a house afraid of the religious leaders.   There, suddenly, Jesus was with us.  Not just his spirit but Jesus in the flesh.  He still bore the scars of the nails in his hands and feet, but Jesus was there.  My heart burst with joy!  My son and my Savior lives!  Hallelujah!

Jesus was on earth another forty days.  He appeared to many people during that time.  Then one day Jesus ascended into Heaven with the promise he would be back.  My story is now complete.  I can die knowing I am saved, and I will live with Jesus forever.

Discussion

I pray you remember why this week happened.  When Adam and Eve ate the fruit, sin entered the world.  Because of sin we all sin and have turned against God.  So, God said a lamb had to be sacrificed for the forgiveness of sin.  All through the Old Testament of the Bible the lamb was sacrificed for the sins of the people.  But the lamb could not forgive everyone who ever lived or who would live sin.  So, in God’s timing He sent His Son, Jesus, to be the Lamb.  We all can accept this gift of forgiveness.  We just need to ask God for it.  Have you asked God for forgiveness?

Here is a few books on the Holy Week I recommend. If you click on a link and make a purchase I may earn a small percentage of your purchase at no extra cost to you. This help keep this website running. Thank you for your support.

The Week That Changed the World: Daily Reflections for Holy Week – eBook By Steven D. Brooks

The Week That Changed the World: Daily Reflections for Holy Week – eBook By Steven D. Brooks

The Glory of the Cross: A Journey through Holy Week and Easter By Vincent Nichols