The Easter story begins with a special meal called the Last Supper. Jesus ate with His disciples and told them that one of them would betray Him. He shared bread and wine as a way to show that He would soon give His life for others. After the meal, He washed His disciples’ feet to teach them about love and humility.
Later, Jesus went to a garden to pray. There, one of His disciples betrayed Him to the soldiers. Jesus was arrested and brought before the Roman governor. The religious leaders were angry with Jesus because He taught with authority, challenged their traditions, and said things that they believed were wrong, including calling God His Father. They were afraid of losing their power and influence, so they persuaded the crowd to demand His death.
Even though the governor found no wrong in Him, the crowd still wanted Him to be killed.
Jesus was beaten, mocked, and made to carry a cross. He was nailed to the cross and died. The Bible says the sky became dark, and the temple curtain was torn in two.
Christians call this day Good Friday. It was a sad day, but they call it “good” because they believe Jesus chose to die out of love, to forgive people and bring them back to God.
Discussion Questions:
- What happened during the Last Supper, and what did Jesus say to His disciples?
- What did Jesus go through before He died on the cross?
- What can we learn about love or forgiveness from Jesus’ actions?