029. Jesus Appears to Many after Rising from Death

 

 

Mary Magdalene

I am Mary Magdalene.
On the first day of the week after Jesus died,
I come early to His tomb.
A surprise awaits me; the big rock no longer covers the entrance.
I look inside. Oh! Help! Angels!

Angel

Do not be afraid. Why do you weep?

Mary Magdalene

They took away my Lord.
Oh, there is the gardener; he will tell me where he put Jesus.
Sir, If you moved him, tell me where, and I will take him away.

Voice

Mary!

Mary Magdalene

Rabboni!

Prompter & Echoes

Master!

Voice

Stop clinging to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
Go to my brothers,
and tell them I ascend to my Father and your Father.

Mary Magdalene

I do as Jesus says. I, and other women who had come, run to tell
the disciples that Jesus has risen, but they do not believe us.
Meanwhile, Jesus appears to two others on the road to Emmaus.

Voice

Friends, what is this you are talking about?
Why are you so sad?

Cleopas

Are you unaware of what has happened here in these days?
Jesus the Nazarene was a mighty prophet,
but our rulers crucified him.

Voice

O foolish men and slow of heart to believe what the prophets have spoken! Hear what the Scriptures say about the Christ
in Moses and the prophets.

Prompter & Echoes

The Old Testament speaks of Jesus!

Cleopas

We arrive in Emmaus.
Friend, it is almost night; come stay with us.
Please, do us the honor of breaking the bread for us.
Oh look! It is the Lord! He has opened our eyes!
Now he has gone! No wonder our hearts burned in us
while he explained God’s Word!

Peter

I am Peter.
We disciples are hiding behind locked doors in Jerusalem.
Oh look! It’s Jesus!

Voice

Peace be to you.

Prompter & Echoes

It’s his spirit!

Voice

Why are you frightened? See my hands and feet. Touch me.
A spirit has no flesh and bones as you see I have.
Have you anything to eat?

Peter

Here is some fish. Look! He is eating it!
Now he opens our minds to see how he has fulfilled the Law,
the prophets and the Psalms.

Voice

It is written that the Christ would die and rise from the dead
the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins
would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations.
You are witnesses of these things.
As the Father has sent me, I also send you.
Receive the Holy Spirit; if you forgive the sins of any,
their sins will be forgiven them,

Prompter & Echoes

Forgive in Jesus name!

Peter

Thomas was not with us when Jesus appeared last week.
He said he’d not believe it
unless he saw the nail holes in Jesus’ hands,
and put his hand into Jesus’ pierced side.

Prompter & Echoes

He would not believe!

Voice

Peace be with you! Thomas,
See my hands; put your hand into my side.

Peter

Thomas cries out, “Lord and my God!”

Voice

You saw and believed.
Blessed are they who do not see, and yet believe.

Prompter & Echoes

Blessed faith!

Mary Magdalene

Peter has gone fishing in the Sea of Galilee,
and the others joined him.

Peter

We’ve caught nothing all night.
Now it’s morning; let’s go to shore.

Prompter & Echoes

No fish!

Peter

We’re almost to the shore.
Oh, look! Someone is waiting.

Voice

Children, cast the net to the right and you will find a catch.

Peter

We do so, and cannot haul in the net because of so many fish.
John recognizes the Lord, and I jump out and swim to the shore.
Ashore, they find a fire kindled and fish placed on it, and bread.

Voice

Come. Have breakfast.
Bring some of the fish that you caught.

Peter

Oh, Jesus is going to scold me for denying him!

Voice

Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?

Peter

Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.

Voice

Tend my lambs.
Simon, son of John, do you love me?

Peter

Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.

Voice

Shepherd my sheep.
Simon, son of John, do you love me?

Peter

Oh, Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.

Voice

Tend my sheep.

Prompter & Echoes

Three times Jesus asks him!

Mary Magdalene

Later, they meet on a mountain in Galilee.

Voice

All authority has been given to me in heaven and earth.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son
and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all that I commanded you. Look, I will be with you always, even to the end of the age.

Mary Magdalene

And again, Jesus appears to his disciples in Jerusalem.

Voice

Wait here for what the Father has promised.
You will soon be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

Peter

Lord, will you now restore the kingdom to Israel?

Voice

It is not for you to know the times that the Father has fixed.
Look, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you;
stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.
Now, come walk with me up the Mount of Olives.

Mary Magdalene

In Bethany, Jesus raises his hands to bless them.
They hear his final orders for all believers.

Voice

You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;
and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in Judea,
in Samaria, and in the remotest parts of the earth.

Peter

He is rising! A cloud has received him out of our sight!
Oh! Angels!

Angel

Galileans, why stand looking into the sky?
Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven,
will come the same way as you saw him go.

Prompter & Echoes

He will return the same way!