It is a time when Rome rules the world with the power of life and death in their hands. The province of Roman Palestine is a bubbling cauldron of rebellion and control. And on this greater canvas Luke, narrates a story of wonder, amazement and impact…

     The world is anticipating this moment in history but no one can imagine God touching His creation in the form of a little baby named Jesus.

     Much is recorded in the Gospels about Jesus’ miraculous birth, to a young virgin named Mary, in Bethlehem, but little is known about his quiet growing up in Nazareth.  Joseph, his adopted father, seems to have died well before Jesus turns 30 and begins his ministry.

     We next meet Jesus at the Jordan being baptized by his cousin, John the Baptist, and suddenly the heavens open and a voice booms out, “this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.”  The Holy Spirit of God descends upon him like a dove and Jesus begins his ministry.

     Dogged by the devil, demons, and religious zealots at every turn, Jesus calls twelve sturdy men to be his disciples and for three years teaches them his way, and his truth, and his life from God, his Father.  

     Now he goes to Jerusalem.  The people are crying for a savior to deliver them from the Roman occupation and they hail Jesus as their deliverer.  He enters Jerusalem in triumph with the people in great hope knowing he comes from God and only God can save them.  But God’s ways are not man’s ways and God’s salvation is not evidenced in the flesh but only manifest in the spirit.  Jesus has come to die, to sacrifice himself; but the way to the cross is full of dangers and pitfalls and even though the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak.

      Jesus prays on the Mt. of Olives, ‘not my will, but Thy will be done.’  Judas kisses him in betrayal and the path to the cross is paved. 

     First Jesus is taken to the religious leaders, the Sanhedrin, Caiaphas the high priest; then to Pontius Pilate, the Roman tribune who sends him to King Herod, the puppet King of Galilee, who sends him back to Pontius Pilate who unwillingly has to condemn him to death on a Roman cross.

     Beaten beyond recognition, Jesus is flogged through the streets of Jerusalem, the crowd jeering and spitting curses upon him.  Nailed to the cross he is alone and seemingly abandoned by God.  Mary, his mother, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene, and John, his beloved disciple, braved the hatred and scorn to stand at his nail pierced feet.  When he whispers ‘it is finished’ with his last breath, the earth shakes so violently the curtain in the temple, separating God from man, is ripped from top to bottom forever.

     Joseph of Arimathea, a rich man of prominence in the community, petitions Pilate for the body and is granted permission to bury Jesus in his tomb.

    On the third day, Mary Magdalene and a group of women go to the tomb to prepare the body.  They find the tomb empty.  They rush back to the disciples and tell them.

     John and Peter rush to the tomb to see for themselves.  It is empty…HE IS RISEN.

Jesus then appears to the disciples showing them the nail scars in his hands and feet.  Yes, he is risen, indeed.

     He tells them he would never leave them or forsake them, that he would fill them with power from on high and that they are to go into all the world and make disciples…and this is only the beginning.