Jesus traveled far and wide, spreading the good news of Gods love to the people that He met.

For three years He walked the dusty streets of many towns and cities, doing good things for other and being an example to everyone of the love of God.
As time passed, Jesus knew that He would soon need to return to Heaven. His job on Earth was to teach people about God, but there was another reason He had come that was even more important than that.

Every person in the world has done wrong things at times. Because of that, none of us are good enough, on our own, to go to Heaven to be with God and Jesus after we die. Jesus knew that the only way we could ever get to go to Heaven was if He made a way for us Himself.
You see, Jesus was perfect the only person in the whole history of the world who never did a wrong thing. And so Jesus chose to die to take the punishment for our sins so that we could live together in Heaven with Him someday by simply accepting His gift of salvation.

As the time was getting closer when Jesus would return to His Father, He gathered His disciples together for a special feast their last supper together. After they ate, Jesus told them that He would be leaving them soon. The disciples were very sad. But Jesus told them that after He died, something wonderful would happen: He would rise from the dead! His disciples could hardly believe that this could be true!

That same night, soldiers came to take Jesus away. The rulers and the priests said that He would be put to death. Jesus hadnt done anything wrong, but the religious leaders did not like His message, and they didnt like what He taught the people. And so Jesus died on the cross, loving each of us so much that He gave His life for us, so that we could live forever in Heaven with Him.

After Jesus was buried, His body was placed in a tomb, with a heavy stone rolled in front of it. A few days later, some of Jesus friends came to the grave to see His body. But to their surprise, they found the stone had been rolled away from the tombs opening! The grave was empty! The women were shocked, and wondered where Jesus body had been taken.

Then they saw an angel standing nearby. Jesus is risen! the angel told them. The women dropped their baskets and ran as fast as they could to the house where all of Jesus disciples were gathered. They could hardly wait to share the good news with them!

When the disciples heard the news at first they didnt believe the women. They had seen Jesus die just a few days before! Could He really be alive again? A few days later, when the disciples were gathered together, suddenly Jesus appeared right there in the room with them!

Jesus told His disciples, I want you to go and tell every nation about Me and My love. Tell them that My Kingdom will come to Earth someday. And remember, Jesus said, with a wonderfully loving smile, that I am with you always, even until the end of the world.

Forty days after rising from the dead, it was time for Jesus to go to Heaven. His disciples were all there to watch Him as He rose right up into the clouds! As He did so, His disciples each promised that they would do what Jesus had asked of them. Each of them would do their part to tell others about Jesus. They would write down the things they had experienced with Jesus so that others could read them. And always, they would remember Jesus and hold His Word very close to their hearts.

If you haven't yet received Jesus as your Savior, you can right this minute by asking Him to come into your heart. Simply pray: Dear Jesus, thank You for giving Your life for me. Please forgive me for the wrong things I've done, come into my heart, and give me Your gift of eternal life. Amen.

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Story and art Aurora Productions. Used with permission.