My Easter Pageant

The whole town was stirring. Today was the big day. This was the day that Jenna 
Davis and her 3rd grade class at South Side School would put on the biggest 
Easter Pageant that Fort Smith had ever seen.

Jenna was a little nervous. She was playing the role of Peter. She knows the story 
of Easter very well and had practiced her lines everyday. Today, all of her work would pay off. Jenna took a deep breath and walked into the spotlight, center stage.

"Hello, my name is Simon Peter," said Jenna, "and this is the story of Easter." The 
audience cheered and the curtains opened.

As the curtains came to a stop, Jenna's friends, including Danielle, Kaylee and Marie, 
were busy playing the roles of Peter's family who were fishermen working on the Sea of Galilee.

Andrew, who was Peter's brother ran on stage and up to Jenna. "Peter," he said "come quickly! We have found the Messiah! I have spent all day with a man who John the Baptist called Jesus 'Lamb of God.' I want very much for you to meet him.

Jenna was very excited. The play was going perfectly.

Peter and his family were fishing one night with no luck at all. Not one fish had been 
caught and they were very sad. When Jesus came, He said to try again. They did and 
the net was full of fish. Jesus told Peter to follow him, that he would "fish for people 
from now on."

Peter was describing some of the many miracles he had witnessed Jesus perform. He told of the day Jesus cursed a fig tree and it withered and died.

Then Peter told of the time they were on a mountain and Jesus was shining even more brightly than the sun and God spoke to him.

"One day Jesus healed my mother-in-law. She had a terrible fever and everyone was very worried. He even raised a girl from the dead once."

The curtains closed and Jenna could hear the applause from the audience. She was not nervous any more!

Jenna entered the stage for her next big act. Jenna began, "Jesus' life was amazing. He healed people, performed miracles and spoke the word of God. But the most important and exciting days were those which we are about to portray."

Jenna, Danielle, Kaylee and Marie were very excited. They were having lots of fun and at the same time they were learning how it could have felt to live around a man as great as Jesus.

The play was a success and the audience loved them all.

Jenna took her place on stage with Danielle, Kaylee and Marie and the curtains opened. Jesus was sharing a Passover meal with his twelve disciples and speaking of his death.

Jenna knows this meal is known as The Lord's Supper, The Holy Communion and the 
Eucharist.

Jesus washed the feet of each of the disciples before sharing the bread and wine. Jenna's class didn't really use wine, just grape juice.

Jesus told of one of us betraying him. He said Peter would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed.

When Jesus was accused of crimes he had never committed, Peter said he didn't know Jesus. As he said this the third time, the rooster crowed and Peter realized what a failure he was. He left in tears.

"I can't believe how those people are treating our Lord," said Jenna, speaking her lines. "It is bad enough that they mock him, but to hit him and whip him... Why do they make him suffer?"

Jenna was disappointed that her teachers wouldn't allow them to use a cross for the final act. They said it was too dangerous. "Jesus had to suffer on the cross," she thought, "we should be able to set it up somehow, but the show must go on."

When Sunday arrived, Mary Magdalene went to visit the tomb of Jesus. She couldn't believe her eyes. The tomb was empty! Jesus had risen from the dead.

Jenna, Danielle, Kaylee and Marie felt a joy in their hearts. Even though they had practiced the play and knew the story of Easter, this was the first time they had actually felt the reason for Easter.

As the play continued, Mary Magdalene ran to tell Peter and John of the miracle. They rushed to the tomb and rejoiced to find the clothes lying undisturbed but the body of Jesus gone.

Then as Peter, Jenna explained how Jesus appeared to him and to others. He was alive!


Dear Jenna Davis,

I hope you have enjoyed reading "My Easter Pageant," and learning what the true meaning of Easter is.

With love from,
Grandpa and Grandma Davis

Easter 2004