Easter The Complete Story

In the beginning, God above

Created man, whom He did love

Then man sinned, It broke God’s heart

Now God and man were far apart

God‘s people were slaves to sin, it is true

They were actually slaves in Egypt too

But God said his people He would save

From Egypt and also from death and the grave

A Passover meal God’s children prepared 

A lamb was slain and the firstborn spared

Jesus and his friends on Passover night

Shared this meal to remember this flight

The wine and the bread turned to symbols of

Christ’s sacrificial saving love

They gathered in the Upper Room

With Christ, who knew the end was soon

They passed the bread and shared the cup

Christ knew His time was almost up

After the meal and fellowship sweet

He knelt and washed the disciple’s  feet

Even the feet of Judas, who

Would betray Him before the night was through

Knowing what would become of His friends

Christ loved them even to the end

The burden of the sacrifice was great

Christ asked his disciples  to watch and wait

He knelt in prayer, in the night so still

Wrestling for His Fathers will

Sweat drops of blood upon His brow 

Could there be another way somehow 

Fervently He continued to pray

And yet there was no other way 

There in the garden, betrayed by a friend

Christ rose to meet His bitter end 

He walked the hill of Calvary

Fully aware of His destiny 

On His Father's will, His mind was stayed

Each time by friends He was betrayed

Forsaken by those who loved Him most

Like Peter, who faithfulness did boast

Peter denied Him as time went on

Yes, three times, before the dawn

Wrongly accused by angry men

Christ was brought to rulers, time and again

How His accusers mocked His name

As silently He bore the shame

A crown of thorns upon his head

A cross, the place His pathway led

This steadfast man of Galilee 

Told His followers “Weep not for me” 

How panged the look on His mother’s face

As He chose to His Fathers will, to embrace

Many mocked Him on that day

Still, He would turn no one away

For those who mocked, He had come to die 

He took the pain, for you and I

He knew the joy, beyond the cost

And willingly embraced the cross

Nails in His hands and feet

It seemed as if He had met defeat

The crowd was gathered all around

Crosses staked into the ground

“King of the Jews”, read the sign

They mocked the Son of God divine

Those who mocked Him did not know

Just how deep His love would go 

A criminal on either side

Arms of love, stretched out wide

“I thirst”, He cried for some relief

Oh how heavy, the weight of grief

His faithful followers, weary and worn

Were panged to see His crown of thorns

They did not understand the grave

Was the only way that He could save 

“It is finished” the Savior cried

And there on Calvary’s Hill, He died 

The Holy Curtain split in two

And darkness filled the sky once blue

Splitting rocks, all around

An earthquake came, and shook the ground

They took His body from the cross

Prepared it as they mourned their loss

How sad the days that followed were

Of nothing, were they really sure

The emptiness was vast and great

There was nothing left to do but wait

How they wondered of God’s ways

During those dark and long three days

But Sunday morning, light broke through

God’s promises were coming true

Empty was the Savior’s grave

Indeed He had come, from death to save

Nail scarred hands, proved it was He

The Risen Lord, who had come to free-

His beloved from sin, death, guilt and shame

With Him we die, and with Him we reign

At the end of time, so shall it be

We will live in Heaven eternally

A fulfillment of God’s perfect will

Through the work of Christ on Calvary’s Hill

"But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:5