Song led by Erin:
HE SENT HIS SON (34)
Amy:
Today we have several very special guests for sharing time. We need to be respectful and give them our attention. Our first guest is Judge ______. Brother ______is a real judge of the California State Superior Court. A judge presides over a court. As a sign of respect, it is customary that we all rise and remain standing as the Judge enters the courtroom. Would you all please stand? Judge ______. . . [he enters]
Honorable Judge ______:
[FEEL FREE TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO EXPLAIN WHAT YOU DO AS A JUDGE. THE EMPHASIS OF THE SHARING TIME PRESENTATION IS ON “WITNESSES” AND TESTIMONY. WE DO NOT WANT THIS TO TAKE ON THE APPEARANCE OF A TRIAL OF JESUS OR OF HIS RESURRECTION.
I ENVISION THAT YOU WOULD SAY SOMETHING LIKE THE FOLLOWING, BUT YOU CAN PROBABLY IMPROVE ON THIS.]
(Some of the things the judge added were so wonderful. You might want to use these in your presentation, too.
- I am judge Monday through Friday. Today I am not a judge, I am just role playing the part of the judge. We have others here that are role playing the part of witnesses.
- In the state of California, when one witness testifies in court, that constitutes fact. In the scriptures, it tells us that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. Today we have even more than that. We have five witnesses.
- Perjury is when a witness lies while giving testimony. You can be convicted of a crime if you lie on the witness stand after taking an oath to tell the truth. Today these witnesses are not at penalty to commit perjury, but I am going to swear them in so you can understand how important their messages are. (He did swear in each person as they came to the witness stand before they were seated).
You may be seated. Ladies and Gentlemen, court is now is session [strikes gavel]. As a judge, it is my function to preside over proceedings to receive the testimony of witnesses. We are here today to hear testimony, to hear from witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We have called a number of witnesses to testify. These are persons with first-hand knowledge of the resurrection and of the Christ. A witness takes an oath to tell the truth. It is from witnesses that we learn the truth.
Will the first witness, please come forward. State your name for the record.
Mary Magdalene:
Mary Magdalene.
Judge ______:
Please raise your right hand. Do you swear that the testimony you are about to give will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you God?
Mary Magdalene:
I do.
Judge ______:
Please be seated and give us your testimony.
Mary Magdalene
Shalom. I am Mary Magdalene.
I beheld the crucifixion of my friend and Lord, Jesus of Galilee. I witnessed his last words and his last breath as he died upon the cross, a most cruel agony. It was as if my own heart had broken, my sorrow was so great. Joseph of Arimathea, a follower of Jesus, was granted permission to remove the body from the cross. Assisted by one Nicodemus, they wrapped the lifeless body in burial linens and anointed it with aloe and myrrh after the manner of Jewish burial. These preparations were made in haste as sundown drew near. Our Sabbath begins at sundown, and our strict Jewish law required that these preparations be done before the Sabbath began. I watched and wept as my Master’s bruised body was placed in the newly hewn sepulchre and a large stone was rolled across the opening to seal the tomb.
I determined then that I could honor my Lord by further anointing his body after the Sabbath passed. I went to prepare spices and ointments for this purpose.
At first light, as the Sabbath drew to a close, I brought these spices to the tomb. Salome and the mother of James were with me and can support my words. As we walked to the sepulchre, we began to wonder who would roll the great stone from the opening of the tomb. As we approached, we beheld that the stone was already rolled away, and next to it stood two angels in long shining garments. They bid us be not affrighted. They spoke other words to us and then directed us to tell Peter and the disciples. In my state of mourning, I remembered little of what was said. I found Peter and John and relayed this message: “They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.”
I followed the two apostles back to the garden of the burial. Peter rushed inside and John followed. They spoke in hushed tones, and after a time left the garden. I ventured forth, stooped, and looked into the tomb. Again I saw two angels, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. As I left the tomb, I saw a man without that I supposed to be the gardener. I pleaded “Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.” He spoke only one word. “Mary.” “Rabboni,” was my reply. It was Jesus standing before me. In that moment, I was lifted from the depths of despair. My eyes were opened and my soul was filled with such joy. I had both seen Him and heard his voice. My beloved Master was risen from the dead.
Judge ______:
Thank you. The witness may step down.
Song led by Erin:
ON A GOLDEN SPRINGTIME -- verse 2 (88)
Judge ______:
Our next witness is Peter. Peter, please take the witness stand. [enters and sits at witness stand]
What testimony do you give of the resurrection of Jesus?
Peter
I am Peter, Simon Peter, devout follower of Jesus of Nazareth. I was ordained an apostle by the very hand of Christ himself.
Great numbers of people had come to Jerusalem for the annual Jewish feast called Passover. Four days before Passover, our group, consisting of Jesus and his twelve apostles, left Bethpage. We began our descent into Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. Jesus rode on a white colt. The jubilant crowd spread their garments and palm fronds in his path, carpeting the way as for passing royalty. People shouted exclamations of honor fit for a king. “Hosanna to the Son of David.” “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.”
The week ended in the tragic crucifixion of the greatest being I have ever known. The pain of losing him was almost unbearable. His body was placed in a sepulchre and a huge stone was rolled across the opening to seal the tomb. It seemed as if my own world might come to an end, but little did I know then. On the morning after our Sabbath, I mourned with a group of disciples while some faithful women went to that very tomb to anoint the body of Christ. They found the tomb empty! Mary Magdalene, one of those women, brought the news to us. John and I hurried to the tomb. John outran me, but stopped outside the opening to the tomb. I arrived and went straightway into the sepulchre.
There lay his linen burial clothes, but the body was gone. I began to remember the things the Lord had said, that he would die and in three days rise again. Could it be true? Yes! We returned to Jerusalem and gathered with the other apostles and followers of Christ. Christ had appeared to some; the women that had gone to anoint him and two disciples on the road to Emmaus.
I will tell you this day, the resurrected Christ appeared to me (Luke 24:34, 1 Cor. 15:5). It was such a sacred experience, I will not say more. But I testify to you this day that He has risen, He lives, He has atoned for our sins and is the Saviorof this world.
Judge ______:
Peter, you may step down. . . .
Our next witness will be Thomas – sometimes referred to as Doubting Thomas. Thomas, please take the witness stand.
Doubting Thomas
I am Thomas and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I knew of the circumstances of his death. I beheld the great spikes that nailed his hands to the wood of the cross. And after his death, I saw a soldier drive a spear into Jesus’ side. I was not with my fellow apostles on the day following the Sabbath after the burial of our beloved leader. When I returned to be with them, such stories they did tell. They spoke of seeing Christ alive again, hearing his comforting words, even sharing a meal with him. I supposed it was the imaginings of their sorrowful hearts. I doubted all they said and told them “Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger in the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
After eight days, to my great astonishment, then came that same Christ and stood in our midst. He called me by name. “Thomas, reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side.” I did feel and know. He was resurrected. “My Lord and my God.”
Judge ______:
Thomas, thank you for your testimony. You may step down.
Song led by Erin:
I KNOW MY FATHER LIVES -- 2 verses (5)
1st--regular verse
2nd-- I know that Jesus lives, He is my Savior too.
The spirit whispers this tome and tells me it is true,
and tells me it is true.
Judge ______:
I call to the witness stand a young Nephite from the new world. Please be seated.
A Nephite
I am Aaron, son of Stevenhah, a man faithful to the traditions of our Nephite forefathers. He tells of a time when he was young—a day and a night and a day without darkness. It was the prophesied sign of the birth of Jesus Christ. More recently, we spoke of the prophecies of Samuel the Lamanite. He prophesied of dark times when the Savior of the world would be killed and our land would be in darkness for three days.
In the thirty and fourth year there arose a great storm. There were earthquakes and whole cities were swallowed up. There were exceedingly sharp lightnings and thunder, fire that destroyed cities and terrible destruction. And then came that darkness that Samuel spoke of. It was a thick darkness, a vapor of darkness, and there could be no light. But then a voice was heard in all the land. Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I have come unto the world to save the world from sin. The darkness began to disperse and we made our way to the temple at Bountiful where many had gathered. We heard a voice as it were from heaven. We did not understand at first but when we did we cast our eyes toward heaven and saw a Man descending out of heaven. He was clothed in a white robe and came and stood in the midst of us. We fell to the ground to worship Jesus but he bade us arise and come feel the nail prints in his hands that we would know that he had been slain for the world. I went forth and witnessed for myself. He taught us, He prayed for us, He blessed us. Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God. This is my testimony of the Resurrected Christ.
Judge ______:
The witness is excused.
Song led by Erin:
THIS IS MY BELOVED SON -- all 4 verses (76)
Judge ______:
The next witness is Joseph Smith. Mr. Smith, please come forward and take the witness stand. [Enters and sits] Please tell us your name.
Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith Jr.
Judge ______:
What is your age?
Joseph Smith
I am 16 years old, but I wish to testify of events that occurred when I was in my 15th year.
Judge ______:
Please proceed.
Joseph Smith
When I was 14 years old, there was in the place we lived an unusual excitement on the subject of religion. The different denominations were contending for converts. My mind was called up to serious reflection, but so great was the confusion, it was impossible to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong. One day I was reading the Epistle of James, chapter 1 verse 5. If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God. Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. I reflected on it again and again. I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness or ask of God.
I retired to the woods on the morning of a beautiful clear day. It was my first attempt to pray vocally. I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I was immediately seized upon by some power of darkness. I was ready to sink into despair. Just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head. I saw two personages whose brightness and glory defy all description. One of them spake to me and said “This is my beloved Son. Hear Him!” This is the testimony, last of all which I give of him: That he lives! For I saw him, even on the right hand of God. I testify in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amy:
Thank you Judge ______. Thank you, also, to each of our witnesses.
[to the children]: You too can be a witness forChrist. The Holy Ghost will bear testimony to your heart and mind and then you can testify that Jesus was resurrected, that although He died on the cross, his spirit and body reunited on that first Easter morning. He lives. He loves each of you.
Song by Erin:
I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVES
AaronMom
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