A couple weeks ago the most wonderful thing happened. It cost over $25,000 to produce, for a 90-minute show. It was a life-changing event.It was SonRise 2008.
SonRise is an Easter pageant put on jointly by the local church and university. It was absolutely fabulous! Our family went and everything was just plain spectacular.
Pageant-goers experienced the Triumphal Entry in "Jerusalem", which had over 60 shops. Basket-weavers, bread-makers, sheep, donkeys, and even camels made this experienced so authentic. Shouts were heard, "Make way, make way, Jesus is in Jerusalem!" were heard and we followed Jesus and disciples to the last supper, and then on to the Garden of Gethsemane.
Both good and evil forces were at work there. First Satan tempted Jesus to not die, then a heavenly angel told Jesus about all the joys of the people that he would save if he did die.
Eventually Jesus was taken and beaten by Pilate. Pilate did not want to order Jesus killed, but he did anyway because he was afraid that the crowd would riot. Then Jesus was taken to the cross, to be killed among thieves, even though Jesus had done no wrong.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he opened not his mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who among them considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due?
9 And they made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death; although he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he opened not his mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who among them considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due?
9 And they made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death; although he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
-Isaiah 53:5-9, ASV
But although all the scenes were good, the last scene, the Resurrection was the absolute best! I feel so bad that I can't describe adequately what it was like. It was just beyond-words-great! They even used some kind of a pulley device that Jesus "went" back up to heaven!
It was just plain really cool! My dad took video and maybe sometime I can post part of his video up here on this blog.
Here's a link to a article that I think you'll really enjoy, and that will do a better job than I on describing SonRise 2008!;)
Unfortunately, I couldn't get any good pictures at the Resurrection scene. However, there are some resurrection pictures from last year's SonRise at this page:
Below are some other pictures I took at SonRise this year.
Photobug
Jesus praying at Gethsemane.
"Pay your taxes to Cesar!"
Baa-aaa!
A Roman soldier on duty.
