A fiction:  Mary Magdalene, John,  and Peter sharing the Sabbath together, the day before the resurrection of Christ Jesus.

“Thee years, miracles, conflicts, and now we’ll be hunted down and killed,” begins Peter

“Is that what you say, Peter?” begins Mary, verging on hysteria, “My God man, he’s dead, he’s dead, he’s really dead!  You were there John, you saw it, my Lord is dead.  Tortured, spit on, stripped, nailed to a tree, pierced with a lance, murdered, dead!  Nothing can bring him back, he’s dead!  My savior, my Lord, is dead!” She begins to sob.

John, the beloved disciple, comforts them saying “Jesus is not dead to God, Mary; neither is he dead to us.    And Peter, he told us there would be persecution, I suppose we didn’t take him seriously because he was so comforting, but he spoke the truth.  The question is do you believe?  Do you still believe?”

“Do I believe?”, Peter begins. “I believe Jesus showed us the way to God and even the face of God, yes.  I believe that we are a duty to keep his teachings and memory alive.  I believe he was the messiah, but messiahs don’t die before they have conquered.  Jesus is dead.  What are you getting at, John?”

“He told them only the sign of Jonah would be given.  That’s three days swallowed by a great fish and unseen and unheard until Jonah was ashore in Nineveh.  Jonah wanted to avoid the will of the Father but ultimately gave up in the storm to save the other passengers and the Father brought him to Nineveh in that fish.  Jesus asked for this cup to pass and then told the father ‘Thy will not my will be done’.  It is a true sign.  We will hear of, maybe even see Jesus tomorrow or shortly thereafter.  He will rise from the dead.”

“That’s even worse, John,” starts the grieving Mary, “there’s a huge stone in front of the tomb and the Romans have posted guards.  He’ll suffer again and starve, at least Lazarus would have when Jesus called him forth!”

“No, my sweet sister, this is not the raising of Lazarus.  This is the resurrection of the dead in the end times when we shall be changed to immortal form as was intended in the start.  The stone will not impede Jesus, neither will the guards.  He will rise immortal, incorruptible, filled with power and clothed in glory.”

Mary grows soft.  “From your lips to God’s ears my brother, my sweet friend.  His will be done.” 

“Yes, Mary, John, let us pray,” adds peter.  “Let us pray that God brings us this great sign tomorrow, and that we be comforted.  And my sweet Lord Jesus, forgive me for denying you – you told me I would and I didn’t understand.  I’ll never see or hear a rooster again without feeling that guilt, please, Lord set me free.”

“He has, Peter,” adds John.  “He has.  He has set the world free.  Believe it.”