Animated Stories from the Bible

Jesus offers deliverance from the bondage of sin and death and gives hope of eternal life through His atonement. The Messiah Comes opens with Cleopas getting ready to go into Jerusalem for the Passover. He is persecuted twice by Roman soldiers on his way to Jerusalem and is hopeful that the Messiah will bring them a new ruler. Once in Jerusalem, Cleopas meets up with Nicodemus, a Pharisee, and his friend. Jesus enters the temple and hears the noise of the busy commerce. Two Pharisees are sent to watch over Jesus while He is in the city. They have been told His followers claim He is the Messiah, and they do not believe it. Jesus makes His way to the moneychangers, begins to knock over tables, and disrupts the trading. Jesus is upset that His Father's house has been turned into a house of thieves. The Pharisees question His reasoning to destroy the temple. Jesus doesn't answer at first but then answers saying, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The Pharisees, Nicodemus and Cleopas are all confused by Jesus' words. The Sanhedrin is full of the governing council, the Pharisees, and they are debating Jesus' actions, His heritage and His claim to be the Messiah. Nicodemus leaves to find Jesus. Jesus appears on the edge of a cliff and tells him that a man must be born again to be saved and have eternal life. He continues by saying that just as Moses raised the serpent, even so shall He be lifted up. The following scenes show Jesus calming the seas of Galilee at night, bringing a child back to life, raising a widow's son from the dead, healing a crippled boy, forgiving a harlot and teaching the people to love their enemies. Jesus returns to Jerusalem again for the Passover riding on a donkey and is surrounded by His disciples. The Pharisees question Jesus' authority so Jesus responds with the parable of the Lord of the Vineyard which predicts His own death. Worried that the King will fear they have lost control, Jesus is arrested and judged. Jesus crucifixion is not shown, but the three crosses are seen on the mountain top. Next, Nicodemus is seen buying spices to prepare a body for burial. The last scene in the video is of Cleopas and a friend by the well discussing Jesus' crucifixion. Jesus appears asking, "Why are you sad?" Not knowing the man is Jesus resurrected, Cleopas begins to tell him about Jesus and how they thought the Messiah would come and deliver them from Rome. Jesus tells them that the scriptures teach that the Messiah would suffer and die for our transgressions and iniquities. Cleopas, his friend and Jesus break bread together. The nail marks in His hands are noticed, and the men realize that the man is Jesus. Jesus leaves the men, and Cleopas recognizes that three days have passed since His crucifixion. Cleopas now knows that Jesus rose from the dead and lives!

Jesus uses the parables of the King's Wedding feast" and the "Thief in the Night" to teach his disciples to have humility, to repent, and to be prepared for the day He will come again. Jesus teaches his followers to patiently watch for the significant signs that will precede His Second Coming.