Author's Note: Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Today marks the end of this story, but the beginning of a new life for Penny. Here now, is the exciting conclusion to THE Pivotal Moment in History!
Inside the WABAC, Kidron Valley, Friday 7 April A.D. 30, 4:00 PM
The three had made their way back to the WABAC shortly after the earthquake, Penny bawling the whole way. In fact, she was still bawling, seated in her chair, with Mr. Peabody and Sherman standing on either side of her trying to comfort her.
"They killed Him, Mr. Peabody!" Penny cried. "They killed Him! He didn't do anything to them and they killed Him!"
"Oh, it's alright Penny. It's alright," Mr. Peabody tried as Sherman rubbed her back.
"But it's not alright," Penny continued. "I never really understood about Jesus, Mr. Peabody! He never really meant anything to me before. And now, just when I get to know about Him, I have to see Him die!"
"But Penny, the story doesn't end there," Sherman began to explain.
"He's dead. It has to end here," Penny sniffed, finally starting to calm down.
"No! The best part is yet to come," Sherman continued. "Would you like to see it?"
Penny sighed. "I-I don't know."
"You have to trust me, Penny," Sherman tried. Penny looked up at Sherman for a minute.
"A-All right," she finally agreed. Peabody set the WABAC for a new time and the three were off once again.
Outside the Tomb, Sunday 9 April A.D. 30, 7:30 AM
The cloaked WABAC settled to the ground with a low hum. The three time travelers slowly climbed out, and Mr. Peabody directed them to hide behind a bush from which they could see a weeping woman standing outside of what looked like an open above ground tomb.
"Is that Mary Magdalene, Mr. Peabody?" Sherman whispered.
"Yes, shh! Watch," Mr. Peabody replied. As they watched, Mary (not John Mark's mother) stooped down to look into the tomb. When she did, the three heard a voice come from inside the tomb.
The voice said, "Woman, why are you weeping?"
Mary responded, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." Mary turned to look outside the tomb and saw a man standing there that had not been there a moment before.
"Sherman! Mr. Peabody!" Penny whispered. "It's Jesus!"
"Yes, shh!" they replied, smiling.
"Woman, why are you weeping?" Jesus asked Mary. "Whom are you seeking?"
Mary, not realizing it was Jesus, replied, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away."
"Mary!" Jesus said. When Mary realized Who it was, she clung to Him.
"Rabbi!" she cried out.
"He's alive, Mr. Peabody, He's alive!" Penny turned to Mr. Peabody and yelled, no longer able to contain her excitement. "He was dead, but now He's alive and He-"
"Penny Peterson."
Penny turned to the voice and saw that Mary Magdalene had left and Jesus was now standing before her.
"Jesus?" she asked.
"Penny," Jesus said again, as He knelt on one knee and took her hand in both of His. She looked down at His hands and saw the holes in His wrists from the nails. "Will you now also believe?"
"Jesus, I-" Penny started.
"Believe in Me, Penny. Believe."
"Jesus! I do believe! I do believe in You Jesus!" Penny declared as she hugged Jesus as tightly as she could.
"Oh, my dear little child," Jesus replied, hugging her back. "You remind me so much of my disciple Thomas. You are as shrewd and skeptical as he is, but capable of so much love," He said with a smile. He then laid his hands on Penny's and Sherman's heads and He blessed them, "The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace. Amen."
"Amen. Thank you, Rabbi," Sherman breathed.
"Yes, thank you," added Penny.
"Peabody," Jesus turned and laid His hand on the dog.
"Yes, Rabbi," Peabody answered humbly. "Your servant is listening."
"Bless you for what you have done today, Peabody." Jesus said. "For these children will grow up to do great and mighty things for My Kingdom."
"Thank you, Rabbi. For all that You have done," Peabody answered. And Jesus disappeared from their sight.
Mr. Peabody's Penthouse, Thursday 17 April 2014, 2:00 PM
As the time travelers stepped out of the WABAC, Penny was talking nonstop. She had been unable to contain her excitement ever since Jesus had left them.
"That was incredible!" Penny exclaimed. Jesus was dead, but now He's alive and He was standing so close to us!"
"I know, Penny, I know!" Sherman answered her. "He still is. He's right in this room right now!"
"But how? We're in the present," Penny questioned.
"The WABAC doesn't bring us to Jesus, Miss Peterson," Mr. Peabody explained. "Belief does. When you believe in Jesus, make Him your Lord and Savior, He's with you all the time. He told us so in His Word. The last words He spoke before He went to be with God. 'I am with you always, even to the end of the age.'"
"Wow!" Penny breathed. "This is incredible. I-I've never felt like this before."
"It's called joy, Penny," Sherman explained.
"Well, what do I do now?" Penny asked.
"Well, one thing you could do is come to church with us this Sunday," Sherman offered. "I'd really like you to come."
"Of course," Penny answered. "But what else?"
"Well, I think you should tell your parents about it," Mr. Peabody continued. "I think they'd like to know."
"Yeah…but who do I tell after that?" Penny wondered. Sherman and Mr. Peabody chuckled.
"The world, Penny," Sherman answered her. "Tell the whole world."
Epilogue
Calvary Baptist Church, Easter Sunday, 20 April 2014, 9:25 AM
Sherman and Mr. Peabody were waiting just outside the church for Penny and her parents to show up. Sherman was becoming a little nervous.
"Where is she, Mr. Peabody?" Sherman asked. "The service starts in five minutes."
"I'm sure she'll be here, Sherman," Mr. Peabody answered. "Just be patient."
"Sherman! Penny!" the two heard a voice call out.
"Hi Penny!" Sherman greeted as Penny and her parents walked up to them. Sherman was struck by the beautiful white dress Penny was wearing, and it took him a minute to recover.
"Hello Paul, Patty," Mr. Peabody greeted the parents.
"Hey, Peabody! How's it going?" Paul answered. "Listen, I don't know what you did to my daughter the other day, but I want to thank you for it."
"Yes," Patty agreed. "The change in her is like night and day."
"Well, that's what happens when the Spirit moves," Peabody replied.
"Amen," the two parents agreed.
"Penny, I have something for you," Sherman said, holding his hands behind his back.
"Oh, what is it Sherman?" Penny asked as Sherman handed her a gift wrapped package.
"Here, open it," Sherman replied, barely able to contain his excitement. "It was my idea, but Mr. Peabody helped me pick it out," he explained as Penny tore the wrapping paper off the gift.
"Oh, it's a Bible!" Penny smiled when she saw what it was. It was an NIV Adventure Bible for kids to be precise. "And it even has my name engraved on the cover!"
"Look inside the cover," Sherman told her.
Penny opened the front cover and read the inscription. "For Penny Peterson, I give you this gift from my heart that was given to me from Our Lord and Father in Heaven - the gift of life and truth. Read God's Word and cherish its promises in the knowledge that we will both live together forever in Heaven. Love, Sherman."
"Yeah, Mr. Peabody helped me with that too," Sherman explained sheepishly.
"Oh, Sherman, I love it!" Penny exclaimed as she wrapped Sherman in a hug. "Thank you so much!"
"You're welcome, Penny," Sherman returned the hug.
"Come on you two," Mr. Peabody called after them. "The service is starting!" And the two children followed their parents into the sanctuary.
To Be Continued?
Authors Note: Well, that's it. I hope you all enjoyed it. If you read this and you would like to have what Penny found in this story, you can pray this simple prayer:
"Dear God, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I admit to You that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sins and the life that I have lived; I ask for your forgiveness. I believe that your only Son Jesus Christ shed His precious blood on the cross at Calvary and died for my sins, and I am now willing to turn from my sin. You said in Your Holy Word that if we confess to You and believe in our hearts that You raised Jesus from the dead, we shall be saved. Right now I confess Jesus as the Lord of my soul. With my heart, I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. This very moment I accept Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior and according to His Word, right now I am saved. Amen."
If you have any questions at all about what you just read, please don't hesitate to ask. Other than that, review if you like, and may God bless you all in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ!