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What is
Easter?
Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus from the tomb on the third day after his crucifixion. Easter is the fulfilled prophecy of the Messiah (Jesus Christ) who would be persecuted, die for our sins, and rise on the third day as prophesied in Isaiah 53. Remembering the resurrection of Jesus is a way to renew our daily hope that we have victory over sin through Jesus. According to the New Testament, Easter is three days after the death of Jesus on the cross.
Easter follows a period of fasting called Lent, in which many churches set aside time for repentance and remembrance. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Good Friday, the day of Jesus' crucifixion. The 40-day period was established using the 40-day pattern of prayer by Israel, Moses, Elijah and Jesus' time in the wilderness.
The week leading up to Easter is called The Holy Week, or "Passion Week," and includes Palm Sunday (the day Jesus entered Jerusalem and was celebrated), Maundy Thursday (the "Last Supper" where Jesus met with his disciples to observe Passover) and Good Friday (when Jesus would be crucified on the cross).
Easter is a very significant date within Christianity and is the foundation of the Christian faith. Jesus, the Son of God, fulfilled prophecy and through His death, has given the gift of eternal life in heaven to those who believe in His death and resurrection. You can check out the entire Biblical account of Resurrection Day in Matthew 28, Mark 16 and Luke 24.
How do we celebrate Easter?
The earliest Christians celebrated the resurrection on the fourteenth of Nisan (our March-April), the date of the Jewish Passover. Jewish days were reckoned from evening to evening, so Jesus had celebrated His Last Supper the evening of the Passover and was crucified the day of the Passover. The origin of Easter started with early Christians celebrating the Passover by now worshipping Jesus as the Passover Lamb sacrifice and as Redeemer.
The origin of when the Gentile Christians began celebrating Easter on the nearest Sunday to the Passover was due to the fact that Jesus arose on a Sunday. If not following the Jewish timing of the Resurrection during Passover would have meant that Easter would be a different day of the week each year, only falling on a Sunday once in a while.
As well, since the Lord rose on a Sunday and this day had been set aside as the Lord's Day, this was the only logical day to celebrate His resurrection. Easter was to be the Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox. This is still the method used to determine Easter today, which is why some years we have Easter earlier than other years.
What Does Easter Mean? ~ The early Latin name for the week of Easter was hebdomada alba or "white week," while the Sunday after Easter day was called dominica in albis from the white robes of those who had been newly baptized. The word alba is Latin both for white and dawn.
How does Easter
connect to Passover?
The day before His crucifixion, Jesus observed Passover with His disciples. This event is known as the Last Supper. Passover is the time that Jews remembered their freedom and exodus from Egypt. During this Passover feast, Jesus told His disciples that the bread symbolizes His body that would be broken, and the wine representing His blood, which would be poured out for the forgiveness of sins as we see in Matthew 26:17-30. The Last Supper is presently remembered in churches and religious services through the act of taking Communion and sharing bread and wine to remember the sacrifice of Jesus.
Jesus was arrested after the Passover meal while He was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was then taken before the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate, for trial and crucifixion.
Easter eggs, bunnies and chocolate?
Back in Southern Germany, the first pastry and candy Easter bunnies became popular at the beginning of the nineteenth century. This custom also crossed the Atlantic, and children still eat candy rabbits -- particularly chocolate ones -- at Easter.
Next to the Easter bunny, the most familiar symbol is the Easter egg with no certainty as to why it became associated with Easter. Once the custom became accepted, new traditions began to grow up around it. Eggs were dyed red for joy and in memory of Christ's blood. Egg rolling contests came to America from England, possibly as a reminder of the stone being rolled away.
What about the familiar Easter Egg hunt? One source suggested that it grew out of the tradition of German children searching for hidden pretzels during the Easter season. Since children were hiding nests for the Easter Bunny to fill with eggs at the same time they were hunting pretzels, it was only a small leap to begin hiding eggs instead.
These traditions have no bearing on the significance of why we revel in the celebration and remembrance of Easter.
How should we deal
with this
unstoppable love?
The soldiers could not stop Him. The crowds could not stop Him. The cross could not stop Him. Even the grave could not stop Him. Jesus overcame it all and was resurrected from the dead. This was done for us and proves that God loves us.
God's love is made evident in this sacrifice of sending His only Son, Jesus, so that through Him all who believe may have eternal life. But Jesus had to willingly come, He humbled himself and became obedient to the will of the Father. This obedience led Jesus to His eventual death on a cross. Nothing can negate God's love for us.
Paul says that there is nothing in all creation that can separate us from God's love for us in Romans 8:38-39 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
So, what are the expectations of us to deal with this unstoppable love?
We must follow Christ's model and die to sin. We must repent and push our sin from our lives as directed by Romans 8:12-15 12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation -- but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. 14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."
To resist the urge to sin against God, even if the temptation is extremely strong, is a challenge even for believers and followers of Christ as we learn how to live for Christ each and every day. We are reminded In the gospel of Luke 9:23 9 "If anyone would come after me (Jesus), he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me (Jesus)." This may seem like a simple statement, but it doesn't involve just words. Living for Christ takes very real action, as indicated by this passage from Luke, and others in the New Testament.
Easter Sunday is a day to remember, celebrate and commemorate all that God has done to bring us to Him.
For some today, your life is empty. But the good news, actually the greatest news, is that the abundant fullness of life in Christ is available to any, and all, who would believe in Him. If that resonates with you today, take the time right now to pray, confessing and repenting your sin to God. Invite His fullness into your life, then take the intentional steps towards living an active life of faith. Find a biblical church to worship in where you can grow in your faith.
Just as Christ walked out of the grave, remember, that He has called you to move from death to life as well. May we live and thrive together in the fullness of life promised by Christ.
Easter blessings to you!
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Finding Faith is written by area pastors. This week's column comes from Rev. Don Grant of Hillview Wesleyan Church, Flemington.