As I read the biblical accounts of the time surrounding Jesus’s death and resurrection and attend church services I begin to think of the meaning of the resurrection. Jesus’s death and resurrection is the pivotal moment in human history upon which everything hinges. His life for our life. His atonement for our sins. His sacrifice for our eternal life. It does not get any more pivotal than that. There is no hope without him, there is no meaning or direction without him. Nothing makes sense without the understanding of what our creator gave for our existence. (1Peter 3:18- For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteousness, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in spirit.)
Yet, we cover that up by overlaying that message with pagan overtones as played out in our egg hunts, Easter bunny photo-ops and chocolate candies. There is no way to soft-pedal the truth that these practices are steeped in early pagan religions. We have all gotten caught up in them in one way or the other and that is all a distraction from the most important event of human history, which is the message of the Cross.(Hebrews 12:2- Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.)
Just where do you think these distractions come from? They are of Satan. Satan who seeks to insert his counterfeit message in place of the real message. The messages are close, Satan but no cigar. I entreat you to grow in Christian maturity by examining, comparing and contrasting all of the Easter traditions and see if this isn’t the case.
Satan creates only a facsimile of the things of God. It is a subtle thing and will tug at people’s imagination and direct them away from the one true God. So, for example, we see the egg and the bunny as being symbols of the rebirth of spring. Fertility of the land meant crops again being planted, food once again growing in the north lands after winter’s deprivations. Animals born in the spring provided the protein sources needed to renew one’s strength. But, behind the subtlety of rejoicing at the turn of seasons is a focusing on the creation rather than the creator. A replacing of the spiritual by the material. (2Thessalonians 2:9-10- The coming of the lawless one is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.)
We are grateful to God for the much needed changes brought by the spring season. We are grateful that God provides the things that we need, including the food that we can now grow and the animals that we can again hunt or raise. But, the focus must be on God. The past included the worship of nature. All of our ancestors were looking for meaning in the stars, in the earth, and in its seasons. They were looking for the meaning of their earthly lives yet, because of the sin of Adam and Eve, that first knowledge was clouded and the counterfeit truth replaced the True. (Romans 1:25- Who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.)
Are we celebrating a counterfeit Easter this year? If so, how do we begin to change it? The first thing that we must do is to read the biblical accounts of what really happened: beginning with the story of Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem all the way up to his resurrection. Let’s all make sure that we really understand what happened. The story has been co-opted by many people over the years. There have been books and documentaries which have attempted to re-interpret the story. Also, many traditions have arisen clouding peoples understanding of the events and how they actually transpired. So, we begin by making sure that we understand the real story. ( You can begin at Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19: 28-40, and John 12:12-19)
Next, we have to start a dialogue with the world about this real story. That seems simple enough, doesn’t it? But then we find out that it isn’t really so simple at all. Many of us have gotten used to compromising our faith in order to placate those around us. We may even be in danger of losing a job or being “cut-off” by a family member. What a terrible shame that it has come to this. However, didn’t Jesus tell us that his followers would have “no place to lay their head?” Aren’t souls at stake? (1 John 2:2- He is propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but, also for the sins of the whole world.)
A good guide about starting this outreach came from my Pastor at a recent service, as he read from the book of Exodus. In this book we see that responsibility for transmitting the Passover message begins within the family. My Pastor described how the story is repeated yearly during each family’s Passover Seder. Are we telling the story of Jesus at our family gatherings this year? The person to person transmission of the truth begins with us and those closest to us. We can not shrink from this responsibility no matter how much our teenagers roll their eyes or old Uncle so-and-so decries “those hypocritical Christians”. (Exodus 12:14- This is the day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a Festival of the Lord- a lasting ordinance.)
Finally, there is the word “Easter”. In previous Easter messages I have gotten into the possible etymology of this word. I could do it again, but, suffice it to say it is murky. Some Christians have begun to use the phrase “Resurrection Day” instead of “Easter” as a means to begin the dialogue of which we speak. That is great and obviously it clarifies the matter from the start to say “Happy Resurrection Day”, which makes clear what it is they are celebrating.
However, some Christians feel that since the term “Easter” has become such a part of the vernacular that they will continue to use it but clarify what it means to them. This is all good in my mind because it begins to straighten out some of the counterfeit garbage that has infiltrated the “greatest story every told.”
I believe that the telling of the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection began in a similar manner after his empty tomb was discovered. People began to tell their family. Next, they told anyone who would listen. They needed to sort out lots of things too. Yet, as the church began to grow, they took on this work as a spiritual body with Christ as their head. (John 20:17- (Jesus instructing Mary says, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them,’I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
Oughtn’t we to do the same? Can you imagine the excitement of finding that tomb empty and discovering the promises fulfilled? Don’t we need this now more than ever? I urge us all to make this Resurrection Day count. It can be called Easter, but let’s all seize the moment that God has given us to make sure that we say something genuine and focus on what is true. Don’t the hurting people of this world, our neighbors and our family deserve that? I rejoice with you: Jesus Christ is Risen and because of that I have hope. (I John 4:14- And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.”
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