How was your Easter? Was there evidence that it was a commemoration of Jesus’ death and resurrection or, was it mostly a throw back pagan holiday? What was the meaning of Easter in your home? Easter bread, ham, lamb, eggs, or chocolate bunnies about the extent of it? Easter egg hunts and Easter egg rolls the height? Perhaps, seeing the children in Easter clothes and an Easter basket is the only thrill of the celebration? It’s all about the kids? What does any of this have to do with Jesus Christ revealing himself as the messiah, and the pivotal event of his resurrection?
(Just in case you are wondering, I love bread, ham, lamb and chocolate.)
Exodus 20:3- Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Max*and Jewel* did nothing but fight during their entire Easter vacation. Easter is one of the two times every year that they are able to get away for a week with their entire family. Easter has come to mean holiday to this family, not Jesus’ death and resurrection.
But this year, the family vacation did not go so well. The kids had some grueling homework assignments for one thing. And what should have been a happy occasion, that is the first joint vacation with Jewel’s parents since covid, ended up being full of disagreements and arguements. When I ended up hearing the whole post-Easter analysis I came to believe that stress buildup and expectations got too high. Those expectations and those stress levels exceeded their coping skills.
The whole family acted like a bunch of entitled and bratty children. Grandma and grandpa wanted to see certain sights, the grandkids wanted to see other things. Nobody was willing to compromise. Max and Jewel just wanted to sleep or rest by the pool. This was their Easter.
Galatians 4:8-11- Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did serve unto them which by nature are no god. But now, after ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, where unto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain.
Then there was my friend Michelle*. Michelle usually church shops for Easter to see where she can get the best Easter spiritual experience! She goes to the websites to see a preview of sermons and the music ministry offering. She is having an emotional experience every Easter, tripping out on Jesus’ death and Resurrection. It is not that she is shallow. No, far from that. But, she doesn’t quite know how she should react to all that Jesus did for her. She thinks she should cry, scream and philosophize about it for a week or two and that is honoring Jesus.
What is the meaning of Easter and how did it evolve to what we are doing today? Early Christians spread the truth about Jesus Christ and thought they could soften the blow of giving up cultural celebrations by merely grafting on the commemoration of the resurrection unto people’s previous pagan holidays. In the lead up to Resurrection Day, I saw a few Christian movies and television shows. Next blog I might review some of them. One movie was called, “Church People.” It aptly describes how many churches approach the commemoration of Easter today.
The fictional Pastor wonders what he can do to make this Easter Service memorable. It had to be big, or so he thought. On one hand, I can see the pressure upon Pastors at Christmas and Easter to wow the crowds, after all, there is an opportunity to reach many people with the message of salvation. But, is that the genuine message of Jesus’ resurrection that we are preaching or just some broadway show version of the gospel? Is all that Jesus said and accomplished worthily put forth by being cast as an entertainment venue?
2 Corinthians 6:17- Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you.
The conclusion in the movie “Church People” is that what Jesus did is enough. Focusing in on that is the purpose of Easter. Everything else is paganism or entertainment.
* the names are changed or else they might be a little mad at me after this post. Truth can be a little ugly sometimes.
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