EASTER - A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
What's The Significance?
What is the significance of Easter to the Christian? For some people,
Easter strictly belongs to the realm of the Easter bunny and family
get-togethers. For many, Easter -- like Christmas -- is celebrated as a
combination of the secular and the sacred. For others, Easter is
primarily a time of remembering and celebrating the historical death,
burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
Understanding Easter from a Christian perspective is vitally important.
The celebration of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection from the
dead is crucial for believers in Jesus Christ. Without this doctrine,
there is no Christianity and no Easter.
Beyond doctrine is the knowledge of the truth that Jesus died to pay
the penalty of death that we deserve for our sin, was buried, and rose
with a glorified body, gaining victory over death and the grave. When
we put our faith in Him by believing through faith alone, in Christ
alone, we have the promise of one day having a body like our Lord’s
and reigning with Him in heaven.
Philippians 3:20-21 states, “For our citizenship is in Heaven, from
which also we eagerly wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; who
will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the
body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to
subject all things to Himself."
2 Timothy 2:11-12 says “It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; If we endure, we will also reign with Him;...". This gives hope to the Christian at Easter time and throughout the year.
Easter, from a Christian perspective is the reality of our Saviour Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection which transcends failed hopes in things that come up hollow and empty. Out of the pain, suffering, and shame Jesus experienced on our behalf, truth came. Life everlasting came.
For the Christian, Easter Sunday or Resurrection Sunday as it is also known, is the annual celebration of what we mark every Sunday, every Lord’s Day... and if we truly know Jesus, it is a reality that is ours every day of the year.
We may go to church on Easter Sunday, we may have big
dinners with family and friends, we might even buy new
clothes and give gifts. We might put a Bible verse on a
Hallmark card or invite a friend to church at Easter. It is
good to remember the resurrection and to celebrate,
however we really must be careful not to mistake
religious forms for true, evangelical Easter joy. All this
may be respectable, but that is not the same thing as
knowing Christ and the power of His resurrection.
To know Christ and the power of His resurrection is to
know the joy of forgiveness, to know the joy of fellowship
with God and those around you, to know the joy of confessing sins and making things
right as quickly as possible, to know the joy of obedience, the joy of suffering reproach and slander and hatred for loyalty to Jesus.
Do you have that joy? Do not say, "... well, I’m going to church" or "I'm in church aren’t I?" Yes, very good, you are in church, but are you in Christ? As mentioned above, have you placed your faith in Jesus alone to save you from your sins... those things you do wrong daily before God, to Him and others?
Have you asked Him for forgiveness and made Him the
rightful ruler of your God created life? If so, you're rich
in Christ! Knowing Christ means that you have come
into unspeakable wealth, and now you find that you
have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness,
goodness, and self-control flowing out of you at every
turn. And the more you confess your sins and forgive
and obey, the closer you walk with God and the more
you have to give.
So as you worship this coming Easter, do not look at the
songs, at the people, at the sermon, or at the
communion table. You will not find joy in any of these
things in themselves. They are all signs pointing to our Joy, pointing to the One who is our Joy. They are windows for you to look through. But if you come to church to do something respectable on Easter, I’m afraid you’ve come to the wrong place. We are not here to do respectable religious things. We are here because the God-Man named Jesus rose from the dead, and we have met Him. He is alive and He is here with us by His Spirit. He has forgiven us all our sins, and we are here to praise Him with all that we are. This is what Easter is all about!
What a glorious hope He is and we can share this with all those who are looking expectantly for the Truth! Have a meaningful Easter!
So What About You?
We (all of us) have all sinned and deserve God's judgment. God, the Father, sent His only Son to satisfy that judgment for those who believe in Him. Jesus, the Creator and Eternal Son of God, who lived a sinless life, loves us so much that He died for our sins, taking the punishment that we deserve, was buried, and rose from the dead according to the Bible. If you truly believe and trust this in your heart, receiving Jesus alone as your Saviour, declaring, "Jesus is Lord," you will be saved from judgement and spend eternity with God in heaven.
What is your response to God this Easter season?
A) Yes, today I am deciding to follow Jesus!
If so, what a joyous day it is! Let us know, we'd love to celebrate
your new life with you, and help and encourage you in your new
relationship with God.
B) Yes, I am already a follower of Jesus.
Wonderful! May you continue to grow in your relationship with Him.
We'd love to be an encouragement to you and help you in your daily
walk with God.
C) I still have questions.
That's good that you're considering your standing before Almighty God.
We would love to answer any questions you may have about God, His
great love for you, and more.
We hope you would contact us in order that we might help or encourage you. Feel free to email us at info@albionhillsbiblechurch.ca.
Christian Easter – A Brief History
The history of Christian Easter is told about in the book, A History of The
Christian Church1. The first definite record of the celebration of Christian
Easter is in connection with the visit of Polycarp (the bishop of Smyrna) to
Anicetus (the bishop of Rome) in 154 or 155 in order to come to an agreement
about the time of the observance of Easter. Polycarp represented the more
ancient custom of observing Easter with a vigil, ending with the Lord’s
Supper, through the night of the fourteenth of the month Nisan (a month
of the Jewish calendar), like the Jewish Passover, regardless of what day
of the week this day might fall.
Anicetus represented the Roman custom that was also followed by some
parts of the East to have the Easter feast always on Sunday. They did not
come to an agreement, but continued on each with their own practice.
After further disputes over dates within the Asia Minor church, the
problem became so serious that meetings were held around 190 that
decided in favour of having Easter celebrated on Sunday. At a council
in 314, the Roman date of Easter was approved.
In the third century in the Christian church, “the great event of the year was the Easter season. The period immediately before was one of fasting in commemoration of Christ’s sufferings. Customs differed in various parts of the empire. In Rome a forty hours’ fast and vigil was held in remembrance of Christ’s rest in the grave. This was extended, by the time of the Council of Nicaea to a forty days’ Lent. All fasting ended with the dawn of Easter morning, and the Pentecostal period of rejoicing then began. In that time there was no fasting or kneeling in prayer in public worship. Easter eve was the favorite season for baptism, that the newly initiate might participate in the Easter joy.”2 At the Council of Nicaea a uniform date for the observance of Easter was ordered.
1 A History of The Christian Church, by Williston Walker, published by Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York, 1970. pages 61-62, 85, 106, 109, 325.
2 ibid., page 85.
