Easter here, Easter there, Easter, Easter everywhere!
Kids will experience Easter on April 9, Easter Sunday, 2023.
My children’s early memories of Easter are fun things like painted Easter eggs, egg hunts, and colorful Easter baskets filled with chocolates, bunny rabbits, or other toys. The larger the Easter basket and the fluffier and floppier the Easter bunny, the happier they were.
My daughter remembers her frilly dresses with matching ribbons, bows, and white or black patent leather shoes. Of course, my son had his new Easter outfits too. Both were adorable and fashionable at church on Easter Sunday in their new Easter attire.
Today, these exciting Easter traditions continue with the new outfits, Easter baskets, etc.
In their tween or teen years, my kids learned and understood the real meaning of Easter. And it has nothing to do with eggs, baskets, and bunnies.
Jesus is the reason for the Easter season. The importance of Easter is the salvation given to those who believe in the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as our savior.
The Apostle Paul reminds the believers in Corinth about the importance of the Cross and spreading the good news of Easter, the story of Jesus’ resurrection.
Paul states in 1 Corinthians 15:3-6, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures: and that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: after that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once.”
These verses proclaim the truth of God’s love, the sacrifice, and the resurrection of God’s only begotten Son for the salvation of sinful creatures like you and me.
Paul speaks about the death and resurrection of Christ as the primary, must-have belief of every believer in Christ. Paul cites many who saw Jesus after his crucifixion. Today, through the Holy Spirit and testimonies, Christ continues to make himself known to those who would receive him. So, testimonies of ages past, today, and those to come about Jesus are worthy of sharing with others.
Christians recognize Good Friday as the day of Christ’s crucifixion. What was good about that Friday so long ago? On Good Friday, God fulfilled his promise to send us a savior. Jesus, the ultimate sacrifice, bore our sins, and “by his stripes, we are healed.” Whether you read Isaiah 53:5 or 1 Peter 2:24, believers know Jesus was bruised and wounded and willingly gave his life for our iniquities. 1 Peter says that Jesus bore our sins in his own body.
Good Friday is also called Holy Friday, Great Friday, and other reverent names. Ten states: Delaware, Hawaii, Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, New Jersey, Louisiana, North Carolina, Tennessee, and North Dakota observe Good Friday as a holiday.
The passion or suffering and death of Christ for our sins are crucial to the Easter story. This story climaxes with the resurrection of our savior on that glorious Easter morning.
What’s so glorious about that Easter or resurrection morning? Jesus rose from the dead, and those who die and live in him will have eternal life.
Jesus lives! Jesus is alive!
Have a blessed and Happy Easter!
Be well.