Easter and Christmas are considered the two most important days in the Christian calendar. Christmas, because it marks the birth of Jesus, and Easter because it marks the resurrection of Jesus.
Both have been polluted by paganism and secular society, turning them into commercial holidays filled with gluttony and materialism. Christmas was given the date of 25th December because of the winter solstice and the pagan festival held at the time, in order to "Christianise" it. However, Easter changes date each year because it is the Sunday at the end of the week-long Passover festival which is still celebrated by Jews the world over. So Easter is better than Christmas because the date has a better foundation.
But more than that, Easter really is more important. Whilst Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus, and without his birth he couldn't have had a death and resurrection, the birth alone doesn't have any value for salvation.
Good Friday is often celebrated because of the death of Jesus. Many Christian songs are written about the cross, and it is true that Jesus' death on the cross is the sacrifice to pay for the sins of mankind. But Friday isn't the end of the story. In fact, if the story ended with Good Friday, we would only have forgiveness of sins. Satan would have had his victory. Our slate would be wiped clean, but then what?
But Easter Sunday shows Jesus' victory over death. His resurrection shows complete dominance over satan's greatest tool to pull people away from God. It's not just that Jesus was raised to life after death, but that we are raised to life in him if we believe. But not just raised to life after our physical death: raised to life - a better life - in the here and now. This life can be better. Not simply by 'having more things' or being healthy, but our whole motivation for living can be better. Through Jesus being raised to life, we can have life in all its fullness: life in abundance!
Through the resurrection of Jesus:
Without Easter, there is no hope for this life, or beyond. Easter is the complete destruction of satan's power, showing that Jesus has the ultimate victory.
And that is why Easter is the most important day.
Both have been polluted by paganism and secular society, turning them into commercial holidays filled with gluttony and materialism. Christmas was given the date of 25th December because of the winter solstice and the pagan festival held at the time, in order to "Christianise" it. However, Easter changes date each year because it is the Sunday at the end of the week-long Passover festival which is still celebrated by Jews the world over. So Easter is better than Christmas because the date has a better foundation.
But more than that, Easter really is more important. Whilst Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus, and without his birth he couldn't have had a death and resurrection, the birth alone doesn't have any value for salvation.
Good Friday is often celebrated because of the death of Jesus. Many Christian songs are written about the cross, and it is true that Jesus' death on the cross is the sacrifice to pay for the sins of mankind. But Friday isn't the end of the story. In fact, if the story ended with Good Friday, we would only have forgiveness of sins. Satan would have had his victory. Our slate would be wiped clean, but then what?
But Easter Sunday shows Jesus' victory over death. His resurrection shows complete dominance over satan's greatest tool to pull people away from God. It's not just that Jesus was raised to life after death, but that we are raised to life in him if we believe. But not just raised to life after our physical death: raised to life - a better life - in the here and now. This life can be better. Not simply by 'having more things' or being healthy, but our whole motivation for living can be better. Through Jesus being raised to life, we can have life in all its fullness: life in abundance!
Through the resurrection of Jesus:
- Death is defeated, so we have no fear of dying physically.
- All of satan's power is broken, and we can proclaim that over our lives.
- Our lives can be made complete: life to the max.
- There is a hope for something better than what this life can offer.
Without Easter, there is no hope for this life, or beyond. Easter is the complete destruction of satan's power, showing that Jesus has the ultimate victory.
And that is why Easter is the most important day.
No comments:
Post a Comment