Easter! What comes to your mind when you hear that word? Do you think of new clothes? Painted eggs? Chocolate bunnies? or ______ ??
Easter to me is a word filled with meaning. It means so much because of something that changed the history and future of this world. That something is often forgotten or overlooked every other day of the year yet it is without a doubt the most significant historical event the universe has ever seen. That something is the resurrection. Thus Easter means a new beginning. It means hope. Easter is the day Jesus the Nazarene came gloriously out of the borrowed tomb by the power of God. On the morning after Passover, Jesus conquered death.
Easter means that Christians are not defeated in life or by death. Easter means we have God’s promise of a fresh start and a new creation. We have God’s promise of joy, even in the face of death, because God said, “Arise my Love!”
When our loved ones pass on we miss their physical presence. But if we are in Christ, Easter assures us—we will see them again. We will not see them because we enter into death too. We see them because we will be resurrected, like Jesus was, to a new life. Not ghosts mind you but our bodies will be raised to new life. What hope we have. What joy because of what the Lord has done.
Easter means a new beginning for those who have been afflicted in this life. Elise Reid, a dear friend of mine, was a nearly six feet tall at one point. But Elise was eaten up in her body by radical diabetes. When she died she was blind. When she died she had no arms. When she died she had no legs. When she died she was not even four feet long. But I rejoiced with her because Easter promises her a new body and new life. How I love Easter! Easter is good news.
The things we tend to associate with Easter, the new clothes, etc. are joyous because of the newness they symbolize. They point to joy. They celebrate life. May God bless you this day—Easter. Christ the Lord is risen today. Hallelujah.
Shalom,
Bobby Valentine
11 comments:
As you saw, bro, my thoughts go straight to "believing" when I think of Easter.
I'm enjoying have your in-laws in my class. I will miss when they move.
Peace.
Great post---Resurrection for all God's own---too precious a gift, huh?
Peace
Neva
I'm sorry, but when I think Easter, I can't help but think of paganism, the eggs, bunnies, etc. The thoughts on resurrection are excellent, but should they be linked with such blatantly pagan terminology? Are we mixing the sublime with meat sacrificed to idols here? I have a feeling you may have been anticipating a comment like this, so I'll lovingly take the bait and throw this out for thought and comment. God bless
To me it means the end of all the violence of Christianity. It is the time that can all get on with our lives.
Gardner,
Thank you for joining the conversation. Your perspective is greatly valued.
But I have problems simply jettisoning the idea of "Easter" because terminology. I for one have little doubt about the historicity of resurrection Sunday. But much of the objectionable nature of the term "Easter" could be applied to something we use all of the time: "Sunday." Indeed few things are a rooted in paganism as our days of the week. But I use the term and I say that we gather to worship on Sunday ... even though it is pagan.
There is some parallel with some of the ancient holy days in the Hebrew Scriptures. There is evidence that at least some of the Festivals (like Weeks/First Fruits/Pentecost) was actually "baptized" from Canaanite mythology. It was not simply absorbed but it was given redemptive-historical content. Somebody could say that Pentecost is simply pagan ... but that would be misleading. The principle is the same with "Easter." The day is filled with not pagan ideas but with redemptive historical content.
I have no emotional attachment to the word "Easter" though it does not bother me. The same is true for the word "Sunday" or the word "Bible" or "Trinity" or any number of other terms that have previous histories in non-Christian history (i.e Greek paganism ... except Trinity). The question is what do I mean by those terms.
Shalom my brother,
Bobby Valentine
Thanks, Bobby, for the wonderful reminders, Easter is all of that and more for me too.
Re: Gardner's comments, I arrive at the same conclusion as Bobby does...as well as would point out that God and Paul had no problem with people eating the meat sacrificed to the idols, the point being made was that if it was offensive to others, to not make them participate.
In that vein, I must say that the tendency of any conservative church to abstain from preaching a resurrection sermon on Easter Sunday, "b/c we celebrate Christ's death, burial and resurrection each time we meet," (that is a broken record, similar to the offering's "separate and apart from the Lord's Supper, we will now...") is offensive to me. We don't NOT celebrate or memorialize, or observe (Whatever terminology you prefer) your marriage anniversary, birth of a loved one, etc, even though in theory, a grateful person should celebrate the occasion "each time we meet." Yet the reasoning seems to hold in many of the coC's I've attended in my life. It's offensive to me, but in the end, I suppose having an Easter celebration as the Sunday service *could* be offensive to others too, so I just keep my mouth shut until a conversation such as this arises when it is appropriate to talk of such things in a candid conversation, and not tradition-bashing.
Finally, Bobby, thanks for stopping by and keeping us in prayer - tell Pamella I appreciate her supporting question ;-) I hope I didn't sully your beloved too much with my language. ;-)
I grew up in a home where we didn't do the "religious" side of Christmas and Easter. Christmas was only about Santa, reindeer and presents. Easter was about eggs, new clothes and pictures.
I've learned as I've matured and grew spiritually that Christmas and Easter are about MUCH more than those things mentioned above.
Great post
Love the post and the discussion.
For a long time, I preceded all of my Christmas and Easter sermons with the usual disclaimers, but no more.
The reaction has been wonderful. Seems that those in the pew (at least where I preach) find it refreshing to embrace the few remaining Christian holiday traditions we have and use them as a means of teaching about the good news that Jesus Christ is Lord.
I think of Christ, and I also think of worshipping him with my family.
Bobby and all. Thanks for your thoughtful comments. Before I eagerly get to the article on "the Gospel of Judas" let me make a few points on comments on this old post.
I know that we can't avoid all pagan influences (names of the days of the week, etc.) but still feel that a healthy separation is still preferable whenever possible, especially when links are still strong. Two quick questions for thought.
* Wonder what Lipscomb and Harding would think of Easter as it is commonly celebrated?
* If it is granted that there were some "pagan" predecesors to O.T. feasts such as Pentecost, there is still no doubt that God put his stamp of approval on that type of feast for the Jews. Where is such a "stamp of approval" for our mixing elements and terminology of Catholic/pagan festivals with our spiritual thoughts and service today? (Now I know that sounds like a Foy E. Wallace, Texas tradition type of question, but maybe it's worth throwing out there anyway!)
God bless all.
Gardner,
I appreciate your questions. I have already given my rationale however. If you can use the word "Sunday" then I fail to see why Easter is a bigger problem. In fact many would argue that "Sunday" was simply the day of the Sun and taken over by the church to get folks to attend. I do not agree with that and I know you do not. But the fact remains that "Sunday" was a decidedly pagan day.
But Christian observance of that day is not pagan precisely because of WHY we do it. We have filled the day a different meaning. It is the Lord's Day. Easter is the same.
I have as much desire to avoid paganism as most ... and perhaps even more than some. But I do not think this issue is about paganism.
Romans 14 and 15 grants the Christian the right to either observe or not to observe a day like Easter. For those who choose not to, no harm or haughtiness should be displayed toward them. For those who do no condemnation can be dished out to them.
Harding and Lipscomb were great men. I try to emulate their bold faith and they were correct in their basic apocalyptic orientation . But even they are not flawless men. Thus they needed (and celebrated) God's grace. I am on common ground with them here.
Shalom,
Bobby Valentine
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