easter8

Christ Has Risen!

~The True Meaning Of Easter~

...and what Easter mean to me.

For many, Easter has different meanings. To some it's all about The Easter bunny,colored eggs,baskets of candy, pretty clothes,egg hunts,parties, Sunday morning service,or more. Although these are wonderful...Easter means more to me than these do. Easter to me is all about what Jesus done for me.
What makes Easter so Impotant? Is it the day itself that makes it so grand or perhaps the month or season that it falls in? No, we know that can't be , because the date of Easter depends upon the phases of the moon. It may fall in the month of March or even April. So this has very little to do with why Easter is Important. We do not even know the exact date of Jesus resurrection, but we do know it was on a Sunday.
Ask any child why they love Easter and most will say ,because the Easter bunny comes to my house with lots of goodies. They go to bed, leave their empty basket for the Easter bunny to find, and then in the morning it is filled with goodies. This is a fun time for children, but we need to let our children know that this is NOT what Easter is all about.
Another thing that we often enjoy at Easter, especially if you are a child...is colored Easter eggs. Face it, who doesn't like Easter eggs? Although it is believed that eggs stand for new life and fertility and in the past Christians thought of the egg in terms of the resurrection,the new beginning of life. Often eggs were dyed red as a symbol of the blood of Jesus. But, The egg has nothing to do with the true meaning of Easter.
Often at Easter we love to get together with our family and eat. We eat and then run out to find Easter eggs that have been hidden around the yard. It can be a great family time and celebration. However, this too is not what Easter is all about. Most churches in earlier years, never celebrated Easter as a Holiday. It wasn't until the civil war days that the Presbyterian church started observing Easter as a Holiday, and others have taken it up through the years ,and each with their own customs and beliefs.
To some it is running out to the mall and buying the finest Easter suit to wear to Sunday morning service.Although, it's nice to dress up to go to God's house...God would rather us to come just as we are.We should place more importance in his word than our looks. It's nice to see everyone dressed up very pretty; Men in suits,ladies with hats, little girls with fancy dresses, and little boys with ties...but shouldn't we always want to look our best to enter the Lord's house?
Another thing, most churches are full on Easter and often those who don't come all year, find a way to be there for Easter service. This is great and God is pleased when his house is full, but wouldn't it be a blessing if God's house was always full? I know he would be so proud if the Easter crowd came for all services? This is not the most important part of Easter, but being found faithful to the house of God is very pleasing in his sight.
So then, WHY DO WE CELEBRATE EASTER?
Their are so many with so many reasons, but as for me it is all about what Jesus done on that very first Easter. It's the time when I like to think about those last few days that Jesus walked this Earth, what he must have went through ,and how he died for YOU and ME. His death made the biggest impact on my life and it still is today. Let me share a few impotant symbols and how they relate to Easter and Jesus.
                               ~The Crown of Thorns~
John 19:2-7
And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head(Jesus), and they put on him a purple robe. And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands. Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold,I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.
Mark 15:17 And they clothed him in purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head.
The crown of thorns signifies the pain ,suffering, and the cruelty Jesus dealt. Jesus was beaten, pierced, laughed at, spit on, and tortured.
Mark 15:19 And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him.
This is an impotant symbol .The thorns were placed upon his head because people did not believe Jesus was God's Son...some still don't today. All that he went through was because and for us (You and Me). Jesus endured the pain and torture because he wanted us to be forgiven of our sins. God would only accept one payment and Jesus paid it all on our behalf becaus he loves us. He suffered the cruelist death ever known because of our wrongs. Who could ever love us that much, but him. St. Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the spirit.
Next let's look at the Cross
                                              ~The Cross~
To read the story from the Bible...rwad these scriptures Matthew 27:45-56, Mark 15:23-41, Luke23:33-49, and John 19:25-30.
These scriptures describe how Jesus died, and the reasons he died. Jesusdied for us, for our sins so that we can be forgiven and have an eternal life in Heaven with him.
1 Cor 15:3-4 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received,how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
We can only be saved through Jesus. We have to accept Jesus as Gods Son if we want to be saved. We must accept him as our Lord and Savior.
Acts 4:12 Neither is theresalvation in any other;for there is none other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
The cross is a symbol of unselfishness of Jesus and yet it seems very unfair that Christ who had never sin, would pay the ultimate price for the sins of all. I picture Christ that day. What he must have been thinking as he carried that heavy cross on his shoulder as they marched him through the streets to Calvary. How he must have felt when they hammered those spikes in his hands and feet.How they pierced him as they staked him to the cross. How he must have felt as they lifted the cross upright. It must have hurt so bad. I can't even imagine what he must have thought. He done it for us so that we can be forgiven and have eternal life extended to us... If we choose to accept him. The cross in a very important symbol of Easter because that cross carried the sins of the world.
Next let's look at the last...
                                  ~The Resurrection~
Read these chapters first Matt 28:1-15, Mark 16:1-16,Luke 24:1-29, and John 20:1-21.
This is very very important. It was proved through this that Jesus was indeed God's Son.
Romans 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power,according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. If God had wanted he could have stopped this act, but by this act and God's acceptance, he could prove he was indeed God's Son.
Acts13:33-35 God hath fulfilled the same unto their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again;as it is also written in the second Psalms, Thou Art My Son, This day have I begotten thee. And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. Wherefore he saith also in another Psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. We too through Christ will rise when that last trumpet sounds.Through Christ we have the power to over come this world. Our salvation isa promise if we have believed and accepted Jesus as our personal Savior and Lord.
Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from thedead, thou shalt be saved. For with, the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession ismade unto salvation
Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.This is why the ressurection is such an important part of Easter.
All three are such an important part and they are the Easter Story and the true reason we haveEaster . They show us how unconditional God's love is for us and how forgiveness is so important.
If you don't know Jesus and have never accepted him, please take this timeand consider him. He loves you as noone has ever loved you. He done for you what noone else ever will. He gave up everythingso that we can haveeverything. Who else will love you or do so much for you? Please consider what you've read and please consider what he has done.Of all the ones that have ever accepted Christ...none have ever asked to be unsaved. You will NEVER regret it. Accept all that he has to give you. It will change your life and you will never ever be the same.

                   Yes, this is what Easter means to me:)
Thank you Jesus for what you done for me when I didn't deserve it.

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