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What is the meaning of Easter to you? A visit from the Easter Bunny bringing candy and eggs? A new outfit to wear to church on Easter morning? The reassurance that it is now fashionably okay to wear white shoes? That church attendance will be up because next to Christmas, it is the most well-attended day of worship during the year?

What Is Easter?

Easter should be a celebration. But not because of candy, clothes, or spring fashion. We should be celebrating because of Jesus. Have you ever stopped to really ponder the events that Easter represents? It is no wonder churches throughout the world have high attendance Sundays on this Christian holiday.

For here is the way God loved the world—he gave his only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in him will never perish but experience everlasting life. John 3:16 (TPT)

Who is Jesus?

Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. He came to earth in the form of man, lived among mankind, showed us what true love is all about, and gave himself as a sacrifice so that those of us who believed in Him could live with Him in eternity.

Jesus was persecuted, tortured, spit on, laughed at, disbelieved, and disrespected in unfathomable ways. The leaders of the temple refused to listen or believe him because he didn’t follow “the rules.” The Roman government was suspicious and afraid of him because of the message he preached. His earthly family refused to accept that he was who he said he was. Even His closest friends, the disciples, although they followed Him throughout His ministry, had their doubts at times. 

Jesus poured all he had into his three-year ministry. He shared as much knowledge as he could with the disciples, knowing they would be responsible for spreading the truth upon his death. He had many followers, but those original eleven men knew him better than anyone else. 

Jesus’ Love for Us

How he must have loved them! Peter, John, and the other disciples were with him constantly. They ate with him, traveled with him, watched him perform miracles, and listened to him while hanging onto every word trying to understand his truths. Yet just as we do, they disappointed him at times. Not willfully, but because they often did not understand or think things through.

Did they know they would have to carry on without him sooner, rather than later? I’m sure he told them, but did they really understand what it meant while he was still with them? No. It had to “play itself out” before the truth of his message could really be understood. 

Yet as close as he was to his disciples, Jesus loved ALL his followers. He loved all mankind. Not just those people in his lifetime, but all mankind past, present and future. That is why he willingly came to earth as a man so that mankind could be saved. (John 3:16) 

While Jesus’ love for these disciples was great, he loves all his children the same amount. His love is no stronger for one person than it is another. Just as there are no degrees of sin, there are no degrees of Jesus’ love. He loves us unconditionally and wholeheartedly—enough to die and cleanse us from our sins.

Jesus’ Resurrection

Jesus’ earthly life of persecution ended with Him giving up his life on the cross for you and for me. He took all of mankind’s sins upon his shoulders and gave his life as a sacrifice so that we could spend eternity with him in heaven. He shed his blood for you. He shed his blood for me. All we have to do is believe and accept that he did this for us and we will belong to him forever.

knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with…Romans 6:6 NIV

What does Easter Mean to You?

So, I ask again “what is the meaning of Easter to you?” Easter should be a time of worship, praise, and adoration for God’s gift of his Son, Jesus, who willing gave up his life on a cross for each of us and was resurrected from the dead to prove to his believers that he lives on. That sounds so simple, but it was no easy task. He even endured the harshest cruelty of all—separation from His Father as he hung on that cross for you and for me. But with his resurrection, he proved that death has no power over him.

We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. Romans 6:9 (NLT)

Easter Commitment

Why not make a commitment this year to celebrate Easter because Jesus lived, died, and was resurrected? You can still enjoy your candy, clothes, and springtime, but give pause, give thanks, and spend time in prayer praising God for his plan of salvation with Jesus Christ. If you haven’t accepted him as your Lord and Savior, what better time to do it than now?

“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10 (NIV)

We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. Romans 6:9 (NLT)

As a matter of fact, why not incorporate celebrating Easter every day, because God’s gift for us is not just for Easter Sunday. It’s for our entire lives and throughout eternity.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

The depth of your love for us—for me—is incomprehensible. I cannot fathom how deep, how wide, how all-encompassing is your compassion, forgiveness, mercy, and grace. 

May I take this Easter to begin a new tradition. A tradition of living out the wonder of Easter every day and sharing that wonder with others who don’t know you. How incredible that you would send your Son, Jesus, to die for me, so that my sins will be no more, and I will be allowed to live in Your Presence forever.

Father, thank you. Thank you for Jesus and Your Spirit that now lives in me. I pray that I will remain faithful and steadfast in my devotion to you.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

“Arise My Love”

Not a word was heard at the tomb that day
Just shuffling soldiers’ feet as they guarded the grave
One day, two days, three days had past
Could it be that Jesus breathed His last?
Could it be that His Father had forsaken Him?
Turned His back on His son, despising our sin
All hell seemed to whisper, “just forget Him, He’s dead”
Then the Father looked down to His Son and He said…

Arise, My love, arise, My love
The grave no longer has a hold on you
No more death’s sting, no more suffering
Arise, arise, my love!

The Earth trembled and the tomb began to shake
and like lightening From Heaven, the stone was rolled away
And as dead man, the guards they all stood there in fright
As the power of love displayed its might
Then suddenly a melody filled the air
Riding wings of wind, it was everywhere
The words all creation had been longing to hear
The sweet sound of victory, so loud and clear

Arise, My love, arise, My love
The grave no longer has a hold on you
No more death’s sting, no more suffering
Arise, arise…

Sin, where are your shackles?
Death, where is your sting?
Hell has been defeated
The grave could not hold the King

Arise, My love, arise, My love
The grave no longer has a hold on you
No more death’s sting, no more suffering
Arise, arise, arise!

Writer(s): Eddie Carswell

https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/newsong/arisemylove.html

References:

All scripture references from Biblegateway.com

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Passion Translation® is a registered trademark of Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc. Copyright © 2020 Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.

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