What Are We Really Celebrating?
“Then Jesus said to them,
(The Gospel According to Matthew 28: 10 NASB)
“Do not be afraid;
go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.”
In the world where we live, there are so many ways to celebrate the Easter holiday.
- That’s it. Some see the weekend as an extended spring holiday of four days to have time away from school and work.
- Good Friday is only good because people are not required to work, and clearly, what’s not ‘good’ about that?!
- Saturday is a great day for playfulness, for shopping for eggs and chocolate bunnies, squishy Peeps, and Easter egg hunts.
- Then comes Easter Sunday. Oh, we MUST go to church, to join with the other attenders who have new dresses, new outfits, and who must get 50% of their annual church attendance in the books.
- Let us not forget ‘second’ Easter, the Monday after Easter. This extra day is an odd one, another day away from work, and a time to play, to rest from all the Easter holiday fun to be garnered.
In the world where we live, there are so many WRONG thoughts disassociated with the TRUTH because there TRULY is a ‘HOLY’ reason we should celebrate Resurrection Sunday.
On Saturday, during a conversation with a young lady, I asked her if she would attend church on Sunday. Her answer reminded me of the world we live in today, and truthfully, maybe this world has been the same since the days Jesus walked.
The young lady said: “There is a church here in the city, but I won’t be attending.”
Now, the conversation was a much larger FAITH discussion than just this one question, and truly our conversation and this young lady has remained a prayer concern for me since the day we last spoke, but right now, let’s pause to also ask—
- Why has the world allowed such a ‘Holy’ celebration to become filled with such an ‘unholy’ focus?
What Are We Really Celebrating?
When Jesus came to earth (the 1st Advent), he came as a babe in a manger and then grew to become a man. From the moment He came, He lived a sinless life. Then at age thirty, He began His public ministry, selecting twelve working men to leave their professions and to join Him in ministry.
For the next three years, Jesus walked in ministry, healed the sick, performed miracles, raised the dead from the grave, spoke to the masses, taught in the synagogue, & saved countless men and women who decided to turn from their sinful ways and give their hearts to Him.
THE WORLD WAS NEVER THE SAME—ONCE JESUS CAME!
Then the Pharisees and other religious leaders began their pursuit. Not a day passed that Jesus was not pursued, not denounced, not threatened. So often, Jesus led His chosen disciples to a place of rest, to temporary relief from the work He called them to do. There is a lesson there for us too.
During that third year of Jesus’ earthly ministry, the Son of man and Son of God instituted the LORD’S SUPPER. This was the night Jesus was to be arrested, and He knew what was coming.
Jesus knew His disciples were facing the horribleness that would occur the next day—GOOD FRIDAY—THE NIGHT OF JESUS’ CRUCIFIXION.
Jesus knew His disciples would be terribly afraid, fearful that they would be next, so the Upper Room provided a safe haven, a place for them to hide as the DEAD BODY OF JESUS WAS PLACED IN THE TOMB.
- JESUS KNEW WHAT ONE OF HIS DISCIPLES, ONE OF HIS CHOSEN—JUDAS ISCARIOT—WOULD DO!
- JESUS KNEW HE WAS FACING CALVARY’S CROSS!
- JESUS SAVED ONE OF THE TWO THIEVES WHO HANGED THERE NEAR HIM, THERE OUTSIDE THE CITY OF JERUSALEM!
- JESUS IS GOD IN THE FLESH!
- JESUS KNEW & JESUS STILL KNOWS!
- STILL, JESUS WILLINGLY DIED FOR YOU & FOR ME!
- STILL, JESUS MADE THE ONLY WAY POSSIBLE FOR US TO BE SAVED!
- STILL, JESUS REMAINED IN THE GRAVE, REVEALING TO THE WATCHING WORLD THAT HE TRULY WAS DEAD!
- THEN, RESURRECTION SUNDAY CAME!
- THEN, GOD RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD!
The ladies who went first to the tomb were perplexed and astonished because the large stone that covered the entrance to the tomb had been rolled away, making a way for them to walk right inside. It was there, inside the tomb, they saw—THE EMPTY TOMB!
The ladies ran to tell the disciples of Jesus who were hiding in the Upper Room, and two of the men ran to see for themselves—THE EMPTY TOMB!
IT WAS TRUE! THE TOMB WAS EMPTY!
- FROM THAT MOMENT, ALL WHO BELIEVE, WHO ACCEPT THE TRUTH, THAT JESUS CHRIST IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS—THE MESSIAH—CELEBRATE RESURRECTION SUNDAY (EASTER)!
- FROM THAT MOMENT—WE CELEBRATE—THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS FROM THE TOMB, FROM THE DEAD!
“Now after the Sabbath,
(The Gospel According to Matthew 28: 1-15 NASB)
[after Saturday]
as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week,
[on Sunday morning]
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave.
And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred,
for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven
and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it.
And his appearance was like lightning,
and his clothing as white as snow.
The guards
[who had been standing guard all night at Jesus’ tomb
so no one would steal Jesus’ body from the tomb]
shook for fear of him
[The guards shook in fear when they saw the angel of God there with them]
and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid;
for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified.
He is not here,
for He has risen,
just as He said.
Come, see the place where He was lying.
Go quickly and
tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead;
and behold,
He is going ahead of you into Galilee,
there you will see Him;
behold, I have told you.”
And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy
and ran to report it to His disciples.
And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them.
And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.
“Then Jesus said to them,
“Do not be afraid;
go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.”
Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city
and reported to the chief priests
[reported to the religious leaders who had demanded Jesus’ crucifixion]
all that had happened.
And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together,
they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers.
and said, “You are to say,
[You are to tell this lie]
‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’
And if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble.”
And they
[the soldiers who had guarded the tomb of Jesus on the night of His crucifixion]
took the money and did as they had been instructed;
and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day.”
What Are We Really Celebrating?
- Are We Going into the world & Telling the TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL MESSAGE?!
- Are We Proclaiming the TRUTH of JESUS’ RESURRECTION FROM THE GRAVE?!
- Are We Telling Those We Know About the 2nd Advent, the 2nd COMING OF JESUS?!
- Are We Sharing the GOSPEL, Giving Our Testimony & Leading Others to CHRIST?!
- May we celebrate Easter for THE TRUTHFUL REASON!