reflection on Easter

Just this morning as part of my devotionals I read Mark 15 - the same chapter we actually ended up reading in Church for the Good Friday service.

Something struck me in a big way.

We celebrate Christmas - the birth of Jesus - in a BIG way. There are concerts, parties, lots of food feasts, gift giving, carol-singing and on and on. Yes, it is an important date in the liturgical calendar of the church, and I don't want to downplay it. However, what specifics do we really know about Jesus' birth? okay, we know it was at night. (only because of the shepherds watching their flocks by night .... and the star). We don't know WHEN he was born - not even the actual year, not to mention a day or time. There is speculation that it was winter time, and there is speculation that it was spring time. Pretty vague. We know he was born NOT in a house. It was a stable or a cave and it was in Bethlehem, but where exactly? no one knows. There just aren't that many specifics.

Compare that to the weekend of Jesus' death and resurrection. Hear that? We KNOW it was a weekend. We also know the time of year - it was Passover. And Passover was celebrated during the month of Nisan - which is equivalent to March or April in our calendar. We are told the events of "passion week" very specificially .... we know by reading the various accounts of the gospel what took place on Palm Sunday, Monday, Tuesday etc. We know that Jesus was arrested on Thursday night, and that his trial carried on illegally throughout the night.
Then we are told that Jesus was crucified on Friday of Nisan at the 3rd hour ....that ladies and gentlemen is 9 a.m. We are told that darkness covered the land starting at the 6th hour - 12 noon, and that Jesus actually died right around the 9th hour - 3 pm. So very specific!! We are told that he was buried BEFORE their Sabbath day .... and finally, we know specifically that Jesus rose Sunday morning. There is no speculation about time. There isn't even speculation about where. He was crucified on Golgotha --- which can be found today.

And yet, in comparison to Christmas, we downplay Easter. Sort of. It just doesn't have the same significance. There is no big anticipation of the weekend .... it just sort of creeps up and oh! it's easter weekend! There are no sing alongs like there are at Christmas - and yet, there are a large number of hymns and praise songs about the death and resurrection of our Saviour! There is no gift giving -- and yet, Jesus' sacrifice was THE greatest gift EVER. We do have our feasts - but not as many concerts. And what does chocolate have to do with Easter? :-)

This holiday is actually my favourite liturgical festival. I'm always in awe of Christ's sacrifice - what it actually means. We, in Aldergrove, heard a fantastic sermon related to the casting of lots to divide Jesus' only clothing. It was humbling to realize that my Saviour had to be humiliated and shamed as he hung naked on that cross so that I don't have to be humiliated and shamed. The sacrifice is immense. And humbling. Dare I say that this holiday is actually more important than Christmas? Yes, I know, we wouldn't have Easter without Christmas ..... but we wouldn't have eternal life without Easter. We wouldn't have forgiveness of sins without Jesus' sacrifice.

So I challenge you ---- don't see the Easter celebration as less important, but rather more important! Celebrate. Rejoice! And sing with joy! Praise the Lord!