Me 2 You Easter 2024
Christmas was less than a hundred days ago, and we are already at Easter, one of the shortest periods between the two because it’s based on the lunar cycle. Easter Sunday always falls on the Sunday after the first full moon following the Spring equinox in March and can be any date between 22 March and 25 April.
This is similar to Ramadan for Muslims which started on the 6th of March, the 9th month in the Islamic lunar calendar. It is a month of fasting, worship, service, communal gathering, and spiritual. While my values are based on Christian teaching, both the period leading up to Easter and Ramadan share a similar purpose, about growing closer to God and that requires preparation whether that be giving up something for lent or fasting during daylight hours.
The Easter story, including the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, emphasizes themes of redemption, forgiveness, sacrifice, and the victory of life over death. The resurrection of Jesus brings hope, new beginnings, and the promise of eternal life to all who believe in Him.
These themes aren’t exclusive to God or Christianity, we can all use these themes when we need a fresh start, the spring comes bringing new life to our farms and the seeds grow to produce the food we will gather at harvest. We also see the birth of new life in nature the leaves growing, new cattle and livestock being born giving us food and drink.
The reason why I’ve been using Luke a lot in these posts is because it’s been the book my church has been reading over the last year, so much of my personal thoughts around this time of easter is about renewal.
As Christians believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, but was raised again on Easter Sunday, signalling we are all going to be saved by God in the afterlife. As Jesus was on the cross Luke 23:43 “Father forgive them they don’t know what they are doing.” Even at the end of his earthly life, Jesus showed humanity he didn’t fight, he asked for forgiveness.
It shows we must put our trust in God, in the same way as Abraham in Genesis 22:9 – 11 was called on by God to sacrifice his son because of his faith in God he did so, we must trust in ‘Yahweh Yireh’, the lord will provide.
Easter is a time to celebrate that renewal, as we see the changing seasons and the birth of new life through lambing and calving on our farms. For us, a four-day weekend allows us to come together like we see the night before the crucifixion when Jesus predicts his death. We all like our chocolate easter eggs which symbolise the tomb of Jesus, it brings us joy but not the same joy, excitement, and perhaps fear on that Sunday morning when the tomb was empty.
Perhaps they were going to prepare Jesus for a proper burial, but there was much confusion that easter morning, but we hope to be raised up to heaven after death, this might be what God was trying to show that easter morning.
As predicted in Isiah 53:1
But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him
and cause him grief.
Yet when his life is made an offering for sin,
he will have many descendants.
He will enjoy a long life,
and the Lord’s good plan will prosper,
in his hands.
We need to use this time to prepare for spring, a time of renewal, and preparing for the summer ahead.
Happy easter
Jack
Bible quotes NLT, Tyndale House Publishers