In an increasingly secular society this is an important question. For many
children they will think of it in terms of Easter eggs and a holiday from
school. For some adults, the long weekend will provide a welcome break from
work and an opportunity to relax. Alternatively, it might be an occasion to get
some of the jobs done around the house that have remained undone, or unfinished.
Perhaps, for some, it may be a time for the family. But is that all?
Although Easter bears no relationship to the real time of the death of
Jesus Christ, it is a time when some Christians reflect upon that event that
took place some 2000 years ago. Whether we like it or not, that event changed
our way of life. 2013 is measured from the time of the birth of Jesus Christ and
our annual cycle of bank holidays revolves around Christmas and Easter as the
two major events. What is so significant to Christians across the world of the
death of a man some 2000 years ago?
The simple answer is that the death of the Lord Jesus Christ was
unique. In that horrific act of crucifixion, we might expect a victim to die as
a result of his injuries and the torture of the execution method. However, the
soldiers that came to hasten the death of those they regarded as criminals were
amazed that the Lord Jesus Christ was dead already. Why? The answer is that He
had ‘given up the ghost’, that is, He had given up His life willingly because
He had control over that event in a way that we haven’t.
Good Friday is meant to remind us that the Lord Jesus Christ died
willingly and voluntarily as a sacrifice to God on account of my sin and yours.
At Calvary, in His crucifixion, He paid the penalty for our sin. The Bible
says, ‘Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree’. But there
is more. For Easter Sunday reminds us of His resurrection from the dead. On the
third day after His death, Jesus Christ rose from the dead, and is alive
forever. That is why Easter is so important. Our sin and guilt can be dealt
with – cleansed and forgiven. By faith in Christ we can know sins forgiven and have
peace with God. Is that what Easter means to you?
